Sketching Oakland: Morcom Rose Garden

People might not associate Oakland with rose gardens. But the cool thing about Oakland is its diversity. Not just the people, but the places as well.

Heres a corner of Oakland you might not know about.

These sketches are done with opaque watercolor. I like the effects it gives. You can make nice depth by watering down your paint and adding lighter parts. This works especially well with roses.

I’m using my *super cool* fanny pack to carry everything for these sketches. People are really impressed, I think. They keep staring!

SCLeccentric fashion tip: fanny packs are in!

Some facts about the Morcom Rose Garden:

• The garden was planted in 1932
• It hosts 6,000 plants, with over 300 varieties of roses
• Morcom is really close to Oakland’s downtown, near Lake Merritt and Grand ave

Sketching flowers is a great activity. You get fresh air, art practice, and that nice flower smell. Plus it’s free!

Happy sketching, everyone. See you around the rose garden.

-SCL