Old First Reformed Church

Ink and watercolor sketch on location. The sun is getting lower and the shadows longer this time of the year. Some birds from my previous sketch migrated over.

10 Montgomery Place Entrance

Sketching at night, the warm glow of the foyer through glass and iron doors reveals the stair beyond. Leaves have just started to fall.

This landmark building graces the corner of Montgomery Place and 8th Avenue with its delicate detailing. A future sketch is needed to capture the building's unique windows.

The sketch took two nights. On the first night, the linework was drawn. On the second, the watercolor rendering was completed. It was challenging freehand sketching the arch accurately, particularly with the radiating stone reveals.

Ink and watercolor freehand sketch on location. Prints available in my Etsy shop

Park Slope Sketch at BROOKLYN FLEA Sunday, 10/17/2010

Park Slope Sketch is excited to be participating as a vendor in the BROOKLYN FLEA at 1 Hanson Place (Willy B Savings Bank Tower) on Sunday, October 17th. We will be in the Vault.

We will have Sketch Prints, Greeting Cards, and Coloring Books of Brooklyn for sale. They make great gifts. Come say hi if you are around!

If you don't already know about the Brooklyn Flea at 1 Hanson, you should check it out! It is a great venue in the beautiful former bank space on the First Floor, Cellar, and Mezzanine levels.

Montauk Club in the Evening

Walking by the Montauk Club in the evening, on your way from Grand Army Plaza Station down Lincoln Place. Soft light emanates from the interior, accentuating the delicate details.

Sketched in ink and watercolored on location, by the light of a street lamp. Prints available in my ETSY shop.

Walking Up Montgomery Place

Walking up Montgomery Place past elaborate curved-front townhouses towards Prospect Park. On a chilly October Sunday. Ink and watercolor on location.

Prints available in my ETSY shop.

47 Montgomery Place

My opportunity to sketch in the middle of the street came. On Saturday, Montgomery Place had their block party and the street was closed to traffic. So, I set myself up in the middle of the road and sketched the day away. Between doing the line drawing and the watercolor, this one took me all day.

The weather was perfect, and the neighbors didn't seem to mind. The kids on the block paid me visits to check on my progress and played hopscotch around me. Ink and watercolor on location. Prints of this piece are available in my ETSY shop.

Palma Chemists

Here's a sketch of a familiar corner on 7th Avenue in Park Slope. It is the entrance to Palma Chemists drugstore on the corner of 7th Avenue and Garfield Place. I enjoyed the nostalgia of the signage and the cantilevered 3-story bay window, with the brilliant blue September sky reflecting in the windows. The steeple to the old First Reformed Church is visible in the distance. Freehand ink and watercolor on location.

Prints of this piece are available in my ETSY shop. I also plan to make greeting cards of most of the watercolor pieces I've been doing recently, which will be on the shop too as they are ready.
 

Rose of Sharon Townhouse on Montgomery Place

A spectacular September day inspired my study of an ornate brownstone townhouse graced by a flowering Rose of Sharon bush. This building is on picturesque Montgomery Place in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Inked and watercolored on location.

787 Carroll Street Entry in Watercolor

This is an ink and watercolor freehand drawing of a classic Brownstone step and entry on Carroll Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn. The interplay of shadow accentuates the classical details and adds richness and a true sense of arrival that is so unique with these landmark buildings. The wrought iron railing has delicate detailing.

I could not think of a nicer way to enjoy this brilliant Labor Day than drawing and rendering such an entry!

Reproductions of this piece are available in James's ETSY shop

'The Lillian' Column Capital and Entablature

I've always admired the classical porticos on this building on the corner of Garfield Place and 8th Avenue. This is my ink and watercolor rendering of the composite column capital and entablature.

Reproductions of this work are available on James's ETSY shop

8th Avenue Townhouses

This is a group of five curved bay townhouses on 8th Avenue near the Methodist Hospital. I enjoyed the rhythm of the repetitive bay windows. I took the liberty of giving each building a unique color. In reality, they are all brownstones.

It has been a while since I have been able to get out and sketch. It's nice to be back! The weather was perfect for sketching, and I was able to chat with a few nice folks on the street. I even sold a few of my sketches.

Along those lines, some of my blog visitors have expressed interest in purchasing my work, so I've been putting some effort into an etsy shop that carries prints and greeting cards. I'm stocking it up.

Please check out James's ETSY Shop

Brooklyn Bridge Park

Perhaps it's not in Park Slope, but I could not resist a sketch while visiting Brooklyn Bridge Park this Sunday.

Brooklyn Sunset

A Brooklyn Sunset on a warm summer evening, from the terrace.

Terrace Bridge in Prospect Park

Terrace Bridge spanning Lullwater in Prospect Park. A secluded, pictureque spot. Perfect for sketching, fishing, or playing guitar.

50 Prospect Park West-Poly Prep

Pencil on Watercolor paper. The idea was to watercolor it, but I took too long on the sketch and the light changed to an unfavorable position.

14 Montgomery Place

Entrance to 14 Montgomery Place. Ink and watercolor.

Carroll Street between 6th and 7th Avenue

 

Looking up Carroll Street towards 7th Avenue. Friendly neighbors offered me a beer.

All Saints Episcopal Church

At the corner of 7th Avenue and 7th Street, constructed in 1893. I sketched this from across 7th Avenue, in front of the Hospital, where town cars and ambulances are constantly jockeying for position at curbside. A few of the drivers took interest in my sketching and had kind words.

Saint Francis Xavier Church

A quick sketch of Saint Francis Xavier Church at 6th Avenue and Carroll Street.

Litchfield Villa in Prospect Park

Sketched sitting on the low wall between Prospect Park West and the Park.