Errands = Sketching

Quick Sketch of the Market St. Bridge
from inside Kirby Park

Some days errands can't be avoided. This one errand I had to make was being put off for weeks. Today, I finally decided to run it and nothing was going to stop me. The sweetener in the deal was that I'd travel just down the road a bit from the errand and sketch at the city park.

I had only been at this park once before and really didn't remember it being so lovely and full of sketching AND painting possibilities. My mind was on other things then I guess. Every area I went to offered vast amounts of sketching and painting delights. In all honesty, the stretch of land before me near the small pond would be amazing to rip down full speed on a galloping horse. I had to control my day dreaming. Foggy, rainy days were my absolutely *FAVORITE* to ride in and as lovely and romantic as a beach is to rip down there is nothing like ripping full speed on hard ground.

The air was freezing though and there were quite a few shady characters hanging about in the park. I sketched for a few minutes at a time then when I couldn't stand the cold on my hands I put my gloves back on. I was able to get a few sketches down, but they seem more like quick notations for canvas work. The one "may" turn into a quick small canvas since the clouds, the mountains and all that layered before me will not leave my head. I believe I need to paint it out and since I have the sketch I can do that. Perhaps tomorrow.


View from inside the park

Detail of park view







"Distress. Is there no one to save me?"
Graphite, Watercolor and acrylics on archival bristol."

"You Must Go To Her"
Graphite and Watercolor on archival bristol.

"When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, 'Try it one more time.' "

Live Sketching...Before Christmas Eve

The day was spent doing nothing. I forced myself to just sit and do nothing. I have to be honest, it was a most difficult task for me. By 5PM I was going stir crazy and thoughts of sketching people filled my brain. By 6PM I was preparing my little sketching knapsack for adventure. By 7PM I was out the door and headed out to sketch. I put a call out hoping my cousins or friends might be hanging at some bars. I would have dropped by because I need a new place to sketch, but it is a very busy time of year and no one really responded so just the knapsack and I headed for the casino and to the old standby Tommyboy's Bar and Grill.

I had a bit of a breakthrough drawing wise last night. I was able to draw men easier. I don't know why it was so, but it was and I ran with it. I normally shy away from drawing men because women just come easier. Perhaps its because I can relate to the body structure of a woman better and it just comes natural. I don't know all I know is I loved that so many men were sporting facial hair. It was really fun to capture on paper with the Prismacolor pencil.

Here are the best drawings from last night.