SUbway sketches.

Here was interesting to draw mouth completely shifted on the side and just to capture personality of that sleeping sharp looking aged dry woman with closed door into her world.

Morning, some people sleeping, giving me perfect opportunity to look at them unnoticed.

Sleeping people.

I love water soluble pencils, such a quick reaction. I saw  a review today on Faber-Castell, want to get it. I pass by "Pearl" in China town this days, may be I'll have time to sneak in, if they won't close to early. With JetPens entering into my life "Pearl" lost it's crown as an art supply store.

Feeling that I am filling precious sketchbook too fast I started sketching on other side of the page too. Paper  is a very good quality so takes washes nicely.

It was made on the way back  when crowd receded and I was able to find a quiet corner to sketch. I liked that reading mean, tried to eliminate too many details and only capture the gesture. And this little girl with the fruit radiating color on her face.
I think it is really toning exercise, momentarily sketching,  healthy use of combination of brain and hand, constant alert of visual aspect of life, keeps mind in shape.

Filling out my Stillman & Birn Gamma sketchbook with pencil sketches.

Subway. I liked that guy who eat his breakfast in the Subway, a bit awkwardly, looking at people from time to time, I like his striped shorts.

Was trying to sketch moving pencil in different angles to prevent cliche impressions, trying to see abstract shapes and use negative spaces. Very fast,  because situation changed at every station .

Chilling at Upper East Side of the City, looking at the river, doves, children, dogs, trying my art tools in Stillman & Birn Gamma sketchbook.

Sketches on a Subway on the way home.  It was a tough looking man with the bike near doors. Suddenly he start talking to me in different language,  may be Portuguese , I didn't understand, it felt aggressive. I shook my head in "No" gesture. Some random lady suddenly translated to me, it was in Spanish, that he likes my drawings, beautiful, very good.  What an exposure. I mumbled "Gracias" completely bewildered and missed on sketching adorable baby in blue stripy swimming suit with funny looking curly father in a hat. May be I should draw them from memory?

Too funny.

Saw this on Twitter, it made me laugh. Playing with languages is my long time attraction. Sounds the same, different meaning.

Means different things on different languages.

Driveway in Long Island.

Went hoping to get some work, end up shyly eyeballing this pretty old car in the corner of some random driveway. Drew from the car, finished home. This 2 cars had their own story, old and modern, connected and incompatible, like us, people.
I really enjoyed ink puddles and drippings. Finding desirable ink it is like coming home. I added red ochre Kuretake and blue Faber-Castell Durer pencil. One day I want to get a bunch of Durer pencils. Now I have 3.

Brunch with spicy mayo.

Another wee celebration of moments being together in this summer days with daisies from Upstate and homemade spicy mayo from Sriracha (my internet discovery, obtained at Amazon and then spotted 3 times cheaper in amazing local Chinese store on Ave U). I should draw Sriracha separately, to appreciate its deep red color and cute bottle shape, and try Filipino recipe advised by Kristle : baked salmon with Sriracha.
I used ink and Kuretake brush pens on 140 lb Canson Montval paper.

Few sketches on Subway In Stillman & Birn Gamma.

First I used my antique Japanese pencil with hard pale lead, my hands stiff, I need more practice. The lead also old stock, 1.18 and squarish. I used Stillman & Birn sketchbook, Gamma, enjoyed strong paper and perfect quality of the binding. It was tossed in my bag along with venetian knives, can of sprats from Riga, banana, water bottle, Kindle, survived and came out shiny and reliable as a new.

Than I took "Sketch and wash" pencil, which I even used on the wall yesterday. It has thick lead, harder to do fine details, but with water it does wanders. This pencil found its way in my pencil case  to go everywhere with me.

My trip was too short, evening, not too many people, my hunger for sketching was not satisfied.

Brooklyn and few splashes.

I found this unknown piece of paper and used it for Brooklyn street scene. I splashed some blue and sepia inks  and my fingers turned blue and brown. I used tiny old french calligraphy ink bottle with blue ink,  I bought who knows when and who knows for, probably for my Waterman fountain pen which I don't have anymore.

Ideas for kitchen.

Reusing old stuff.

Just love how old wood, parts and pieces could be used for creating homey look.

Sketch on Kings Highway near pet shop.

We went to get cat food (they eat like its never tomorrow, especially Fellini. I love watching them eat. Liza, like a queen,  expected to be picked up and placed on the third shelf, because she is getting old and may be demands more attention. We do and I say: "Sorry,  Your Cathighness, Ваше Кошачество" ).
I stayed in the car and did this sketch with ink in Stillman and Birn Gamma sketchbook.

Another couple of quick sketches Upstate to seal the day.

Watercolor of rocks in Stillman and Birn Delta sketchbook.

Quick sketch before breakfast to try my new plastic mixing palette. Watercolor and Lamy Safari pen in Stillman and Birn Delta sketchbook. Testing how Delta takes watercolor and I like it, it lets puddles stop and go, and even allows fountain pen scribblings in wet.

I was thinking to use this plastic palette with small watercolor boxes like Bijou or other Winsor&Newton set, it is light and smallest I found to carry around.

Lake.

Sketched with watercolor in Stillman&Birn Gamma series sketchbook. It was wonderful to be alone at the lake.
Overheard 2 boys conversation. They walked along the water, looking at something only clear to them bugs, twigs, tadpoles or rocks.
Bigger boy: How old are you?
Little: I am 6.
Bigger boy: Oh, I am 9, so I am six years older than you, so you have to listen to me.
Little: Mmm...
Bigger boy: When I was your age I already knew everything.

Basket.

I had a short trip Upstate and between reading Kindle and driving out I managed this little sketch in Stillman&Birn Gamma book to sort my feelings. It helped.
Wonderful sketchbook sustained my puddles and drizzles, and scratches with Lamy Safari.

Ocean Ave.

Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn. Drawn from the"Waldbaums" parking lot (they have good selection of cereal and Almond milk). I used the last Hahnemuhle piece of paper, torchon,  it was a pleasure to draw on it. Now is a new chapter and a new paper. I used J.Herbin ink and few drops of blue watercolor. And listened to Sunday Driver songs.

New Utrecht train station.

Ink puddles playing along with worn out look of this deserted train station. Almost absence of color is the most tolerable. Sometimes I ask myself, do I  actually see the color or I live in the world of sepia?
I used J.Herbin ink and 2 watercolor paints, green and blue, on Canson 140  lb pad.

Sketchbook pages.

Couple of rough sketches on a Subway and running around. Pencils in Stillman&Birn Gamma book.
I saw the movie, documentary about Francesca Woodman, called The Woodmans, what an amazing artist photographer, what an amazing short but so productive life, she committed suicide at age 22. Her diary, aren't we all feel the same? Why it is so hard to understand and be OK with being imperfect?