Dancers and Skaters at Winterfest

12/15/19 Winterfest

The Seattle Center Armory is always a people place, and no more so than during the holidays. Although the turn-of-the-20^th-century model train and village are the centerpiece of the festivities, and I spent my last 15 minutes there (top of post), I was in the mood to make small gesture studies of people.

Beginning with a troupe of young dancers on the stage, I filled a page with their movements (and caught a few kids in the audience, too). 

12/15/19 dancers

12/15/19 Kids mesmerized by the dancers

The real fun was in Fisher Pavilion, which had been turned into an ice skating rink for the holidays. I had déjà vu of another outing with USk Seattle almost exactly seven years ago, when I attempted to capture figures on the ice for the first time. I applaud my attempt back then to take the broader view of the rink itself. Today I decided to simply focus on capturing all the different gestures I saw: the wobbly first timers using blue walker-like devices for stability; experienced skaters who sped around the small rink as fast as they could; beginners who gained confidence even as I watched. When Carol saw the rink, she put away her sketchbook and put on skates instead! I was so impressed to see her on the ice that I naturally sketched her, too.

12/15/19 ice skaters

Notice anything unusual about our group selfie below? I’m actually in the frame instead of photobombing myself! I got a new phone recently, and it made my arm grow longer! 😉

Seattle Center Winterfest

12/17/17 Seattle Center Winterfest miniature train and village

Although the Friday sketchers tend to end up in the Armory whenever we meet at the Seattle Center for one event or another, I think it’s been almost exactly five years since the main USk Seattle group has met there for Winterfest.

12/17/17 Shane the caricaturist

The Armory’s primary visual Winterfest attraction is a miniature train and turn-of-the-previous-century village, whose centerpiece is a train station and clock tower that look remarkably similar to King Street Station (above).

I had a great table for sketching the train station scene that I didn’t want to lose as the Armory started filling. I looked behind me and spotted a caricaturist at work, so I simply swiveled my chair around. My intention was to include his client in the sketch, but he finished drawing her just as I had finished drawing him.

Although a little reluctant to give up my warm, cozy spot inside the Armory, I knew it wasn’t raining, so I pulled up my hood and ventured outside. Like that USk outing in 2012, it was bitterly cold and windy, so I spent no more than 15 minutes sketching the top of the Space Needle covered up with colorful tarps and scaffolding for remodeling. (Waiting at the bus stop for my ride home, I spotted the Space Needle from the opposite side, so I sketched it again as an inset. From that distance, I could see more of the construction equipment on top, plus the Christmas-tree-shaped lighting on the needle.)

12/17/17 Space Needle wearing its top-heavy hat

Even in my down coat, I was shivering and ready to retreat indoors again. At the Armory entrance, though, a pair of buskers called Fascinator Jazz Band was performing, and you know I can’t walk by buskers without sketching them. I decided that if these hardy musicians could play in the cold (the bass player kept stopping to rub her hand warmers between songs), I could shiver for another 10 minutes to sketch them. 

Considering that it’s the week before Christmas and probably the busiest weekend for holiday activities, we had a great turnout of sketchers, including Anya from Anchorage and Juliana from Londrina, Brazil! 

12/17/17 Fascinator Jazz Band

Winterfest

Similar to the Gingerbread village, the model train village at Seattle Center's Winterfest is a sketching nemesis. I've never done a sketch of either that I've liked. So today I mostly practiced avoidance.

I was there so early, though, that I felt I really should sketch something while I sat at a table awaiting the arrival of other sketchers. So I did a small sketch of the "King Street Station" clock tower the the model train engineer.



Still wanting to sketch in the holiday theme, I next turned to this tree decoration.



I wandered up to the "Armory Loft" to see the view of the scene from above. This amused me: the Armory logo with it's own ribbon hanger made it look like it belonged with the holiday wreaths.









The throw down.

The Contrasts of Christmas

Last week I just couldn't settle down at Winterfest. I was late, missed the opening, forgot my glasses in the car and the whole scene seemed was overwhelming and scattered. One thing that struck me was the number of, what appeared to be, homeless folks hanging out in the Armory. Most of them were sleeping, others snacking or drinking coffee. Some with backpacks and sleeping bags, others just using their arms for a pillow. It was such a contrast to the giltzy decor and festive atmosphere. So after we shared sketches I hung out with Frank B and we sketched people -- in context of course.

Seattle Center Winterfest

Enjoyed seeing everyone at the monthly Sketch Outing at the Seattle Center Armory Building.  So many things to draw... not easy to capture the larger space with wires and many things hanging from the ceiling.  The contrast light of the large windows at the end of the room made it even more difficult to see the things in the shadows of the room.  Sometimes you just have to dive in, draw and see what comes out at the end!

One of the many Christmas trees at the Winterfest

After the sketch outing, my wife and I visited the Chihuly Museum.  The colors of the glass were wonderful and I was able to sit and do a quick sketch of one of his hanging chandeliers.  Looks almost light a large christmas ornament.

Winterfest at Seattle Center Armory

It wouldn't be Christmas without a trip to Winterfest to see the trains, hear the carols and this year to sketch the armory.  There is so much activity going on that it can be overwhelming to draw. 

So after finishing the armory I opted for a single subject. I've always loved the retro styling of our beloved Monorail.