Cafe Regular du Nord

I must say, one of the nicest shop storefronts in the neighborhood. Ink and watercolor sketch on location, on a chilly Halloween afternoon. Please pardon my crudely drawn people, it's one of my weak spots!

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.

Yalloween

Red hook birds steal a yalloween sky over Broooklyn. Black ink sketch with watercolor, in the spirit of the season.

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

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.
 

Manhattan Bridge from DUMBO

Here's an ink and watercolor of the Manhattan Bridge from DUMBO. This was a quicker and looser study for me than usual. It is sketched from Washington Street, with the entrance gate to Brooklyn Bridge Park on the left in the distance. I always enjoy coming to Brooklyn Bridge Park. There are so many vistas of these magnificent bridges to draw!

If you'd like to purchase a print of this piece, you may find it in my ETSY shop.

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.

'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

Park Slope Sketch Coloring Book

I've created a 'coloring book' comprised of reproductions of 20 of my Park Slope line drawing sketches and spline-bound into an 8.5" x 11" book. I make them by hand here at the office. They're available at my 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.

9th Street Bridge Spanning the Gowanus Canal

The 9th Street Bridge has a drawbridge for car traffic and a truss bridge for the elevated train above. The Gowanus Expressway is visible beyond. Ink and watercolor.

Gowanus Canal at 9th Street

The elevated train makes its way around various industrial sites. It was raining lightly. A man was practicing saxophone nearby.

Terrace Bridge in Prospect Park

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

Lullwater Bridge in Prospect Park

With the hot weather, it was time to get off the grid and into the Park. Sitting by the Lullwater Bridge, it's easy to forget you are in the City. Ink and watercolor.

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.