One of the reasons I wanted to go back to Portland was to sketch with the Portland Urban Sketchers, partly because I have at least met several of them before, and partly because I love their work on USk PDX. We met at Floyd’s Coffee in Old Town, and I got a breakfast burrito and sketched People. I traditionally only sketch People when those People are also Sketchers – it’s like it’s ‘alright’. Still, I need the practise, and I’ve been doing a lot more of it lately. Anyway, it was good to catch up with some familiar faces – Linda, Alanna, Kalina, Vicky, Pascale – and meet some more, such as Greg (who I actually drew in Lisbon but never met), Deb, Andrea, Marta, Marco, Cassie, Angelika, Gary (hope I’ve not missed anyone out!) – and of course, to watch them sketch. One thing I know about myself is that I don’t tend to sketch quite as much when I am talking, but when I meet other sketchers I do love to talk. About pens, mostly. And Magneto.
After Floyd’s I took a brief interlude to sketch in the rain (see the sketch at the bottom, drawn by Skidmore Fountain in very wet conditions), before rejoining the group at Old Town Pizza, an interesting old place full of things to look at at draw. It was a fun afternoon with lots of conversation, and I am glad to have gone. A shame we couldn’t have all sketched outside, but the rain really was pouring, and it was nice and friendly inside.
Here’s to the next time!
petescully 
Beautiful sketches
thank you!
Love the sketches, Pete! And loved the sketch day — I’m ready for another :)
thanks Cassie, nice to meet you and I’m looking forwrad to browsing through your blog, I loved your sketchbook! Hope to see you again on the next sketching trip to PDX.
It was great to meet you, hope to see you around again. Dig your style.
Cheers Marco, it was nice to meet you! I really enjoyed your drawings, esp your colours, got me inspired. Hope to see you next time I’m sketching in Portland!
Beautiful. But those are not sketches, they are drawings…or art..just name them anything else. Sketches shouldn’t be shaded(much less with color) should they? Nice work!!
I disagree, they ARE sketches. Your definition may be very different to mine, and the rest of the urban sketching community. You can call them something else, but these are my sketches.
Wonderful work… In Portland where I also reside , are such talented artists !! Love your blog.
I love these! I was an illustrator back in the day and this post makes me want to break out my sketchpad! Let me know if your group ever travels to Colorado.
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
You should! There are some urban sketchers I know in Colorado, Paul Heaston in Denver does amazing stuff.
Very coo! Thanks!
I admire people who can sketch and draw so well.
Thank you!
WOW YOU’RE SKETCHES ARE AMAZING!!!!!!!!
Cheers Katrina!
I like ur drawing
Thnks!
Coolio., makes me want to take my pen out!
Draw, sketch, make art all the time!
I miss living in Portland.
I miss being there already, great place.
Now you gotta have already sketched some cyclists in that Portland urbanscape!
We have so many cyclists in Davis that I didn’t want to sketch any in PDX! I’m glad it’s such a bike friendly city.
Oh how I love Portland, and the Portland artists – great post! And I love your sketch of Skidmore Fountain; you captured it perfectly! Great work…
Thank you! I love the Portland artists, everybody I met there was an artist and a beer expert.
Ah yes, Portland is Beervana!
love this! I moved from PDX four months ago and miss it like crazy. I believe that once Portland works it’s way under your skin and into your heart, there is no going back.
Yes, you’re not wrong there. Such a great city, and I’m a city person.
oh WOW i wanna go sketch with them too. this is so cool and your drawings are beautiful
Cheers! If you’e in PDX, check out their site http://urbansketchers-portland.blogspot.com/ as they usually post details of their sketchcrawls (which are pretty regular). Really nice group of people, and very encouraging.
lovely sketches!
thank you raina!
What a great little group, and awesome sketches. I’d love to be involved with a group like that, but I’m not sure where the nearest one is. I must start searching, or maybe start a local group myself.
I’m a freelance cartoonist and enjoy a coffee or 2 at a cafe on our local waterfront, where I often take my sketch book and discretely sketch other coffee drinkers (I’ve only been caught once, and it was fine).
You’ll find some samples of my illustrations and cartoons around the various sections of my blog here………….
Happy sketching…
Mick
Nice work Mick! If you check over at urbansketchers.org you may find urban sketchers nearby who may know of a group. Sketchcrawl.com is also a good place to look, and the worldwide sketchcrawls are every three months, and anyone can post on their forum to arrange a local ‘crawl on the sketchcrawl date.
Very nice work. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the comment!
Reblogged this on Bored American Tribune. and commented:
These are amazing, just like Portland. Oregon rules. — J.W.
Thanks! Portland does rule.
I never even knew this existed. Great sketches! Way to keep good ol’ PDX weird. :) And congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
Yep, one of many local Urban Sketchers groups globally. I’m also part of the London Urban Sketchers whenever I go back there.
Reblogged this on Oyia Brown.
Such a great idea and story! Makes me feel guilty about not sketching!! Thanks.
cheers red toenails!
What a pleasant surprise to see you not only on my list of Google Reader blogs this morning but on Freshly Pressed. Congratulations from a West Sac fan.
many thanks!!
Love Portland, love your drawings, love this post!!
Yes, i’m full of Portland love too. Cheers!
Cool post with nice sketches!
cheers imad!
How impressive! I wish I was able to do that, but since I can’t, I’ll just admire those who can. haha great post, thanks for sharing and congrats on being Freshly Pressed.
A Grade all the way. Drawing is one of the most important skills u can ever have to map out ideas, innovations, beauty, etc. Wish i could be there!
I totally agree! I can’t get enough drawing done.
I need to post about my meeting up with the Seattle Urban Sketchers. A great group. I’d love to join in with your group if I’m in PDX.
I considered going up to Seattle to sketch with Gabi and co, but maybe next time. I met a lot of the Seattle sketchers last time I was in Portland, a nice bunch of artists.
You’re all awesome guys!
cheers !!
So glad I found this in Freshly Pressed! I half expected to see my son sketched here somewhere; he loves that coffee shop, and it looks familiar enough that I think I’ve been in there at one point myself, even though I don’t live in Portland. Sketching was a hobby in college – about a hundred years ago – but I never lost the love of it. Love your stuff here!
thank you for your comment!
Nice works ;)