Doorway on the Canal

 It is hard to resist sketching the doorways along the canals. The tide was really high and part of the door and the steps are cornered with water (aqua alta).

Lunchtime in Campo Santa Margarita

 I went off in search for Campo Santa Margarita in the Dorsoduro section of Venice. It was quite a lively location with a lot of bars and restaurants. There were crowds of young people hanging out all around me. I sat down and started sketching a couple. A few minutes later they decided to change tables so I had to look for new models. I’ not sure if this couple was aware that I was sketching them until another couple walking by noticed and commented rather loudly…”it’s that couple there.” My models did stop by a bit later and loved the sketch. Too bad it was still quite a bit away from being finished. (Rule #1 - start sketching the part of the scene that may move away first.)

Sweets

 The current Creative Spark ScavengervHuntvhas “sweets” as an item as well ad “box”. These tasty pistachio filled cookies were sitting on the table calling to be sketched. Pistachio seems to be a bit thing here and the pistachio gelato is so good!

Burano House

 This Burano house seems to have had a hard time deciding on one color. It seems like quite a few layers of paint are showing through. It has a certain charm.

Burano Snack Bar

 I love taking a trip to Burano. All the colorful buildings just make me smile. I sat across the canal to sketch this snack bar.

Going Digital

 While I’m here in Venice I’ve tried to keep up with the Creative Spark Scavenger Hunts. I find doing some of them as Procreate sketches works best. I don’t need a separate sketchbook. 

One of the items was leaves. I have a small pot of flower that our pianist, Natalie, brought me when we arrived.

Another item was a coffee station. I gathered the coffee maker that Jerry uses and the small moka pot that I use for my decaf coffee. It barely makes a half cup. lol I did this as a continuous line sketch and then added color.

A Bridge Across

 I wandered and found a spot I hadn’t been to before. A bridge, a walled garden, a staircase, a flag and a canal all converged in one spot. While I was sketching a woman came along and asked if it would be ok if she sat and sketched there too. It was one of her favorite spots. She was originally from southern CA but has been living in Italy for a few years…first in Rome where she got her masters in something to do with the Italian Renaissance. Now she is living in Venice and loves it. We talked for quite a while. Sketching can be more fun with someone to share it with.