Orange car.

This vintage car grabbed my attention on a small street in Bay Ridge, in Brooklyn, but it took me forever to add color and a few details, since I am still doing few projects at once.
I hope, that I won't forget few ideas, which still popping in my head, not drawn, and a few friends I don't have time to communicate with won't forget me.
I used ink and Kuretake on Winsor and Newton paper.

Machinery.

 Boy's room in a process. Machinery. From sketchbook to the wall.

Chanukah, glass.

Subway sketches on the way to Manhattan.

Sleeping man, he was so broken to pieces, but still presentable. I was glad he didn't look at me once.

It was a rainy day and boring things I had to do in the City, but sketching made my day happier, especially when I switch pencils. I used a little bit of oil based Faber-Castell.

Amazing to look at people, trying to feel their mood, hiding mine, switching stare, when they look at me. What is uniting them is silence, but everyone's silence is so different.

Here is another glass and I finished Chanukah, will take picture later.

Pencil sketches and pretty dinner.

Sketches on the "F" train and raw ideas for the boy's room with machinery.

Dinner, cooked by my daughter with turkey melt wrap and artichoke-spinach palmiers. Little Pig under the table trying to hypnotize me, so I will drop it all so he can eat it.

Subway sketches, November 15.

I draw on both side of the sketchbook's pages, seems more space for learning, even sketches getting dirty from touching each other, even destroyed.
 I went to get more paints in the City, in few stores, because all of  them had limited quantity. Met few nice people, who were kind to me and I was very nice to them. It is so easy to say something sweet, to erase ugly impression, left by one woman in her at least fifties, who threw bucket of gesso at a young cashier  girl, barely missing her.
 I was thinking how hard it is now to find work, and so many people with degrees working simple jobs behind the counter, because they need to pay bills. We have to respect each other and remember that one word can spoil the rest of the day for someone, who struggles enough to meet ends, that this person is someone's child, by hurting him, you hurt people who loves him too. Anyway, being kind is mandatory.

By drawing people, I carve their faces and imaginary stories in my memory.This young musician on the top with such spiritual expression on his face, even delicate white hand against the black case of the instrument,  seems, still playing, I don't even know what instrument it was. Or this girl with blond hair and prickly blue book bag and skinny legs, looking a bit goofy because of the big Mary-Jane sandals. Or a very good looking gay guy in tight black clothes, with doll's eyes, who didn't get into the sketchbook, but stuck in my memory.

Lunch and more glass.

Running errands and managed this page in my strange sketchbook.

Here is a photo of my beautiful lunch. I don't have time to draw it and miss ink terribly, but glass is the main priority, because all 12 pieces have to be installed on time.

Here is "Shabbat".

Yom Kippur.

Simchat Torah.

Preparing myself for the 4th one.

Glass.

I transferred drawing on the glass, my hand got numb from squeezing paint from the tube right away, so I wore that stiff old glove.

Applied some color, listening to new Aubele's CD. Needs more layers.

Concert and sketches.

Sketched on the Subway on the way to concert of Federico Aubele in Brooklyn. First was young group from Montreal, so I sketched them a little, than it became too dark.

Federico Aubele was amazing, he mixes sounds of the street with traditional Argentinian tango and longing guitar. It is especially touching for me, because I am on the 3-d book of Carlos Ruiz Zafon, and my heart is connected to Barcelona for now. Aubele from Buenos Aires and lived and created music in Barcelona, and so is Natalia Clavier, the magic voice of many of his songs.
 Here is one of his songs from new Album, I bought there.

Carrousel

I could not help it swaying along with music.

 A bit rough, on the way home. Came home around 1 am, what a youngster. I will draw my impression in ink, as soon as I'll gain a bit of freedom.

November 2 and Marc Chagall's exhibit.

 I drew people on NY Subway on the way to Mark Chagall's exhibit.
I think it is always good to give yourself different assignment when you draw. It helps to learn and grow and even discover new things about yourself. Here I forced myself to do first contour of the figure, ignoring all my knowledge about the anatomy, often trying to draw parts from the top or the bottom of the page, to train my eye to read general shapes. Then I can draw second contour, allowing myself to see the face, direction of the movement, connection of parts. To see what describes this person and his emotion the most. And than the fun part to see if I got it right in likeness.

Yesterday I went to see Chagall"s exhibit in Jewish Museum in Manhattan and I saw it in a new  new light, which was amazing to me. First, and I knew it, he painted what he felt strong about in his life, second, that all that fantastic images, painted on most of his canvases, based very strongly on knowing Jewish religion, where words in Hebrew, symbols and visual metaphors connected in a most amazing way.
I was not always agree with interpretation of his paintings, written near each work, but it was an awesome experience.

November 1 sketches.

I sketched in Starbucks, it was nice to sink in a comfortable chair and I was seeking a minute of silence. Some people who sat near me start taking to me, about unusual warm fall, than about their problems. One really cute guy with a wing of a blond hair, falling on his forehead, first asked me to watch his coffee while he got his bag, than complained about his pain and pills he needs to take, and from being tired to stay alone at home. His eyes were light blue with thin red outlines, pain lives that red. I felt very bad. He didn't need to hear me, but just someone to listen to him.

I felt very fragile that day, because of my problems with the project, I am doing. But meeting few strangers, who I will never see again, hearing them, caring, liking them, restore my strength, because every one of us can do something to make others feel better, to change the world, to give a smile, to say a word.

End of october.

Another sketch of Holiday. Watercolor. Having fun, hope it all would work.

Drew yesterday in the doc office. Miss drawing a lot.

2 compositions.

Did another little rendering in watercolor in Delta sketchbook by Stillman and Birn. I was right leaving Stillman and Birn sketchbooks for color, it is not only takes washes like strong watercolor paper, but supports the color intensity. I used my old set "Winsor & Newton" 24 colors. And sprayed set with water, listening to Cathy Johnson advice, it revived paints.
I found this tiny spray bottles for a dollar in some pharmacy, like Duane Rid or CVS,  travel kit, it is smaller then Holbein and works fine, I keep it handy on the table.

This one colorful but maybe too simplistic in composition. I may need to do something else. It is pretty exaggerated. I may do the Wall behind or silhouette of the city. I was trying to depict pure emotion.

In progress.

So far thoughts in progress. Adding watercolor and searching for the right material. I know compositions should be simple and colors bright and blue prevailing.
I used Delta sketchbook by Stillman and Birn, it holds the color nicely and allows heavy application of wet media. Love this paper.

Nail Salon.

Did couple of pages in the nail place, between running errands and worrying about Piglet, our sick Chihuahua, who refused to eat today and seemed so much worse than the day before. Miss drawing, miss peace. Love pencil on toned paper.

Little mural in green tones.

Did this mural in the kitchen in 2 days.

Few branches around the kitchen. Underneath would be low bench, covered by the fabric in deep avocado color. Cabinets in quiet ivory. Pleasant.

I love America!

I love America! Rushing to do errands, I forgot my sketchbook at home, taking with me only one pencil, mechanical Faber-Castell.
In a process,  facing half an hour or more of the waiting time in the Nail Salon, I realized, I need piece of paper, or sketchbook, Asap.
And I got one in the store, I was in, it was the only one and very interesting sketchbook among bunch of ruled notebooks.

After that I went to a concert in the City and drew on the Subway and afterwards sketched musicians. Really charming sketchbook with toned paper.

Only in America you can get what you want the second you need it and the quality which could exceed your expectations. :)

Sketches in pencil.

Sketches in medical office. I added bits of color with 8 Multi color pencil.

When I was doing the last sketch, it was a young family sitting near me, they went inside and their 3 year old was playing on the Ipad.
When I look at children, my first thought is what world we would leave you, how you gonna change it, please, be wiser than us.
Then I was called in, met someone from Moscow, we started chatting, and  father of the child, who came out in the robe from the MRI room, told me suddenly, I love your art, you're very good artist, I was shocked. I thought I was hiding so well, covering my drawing with paper, where I started to compose the letter to some designer. I always feel invisible, when I draw, concentrating on a subject, meanwhile, people see me too. Uncomfortable thought.
I used oil base Pitt pencil on the last face on the right, really like it versatility, even the point is so thick.

Men.

Hasidic men dancing. I played with rhythm and texture. Used ink and Kuretake.

Just a day.

It was yesterday's today. I can rarely steal the shot. I am, probably annoying with my hunger for visual and I can't explain.

And the sunrise from yesterday, with electric light in the sky. When you experience things alone it seems to have deeper meaning, and often you don't even use the words to describe it to yourself.

Little sketch in pencil. Here I used my precious Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602, the original vintage one. It is a bit drier than Palomino version. I spend it, I waste it, what is the point to treasure when you don't own tomorrow?

Subway sketches in Strathmore sketchbook.

It is really good exercise to train eye in proportions and positive/negative space. Also I feel bad using wonderful Stillman and Birn sketchbooks with strong paper, good for wet media, just for quick pencil sketches. I should leave it for ink and color. This toned paper is asking for pencil.

This girl was interesting looking and formed composition with coffee mug and book and ornament of her blouse.

I used Palomino Blackwing pencil, looks really rich on this toned paper. I added bits of white for accents. I always tell myself I should do it on a regular basis, it is good warm ups.

New Jersey.

I took this new sketchbook to a family event, hoping that I can steal a minute or 2 for people sketching. It has toned paper, which I wanted to try. So end up drawing a little lake with kitschy swan pedaling boats, while other members of the family and friends took a stroll around. I joined them later for a walk and was really embarrassed by the compliments and their interest in my little sketch.  So I was invited to visit extended family in further state (9 hours of driving) with ink, paper and easel, to exchange  drawing for a good lunch.

Central Park.

Central Park, right in the middle of Manhattan, a little piece of nature for exhausted stressed New Yorkers to stare on the reflection in the water, to unwind, to calm down and may be, to dream.
Me too. Was hoping that anxiety will let go, but, when the process is over, this piece of paper with ink does nothing. I used ink and Kuretake on Winsor and Newton paper.
A little bit of serotonin will be helpful.

Horse.

Near Central Park, not far from the big Apple store, lots of horses with carriages, lined up, waiting to entertain New York tourists. So vulnerable among cars, so beautiful.
While drawing, I was enjoying their smell, reminding me my youth,  my deep secret weekly adventure, my once a week cutting classes, going on a train, than bus to the country, than riding horses in the forrest, in jockey position, almost standing, with the wind in my hair,  cigarette between my fingers, laughing with my friend, galloping wildly... Late in the evening, almost at night, coming back, trying to hide from my father, smelling my fingers, smiling, than reading poetry (Ahmatova, Mandelshtam,  Block, Baudelaire,  Pasternac, Apollinaire,  Zabolotsky, Annensky, Tcvetaeva), almost till the morning, so next day I will go to art school with my legs hurting from my wild secret adventure, no one knew about.