Sketches Along the Way

We made our annual trek to Oak Island, North Carolina, two weeks ago, and the day we drove down there just happened to be the date of the 32nd Worldwide Sketchcrawl. Artists from all over the globe were holding sketching marathons in their hometowns, getting together in groups to draw and paint their local scene. Since I didn’t have anything better to do on our 11-hour drive from Pennsylvania to the beach, I decided to join the party, and draw what I saw along the way.

I did line drawings with pen and ink, then added color with water-soluble colored pencils. To blend the colors and lines, I washed over them with my waterbrush filled with clear water. It was a simple way to sketch in the van.

We watched the sun rise over the hills just south of our hometown …

By 9:30 am, we were in the mountains of southern West Virginia … 

The scenery in Virginia is so beautiful!

We finally made it to North Carolina…

The temperature kept climbing all day, up to 104! Thank goodness for air conditioning!

I had planned to do lots of sketching while I was at the beach, but it just didn’t happen this year. I spent all week playing with my grandchildren, which was so much more fun! This was Lilly’s first time at the beach, and she loved every minute of it. In and out of the water, up and down the beach, picking up shells, watching birds and crabs, building sand castles – the fun never ends with a five year old!

Nicholas is 3-1/2 months old now and was a joy to have along on the trip. He’s a great little traveler and really enjoyed the wind, water, and sunshine. Every evening we took a walk on the beach at sunset, and he would fall asleep in his carrier to the sound of the waves.

I mean really, how irresistible is this little guy? I had withdrawal symptoms when I got home after spending a whole week with him! He’s the sweetest baby.

Until next year …

One Comment

  • your grandson is so lovable! i could just squeeze his chubby thighs. 🙂

    Reply

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I’m Leslie. A painter, teacher, and lover of all things creative. A sketchbook artist who captures everyday life on the pages of my illustrated journals. I love sharing, connecting, and encouraging people to find their creative voice through sketchbook journaling. Read more about me, my art, and my life HERE.

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