Pandemic Panera’s

Posted on by Thor

For the last Urban Sketching class, I had my students sketch in Panera’s. We had already covered how to sketch an interior by sketching the classroom and I gave a refresher on how to populate a scene with people. Myself and two of my students were wearing masks in the classroom. Hospitalizations for the BA5 variant had reached a peak and were hovering at about 40,000 COVID patients each day. 300 to 400 people continue to die each day from the virus, but despite this, most people are “done” with COVID though the pandemic is far from over.

I had just dodged a bullet since a house guest had contracted the virus and we isolated for 10 days. Somehow, even while living with the virus Pam and I managed to not get infected. We have taken every simple precaution since the start of the pandemic, masking, social distancing and hand washing.

One of my students had been infected. She had stayed clear of the virus for over two years, but her husband brought home the BA5 and they both got sick. My other masked student has managed to evade infection and wants to continue to do so.

Both of my masked students decided to sketch Panera’s from outside, and I applaud them for that choice. I ordered some food and ate it outside. Then I masked up with a KN-95 held in place by my well worn cloth mask. I was the only masked person inside Panera’s except the person who took my order.

One student asked me to sign my Urban Sketching book, which surprised me. Three other students arrived late after they ran across the note on the classroom door letting them know where we would be sketching. They missed all my introductory remarks, but I worked with each to bring them up to speed. They remained unmasked. This is the reason I have tended to hold off on sketching at indoor venues with students. I am unable to protect them from themselves.

A few days later the CDC lifted many of their suggestions for quarantining and social distancing. I know the reduced 5 day quarantining was instated by the CDC to be sure that health care workers could be available as the hospitals filling up with COVID patients. It was never intended to become a general policy for everyone. Now even the 5 day quarantine has been abandoned to keep people at work. Close contact no longer involves taking precautions.

People refuse to protect themselves against a virus they can not see. I will continue to take the precautions I have been taking since the start of the pandemic. I know full well that politics play a greater roll in deciding how COVID recommendations  are decided. I also know that any recommendations are ignored my most people regardless. You can choose your own COVID adventure.

Studio in May

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For my Elite Animation Academy virtual Urban Sketching class, I usually ask the students to sketch the room they are in. It is a good lesson in one point perspective and adding objects inside a space. I have been teaching seven days a week all summer, so I have done a few of these studio studies. The first thing I teach is to find a vanishing point and a horizon. Sine we are not outside the horizon isn’t obvious. a clue can be found in the lamp shade against the far wall. The bottom of the shade arcs down meaning it is below the horizon, and the top of the lamp shade arcs up meaning it is above the horizon. The horizon might be the top of the roll top desk, or just below. The vanishing point is above that small stack of books just to the right of THOR.

Since my students usually work much slower than I do, I tend to have time to add paint and push the piece a bit further than just the line drawing. This particular piece started with me blocking in all the foreground elements in a warm yellowish tone. The studio lights were on and the far room lights were not, so they got very different color treatments. The outdoors were painted pure white to start and light versions of outdoors colors were added over the white to keep the outdoors bright.

Like most of my sketches done on location, I had to finish in about 2 hours. When class was over, I closed up the tablet and had to consider it done.

Crealde Panorama 2

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On Sunday mornings I teach an Urban Sketching Class at Crealde School of Art. For this class I had students doing nine thumbnail sized sketcher per page. This sketch is essentially three thumbnails sketches stitched together to create a panorama. This was the second sketch of the series of sketches I did. Since the start of the pandemic I have become a bit forgetful about carrying my art supply bag with me everywhere I go. Before the pandemic I was sketching on location every day but now I might sketch on location once a week, spending most of my time working isolated in the studio. In this case I went to move a car in the driveway so I could drive my seldom used Prius to Crealde and I forgot my bag in the car that I had moved.

So for this series of sketches I found a single pencil and drew on the table cloth paper that is in a roll in the classroom. So the sketches might be thumbnails but the paper is probably twenty four inches across. I could not resist using those full twenty four inches to sketch on.

There were some really spectacular results in the thumbnails produced in this class. Each student draws in their own style, my goal is never to influence how they sketch of apply paint. Instead I offer suggestions on how to take in more of the scene in front of them. The challenge is to offer each student what they need to progress to the next level, so after a brief introduction of the day’s premise I then walk from student to student and offer one on one feedback usually in the form of a sketch.

At the beginning of this series of classes only one student wore a mask. Now three students wear a mask at least when inside. I always wear a mask since I never know when a student might approach with a question. I don’t mind being the odd man out, I always have been and I am well aware that this pandemic is far from over. Many people seem too choose ignorance and hope as a reaction to the pandemic. Hope is not a solution, simple measures like wearing a mask getting vaccinated and social distancing are.

Crealde First Class

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On Sundays I teach an Urban Sketching Class at Crealde School of Art. From the very first class I encourage the students to explore the beautiful campus with their sketchbooks.

In each class I press a particular point and rather quickly get the students to apply the concept in their sketches for the day.

I sketch while they work and share each stage of my sketch to show how long I take on each step of the process. As I walk around I give each student individual attention usually doing thumbnail sketches on the back of my sketch to express how I might tackle the scene they are working on.

This sketch was done back when masks were required at Crealde. That requirement has been dropped, but I remain masked in public at all times. When sketching people will often approach to see the work in progress. They never seem to stop when the line work is being done, but once color hits the page, people become curious.

My last series of classes was canceled because not enough students signed up. That should give me a breather as COVID cases are rising in Florida again. I haven’t experienced a classroom full of unmasked students yet.

Crealde: Sketching the Tent

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For the second Urban Sketching Class at Crealde School of Art, we reviewed one point perspective and discussed two point perspective for blocking in a scene. For the first class we were indoors since it was so cold outside but this week we ventured outside where it was a bit chilly but tolerable.

I did drawing on a chalkboard on this back porch area and then asked everyone to turn around and draw the tent behind us. The only goal was to fit the tent on the page as best as possible.

This demo sketch which I walked around at each stage of it’s progression pointed out that the tent does not need to fill the page. I decided it just needed to fill half the sketch while the students in the foreground became the real center of interest for the story.

I had them commit to the sketch they were doing by using pencil to plan, then pen and ink to commit and finally watercolor. The challenge is always to get students to truly spend the time to develop a sketch towards becoming a painting. There are some real talents in this class and they are soaking up concepts I throw their way quickly. As the world returns to a new normal they will have a new tool (the sketchbook) to explore it with.

I am still working in an ancient sketchbook with horrible thin paper, but that means I can make a mess and not worry too much about the result.

Lake Baldwin Dog Park

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For the final class of my Crealde Urban Sketching Class, I met my students at the Lake Baldwin Dog Park.My goal was to get the students to think of the people and the dogs just as small elements to the overall composition.

We met at a gazebo for the lesson itself and then I set the students free to explore the area. One student even brought her dog for the experience. I did a series of sketches to explain dog anatomy so that students understood how to draw the three masses and the legs.

In my sketch you can see one of the students sitting in his artist stool over on screen left. The great thing about this park is that the dogs will come right up to you for pets and attention. I also think the dogs suspect that artist supply bags much contain treats.

I wore my mask the entire time but not a single dog owner wore any form of mask. I agree that virus particles can better dissipate outside, but some of these folks stood clustered in tight groups for long periods of time talking at each others faces. This class starts up again January 30, 2022 and it is close to being booked full.

Crealde Zoomscapes

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My Sunday morning Crealde School of Art Urban Sketching Class begins again on April 11, 2021.As of April 1, 2021 I will have had my second COVID-19 vaccine shot, so I will be more at ease. I will still follow all safety protocols like wearing a mask, maintaining my distance and washing my hands and wiping surfaces down religiously.

This sketch is from the class to demonstrate using thumbnail drawings to move an audience through a space. All classes have been held outdoors unless the weather keeps us inside. The primary point of the class is to get the students used to carrying a sketchbook everywhere they go and to fill it with simple daily direct observations.

I tend to seek out gatherings of people to include in my sketches and that has been put on hold for well over a year now. As the state opens to a new normal I am slowly venturing out with my sketchbook. In a week I will be sketching the Shakes performance of A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream at the Lake Eola Bandshell. When I first moved to Orlando I remember seeing a Shakespeare production at the bandshell. I am thankful that the Shakes if finding a way to keep theater alive through the pandemic.

The spring Crealde Urban Sketching Class was canceled since there was not enough interest among artists in sketching the world as it exists during the pandemic.

Pre-Pandemic: Craft Beer Fest

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I had a magnificent student in my Elite Animation Urban Sketching Class. She had noticed on the drive to Elite that a festival was setting up in Windermere, Florida so we decided to head over to sketch.

We set up outside the town hall an watched as a band set up their sound equipment on the main stage. They were lugging speakers a drum set and various guitars the entire time we sketched. I was getting my student to focus on capturing at least one active gesture in the final sketch. I chose to include one guy bending over holding a speaker.

Often people repeat the same pose again and again so I had her looking for this as well. As we settled in and added watercolor to the sketches, the band began to do a sound check and we got to enjoy a short concert as they listened to the sound levels.

Tents were being set up all along the main street as well. As we finished up and gt ready to return to the classroom, people had started lining up to order arm bands which would allow them to taste as many samples as they wanted. I am more intrigued by the moments before an actual event.  There is an energy in the panic and hurry of getting ready for a possible crowd.

Pre-Pandemic: Subways

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This sketch was done during an Urban Sketching Class I was teaching at Elite Animation Academy. The girl seated in front of the soda machine and sketching, was one of my best students. It is always a pleasure to find a student who has laser beam focus and a real desire to learn.

I usually take students here after instructing them in one point perspective. This sketch was done in an ancient sketchbook that was returned to me after being in someone’s attic for 30 years. The paper is brittle and thin but I am happy to finally be filling the book up.

The great part of taking students to Subways to sketch is that I can order a sandwich to eat while there. I always ordered a ham and Swiss with lettuce and tomato and a splash of oil and vinegar with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. I miss those days of going on location to sketch. For now I am exploring the world virtually to do my rather political illustrations each day.

This last week of 2020 I actually got to instruct two students virtually and I am teaching them how too use photo reference to piece together ideas. Growing up I longed to find a decent painting instructor but never really found one. Perhaps I didn’t ask the right questions. I am trying t give my students the basic and fundamental instruction that I yearned for when I was young. Hopefully they will run with what I give them. I know the student in this sketch soaked in everything I threw her way.

Crealde Urban Sketching Class

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My Crealde School of Art, Urban Sketching Class had three students on this Sunday. It was raining so we couldn’t sketch outside the studio. I decided that if each student has their own table then there should be about six feet between them. I also decided to leave the studio door open for a cross breeze.

We focused on sketching the studio itself by using the perspective lessons I has taught and also to capture as many fellow students as we could. I did this quick sketch as a sample. You might notice a straight line across the image, I put that in to demonstrate that each students eyes were about the same height above the floor and therefor straight across the page.

This sketch was also done to demonstrate the idea of pools of light. I darkened the walls as they receded into the corner of the room and added a spot light effect to add a center of interest. The room was lit with florescent lights so this effect was not very pronounced but I pushed it in my sketch.

I have one more class to teach this Sunday January 20, 2020. All of my students have been really talented and they take my premise for each class and make it there own. Classes will resume again starting Sunday January 24, 2020.