The Scavenger Hunt is On!

 

7/25/26 Scavenger hunt at South Lake Union

Months ago, I viewed a YouTube video by Teoh Yi Chie showing an urban sketching bingo game that USk Singapore had put on. With sponsored prizes and a huge turnout, the game looked like so much fun that I was inspired to do something similar with USk Seattle. Bingo, however, has an element of chance; it’s not enough to simply sketch the objects – you had to get a certain number in a row. It would also be a lot of work to create multiple variations of bingo cards. I got an easier idea: An urban sketching scavenger hunt!

Shortly afterwards, I took a wander through one of my favorite sketching neighborhoods: South Lake Union. Within an easily walkable area, I jotted 20 things I saw (many of which I sketched myself). Some were specific, like the Space Needle, while others were left open to interpretation, such as “a cylindrical building” (SLU has more than one) or “something yellow.” I had so much fun developing the game!

The hunt was on! Last Saturday, a terrific turnout of USk Seattle met near the Amazon Spheres for the game: Whoever sketched the most items on the scavenger list during the three-hour outing would win. Prizes were donated by USk Seattle admins and Gabi Campanario of Sketcher Press – art supplies, sketchbooks and published art books. Thankfully, we had a lot of prizes, because I had under-estimated how many sketchers would be so successful: Eleven sketched all 20 items!

Since I had made the game myself, I didn’t compete, but I took my leisurely time sketching many of my favorites on the scavenger list. Compared to all the hard-working participants, I felt like a slacker: I even took a lunch break!

It was inspiring to see people helping each other figure out clues or find the subjects – a collaborative spirit instead of competitive. I got so much positive feedback about the game that I’d like to make it an annual summer event in varying locations!

An enthusiastic turnout!

These intrepid participants sketched all 20 scavenger items! (Not pictured: Ching Hung)

This fussball machine qualified as "something blue."

"Orange chair" was one of the scavenger items.

Inside Google

 

5/15/26 Sixth floor of Google's Valley Building, South Lake Union

Inclement weather is usually an urban sketching inconvenience, but last Friday it worked to our advantage (at least for some of us). Ikroop, a sketcher and Google employee, had invited USk to join her artist colleagues to sketch together at Lake Union Park. If the weather turned unpleasant, we had the option of going inside their office building a short walk away. Since we all agreed at the meetup that it was too cold and windy to sketch at the park, we took advantage of their invitation to take us inside.

Initially skeptical about what we would have to draw inside an office building, I was surprised – and impressed! In addition to sweeping views of Lake Union, Queen Anne Hill and downtown, the sixth floor employee lounge had colorful, cushy chairs, lots of tables, a visiting dog and even pinball machines.

We ended the sketch outing across the street at Flatstick Pub for a drink & draw. Sketching South Lake Union’s glassy buildings, I got to know a few new sketchers I hadn’t met before while enjoying my brew and snacks.

5/15/26 Flatstick Pub, South Lake Union

Google throwdown...

A small group of sketchers who were late for the initial meetup got left behind at the park. Hardy sketchers and good sports, they opted to sketch at Lake Union Park anyway and had their own throwdown!

...and simultaneous Lake Union Park throwdown!

South Lake Union Market Under the Spheres

 

9/27/25 South Lake Union

When we had planned the sketch outing to South Lake Union, we didn’t even know that the Saturday Market had moved from its previous Denny Park location (where USk met last year) to the center of Amazontown near the Amazon Spheres. It was a fun bonus to sketch some market people (and a dog).

Of course, it’s hard to ignore the Spheres themselves. I sketched them in my own sketchbook, but I also sketched them in the traveling sketchbook (below) that is circulating among USk chapters across the country (thanks to Kate Buike for coordinating USk Seattle’s and USk Tacoma’s participation). South Lake Union seemed like an appropriately iconic spot in Seattle to represent in the book.

My contribution to the traveling sketchbook.

Despite the day starting out with iffy weather, we still had a fantastic turnout and were rewarded with sunshine in time for our throwdown!

Sketchers did a great job of taking over most of the orange chairs on Amazon campus!

The Shapes of South Lake Union

4/27/24 South Lake Union

Although the wind and drizzle made Saturday morning feel colder than 51 degrees, USk Seattle made a good turnout at South Lake Union. With rain in the forecast for the throwdown time, I was glad I had gotten a tip from Gabi about The Stumpery, which has a large sheltered area. Part of Amazon’s Urban Arboretum near the Spheres, The Stumpery is a collection of old-growth cedars that originated in the Olympic Peninsula. Some as old as 500 years when they died, the stumps attracted several sketchers (one made a cameo appearance next to the Space Needle in my sketch).

The star of the sketch outing was the vintage Elephant Super Car Wash sign. Amazon received the sign from car wash owner Bob Haney after the business closed in 2020. A beloved Seattle icon for more than 60 years, the elephant gave several sketchers an opportunity for a pop of pink.

In my favorite way lately, I walked around the South Lake Union area dominated by Amazon buildings and tried to capture a variety of small shapes and textures (top of post). Although the Amazon Spheres were another favorite subject among sketchers, I had sketched them often enough in the past that I didn’t feel compelled to sketch them again. Instead, I made a selfie reflected in the Spheres’ geodesic glass panes.

By the time I filled the spread, my gloveless hands were starting to complain. I retreated to Kitanda Coffee to warm them up and finish writing the captions on my urban sketching comic page.

Ameya, Natalie and me at Shake Shack.

After the outing, Natalie and I stopped for lunch at Shake Shack, where we met Ameya. He had missed the throwdown, so it was fun to share sketches over lunch and do a little more sketching as we chatted.

4/27/24 Shake Shack with Natalie and Ameya. (In case you're wondering, SLUT stands for South Lake Union Trolley.)

Despite the cold and rain, it was a terrific day of sketching with my tribe in a part of downtown that’s full of dynamic urban shapes.

Dry at Last!

1/11/19 Amazon Sphere and Space Needle in South Lake Union

Café Suisse is a cute venue in the South Lake Union neighborhood. Filled with lots of fun, colorful décor in a Swiss theme, it also offers a wide variety of pastries, including many that are gluten-free. Greg would have loved all the GF goodies, but I was there without him (he didn’t miss out; I got him some muffins to go) to meet Natalie and Kathleen.

1/11/19 Cafe Suisse

Right outside the café, I spotted a peek-a-boo view of the Needle near the Amazon Spheres. It was chilly but dry! After being rained in for what seemed a long, long time, it was wonderful to sketch outdoors again.

After that, I needed a warm-up. I dashed into the café, where Kathleen and Natalie were already settled in. I had planned to sketch other patrons, but in the direction I was facing, the chairs remained unoccupied. Although many decorative items filled the space, I simplified the composition significantly to focus on the challenging perspective of the tall chairs. Sketchers often bemoan the perspective difficulties of architecture, but personally, I find interior perspective to be just as difficult.

A new group selfie technique!

My 104th Person at Via6

3/10/17 Via6 complex, South Lake Union

I was somewhat focused at this morning’s outing at the Via6 apartment/retail complex in South Lake Union. I needed 15 more sketches of people to complete my participation in the challenge that has occupied much of the sketching community this week: #oneweek100people2017. Initiated by Marc Holmes and Liz Steel, the challenge is to sketch 100 people in five days. Not limited to urban sketching (drawing from photos, models or even a mirror is acceptable), the challenge is intended to help participants gain confidence and speed in sketching people.

Based on my speed record over the course of the week, I thought I would finish my 15 easily and quickly and then move on to other subject matter. But as it turned out, the 15 (actually 19 – I made it to 104!) took more time than I expected, so I had only about 15 minutes before the throwdown to find other subject matter. Believe it or not, I really was intending to sketch something other than people, but by then the place was packed, so I resigned myself to one more peopled sketch (above).

Here are a couple other sketches from today, including my most challenging viewpoint: From the upper level, I looked down on the curving line of people at the Assembly Hall Juice & Coffee counter. Such perspectival trickery! 

3/10/17 Assembly Hall Juice & Coffee counter

3/10/17 Via6 main floor

Friday Sketches

My sketch from the Musum of History and Industry. The Center for Wooden Boats is also here, so tons to sketch. The top of the Swift Sure was all covered in white tarps, so probably getting restored. I hate to whine about the heat, but honestly, my sketch was chosen based on finding a spot where I could sit in the shade!

And here are my pages from last week at West Seattle Junction too.

Cool boats, hot day.

After riding my bike from Greenlake I should have known to sit in the shade, but this was the view that called me. I burnt the back of my neck pretty good and still had to ride home. The things we do for a sketch.













And here's the sketch from the West Seattle Junction:

Onion Domes at St Spiridon

Seattle Urban Sketchers in the South Lake Union area. It was cool and damp, but the rain had stopped by the time the sketchers assembled. St Spiridon is an old (old in Seattle means the mid-1800s) Russian Orthodox church which is now surrounded by modern condos and hip cafes. Those onion domes were irresistible, but quite a challenge to draw and I did a lot more of a pencil underdrawing than I usually do. The ink and colored pencil were done on site, but I finished with some collage papers when I got home. edit - After checking my dates, the congregation of St Spiridon dates from the 1800s, but the church from the mid-1900s.

South Lake Union

 

Donna's parents visited from Connecticut and stayed at the Residence Inn on South Lake Union. I drew the view from their balcony as we watched the sun set.

More construction

South Lake Union is a jungle of cranes and construction sites. Between deciding where to focus and the rain, time allowed only one sketch last Sunday. I was just getting the hang of drawing cranes when the rain decided to visit. I tucked myself back into Cafe Suisse to finish the watercolor to this point. I may add a bit more color, but for now: 

The day before I oriented my paper horizontally, plopped myself on a market bench and focused on some of the fruit stalls: