Beer.

Beer. Sweet memories of a day in New York in ink and mixed media.
I used gold leaf and some sparkly inks. Tried to scan and end up just using my iPhone.
Otherwise, colors and gold just impossible to recognize.  
Used very special paper with deckled edges from the Handmade Watercolor book, my Birthday present. 

Here is the detail.

Greenwich Village.

Greenwich Village in ink and Kuretake.
I am still digging out pictures from Art folder for 2014, meanwhile it is February of a new year.

West 72 street in Manhattan.

We've been having pretty brutal winter. Every day below freezing point for days and days. Snow, ice. In many states. I am not leaving home unless I have to. Here is West 72 street in the City with snow, dirty roads, train station in the middle. Ink and Kuretake.

Subway sketches today on Q train, in pencil.

Today is a little bit warmer day, so I traveled Uptown Manhattan and sketched few people on the way.

For some reason people kept leaving too fast for me to finish sketch, so I had to discipline myself by grabbing few characteristic lines for the whole figure before clarifying some details.

I was lucky that most people were so self absorbed that no one bothered me with glances, and I was trying to look in different directions to hide what I do.  I used "perfect pencil" by Faber-Castell, the green plastic one, it is a bit hard, even marked grade B, but it was nice to have a tight lines, almost like driving BMW. It was a good training.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Green car.

Old green car. Pretty shocking to meet on the street such a beauty. I used ink and Kuretake and a little bit of white pen.

Sketching in the City.

I am trying to use my time wisely, (not literally, or I would be studying law now or nursing), but to register things and images around me and unpleasant trip to a dentist turned into a little adventure. This carousel in Bryant Park caught my attention and I wanted to sit and draw, but too many people here during the lunch time, so I just took a pic.

Drew people on the way, using Blackwing pencil and bits of ink.

Here used watercolor pencil, Faber-Castell,  and a bit of colored pencil.

Stole few minutes near Central Park on the way of meeting someone. I think, I am gonna do drawing in ink here, I liked composition. It was that part of the City where horses gathered, tourists spot. I love horses smell, reminds me my horse back riding years, my youth, my fun.
This raw sketches gave me material to think about, compositions and boost of positive energy.

Old auto.

Old auto on the street of New York. I used ink and Kuretake.

42

Manhattan, no matter how many times I draw it, gives me inspiration and I am never bored there. Rhythm of buildings, rhythm of trees, people's legs, shadows from legs and street signs, rhythm of circles (green Subway balls, bus signs, street lamps) creating a symphony of city life, so interesting for artistic eye.
I used ink and Kuretake on Fabriano Artistico.

Little restoration.

I  did a little restoration job in Manhattan, matching faux marble in the lobby. Was very interesting to see manhattanites in action, I thought again about a play, written and staged in the lobby, showing people interacting, pieces of their lives unfolding, accidentally witnessed by an artist painting a mural and left unfinished, guessed, questioned. I had this idea years ago while painting a mural (with horses, carriage, boulevard) in one of the lobbies in Manhattan. Would be very interesting decoration for the play, doors opening and closed with sudden light, silhouettes, cars honking...

It was white paint before above the door.
Than I went to Dick Blick Art store and got few watercolor papers and few water soluble pencils and one ink.  Got some delicious treats for my blind cat.  Had street food. Came home very late, call this day a pretty adventurous.

Wolfnights.

Decided to finish "Wolfnights", hanging out on my table for a long while. It was remarkable evening in Manhattan and the best wrap ever loaded with the best meat and vegetables. We were sitting on swinging seats on chains, looking at midnight street and enjoying food and conversation.
I used old piece of paper, ink and Kuretake.

Really charming place, gotta go again.

Sketches in the Hospital in Manhattan in Delta sketchbook.

I went to the hospital with my friend and spent there about 13 hours. Sketching kept me alert and patient, helped with worries about my friend. Strangers, we where locked up in the waiting room, waiting for news about people we love.

This man was reading but somehow he radiated hope and strength.

I was afraid to leave the room, so didn't go for food or coffee. Doctors could come any moment to talk to me or nurse could call from 2 old fashioned phones, hanging on the wall.

I stopped being me, I guess, I was worried, I became part of my friend. Some people, who came early, like me, were falling asleep.
I took with me water soluble pencils and water brush, and Pentel 8-in-one color pencil.

I drew in Stillman & Birn Delta sketchbook. What a wonderful paper, I am using it too fast, even sketching on both sides of the page. When turning pages, checking it in disbelief that it is one page, not two, just thick, strong and creamy paper.

This reading man looked like professor. On this woman my head dropped and I made her too dark.

Here, on the way home, I got the seat at few last stops, so sketched couple of heads.

5th Avenue, Manhattan.

I am almost out of expensive watercolor paper and still hard to conclude if I am that fond of it, for ink, or I like better thinner, less grainy and cheaper brands. It is not about money. It is about being able to make thinner lines, easier to manage puddles and saving my brushes from their points being sanded off.  It doesn't allowing me smaller details.
Even I went crazy on water brushes and some cheap Pentel brushes and got a whole bunch,  it is still hard for me to trow out handful of abused and spoiled water brushes.

Sketches in Delta sketchbook in Manhattan.

I liked this girl hugging big bag on the train. I wrote down interesting recipe of Zucchini fries, gotta try it.

People on the train.  I drew this man from reflection in the window, somehow it was harder, but I got his mood. Paper in this sketchbook is so good that I drew on each side of the page, unbelievable, 180 lb.

It was fun to draw people in "Whole Foods", even hard to see the details, big distance, but the good part is that no one paid attention, so I was chilling with my feet up on the chair and coconut water.

Some people worked on computers, other ate, some listen to music, I got jealous of that person with awesome headphones I want to get one day "Beats by Dr. Dre", the clearest sound ever. Good ones cost $300-400.

Few sketches on the way back after amazing wrap in "Wolfnights" with cashew nuts, goat cheese and meat with signature sauce. The best ever. Deserve a drawing. Small place, but cozy, with swinging seats on chains. They open till 2 am.

Subway sketches in Stillman&Birn on the way to Soho and back.

I am sketching on the train with water soluble pencils, briefly touching people's lives, while pencil is is scribbling and I am reading thoughts and mouthes, feeling their emotions, than loosing interest, when sketch is over or person stands up and leave the subway car and my life. Exiting my life.

I am beyond tired, trying to embrace all I have to finish, projects, obligations, promises. But I can't be still or idle.

Interesting to draw in groups and in patches of light and shadows. I am trying to abstract from understanding where is nose and ears, but see shapes and angles in relation to each other.

I like this guy in a cap, his pose, simplicity of this sketch.
I almost finished Gamma sketchbook, makes me sad. It is such a great sketchbook and I filled it with momentarily sketches of people in a Subway, it is almost abuse. Almost like driving Ferrari to pick up a dog's poop on a curb.