19 Comments
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Alex Elle's avatar

“Pretend not to hear them.” made me chuckle. Lol. Love this piece and the drawings!

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Beth Spencer's avatar

Thank you, Alex! I rarely pretend not to hear folks, but the option is there haha!

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Adam Ming's avatar

I love seeing you draw at the zoo, what if you drew things other than animals like the gift. Shop or a chair…

My favorite tools are a brush pen for shade and a liner pen for quick decisive lines

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Melissa Martin's avatar

This coming summer will be my 3rd drawing almost every day out in public, at the various parks in our neighbourhood! I can maybe count on one hand the number of times someone initiated a conversation, and that might even be a stretch. Some people try to sneak glances but rarely do they approach to chat.

I love taking out gouache or watercolour, colour pencils and Neocolor IIs, and I often use them all together to capture the landscape in front of me. Now that I'm kind of obsessed with drawing people, I think this summer might be more focused on that, or a combo of people in the landscape - I'm excited to find out!

I think you should go to your nearest park and draw the scenery!

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Beth Spencer's avatar

Oooh fun! I love how you follow your curiosity and intuition to decide what you'll focus on next. It's so inspiring!

People don't usually talk to me either, but once a kid asked what I was doing haha. It's never a bother because I like talking to people!

What a perfect suggestion! There's a dog park just half a mile from our house that I haven't been to in a while and a couple of playgrounds nearby too.

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Melissa Martin's avatar

Oh thank you!

You drawing at a dog sounds like a match made in heaven!

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Elaine Horn's avatar

Thanks Beth! This was a super reminder that it's about the experience and I like the idea of revisiting those sketches once back at home... I always feel like I didn't capture enough and then abandon them, but now I'm going to revisit and see what else can happen...in the leisure of my own space...

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Teresa Barroso's avatar

Great tips to sketch in public Beth, I definitely need to face my fear of drawing outside this summer! For me what makes me uncomfortable is not that much what people may think or if they will come talk to me, what stops me is I go outside and feel so overwhelmed by so many things to draw that I completely block!!! Does this makes sense? 😬

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Beth Spencer's avatar

Thank you, Teresa! It totally makes sense and still happens to me. Usually at the library! I'm not sure if it's being overwhelmed by where to begin or the silence that makes it difficult. But when I did that 3 Materials Challenge for 100 days last year, I focused on drawing whatever room I was in. I think it helped me find a groove with drawing environments, especially in public. Nishant Jain has some workshops that have helped a lot with it too!

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KJ's avatar

Loved this video and going on the journey with you! Loved all the pieces in this video, especially the lion spread at the end... and those cool leaves you made! :)

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Beth Spencer's avatar

That's so good to hear, Kristin! I had so much fun making it! We're going to the dog park up the street in my next off-site video! 🐕

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KJ's avatar

Woohooo! I can't wait! :)

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Chris Koch's avatar

I draw mostly inside but you really make me wanna go out.It' s often about setting apart the time to draw on location .But recentlyI aleays carry a little sketchbook with me so I ' m prepared.Thank you for sharing the whole process of this lovely illustration.

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Beth Spencer's avatar

That's wonderful to hear, Christina! You can get some good sketching done waiting in line or on a walk. As much as I love to take a whole morning out to draw, it's not always available to me, so the little pockets of time are so joyful! I have fallen in love with my little sketchbook and will share it soon! 💞

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Charlotte Hamilton's avatar

i have to start drawing more outside. i paint and draw a lot from photos - in Oaxaca it was great to be sketching out all the time.

I think Melissa Martin and I may try to organs a trip to the Toronto Zoo together!

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Sara Franklin's avatar

I love the idea of going to the zoo! I like to paint at cafes. It does take some getting used to. Love your drawings!

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Beth Spencer's avatar

Thank you! It's so different going as an adult, but in a good way! :D

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Georgina Dean's avatar

Do you have the same sketching strategies in various landscapes! ✨💭✏️

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Beth Spencer's avatar

I'm usually pretty experimental with sketching on location, which is what makes it so fun. :)

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