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.