First, there are the famous beaches. I live by the beach back home and watching the ocean waves makes me feel peaceful, so this was a must-visit on my list. Our group of sketchers went to Copacabana for sketching and snacking. I left this sketch unfinished to give myself time to dip my feet in the Atlantic.
The crowd started to thin because winter sun was about to set - but the long curving coastline was a sight to behold.
Forte de Copacabana is seen in the background of this sketch done while the sun was sinking and waves were lapping around my feet.
I even had a chance to do a nighttime sketch when I first arrived - the colors on this sketch are whacked because I was working in the dark under a dim streetlamp, but the beach is lit up and cast gorgeous reflections in the water.
Rio is also filled with colonial-era buildings, some in various stages of decay, especially around Santa Teresa neighborhood. We head out to Teatro Municipal in Centro, which is modeled after Opera House in Paris. I tried to aim for a sense of space.
I also sketched Igreja Nossa Senhora de Candelária nearby - and included the coconut vendor cart in front of me.
As you may be able to tell, I like to include small slices of everyday life in my sketch. I found it interesting that the military personnel was using VW vans.
We also had a chance to sketch our cakes and eat it, too - at Confeitaria Colombo, which has a gorgeous Art Nouveau interior with guilt ornaments reflected in mirrors. My yellow paints are dirty, so I couldn't quite get the golden tone I wanted, but it was still fun to sketch the opulent scenery. (The caipirinha tart I ate is in the sketch above.)
On the final day I was in Rio, I opted to visit the Botanical Garden to relax before the flight instead of trying to jam-pack another sketching marathon. There was a fountain with a good view of Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado mountain. I checked the compass to find that he has his arms pointing directly north and south, facing east to welcome those who come by sea.
While I'm used to seeing palm trees in Los Angeles, there are a lot more varieties here (including some with coconuts), and many that are quite tall. This is when I discover that having a spread with sketchbook that opens flat comes in handy.
...and my sketching session turned into spontaneous gesture drawings of monkeys! There were a colony of wild monkeys literally "monkeying around" the grounds in addition to marmosets. It was such a treat to see wild animals within the city.
I also had a good chunk of time to sketch together with other artists at Pão de Açucar (Sugarloaf Mountain), which is coming up in the next post....
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