KURATABI

It's the season when new buds are emerging. Last week, cherry blossoms were in full bloom in Sendai as well, and many people seemed to enjoy picnicking under the trees.

I didn't attend any cherry blossom viewing parties this year, but I visited Shogenfuchi Park in Izumi Ward to see the cherry blossoms. The trees line the outer streets around the park, providing a beautiful display of cherry blossoms along the road.

Lately, I've been really into outdoor sketching. Whenever I head out, I always throw my sketchbook and portable watercolor palette into my bag. Once I find a nice spot, I start sketching while taking a leisurely walk.

Sketching is like taking a photograph, but instead of using a camera, you use colors directly to express what you see, which gives it a unique touch compared to photography.

It can be tough to capture the scenery exactly as you see it, and sometimes what you end up drawing looks quite different from what you had in mind. But in those moments, it's important to keep a mindset focused on enjoying the process of creating art.

After being active during the day, I stopped for a drink before heading home—that's my favorite way to spend a holiday. It was warm enough to make me sweat, so a glass of beer felt especially refreshing.

After having a drink, I finished the day with a bowl of ramen. Then, I took a night walk around Izumi-Chuo Station.

The other day, I came to Sendai for a dentist appointment early in the day. After that, I sketched outside on Jozenji Street. The Japanese zelkova trees were lush with fresh green leaves, and the weather was perfect for sketching.

I sketched the corner near Sendai Mediatheque, where there's a small flower shop and a gallery along the street. I'm working on improving my ability to capture the dappled sunlight and shade in my sketches. Shading is challenging to draw accurately.

After leaving Jozenji Street, I took a walk to capture scenes for my sketch. I particularly loved the scene with the red tulip standing near the condenser unit. After taking some pictures, I went to a cafe and drew pictures with these photos.