1/31/11

Upstairs bathroom window

These are the bare maple trees in my backyard. I was partway through drawing all the louvers on the shutters when I thought, "What have I gotten myself into?" It was a little awkward drawing this while standing and holding a large sketchbook, but what I won't do for art!

1/30/11

More drawings of The Brooks Tegler group at the Irish Inn at Glen Echo. They play there every Sunday 5:30-8:30. It's so great to listen to live jazz by a bunch of guys who really play well together, and stand so close to draw them. I just added some more of the sketches I did last night. Here are the "flubs" as well as the good ones. Some of the "flubs" are funny, and catch the energy.

1/29/11

Hal eating soup in front of the TV

I admit, I cropped this drawing - I had drawn his legs way too small. Guess I was sitting too close to him. I made him freeze at the moment of slurping the soup from the spoon, so I could get his hand and the spoon and his mouth fairly correctly. He's wearing his jacket because it's cold in the family room.

1/28/11

Feathers in a shot glass

Whenever I see a feather on the ground, I bring it home and stick it in this shot glass.

1/27/11

Rocks from P.E.I.

The summer of 2006, Hal, the boys, and I spent a week on Prince Edward Island, Canada (they flew up to join me after I finished my two weeks painting in New Brunswick.) These rocks are from a wonderful beach on the northwest coast of P.E.I. The whole beach was covered with rocks of every color, shape, and material. I don't know rocks, but the one on the left is similar to pink Maine granite, the one in the middle is made up of flat layers, and the one on the right is black basalt, I think. Drawing them was harder than I thought it would be.

1/26/11

Malkie sleeping in the Three Buck Chuck box. When I started the drawing, he was awake and watching me with interest. But then his eyes gradually closed. Notice his wrist poking through the carrying hole.

1/25/11

I decided to do my daily drawing off of the TV during President Obama's State of the Union address. I haven't drawn from TV since I was about 10, when I sketched Rocky and Bullwinkle! (I still have the drawings!)

1/24/11

another shell

I love drawing like this. I guess I'm a realist at heart.

1/23/11

bass, keyboard, trombone

trombonist waiting

people at the bar

drums and bass

bassist

Tonight I took Gregory and Alex to a restaurant in Glenn Echo called the Irish Inn, where they have live music. I've always loved drawing musicians while they're playing - it's an exciting challenge to try to catch their poses while they're in motion, and it's also very nice to draw to live music. This was an excellent little jazz combo. They play there every Sunday.

1/22/11

Alex (sketchbook sketch)

Alex did not make this easy for me. He had just gotten his hair cut, and Gregory was in the chair. I would be last. Alex was moving constantly, so this was a VERY quick sketch.

1/21/11

Shell

1/20/11

Jade plants

1/19/11

Cardinal on the bird feeder. I was waiting for other birds to show up, but nobody did.

Gregory watching TV

1/18/11

Little Coke glass

1/17/11

No inspiration today, just a silly sketch while watching TV (a new House was on!)

1/16/11

Coyote skull

I bought this coyote skull several years ago during a mad eBay buying streak.

1/15/11

"Bottles", oil pastel

Some might say that oil pastel is more painting than drawing. The outcome looks like a painting, but it is made by making dry marks on paper, so I guess it's a drawing. I just needed some color today...

1/14/11

Square glass jar, "All" pencil

I used an "All" pencil again, because I like its blackness. This pencil is more like a crayon, and can't be erased (it would just smear.) But you can sharpen it to a point.

1/13/11

"Black and White", conté crayon

I hadn't used conté crayon since college, I don't think. I'm trying to decide what they are... not really crayons, more like very compressed charcoal, but really black. They are somewhat responsive to a kneaded eraser, and blend nicely.

1/12/11

I took the Metro in to the National Gallery today to get back to working on my copy of a Whistler. (click here to see my copy.)

Riding in on the Metro this morning

A detail from a painting that I'm thinking of copying next, "Madame David" by Jacque-Louis David (am I crazy??!!!)

Riding home on the Metro - very crowded afternoon rush hour

1/11/11

Kitchen table still life (salt shaker and vitamins)

Today's cats

Blind contour cats

1/10/11

Kitchen window view

1/9/11

"Dusty Rose Elizabeth Jane Feline Mann"
Looking at the mass of gray fluff that is Dusty in the morning light made me want to try to draw her.

And this is what was happening next to her.

Another sketch of Malkie to try to get his upside-down head better. (Love the fang.)

1/8/11

"Squirrel Dreams"
(Dusty and Malkie and the squirrel eating the sunflower seeds we put out for him)

1/7/11

My water glass from breakfast. I didn't finish it, but the day got busy, and I never got back to it. "All" pencil. (a waxy, but pointable, very black pencil.)