Chillin' Turtle

Another sketch/painting done whilst in Key West.  One of the hotels has a display of turtles.  This little guy was just chillin' off by himself, with his head held high, like he was posing for a picture.  So I obliged him.  I really liked the way the shadows hit the top of his shell.

                                    Watercolor in Etchr sketchbook

Inktober 2019 - That darn camel

That darn camel stood perfectly still every time that I walked past him (three times at least). . that is until I decided to try and draw him.  And then that darn camel decided that he could not stand still. . .

                   Sacura Pigma Micron pen plus Stabilo Fineliner pen in an Etchr sketchbook


I tried twice to draw him when he appeared to be standing still. . .only to have that darn camel move once again.  Now it looks like his head is literally coming out of his @$$!  You cannot unsee it now, can you?

Le Sigh.

Rectumus Camelus in watercolor

The initial ink sketch using a Sakura Pigma Micron sepia waterproof marker

Hatch lines and shading using a Stabilo Point 88 Fineliner marker that produced the wonderful washes when exposed to a water brush.  I do kinda like the effect of the hatch work and almost stopped there.  Glad that I did not.

Doodling, Lettering & Just Playing Around

I am trying to draw and paint more, it is true.  But I had been trying to make every picture I do a perfect finished product.  I was not spending any time just doodling or screwing around or trying something outside my comfort zone (and possibly failing).  Below are some examples of me just playing around in various medium.

Believe it or not, only two colors were used for this:  pthalo blue and burnt umber.  I do not mix colors well and it is something I am working on.  I saw another artist do a wonderful snow scene using those two colors and I knew I had to try it.  I think the colors on the mountain are quite stunning. I overworked the sky too much but that is okay.

Once upon I was quite the accomplished letterer and calligrapher.  I created wedding invites and seat placement cards.  Alas, my skills have atrophied considerably since high school (as can be seen above).  With the advent of new, high quality yet inexpensive calligraphy pens, I am looking forward to sharpening my skills.  Plus it is fun.

I filled the bottom of this practice sheet with a little line work using two different weight faber-castell markers (XS and S).  Then I decided to play around with watercolor and grey marker.  I like the figure and his stance (how he is shifting his weight on one leg) and I like the line work on the rocks he is standing on as well as the distant mountain. Not sure if the color adds anything, but that was not the point, the point was just to be creative.  

This doodle was done with several different brown/sepia inks, everything from marker to Winsor & Newton peat brown ink with a speed ball nib and even a little conte crayon for good measure.  As has been abundantly clear, I love brown/sepia inks.  This was just me playing with a bunch of tools that I have acquired over the last decade.

Below is some details of the page. I like the variety of lines that can be achieved with a dip pen or brush.

Simple Sketch -- Backyard Tree

For the first time in a long, long time, yesterday morning I did a simple sketch upon waking.  It is part of plan to get back to basics and remember the simple, yet critically important things.  Things that are easy to forget.  Things that are easy to overlook in the blind rush of the everyday. Things that I have forgotten, but now, am trying to remember.

We had the experience but missed the meaning,

And approach to the meaning restores the experience

TS Eliot

The Dry Salvages

Although it might be hard to discern, I used sepia ink, not black for the sketch.  I covered the sketch in layered washes of quinacridone gold (transparent yellowish-brown) and quinacridone burnt orange (semitransparent red-brown).  I have always enjoyed this somewhat classic style.

                                     Watercolor on 140lbs paper 10x7

Dall Sheep Ram

This has sat on my drawing board for a week and I thought it was time to post it.  I have been waffling back and forth about whether to lay some watercolor down on this.  I think it might be cool to add a hazy watercolor wash to the background to counterpoint the white and grey of the ram.  Still not sure.  Since I may yet painting it, I left the pencil under drawing un-erased. Leave a comment and tell me your preference.

                                    Pen and ink on 140lbs paper 9x12

The Dall sheep, Ovis dalli, is a species of sheep native to northwestern North America.  I flirted with the idea of mislabeling him "goat" because that seems to elicit comments.  

This drawing is from a photo taken in Denali national park, Alaska like this painting of Mt McKinley.  Alas, I have never been there but hope to one day. 

The Parade's about to Begin

Today was our town's 100th anniversary and it started it off with a big (relatively speaking) parade.  Luckily, with the early start it was only in the mid 80's (it would hit the upper 90's later in the afternoon). While waiting for the parade to begin I decided to paint the people setting up their chairs and umbrellas.

                                           Watercolor on paper 9x7

This is the 10th painting in the pad I bought last August in Chicago.  I gave myself a year to fill its 12 pages with paintings and complete a book for the first time in decades.  I have a month and a half to get it done.

Turtle!

Why an exclamation point?  Why not?  Besides, turtles are cool.

                                  Pen & Ink, Watercolor on 100lbs Bristol 11x14

If I am anything, I consider myself an illustrator, or in the 'Jersey vernacular. . .a drawer (pronounced draw-RER). Drawing or sketching is how I got started in all this and it is always my first love.  I may never master watercolors as fine art, but I do love the way the augment my illustrations.

                                                            Pen & Ink
 

The Bound Brook Libray

The area of Bound Brook was first settled in 1681.  It was incorporated as a town in 1869 then reincorporated as a borough in 1891.  It is most famous for the Battle of Bound Brook (American Revolutionary War) which occurred April 13, 1777.  Reenactments of the battle between the troops of Lt General Lord Charles Cornwallis and Major General Benjamin Lincoln still occur every year (last year I got caught in the "battle" and had to wait until the Continental Army had pushed the Redcoats and Hessians far enough back for the street to be reopened).  

The borough still has lots of interesting architecture and buildings spanning its long history. I particularly enjoy the Bound Brook Library (although I started my drawing too high and missed out its most interesting architectural feature).

                                           Watercolor on paper 9x7

 

Washington Monument

I was just in Washington, DC for work but unfortunately was too late for the cherry blossoms, something I have always wanted to experience first hand (maybe next year). I was only there one night, it was getting late and I was not feeling great so I did not feel like going outside to paint.  But I had a nice view from my hotel room.  I had to work quickly in order to make it to dinner on time. 

I definitely like the feel of this one.  I used washes of mostly burnt sienna and cerulean blue (a little alizarin crimson to make the dome pop), something I have seen another artist do to perfection.  The buildings are a little simplistic, but that is okay.  I achieved the composition I was looking for.

                                           Watercolor on paper 9x7

Crossing the Ford

My field notebook has alternating pages of 140 lbs watercolor paper and regular drawing paper.  Thus far I have only used the watercolor paper.  I decided to work fast on the other sheets.  Just a rough sketch; focusing more on the energy of the riders plunging across the river.  I used pastel to connote the spray of water.

                                    Watercolor on drawing paper 10x7

Indestructible Hulk

Leinil Francis Yu is one of my favorite comic book artist and I was psyched to hear he would be joining Mark Wade on the Marvel Now book, Indestructible Hulk.  Not since Paul Pelletier took over the book several years ago have I been so excited about oncoming Hulk artist.  And let me say, Yu has not disappointed with his detailed, hyper-kinetic style.  

                                       Pen & Ink/Watercolor on 140lbs paper 10x7

This swipe is from the inaugural issue and really set the stage for the book thus far.  I loved this splash page and had to try it.  I simplified the background quite a bite because I was more interested in trying out my watercolor pans.  

My previous watercolors on top of pen & ink were done using watercolor pencils.  While I liked the final results, I was never able to manage the blended colors that I so wanted to achieve.  For this picture I employed the cotman watercolor pan set, and the result was much more freer and loose.  I really enjoyed the process.  

Here is the picture in black and white after I inked it.  I used micron 05, 08 and brush to ink the drawing.

New Year's in the Keys

I had the incredible opportunity to spend the week of New Years Eve in Key West.  While staying at our friends time share, I took advantage of the wonderful weather to do some sketching.  With these three sketches, I am now past the halfway point of my goal of actually finishing a sketch book.

                                      Watercolor on paper 9x7

There was an enchanting swing by the pool that overlooked the ocean.  I never did take advantage of the swing, but many people did.

                                  Watercolor on paper 9x7

The first painting that I did down in the Keys.  This is the view from the balcony of the windward side of the island that I woke to every morning.  We ate breakfast every day sitting out here, watching the joggers, cyclists, boaters and wavecraft drivers.  I completed this in about 10 minutes, just a quick sketch in ink and a rough watercolor. It was the perfect way to start the trip.

                                  Watercolor on paper 9x7

The pool at the complex was always filled with clusters of sun worshipers avoiding the northern cold.  In previous trips, I had contemplated many times sketching down here, but never sketching this scene.  I always felt it was a bit more complex than I was capable of doing.  But when the mood struck me, I just went with it and became lost in the process.  There is nothing more "zen" for me than painting in this matter.

 I think this trip was a major success in many ways.  Sun, watercolor & rum runners is Big Medicine.  And to top it all off, I met Guy Fieri at the airport.  A great way to end a great vacation.

West Point Flag

I was unable to get out during or after Hurricane Sandy to paint or take photos but I was able to paint a picture from a photo reference.  I wanted to make the shadows in the foreground darker, but I had to finish the painting by candle light.  It was difficult to tell how dark the area actually was.

                                          Watercolor on 120lbs paper 9x 12

In October of 2010 I had the opportunity to tour West Point and we took many photos, several of which I hope to paint.  Of the many incredible vistas, I was most taken by the scene of the American Flag on such a historic campus.  The grey flags made the whole scene seem even more solemn.

Autumn Tree

I am beginning to fall short of my goal of one painting per week, but I think this one gets me back on track.

I have been wanted to do a painting with a different color scheme than the last few and with the onset of Autumn, I have lots of choices. This is from a photo reference but I hope to be able to paint on sight in the near future.

                                    Watercolor on 140lbs paper 9x12

I definitely love the fall, with its beautiful colors and crisp weather (and of course football).  I am planning on doing a pastel painting in the near term as well but these quick watercolors have been a breath of fresh air for me.

Our Old Shed

Our old shed sits in the corner of our yard and needs to be moved.  But to where is the question we are struggling with.  It is time to landscape the yard and add a patio and this old shed is sitting right dab in the middle of usable space.  Most likely we will use it to screen off the front yard. . .just not sure.

                                        Watercolor and ink on 140lbs paper 9x12

I have wanted to paint this scene for sometime, as I love how the dynamic shadows from our many trees flit throughout the yard during the day.  I tried something different with this one.  With all the other previous watercolor, I drew the picture (with varying level of details) in pencil, then painted.  I only inked the drawing from Munich after the watercolor was complete, leaving the paintings of Hawaii as watercolor only.  This time, I drew a rough picture in pen and ink, only using pencil to find my vanishing points and keep the picture's proper perspective.  The rest was free hand using a micron 05.  I can not tell you how satisfying this one was to complete.  I am very satisfied with the finished product.  This is more along the style that I was picturing for my "sketch crawl" pictures on location.
 

Outside the Eurostar, Munich

There are many amazing old world buildings in Munich, displaying grand architecture and boasting rich histories, any of which are a source of artistic inspiration.  Alas, I only saw them during cab rides to and fro the convention center.  Therefore, in order to keep my goal of one painting/drawing per business trip, I had to go with what I had. . .the view outside the Eurostar Grand Hotel (I think this building, across the street from my hotel, was actually a prison).

I did the rough drawing while sitting in my hotel room, looking out the window, in between various business meetings, emails and recordings.  I briefly entertained the idea of venturing into the city proper, but it rained the only free day I had.  The painting was finished in the States, sitting outside of a lakehouse with its own majestic views (which, ironically, I neither drew nor painted. . .go figure).

The piece is rough, and the colors of uninked version rather flat yet at the same time satisfying and playful in their own way.  I am still learning and relearning how to paint in watercolor, and figuring out how to mix colors, something I do not really do in pastel.  The scribbled leaves were a great deal of fun.

 

 

Beginning the Process Once Again

So, after 2 years, 3 moves and building a new house from the ground up, I am once again ready to paint, draw, sketch and just plain try to be creative.  I have not painted anything with pastels in almost 5 years (how sad).

Before the Studio

The new house has a room set aside to be my studio, but before I was able to set it up I was drawing at the kitchen peninsula.  Not what I had initially intended, but a good place to start.

What to Draw? The Inspiration.

As I had not drawn anything in over 2 years, it felt as if my creative brain had atrophied. After several failed start/stops, I decided to use my favorite splash page from Mouse Guard as a kind of drawing exercise, much the same way one would do word problems to learn math skills.  I have done this from time to time when I am more interesting in learning a technique or playing with new tools or media.

The Tools

The last few Christmas I asked for and received many art supplies, including watercolor pencils, Cotman travel watercolors and micron Sakura Micron colored pens.  This choice of picture subject matter also allowed me to play with all these toys.

The Initial Drawing

The initial sketch was completed quickly and the drawing was inked with the Sakura micron pens (0.25, 0.45 and 0.50 mm black). Simple, yet fun.

The picture was painted using a combination of the watercolor pencils and Cotman pans.  I used the colored microns to add details to the leaves in the tree and on the sword.  David Petersen, the creator-artist of Mouse Guard, is such a talented artist, even my pale copy of his his wonderful work is actually pretty good.  Eventually, I will create original works using this technique, which was quite fun and can be done virtually anywhere.