Sketch Crawl Tools

I made a rollup case for all my favorite sketch tools. I have 2 lead holders: one with 6B lead and one with B lead. (Ninty percent of the time I like to sketch with the 6B) Blobbed on to the ends are kneadable erasers. I have a collection of fine tip pens and 2 niji brushes. A charcoal pencil and HB pencil round out the collection. My sketch box is 3"x5" but I have one that is larger when I know I'll have a place to sit down and sketch.

Museum Sketch Crawl

I thought for sure a guard was going to give me a hard time for painting without prior written approval. But it seems a Niji brush is acceptable!

I had to listen to some woman's inane babble while I was drawing this. I was trying very hard to ingore her.
While I was drawing this, a group of people gathered behind me. Thankfully, no one made any comments. I think I am "emmbarassed-proofed" after this day.

I learned a valuable lesson here....Scan the drawing first,; then mess around. I think I did not know when to stop.

This guy looks like he should be strutting down a runway instead of heading into murder and mayhem. Might be the swing of that velvet skirt and jaunty tilt of the head. Fashion Hacker!

Sketch Crawl :Art Institute

I had my first major crawl today and learned a few things. Add to my list of things to bring: MORE PAPER! (I ran out), water(the drinking kind)and a stool. Despite missing a few things, I had a blast. I gave my tiny sketch box and niji brush a work out. Its a little awkward to paint standing up but so wonderful to have a color reference right on the spot. After sketching in the armor room, I stopped by the Pre-Columbian and Ancient Greek rooms.

When ever I go to the Art institute, I have to stop by the kids rooms. They are so full of life and great things to TOUCH! On the walls are large illustrations by a book author and their published books near by. One painting in particular snagged me. The book is The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein. I stopped to read the whole thing. The story and illustrations chronicle the daring feats of Philippe Petit. He snuck into the uncompleted World Trade Towers and strung a cable between the two buildings and in broad daylight, walked across it for several hours.

This story made me both cry and feel happy. It took an artist to link two audacious events...The building of the world's tallest buildings and the skill and daring of Philippe Petit.

After leaving the museum, I stopped by to hear 2 street musicians. It was a wonderful, rich day. Can't wait to crawl again soon!

Drawing from Image Files

It is too hot to go out to draw this afternoon. This is a compilation of pictures that my daughter took when we visited the Botanic Gardens. My son the physics major told me I should draw the water more like it behaves...arcs over the falls. Out of the mouth of babes! What will I do without him this fall? The complexity no longer baffles me. I just have to learn how to abstract elements.

Trumpet Vine

Through the slow accumulation of images, I am seeing how powerful a tool a blog can be. I also figured out that its only by accumulating posts and adding to my blog that more of myself can be revealed. It requires patience,time and learning...just like drawing, to creat a web page.

Heavy Equipment

This drawing looks like a toy but is actually the real thing. Our neighbors are having thier street torn up to add new sewers and cable lines. What a mess. I went back the next day but all the heavy equipment was moved out.

Extended family outing to the Botanic Gardens

I love these small stone houses that were in the Japanese garden area. I don't know what they mean but they are all so cozy.

Fossils 2