Purple Pride immediately siezes Orlando.

Posted on by Thor

I was going to Falcon Bar (819 E Washington St, Orlando, FL) or Mystery Sketch Theater which has a cos-play model taking poses for artists once a month. Streets were blocked off and I found myself walking besides runners in a 5K race. Everyone was wearing purple tee shirts. I heard an announcer and walked towards the noise. A finish line was set up on the East side of Lake Eola Park on Washington Street.

A Food Truck Bazaar were set up beyond the finish line and hungry runners lined up for food. I sketched the purple Orlando Soccer truck. Soccer has been promoted with a vengeance and   Orlando City Soccer Club logos, murals and stickers are all over town. Lion heads appear everywhere. The renovated Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium is now packed for every game. I haven’t figured out who to contact yet about sketching a game. I feel I need to report on a team that has quickly become as known as the Orlando Magic basketball team. With the US team doing better in the international soccer competitions, the fan base keeps growing.

Mark Baratelli of the Daily City had organized all the food trucks. He showed me a paper that he now publishes that shows where to find each food truck bazaar all around Central Florida.  I admire the marketing prowess of the Orlando City Soccer Club and Mark’s entrepreneurial spirit. After I finished my sketch I walked over to the Falcon Bar to squeeze a few more sketches into my day.

A power meeting at Panera’s.

Posted on by Thor

Kelly Medford, a plein air painter from Rome invited me to collaborate on an Orlando Sketch Tour. We decided to meet at Panera’s which is on the North East corner of Lake Eola Park. We decided to hold the first Orlando Sketch Tour in Lake Eola. I got to Panera’s early and decided to do a sketch of the business men meeting at the next table. The younger gentlemen were seeking funding for their start up company. They were discussing millions of dollars while Kelly and I discussed the most cost effective art supplies to purchase for anyone who came to our Orlando Sketch Tour workshops.

After meeting with Kelly, we both walked around Lake Eola to decide what sketch opportunities would work best for the weekend of the Sketch Tour. We considered places to go in case of rain as well.   About 10 people signed up for the Orlando Sketch Tour. Each person got their own supply kit with a sketchbook, pen and pencil, a watercolor kit and brush. These are all the supplies needed to create urban sketches. All the supplies came in a plastic zippered carrying bag that was water resistant.

On the day of the sketch tour, Kelly and I offered some fundamental drawing tips to get everyone warmed up. The participants then did a sketch of the Red Pagoda or Lake Eola. After that first sketch, it began to rain, so we moved into a sports bar on Lake Eola’s South shore and then Panera’s to continue working indoors. It was inside where we introduced everyone to their watercolor kit. Everyone made a color wheel and a chart showing a light wash and darker pigmented wash for each color. Then everyone created a complete sketch of the interior.

On the second day of the Orlando Sketch Tour, I invited my Elite Animation Academy students to join us. Once again, rain chased us inside and students recorded the atmosphere inside the restaurant. For those who attended, it was a great chance to sketch the drama that always unfolds in everyday events. The key is to look, listen and pay attention. In this digital age there are so many distractions that divert our attention from the amazing things happening all around us.

Sketch Tour Workshops offered in Orlando.

Posted on by Thor

Orlando Sketch Tours offers visitors a chance to slow down, see and sketch the true Orlando outside of theme parks. Thor from Analog Artist Digital World and Kelly Medford from Sketching Rome Tours will be your guides for this 2-day sketching tour around Orlando.

Each workshop day is $125, or $200 for both days.

Saturday February 28, 2015 Workshop 10am to 2pm.

Sunday March 1, 2015 Workshop 10am to 2pm.

For all levels, NO experience is required.
All materials provided, just bring yourself.

Your sketch kit includes:

pencil and sharpener

waterproof drawing pen

waterbrush

travel sized watercolor kit

5×7 inch watercolor artist journal

and a zippered supply bag to hold everything

Artists will meet at 10am the red pagoda at the east end of Lake Eola. The Saturday workshop will start off by introducing simple and straightforward techniques in pen, pencil and watercolor for all levels, from beginners to more practiced artists or sketchers. Both Thor and Kelly will offer several hours of tips and tricks to get you comfortable working with your materials. Kelly will offer insights into the use of watercolor and Thor will give tips on how to compose your urban sketch.

We can break for lunch at Pannera and then continue sketching together afterwards. We will finish off the day at the Red Pagoda at 2pm to share sketches and chat about the experience.

The Sunday workshop will be much like the Saturday workshop with more time for those who attended Saturday’s workshop to sketch and for newcomers to work directly in getting to know your materials and various techniques.

Register here on Eventbrite.

Registration ends February 21st.

Brand new swan boats at Lake Eola.

Posted on by Thor

When I sketch in downtown Orlando, I always park near Lake Eola. I like to walk around the lake before finding theaters, galleries or clubs. I was impressed to see that the city has invested in band new swan boats. They have canvas awnings that keep the tourists from getting sun stroke. I paddled the old swans and it is quite the aerobic workout. In that case I had to paddle and sketch at the same time. Unfortunately if you try to paddle a swan boat alone, you end up traveling in a tight circle.

Music is now being piped all around the lake and I must say it is growing on me. It is nice to have a personal soundtrack as I head off to the next sketch location. Holiday lights have been going up even before Thanksgiving and the artificial Christmas tree is already taking form next to the Disney Amphitheater. The seating area at the amphitheater now has extra police tape between the gaps in back row seats to insure that no one is tempted to sit. There is one ugly duckling in among the fleet of swans. The duck is basically a swan boat minus the black eye patch design. The duck also lacks the awning to block the sun, so insist on a swan if you are up for a paddling adventure.

Earth Day Celebration at Lake Eola

Posted on by Thor

April 19th was Earth Day and Orlandoans celebrated at Lake Eola Park. That day was also the 43rd World Wide Sketch Crawl, so I organized the Orlando Crawl to happen at the Earth Day Celebration. There were artist and vendor tents set up all through the park. I suggested that any artists could meet in the art vendor area, so that is where I set up to sketch. I sat right at the edge of a huge patch of Doug Rhodehamel‘s paper bag mushrooms. The mushrooms are part of his Spore Project which encourages people to be creative with the simplest of materials, a paper bag, stick and a rubber band.

Jon Glassman Gardner was set up in a tent nearby and he explained the mushrooms to people who were curious. Jon had dozens of colored glass magnets that had colorful patterns that resemble topographic maps. He discovered the pattern one day while pressing pigments between two sheets of glass. I’m the proud owner of several of these magnets that hold up sketches in the studio. He was also selling lanterns that featured his unique glass work. Between costumers, he was working on a spray can chandelier. He cut the cans open in a spiral pattern which made them look a bit like Man O War jellyfish. I believe he plans to group these together with lights to create the chandelier.

My plan to have artists meet at this event was flawed. The event was so large and crowded that it became impossible to find any other artists. One art student of Kathy Blackmore‘s introduced himself and I suggested he sketch something in the area. I should have given him my twitter handle or phone number so I could find him again in the crowd.  I assumed no one else showed up, but weeks later I was pleased to see that Plinio Pinto and Matthew Tardiff also sketched the Earth Day festivities that day. Though each artist was sketching on their own, they both found plenty of interesting subject matter to sketch. The next Sketch Crawl is July 12th. I need to get organized and learn how to bring artists together.

Claire and the Potatos Perform at the Earth Day Festival

Posted on by Thor

The Earth Day Festival was held at Lake Eola on April 19th. This was the same day as the World Wide SketchCrawl, so I invited artists to come to Lake Eola for a sketch marathon. The festival was so crowded that I never met any other artists. I did one sketch in the artist vendor’s area which was slated as the meeting place. When that sketch was done, I walked around the festival looking for other artists and scouting out the next sketch opportunity. Of course, when I heard music, I was gravitated towards it.

Claire and the Potatoes performed under a tent right on the eastern shore of Lake Eola. Last year, Claire was bitten by one of Lake Eola’s swans, so she kept an eye out as she sang. I sat on a low brick wall and sketched. Most of the audience stood on the walkway. All of the music was original dealing with misunderstood youth and romance. The group is a sort of pop hipster comfort band, with a soothing retro sound with dark undertones. The band members are Leslie Rising, Guy Larmay, Marc Sirdoreus and Jim Myers.Someone shot a photo of me working on the sketch, so this sketch circulated a bit on Facebook. Because of that, I thought I might have posted this sketch before. I’ve decided to sign each sketch when it goes online to help avoid confusion in the future. With this sketch done, I decided to call it a day and head home. I was discouraged that I didn’t meet any other artists but it turned out they were out there enjoying their day of sketching.

Mark Your Calendar! Tonight, July 12 between 8pm and 1am, Claire and The Potatoes will unleash their new
album, “Have An Okay Time With Claire and The Potatoes!”, and they’re
doing it at The Geek Easy (114 S. Semoran Blvd)!

It’s the first chance to get the new album (three days early, too),
and the first five people to purchase one will also receive one of the
few remaining copies of their first EP gratis!
Opening the show will be
Bucket of Nails (unpredictable spazz-rock from Orlando)
and then Figments (rock and roll from Tampa)
. There is no cover, so get out and soak up some tunes.

Spring Fiesta in the Park

Posted on by Thor

The Spring Fiesta in the Park on April 5th, featured 600 or so Artists and Crafters from all over the United States displaying and selling original works in outdoor tents around Lake Eola Park. There was plenty of outdoor fun and family activities at the largest arts and crafts festival in Orlando. There was also live entertainment and a kids’ area. After walking through much of the festival with Terry, she suggested I get a sketch done.

While shopping, Terry and I bumped into Andy Matchett, his friend Amanda Warren and their children. There is plenty to keep the kids occupied and active at this festival. Amanda let me know what Fringe show she was working on. I’m always looking for inside information about what creative work is happening in the arts scene in Orlando. Andy is now doing the musical direction for Legally Blonde at the Bay Street Theater, 109 N Bay St, Eustis, Fl. The show starts June 27th at 8pm.

This Richard Petty race car was located on the edge of the kids area. Occasionally people were encouraged to climb into the car for a photo opportunity. Getting into the car involved climbing through the oped driver’s door window. The Richard Petty driving experience is located at Disney World giving the average tourist a taste of what it is like to drive on a race track. That is something I’d like to sketch and experience someday. The experience is expensive however.

The Rookie Experience: $449 – $549
(8 laps of driving)

King’s Experience: $849 – $1,299
(18 laps of driving)

Experience of a Lifetime: $1,299 – $2,199
(30 laps of driving)

This was a very quick sketch and when it was done, Terry and I went out for tacos before heading home.

Trucks & Tech III : Truckpocalypse

Posted on by Thor

I went to Truckpocalypse on March 23rd at Lake Eola Park (195 N Rosalind Avenue, Orlando, Fl.) From the write up in the Orlando Weekly, I expected to see chrome hub capped monster trucks and a crowd of moaning zombies. My wife walks around Lake Eola every afternoon for exercise. When I got to the park I saw her walking up ahead of me. She walks fast and I wasn’t sure I could catch her. I fired off a text that said, “Look back!” She reached into her pocket to check her phone. She paused then turned to see me walking up behind her. She laughed. Chance encounters are rare and you have to appreciate them when they happen. She had already done a lap around the lake and when I asked about Truckpocalypse she said she noticed some trucks at the south east corner of the park. She changed course and we walked that way together. She hadn’t noticed any zombies other than the regulars in the park.

She stopped to see some baby swans. The little fur balls had just hatched and mom was watching over them with care. Truckpocalypse wasn’t what I expected. The Trucks and Tech event was a mashup of two cultures , foodies and techies. It was the only Orlando event that combines discussion from leaders in the Central Florida tech community with top local food trucks to fill attendees’ minds and stomachs with the best of the best.  Survivors and zombies went head to head in an epic costume contest. I only saw one couple who made a lame attempt to look like survivors. The only zombies I saw were on the Swede Dish food truck.

Terry and I decided to order from the Swede Dish food truck. I had to order the “Thor” which is a hot dog smothered with mashed potatoes and crunchy onions in a wrap. It was a unique and unexpected taste combination. Picnic tables were set up, and Terry and I sat down to have dinner together. It was a romantic meal among the undead. Terry returned to work when we were done, and I decided to sketch the Swede Dish food truck. A zombie had a meat hook jabbed through his eye and his loose black fabric fluttered in the breeze. I sketched the food truck proprietress handing a sandwich to a costumer. It looks like she is handing him a legless zombie. I consider that a happy accident.