Musicante.

I guess, I forgot to post it, when finished. Scanning and etc. became not interesting, or may be too much to do or no energy for it. Sometimes simple things become to overwhelming. Ink and Kuretake. Subway musician.

Sketches on NY Subway, few new tools and very uneasy day.

I was lucky to have a seat, so was able to relax unnoticed. This sketchbook is not laying as flat, as my previous one.

3 women, 3 different personalities. Even pencil felt it.

Awesome to have such different characteristics, not only ethnically, but different mood too. This is New York!

Here is my new tools from JetPens (the best shop in the world!), I decided to spoil myself, in secrecy, and got few amazing things, like sparkly brush pen "Wink of Stella", acrylic based watercolor by Rohrer & Klingner, few white pens, interlocking pencil caps, 2 mm lead sharpener, very thin black ink pen. All laying on the top of my drawing of a Subway musician, which is still in a process.

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.

Pencil sketches in same sketchbook.

Some of the sketches in Florida.

Back to NY, sketches on Subway. People are so different there, in Florida, they seems more human, they smile much more and look happier. In NY characters more amusing and unique, but you can feel the stress like a dark cloud over them... I had to slow my speed in Florida, love it there, closer to earth.

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.

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.

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. :)

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.

Few sketches.

Took a Subway once in a long time, really surprised me how many beautiful people around. Didn't get to sketch much. Used Gamma sketchbook by Stillman and Birn and my vintage green mechanical pencil.

Dissolved in the rain. Snapped on my phone.

Subway sketches in Gamma at New Years Eve.

Sketches and memos piled up and suffocated me on New Year's evening.

I was not alone on the train. Not everyone looked happy, but I was glad that most were self absorbed and ignored me, so I was able to follow nose lines and pursed lips.

On January first instead of sleeping I was drawing door handles on empty train on the way to Williamsburg. Than people showed up.

Gamma sketches.

Few pencil sketches on the way.

Dancing boy.

I saw this boy on the Subway, on the platform, dancing to his own music. Dark silhouette against the urban landscape. It brought light and wonder into dusk of my own mood. Ink.

December 27 sketches in Gamma sketchbook.

I prewashed sketchbooks pages by dropping ink puddles. With the vintage pencil on the top it gives me more of sensitive look at the drawn memories of the day.
Couple on the top got off the same station as I did and I thought again could be my neighbors who I was eyeballing.

It was freezing and windy and my throat is itchy today, but it was worth it, my travel and sketching yesterday, my meeting very colorful man with extraordinary life adventures, with amazing stories and possibility of reading his upcoming book.
I used Bell pencil and bits of Pentel Multi-8 pencil for color.

Only 2 pages in Gamma sketchbook.

Yesterday I got a lift from somebody, which made me pretty unhappy, because shortened my sketching time, and cut my 15 min walk in cold Williamsburg, when I can gaze around and think in silence, so I got only half a trip with pencil, on the way back. The good part I met, may be,  potential client, woman with the taste.
I am challenging myself to go on a sketching spree, may be I will, finally, get satisfied with Subway sketching. I was looking jealously at half empty benches underground yesterday, thinking to stop there, but I promised to have dinner together at home.
 I tried to use watercolor pencil with wash, but somehow disliked it, and got back to plain mechanical pencil.

Subway sketches on the way to Williamsburg and back.

I don't mind trotting on a Subway as long as I can get a seat and sketch people. My pretty sketchbook got some abuse from splattered ink and few smears of metallic on the jacket from my dirty hands in gloves.

Few touches of color with Pentel Multi-8 pencil. One day I will go and ride on a Subway just for sketching.

Here is the wall, glazed in metallics.

A bit closer. They really like that finish and they usually don't like and don't know anything. So this is sort of champagne color. So I think I deserve a sweet roll with cottage cheese tomorrow for breakfast, for saving the day.

December 19 Subway sketches in Gamma sketchbook.

Yesterday's Subway trip and the whole day didn't seem a big waste because I got to sketch people on a train. I still can't get enough of plain mechanical pencil on aged with ink Gamma sketchbook pages. Something really attractive in one pencil and one sketchbook, so little to carry, but such a powerful tool to express and document.

On one station group of construction workers came in, their faces dirty, they were laughing, I managed to catch one, they left on the next stop, pity, such a colorful group. The guy on the bottom was so quiet, never lifted his eyes, so I felt almost too aggressive staring at him, he stepped out on the same stop as I did, hope he is not my neighbor. I find people beautiful and fascinating with the depth of their own world, they keep for themselves.

December 17 Subway sketches.

Sketches with vintage mechanical pencil Bell in Gamma sketchbook.

Starting new Gamma sketchbook.

I started new sketchbook on a Subway, Gamma by Stillman & Birn. The one with Van Gogh's drawing of a Sower on the sleeve.
I have a very special relationships with Van Gogh, I fell in love with his work at 15, after reading the book by Irving Stone " Lust for life". Van Gogh's "Letters to his brother Theo" is one of my favorite books ever, I got it at 17 and brought it here with me. Stone based his book on that Letters. Whenever I needed advice or inspiration, or just a friend, I opened a book at any page and listened to wise words.
So all this to explain why I did this drawing on the second page, leaving the first for something more special than a Subway sketches, I felt stupid to be so superstitious, but it was the only way to start that beautiful new sketchbook, till it become tainted, familiar, approachable.
I used vintage green pencil signed "Bell system property" with metal yellow patch covering last 6 letters, something really charming in that pencil, very personal and I like how it was gliding on paper.