Daily Sketch: Medusa

Here is my version of Medusa. No snakes. No shield. No bow and arrows. Although her hair does have a mind of its own.

                  Size measures 10 by 12
                  Pen and colour pencil on bond paper

Sketch OH the Day: Charmed

Daily sketch ideas, most days, happen by chance during coffee and a scone. It usually begins after the kids are dropped off at school and before I go to work. There is that moment-maybe at best an hour-during my morning coffee where I can sit and commit to a sketch. Whatever it may be-who knows.

Today this girl popped into my head. I liked the expression and the flow of the pose. I began fleshing her out with blue pencil for the structural gesture and than went right into ink, using a pilot pen. The drawing itself took about 30 minutes. Its a sketchbook drawing unlike some other daily sketches drawn on loose paper. The drawing turned out quite well with the exception of a few flaws. But I'm not going to tell you what they are.

                               Size: 7 by 9

                               Colour pencil and ink on sketchbook

Sketch OH the Day: ROBO

                           Size: 7 by 10

                                    Ink and Digital

                                 Size: 7 by 10

                                 Ink on Bond paper

Sketch OH The Day: My Grey Lady

My Grey Lady DAILY SKETCH turned out surprisingly pleasing since I had no contextual framework to work from. Working directly from a drawing tablet is quite a different experience for me as I do prefer paper. However I was very pleased with the result. She started out from a few wiry lines and little-by-little her form began to take shape. The low opacity setting I was working from allowed me to build up on the line from light to dark creating some interesting blending. I'm eager to attempt more daily sketches using a tablet.

Sketch Oh the Day: Rat Eye

The DAILY SKETCH today is about a rat and an eye. A little creepy and morbid. Maybe my influence is based on the Walking Dead series. The opening scene of an episode can show a rat holding an eyeball on the side of the road. Could happen...

Size: 8 by 10

Ink on Bristol

Sketch Oh the Day: Those Construction Workers

The sketch oh the day is part of my DAILY SKETCH series I commit to as often as I can. I had a lot of fun working on this and it presented me with some challenges. Construction is ongoing in the bustling city of Toronto and although it is annoying, frustrating, and an inconvenience, this daily sketch is a tribute to the people who help keep the city operational. My guys and girl are a tough crew. They can handle any job. They work through adverse weather conditions and are capable of a laugh at times. To hire my crew out, there is a long waiting list, but give Tony a call on his cell. See what he can do for ya...

Size: 5.5 by 16
Coloured Pencil and Ink on Bristol

Millenium Falcon, LEGO

Very excited to get the Falcon LEGO set. Have been looking forward to it for some time. I brought my kids with me for the ceremonial purchase. Once we brought it home, we got busy building it. Now that its built, it sits on a stand in my studio. It's one of the few LEGO sets I have where the kids can only play with it for a limited time only. I took pictures of the progression. Thanks to my kids for helping me build it. THEY'RE AWESOME.

Sketching Through the Maritimes, Part 2

In the summer of 2012 I decided to take a road trip, for 5 weeks, from Toronto to the Maritimes, ending at Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. While on this trip I wanted to chronicle the journey in sketches: no cameras, no computer assisted imagery, just pen, paper, the open road and my skills. Inspired by Shel Silverstein's book, Around The World, and of Walt Stanchfield's philosophical views on drawing, from the books, Drawn To Life, this is my travelogue of a few areas of the Maritimes seen through my eyes and drawn by my hand. Enjoy...

This is what my sketch book looks like at the end of the trip. 

It becomes well worn, wrinkled, beat up, and I earmarked the trip

by adding some travelogue memorabilia.

I usually leave the first page of most sketch pads for a write up or two. 

In this case it was more appropriate to chronicle the journey 

with a little philosophical engagement: as all good journeys do.

Cows living on Cheticamp Island come down to graze by the water.

The good Ol' Crab Shack. Actually its a tourist information centre.

The homes in Grand Etang, Cape Breton are built to contour the landscape. 

This is beautiful Woodstock, New Brunswick. The historic part is more 

interesting to sketch and to hang out in. Historic Woodstock is close to the 

water and I usually stop into the local farmer's market for interesting finds.

I discovered Montmagny, Quebec this trip. What a beautiful city. I intend 

to explore this place more in the future on the drive out to the East Coast. 

I do enjoy Quebec for their appreciation of the arts. It's a wonderful 

place to be for an Artist like me.

Stopping in Ottawa where my sister lives before heading back to Toronto. 

Back in Toronto. Concluded the sketching with a few boats 

down by Harbourfront. What a change from fishing boats...

Managed to do two paintings while on Cape Breton Island. Although 

the main focus was sketching, I couldn't resist using my portable paint set. 

Painting certainly takes longer than sketching. I used a water colour pad 

rated at 90 Ibs. Good general use paper for quick washes. 

Wouldn't recommend this weight for more sustained painting. 

Here I am sketching the falls in Montmagny, Quebec.

Here I am with my son Atticus enjoying a treat in Moncton.

Below are pictures where I'm well camouflaged. Can you find the 

artist in the next two pictures? Most days I would plank (no not planking) myself 

down and get to work. Other days I'd be working in the time frame of minutes.

Sketch Diary of The Maritimes

Hello from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. The weather has been awesome-great for sketching and painting outdoors. On my journey to sketch my surroundings, using only an ink pen and a sketchpad, this form of drawing has been more of an artistic diary of things that interest me of the maritimes landscape. Here are the first round of sketches. They're all gestural and drawn on-the-fly.

This sketchpad is durable and the paper holds the ink well without smudging. 

Harbour in Montmagny, Que overlooking the St.Lawrence. 

Cape Breton Highlands viewed from the Cabot Trail.

 Water studies by the beach.

 Cape Breton coastline viewed from the Cabot Trail.

 Drew several fishing boats and piers. This is only a few.