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.

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.

Ave I.

Sketched on Ave. I with watercolor while waiting. It was a little experiment. I tried to go from bigger wash to smaller strokes and keep tonal value.  Weird. Feel serious need to pull out real brushes.

Spent few minutes in the waiting room in the doc's office. I need to be more loose with pencil sketches.

Sketching with watercolor.

On Sunday morning we got Maggie's breakfast from Krooked cafe in Tannersville, the best breakfast in the world. Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, a little bit of home fries, salad and few slices of fruits.

Sketched on the porch  with watercolors while waiting.  Struggled with small water brush, wishing I'll have my regular brushes with me.

We had a little sketch crawl afternoon. Lake was beautiful and all sad thoughts vanished for a while.

Here is my sketch. Really need to carry with me bigger brushes.

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.

Shabbat.

I have so many ideas for compositions, but limited time, that many shrivel without ever being sketched and fading in my memory. This time I decided to do a little experiment, even, thought, I am not fully prepared.
The idea of getting together, following ancient tradition, putting aside all worries and labors, freeing your mind and open it to embrace the spiritual presence in your life is very appealing to me.
It is so hard to look at yourself and your place in the world in everyday routine life.  And whatever is expected from you, do you really want it?
Anyway, I used ink and Kuretake pens on Fabriano Artistico paper.

Celebration.

Celebration. In orthodox Jewish communities men and women dance separately. It is for the sake of modesty and devotion to their wives.  I tried to emphasize the energy and emotion by being attentive to the rhythm of heads and hands.
 I used ink and Kuretake pens on Fabriano Artistico.

Zhanna.

The portrait of Zhanna.

I used ink and Kuretake on Fabriano Artistico.

On the roof top.

On the roof top. Was thinking of importance of tonal values. How color secondary, how it won't work without base. I used watercolor paper, I got in Dick Blick, some sort of Fabriano, it was too thin for my intense washes. Gotta research thicker papers with similar grain.

Sketches in airport in Delta sketchbook.

Sketches on my trip. I was so overwhelmed by big project, painting Chinese garden in the living room in 4 days, that I thought I need a rest from drawing, but the truth is I craved sketching even more.  So I was happy to steal few minutes here and there for quick sketches. I used Blacking pencil, the old one, vintage, not Palomino, (what a magic pencil!) and a little bit of Faber-Castell Durer pencil and few drops of ink in Delta sketchbook by Stillman and Birn. What a pleasurable combination, Delta sketchbook and vintage Blackwing 602.

Mani-pedi.

Sketch in the salon and my new adorable tool from Goulet.  New ink, Noodler's Rome Burning in Gamma sketchbook.

And

New tool and new ink from Goulet Pens. So far I am in love.

Green limes.

I finally stopped adding little touches to Green  limes and decide to consider it done. Even I still see, how it could be improved. I tried to show how time is flying by, how momentarily our impressions are, how hard to live in a moment and be present fully. Little pixels of the drawing start flying away, some contours getting weak and uncertain, soon the whole happy green cooking event will become distant memory.
We did green lime syrup.
I used ink and Kuretake. I aded new ink, Noodler's Rome Burning.

Beautiful today, August 7.

Awaken as usual by my elderly cat Chuck, I wandered around till I saw the sun rising, and it was so beautiful. Inhuman beauty. We were looking at each other, sun and I, nothing else existed.

Fierce beauty. It is all around us, we just have to stop and notice. We don't have to live as "expected by society".  Urge to live, urge to draw.