From the sketchbook: Clara almost walking

(click to enlarge)
Clara is not walking on her own yet, but getting closer. I managed do a quick sketch that I like today right before naptime. We just celebrated her first birthday and I'm beside myself when I think about the past year and how fast it has gone. I've been documenting her through sketches and photographs, which will be fun to look at in a few years.

Brutus at night

This is thumbnail (value study) of our neighbors house across the street. This is at night, at the moment when most are getting ready to retire for the evening. Their dog, Brutus, a staffordshire terrier or commonly known as pitbull, would sit outside on the front porch. He appeared intimidating, but a sweet pooch at heart.

What I love about sketch is the sense of glowing light on the dog and illumination of from the artificial sources-windows and porch lights. The color scheme is reminiscent of an Ed Hopper featuring deep red and glowing yellow-greens. I have to work on that study next.

This scene is no longer, however as the family (they had their share of problems) have went their seperate ways while the house will soon be up for sale. I'm glad I did this study as it is a reminder of the scene I had wanted to paint for 3 years now, but more importantly how in life circumstances change faster than the weather.

From the sketchbook - nappy time

I never realized how easy it is to keep drawing if you keep your drawing materials assessible and away from mouthing infants(at least in this stage of my artist's journey). :) Keep a sketch pad ( 4 x 6 inches) with pencil and sharpener on each level of the house or room and make it a practice to sketch something in 10 minutes or less. Here's a more successful sketch.

From the sketchbook: Hand, Hands and more hands

I'm participating on this website with few artists and illustrators drawing a 100 hands in a week. Repitition, particulary in drawing, is great practice for understanding any subject matter.

From the Sketch book: Randoms of C

Here are a few sketches of Clara at the high chair and sitting. She is using her body more and more to gesture and get around. When you are sketching a fast moving object such as Clara, you have to lay down marks and pull out the pose from memory. You do enough of these studies, and they get easier but you end up having a lot of bad sketches but I a few good ones will come along as well.

From the Sketchbook

This sketch was completed on morning walk when the weather was nicer while Clara was napping in the stroller. When I'm out in public drawing, someone inevitably comes up to me to strike up a conversation " Are you an artist?" , "Are you a student at MICA?".

With this particular sketch one man came up to me to give me a bit of history about what I was drawing. Apparently this is an old water tower in restoration. There were other details the man offered but of course I can't remember the specifics. Next time I'll write them down. :) I often find going out sketching for something to draw will often attract the curious as well as the local historians.

From the Sketchbook - Clara and I at the easel

This was a sketch I did holding Clara with a mirror nearby. I remember doing an earlier drawing of her and I at the easel but she was like 2 months old. Then, she was less fidgity in my arms and lighter in weight. With this sketch my arm got tired within 10 minutes or so and I had to put her down. Hopefully I captured feeling of this moment.