Buttnekkiddoodles

Once in awhile, I actually put up some doodles of naked butts. Went to the Palette & Chisel last night to see a strong show of Errol Jacobs paintings from the last few years and made it upstairs for the last 2 hours of life drawing. Been awhile.

  

Well it’s been some time since I settled in to some nude drawing having managed to travel the country extensively this Fall so I squeezed in a half session last night with less than what I might have hoped for. Since I returned to Chicago 5 days ago much has gotten in the way of my daily drawing so some of the slap dash I was looking for came in fits and starts. I also left the house with a limited range of grays and wound up making careless use of cool and warm grays on the model which is irritating me  sufficiently on the morning after. I did have with me a Sailor bent nib fountain pen that give both bold and narrow line widths depending on the angle you attack the page with and you can see it’s effect in the drawings of the dude with the Jeff cap & blue backpack and the slouching fellow in ski cap texting away. Fun to draw with and loosens you up. On the page immediately above of cafe goers and transit riders, I could have used some of the darker Pitt Big Brush Artist Pens which would have knocked in richer values and strokes on the clothing.

Made it late and left early to the Palette & Chisel’s 12 hour life drawing marathon. Didn’t come away with anything stellar. Been consumed with buying, packing, and moving to new digs and will flatly state that my drawing has suffered. Looking forward to heading out on tour to hopefully knock off the rust.

                           

Man, when I say “Slung” I wasn’t joking. What a crazy month. Bought a place and in the midst of painting, having electrical work done and moving into the new place, I had to work in New England & NYC, took a side trip to Philly, flew back to Chicago long enough to do laundry, paperwork and then get ready to jet to Washington and Montana for whirl wind tour of several cities and colleges. Still a bit too much running around and not enough time drawing what I witnessed. Have to return to NYC and hang out on the High Line, was a bit crowded but what a vantage point of Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen. Plus you could see Jersey as it starts to create the Palisades. Using the Pitts and fountain pens. Back in a Moleskine watercolor pad and also have a hefty and lovely ledger book going.

Sometimes, I get behind in posting to BND, especially during the Fall when I’m tripping about the country lecturing and demonstrating at various colleges, stores and events. You can follow me at:  doncolleysroadtrip.com. Cheers.

The comment we all hear as folks look over our shoulders is,”I cain’t even draw straight lines!” I’ve never been the biggest fan of straight lines either. Then even when you put yourself before the job of drawing oodles of the damn things, such as in a graveyard, settling of the earth beneath the stones makes for the cockeyed jumble of and old geezer’s smile.

  

The white scalloped canopy and tubular construction connected to the west side of Denver’s Union Station was designed by local firm Anderson Mason Dale and is part of a grand redevelopment of the old Denver rail yards along the Platte. Now there stand large multi purpose commercial and residential buildings, additional light rail and a parks along the river’s edge.

   

Went to a life drawing with Paul Heaston in Denver and drew a very athletic model who held quick poses up to 8 minutes. Haden’t drawn from a nude model in a few months and could feel the rust. Below, coped a quick early morning sketch of the Denver Capitol Bldg. under renovations to re guild the dome while waiting to get picked up for a job.

  

 

Shot out to the Big Apple where I took in a little action at Belmont race track. Pretty slim crowd. But enjoyed hanging with Rob & Barney-G. We dined on deli take out, whitefish salad out by the paddocks.

Following 3 drawings done in Chicago just before heading off to NYC & Portland, Oregon.

    View of Edgewater and downtown sky scrappers from my back porch during a neighborhood blackout.

Heading out from O’Hare, did the above sweep of the boarding area. I seldom seem to settle into these air terminal transit drawings.

          

While I was drawing the statue of Theodore Roosevelt in front of the Portland Museum of Art, I heard a scuffle develop behind me and turned in time to see 3 men tumble to the pavement. A couple of cops had just taken down the man depicted above in light pans and racing striped jacket. Cops came flooding into the area and grabbed and cuffed another fellow from a nearby bench.

  

The above drawing is a clear example of why I invest a little more in some drawings. The multiple light sources was so compelling and challenging and made the drawing more specific to character, time of day, mood, and an effect some landscape architects might call “light pollution”.

    

Life drawings from the Palette & Chisel 12 hour life drawing marathon.

Drawings done in Utrecht & Strathmore toned paper sketchbooks, Moleskine watercolor pad, with Pitt Artist Pens, Pelikan M215 & Visconti Rembrandt fountain pens using Platinum Carbon ink, and White China marker grease pencil.

Life drawing.

Medium: Pitt Artist Pen and white grease pencil highlights on toned Utrecht paper.

Dimensions:12″(h) x 9 1/2″(w)

Date: 1/14/13

signed: Darn

Price: $350 shipping included