Ragsdale Home

Posted on September 14, 2014 by portfoliolongo.com

This Merced house, which I’ve been told is among the oldest in the Ragsdale neighborhood – built some time in the 1920s – is just down the street from us and on my dog-walking route. So I get to see it at least twice a day, if not more. It has a flat roof except for two small sections, which are covered by ceramic tile very likely made at the California Pottery Company, Merced.

Technical: I used a reference photo taken from my iPhone, which I then displayed on an external monitor while I sketched it freehand on my iPad in Procreate. I use the “cloud” brush in Procreate to do the trees and shrubs; I couldn’t do that in Paper 53.

I made a few small changes when producing this card for the home owner:

Pope = Bowls +

Posted on September 11, 2014 by portfoliolongo.com

Wood Turner, Artist, & Friend

A very quick sketch in Procreate from memory with two scoops of leeway. You see, I’m not sure Pope wears safety googles, work gloves, and an apron; but, he can crank out some beautiful bowls and more.

I’m learning a thing or two about wood and art from Pope.

In the 2011 video he mentions the Merced County Arts Council (MCAC), the Arbor Gallery, and a few other artistic institutions here in Merced, CA. I’m proud to be a new board member of the MCAC…lots to learn!

S. Bear Creek Rd., Merced, CA (again)

Posted on August 16, 2014 by portfoliolongo.com

I’ve tried this view before in Paper 53; now, with Procreate I have a few more features to choose from. At any rate, I feel a little better about doing trees in Procreate.

(Yet again, and that’s it, basta.)

We Know Yang’s in Merced, CA…

Posted on August 11, 2014 by portfoliolongo.com

We’ve raised the topic of Yang’s Strawberry and Produce Stand in a previous post, and one of these days we’ll attempt to estimate what their collective nutritional impact on the region has been, but in the meantime, consider this as I was prompted to consider it:

Mea culpa.

A&M Market Merced

Posted on August 10, 2014 by portfoliolongo.com

I pass this little corner market at the corner of K and 23rd, not to mention the nearby train station and the old Ford pickup truck, on my way to and from the 17th Street Pub.

Technical: I snapped a photo of this using my iPhone, viewed it in iPhoto on my external monitor, hand held my iPad and began sketching free hand in Paper 53 and finished it in Procreate. Good practice.

Merced Amtrak Station

Posted on June 15, 2014 by portfoliolongo.com

One of 73 California stations served by Amtrak, the Merced Amtrak Station is on the San Joaquin line.

Today’s practice is based on an iPhone photo I took a week ago…
As usual it’s in Paper 53.

Yard Sale

Posted on June 14, 2014 by portfoliolongo.com

I met some neighbors this morning at a yard sale. Actually, there were two yard sales, one on one side of the street and the other right across the street. One woman has been living there for 53 years…sharp as a tack and as friendly as they come. Another neighbor invited me in for a tour of the gardens, chicken coup, and house. We would have sat longer out front in the plentiful Ragsdale shade, if I hadn’t needed to get back and make lunch. How lucky we are to live along side these folks under all this shade!

Note: I’m still using Paper by 53 or 53 Paper or Fifty Three Paper and an inexpensive stylus. In this case I took and used a photo, but I also went out for a peek in person too after I started. I often think about getting and trying out another iPad drawing app, but there’s so much more to learn about Fifty Three Paper, so many technical things to learn about drawing. Trees are tough. I’ll never take them for granted, ever!

E 27th St. Cypress Missile Defense HQ

Posted on June 9, 2014 by portfoliolongo.com

I love this little house on E 27th St., just down the block from us, on its own corner. Those two Cypress Trees are so strategically positioned! They remind me of missiles. Add the flag, and I think of it as the neighborhood’s civil defense headquarters.

Shade

Posted on June 8, 2014 by portfoliolongo.com

But it’s dry heat. Today’s high was something like 102. Tomorrow, 108.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far. If there’s a tree in the parking lot, anywhere in the parking lot, and a space under it to park, that’s where you park!

Water Tower

Posted on June 5, 2014 by portfoliolongo.com

The Water Tower near the Merced County Fire Department, McKee Station, on which is written (in lettering much finer than depicted here) Merced, Gateway to Yosemite is not very far from Yang’s Produce Stand right there on McKee.

I’m intrigued by this water tower for some reason. When I drive by and stare at it, I’m afraid I’m going to cause an accident. So I thought I’d get some of it out of my system by trying to illustrate it in its beautiful setting.