This article was a blog post by Sasha Syssoeva Fair, a classically trained artist in the Wenatchee Valley who recently featured in the main exhibit at the Two Rivers Art Gallery. The artist’s blog is online atsashas-fair.pixels.com/myblog.
Sasha Syssoeva Fair
Provided photo/Sasha Syssoeve Fair
This article was a blog post by Sasha Syssoeva Fair, a classically trained artist in the Wenatchee Valley who recently featured in the main exhibit at the Two Rivers Art Gallery. The artist’s blog is online atsashas-fair.pixels.com/myblog.
Do you enjoy hiking or walking in nature? And while doing that, have you ever felt like taking a pause to slow down at some beautiful spot and just absorb it all and somehow take it home with you? You might do a sketch or make notes or journal.
If you haven’t done it yet, you might search on Google for “sketching” and the Internet will start showing you all kinds of results from online art supplies stores or Amazon to sell you special (almost magical!) art tools that promise to make you the greatest outdoor artist that God ever created!
What a bunch of baloney! Take it from my 30 years of experience: you don’t need any of that!
Grab an automatic pencil, which you probably have in your kitchen or in your car or any pencil and any piece of paper or any old notebook (also probably in a kitchen drawer). Look in your kid’s room – there will be plenty of that or stop at your local Dollar Store. If you have an extra pencil, keep it in your car at all times.
Walk around and explore different angles and perspectives, but most importantly take your time and observe. Don’t worry about being perfect — make it messy first. It’s all about uniting with our land and appreciating our surroundings.
Start with drawing one object first: a flower, a tree or a building. Observe what happens to the object’s colors in direct light or in shadow. Notice how colors are different on a clear sunny day from the colors when it’s an overcast sky.
With more time and experience, you will start observing more differences. Make notes on the side of your sketch. Note the position of the sun, clouds and weather. Even come back to the same location at different times of day and notice the difference in tones.
You know what’s even more fun? Join a local hiking or a sketching group. Share your joy of nature, learn from others and meet new friends!
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