So many books...

So little time... 20 min. sketch for the day. Sepia pen on ecru sketch paper, approx. 4 1/2" x 7". I know the perspective is off here, but the irregularity has a certain charm I like about contour line drawings. This subject reminds me of a college art assignment where we had to draw our open closets as they were, in all their cluttered glory.

Dreaming of Summertime

This 6" x 9" pencil sketch was done back in July while sitting on friend's dock. It probably took around 30 min. to complete, it was a quick study since the cloud patterns and gently lapping waves were changing constantly. Such a gorgeous day to be on one of New York's beautiful Finger Lakes - sunny, warm, breezy. Sounds like a dream today - our cold, windy below freezing January of the moment!

La Lune

Tonight was a full moon, the "Cold Moon" of January. Sketched in 20 min. in pencil and colored pencil on ecru sketch paper, approx. 5" x 7". Cold and frosty, the perfect kind of night to be nestled under a thick blanket beneath the stars.

Something from memory...

Here I tried to draw something from memory in 20 min., without looking at a picture or object. (Pencil and watercolor, 6" x 9") This rather nondescript and somewhat dingy elevator lobby popped into my head and as I couldn't think of anything else to draw tonight I tried it. I worked in this building for seven years and saw this lobby daily. Guess it's another doorway, isn't it? Hmm. Completely unintentional.

No Flowers Required

Glass has always challenged me artistically and I don't tire of trying to render it. This 20 min. image was sketched quickly with pencil and painted in watercolor and water soluble pencil, approx. 6" x 9". Even though this little green vase is pretty utilitarian, I noticed interesting colors and shapes in it upon closer inspection. I could probably say that for everything I draw, though!

Folk Art Inspiration

A 20 min. tulip in the Fractur/Pennsylvania Dutch folk art decorative style, of which I am a big fan. This 6" x 9" was drawn in pen and painted with watercolor, very quickly, in order to get all the colors in before time ran out! I normally spend much more time on designs of this style, to get the lines perfect and the color very saturated... below is a recent example, a Thanksgiving illustration. Though similar in size to the above sketch, it probably took a couple hours to complete.

Thanksgiving bulletin cover; pencil, pen and watercolor, approx. 5" x 8", 2010.