Buttnekkiddoodles

Overcast day with rain in the forecast but I figured I’d go nab a quick study of the Lincoln Park Conservatory. Well, so much for the quick study. I admit at some point I thought,”Well, why not draw every blade of grass?” Seemed like a good idea at the time. I was able to include a bride having a photo session by the fountain. Weather intervened after a hour and a half and rain chased me into a cafe for about 30 minutes. A break in the rain let me return to add another 20 minutes before a light sprinkle resumed. I was still something around 1,500 blades of grass from finishing but who’s counting. Went home and used the bald patch for text. Still, enjoyed a prolonged loitering on a park bench.
Ink on toned paper.

 
Having gone to the Palette & Chisel for well over a decade, I’ve seen and drawn my share of models sitting in a chair with grey fabric draped behind them and way over lit. So I actually enjoy drawing the artists in the studio at work. They constantly shift, some leave early and I find the array and cluster of them far more interesting.
Draw with the usual tools I’ve been using for years.

Well, one thing’s for certain….I’m no architect. I really don’t dig drawing large wall after wall after wall of windows. Got back today to finish yesterday’s sketch of the pall over Chicago from the Canadian forest fires. I have a great vantage point of Lincoln Park as I sit by my north facing window. An interesting challenge of sketching the light at that time of day is that because of the haze, the buildings and trees in the distance resemble distant mountain ranges on hazy days; the top profiles are darker at their crest and lighten as they fall below the closer mountains. As each mountain range or ridge gets closer, its crest is darker than the one more distant. But, as the trees got closer to me, the sun lit the tops so that the closest trees had to be darker than the crest of the tree in front of them and closer to the viewer. The reverse of distant trees and features. So the challenge was to still get the sense of a pall from the smoke, the atmospheric perspective, and the raking afternoon sun striking the tops of the trees. One obvious trick is how you use contours, edges, contrasts, lines and details. Drop the use of line as you move into the distance, more clarity and detail in the foreground, greater contrasts in the foreground. It’s such a great view we have of the city and lake from our apartment but you might guess why I don’t perch by the window more often drawing these views; because it’s such a fun pain in the arse.

Last night was date night with G Babe (second night in a row). We went to the Harris Theater to hear the Grant Park Orchestra perform Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, Carl Maria von Weber’s Overture to Oberon, Ralph Vaughn Williams Serenade to Music, Shostakovich’s Suite from the Incidental Music to the film Hamlet (WOW!! I enjoyed this the most of the evening’s offerings), and Tchaikovsksy’s Hamlet Fantasy Overture after Shakespeare which conductor Carlos Kalamar introduced by saying,” after you have had your fill of a big meal, sometimes you’re in the mood to have a big piece of chocolate cake, with lots of whipped cream.”
I managed a few sketches throughout the concert. Which, included the couple in the row before us. The lady in the hat appeared most drowsy and even let her head sag onto her companion’s shoulder while resting her chin on the palm of her hand. Given the way her mouth drooped open I feel confident in posting that my subject took a kitty nap. Yeeeeesss you did dear. YES YOU DID! Disinterested or exhausted from a fatiguing day taking in the delights of downtown Chicago, and a flute or two of Prosecco, (I’m permitting harmless speculation here), our patrons of the arts chose to leave early. Harrumph! They didn’t even make it to Mendelssohn’s rousing Wedding March!!!! Not to mention Shostakovich truly fabuloso ????????? !!!! film score.
Well, me and the G Babe, and the bald dude two rows in front of me, as well as the stylish lady (more speculation) with the satin top and page boy haircut more than made up for our tuckered twosome in enjoyment. Props to the seasoned cellist in the orchestra.
 
Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens on Japanese Mulberry paper in a sketchbook made for me by Eugene Wooddell Jr. I especially like the new Fude nib Pitt Pens which have a bit of flex to them and were used for all the contour work.

 
Surgery to remove kidney stones kept me from traveling to Italy with my wife. So it has been me alone to warm and miss the bedsheets. This coming Wednesday she returns and a good case of jet lag should mean I will capture her recharging her batteries and catching up on dream time.
Drawn with an Essentio fountain pen, DeAtramentis Document ink, and Pitt Artist Pens on Japanese mulberry paper in a sketchbook handmade by Eugene Wooddell Jr.