So many statues & so little time. I generally pick ones with a simple line, so I don't get bog down with details. 
A couple of rough sketches to see if I can get the gesture.
Time spent on the descriptive detail is part of the learning process.
Having a library at the museum is a big plus for refining my drawing.
As you can see, aside from a more comfortable position for drawing, I'm surrounded by original art & thousands of art books.
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| This highly finished study took me 4 hrs at the museum |
Been drawing since my college days...I have yet to feel confident with my drawing skill. Still practicing, every chance I get.
Museums are the best drawing school! |
| Musse Rodin, Paris |
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| The Metropolitan Museum, NYC |
If I can't get to the sea, then the sea must come to me...
from small sketches on a dreary day to a New Birthday Design.
From bleakness to monochromatic tonal landscape. Experimenting with color harmonies thru the creative use of pastel.
Violets from the woods remind me of one of my favorite passage from Winnie the Poo: Piglet had got up early that morning to pick himself a bunch of violets: and when he had picked them and put them in a pot in the middle of his house, it suddenly came over him that nobody had ever picked Eeyore a bunch of violets, and the more he thought of this, the more he thought how sad it was to be an Animal who had never had a bunch of violets picked for him. So he hurried out again, saying to himself, "Eeyore, Violets," and then "Violets, Eeyore," in case he forgot, because it was that sort of day. 
With a horse sanctuary in my neighborhood, I have no excuse not to stretch my drawing skill. Whether drawing a tree or a horse, if one can see the shape of the subject, that's half the drawing. I like to lay down a general outline of the shape onto tone paper. For this sketch, a soft 8B pencil on pastel paper gives me nice grey shades when I do a little rubbing over the lead. 
I use a kneaded eraser to lift off some of the grey to indicate the muscle of the horse. Just a little light is enough to show the forms.
The final step for this sketch is the high light. I use a white conte pencil to show the sun light falling on the horse. |
| behind the wheels, my car as my studio |
Another attempt to sketch the intangible. Delighting in what i can do with just paper, graphite & kneaded eraser.
Due to the light, the scene changes every hour. Sometimes one needs to bring on some colors to emphasis the mood.
Just a few strokes of green & blues does the trick to convey a soft afternoon along the Connecticut River. Do click on link to see more images.
Timeless quality of a beautiful location, thru the use of lights & darks. By squinting, it's easy to see the contrasting shapes.
Once again, I prefer to start off with charcoal tone paper.
My kneaded eraser gives me the lights of the sky & river. I finish the sketch with a dark charcoal which define the shadows of the marsh & tree.
No digital trick on this Easter illustration. Just used photoshop to insert Bunny & Chick onto the Lily border. |
| another nude at the American Wing |
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| charcoal pencil on tone paper |
If one can't visit the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum is the next best place to be. I dont always have time to sit & sketch. With so many wonderful artwork around every bend, it's pretty easy to full up my sketchbook. |
| lovely space at the American Wing |
On this tone paper, I use a kneaded eraser as my drawing tool. The eraser allows me to create an effect of subtle luminosity. Just the right tool for subtle play of light & dark. For this study, less is definitely more. Come back for my next post to see another approach I use to create light & dark forms. |
| kneaded eraser shape to a point |
