Skyline Sketch

This past weekend we made quick, two-night trip to San Francisco to attend a cousin’s wedding.

Since we stayed at the Doubletree Hotel at the Berkeley Marina, I decided I should do at least one boats-at-the-marina sketch. As we walked along the shoreline path I changed my mind and chose to sketch a view of the San Francisco skyline across the bay. I did manage to include one boat. And the old Oakland bridge which is being dismantled (the steel is being sold to China). And the new Oakland bridge. And a duck.

So What

YouTube Andy
Digital print on aluminum
60" x 80"

After leaving San Francisco and returning home to Santa Fe something made me think of Andy Warhol and I found several documentaries about him on YouTube. For the next couple of days I worked on images inspired by the video but was mostly inspired by his unapologetic attitude about his art. As critics analyzed, criticized, and scrutinized his work, he seemed totally oblivious (publicly, at least) to the art world's opinion.

When asked why he copied things instead of creating something original, he said “Because... this is easier.”

When someone suggested “So you're just playing a joke on everyone?” he responded “Uh, no... it gives me something to do.”

I grabbed a video frame in the YouTube player and made four panels, each one 40" wide and 30" deep. Next they’ll be digitally printed on aluminum with a high gloss finish to simulate viewing video on a computer screen. Then they will be assembled together to create a single piece that measures 80" wide and 60" deep.

If Andy Warhol was still with us, would he be working digitally? I think so. If critics didn't like that, he would probably have a typical Warhol reaction of “So what?”

So, when someone says to me “You’re copying instead of creating something new,” I can say “So what? It gives me something to do.” Besides, Andy never put a red progress bar on his images.

Pose Montage

A montage of poses from last Tuesday night’s drawing group. 

22 artists attended. That’s close to a record for our group in recent years. Word-of-mouth plus an online presence at Meetup.com/SFdrawing has added a lot of awareness and interest about the group. 

Three of our favorite models, including this one, are also going to be the models for an upcoming special drawing event at CCA (Center for Contemporary Arts) here in Santa Fe on October 25, 2014: Three Muses Drawing Extravaganza. 

Learn more about the Three Muses event.

San Francisco and Beyond

We've been in the San Francisco area for almost a week, staying and playing in the Fisherman's Wharf area and North Beach. While Robin was busy working (making a video for Peachpit Press about her principles of design, based on her book The Non-Designer's Design Book), I wandered about, took photos, and sketched. After four days of seafood, wine, and sketching in San Francisco we took the Vallejo ferry to the north side of the bay and drove to Yountville, just south of Napa, to spend several days with Robin's mother.

More food, wine, and sketching still in progress.

The Grape Crusher
Monumental bronze statue in Napa Valley, just south of Napa on Highway 29
Bronze poured at Shidoni Foundry, Santa Fe, New Mexico 

Large stone fountain in Levi’s Plaza, North Beach, a block from the Embarcadero.
Location of Peachpit Press offices

Coit Tower from Levi’s Plaza.

A Pose or a Break?

Is this a pose or a break between poses? Sometimes it’s hard to tell. I mean that in a good way. 

A Pose or a Break?
Charcoal on paper

Woman on Bathrobe

Posing On Her Bathrobe
Charcoal on newsprint

Fast Sketch
Charcoal on newsprint

Cuban

A stylized interpretation from one of the recent life drawing poses at Argos Gallery.

Cuban Model

Matisse Influence

Matisse-inspired print, at least in its spirit of simplicity.

Thinking About Matisse
22" x 36"

Relaxing

Relaxing in a Gallery
Charcoal on newsprint

Tuesday Night

A digital print on aluminum from a recent Tuesday night life drawing session. I’ll also use this image to promote our Tuesday night Santa Fe Drawing group. Along with a batch of Santa Fe Drawing wristbands I had made, just for fun.

Tuesday Night
Digital print on aluminum
28" x 24"

The Official Tuesday Night Santa Fe Drawing Wristband
was gifted to the artists who attended last Tuesday night's drawing session.

Digital sketch

Art Projects

Some of this weeks projects included life drawing, a squirrel, and a design for an upcoming drawing event.

Faceless
Charcoal on newsprint

Short pose
Charcoal on newsprint

Squirrel
Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop

Tension
Charcoal on newsprint

Graphics for a special drawing event in Santa Fe

Montage

Two models, four poses, one montage. Because the sketches are rough, I left some of the messiness and smudges of the original charcoal-on-paper in the final print.

Four poses

Waterfall

Another digital print that originated as a plein air painting at Bishop’s Lodge, a historic lodge and resort a few miles north of Santa Fe. Bishop Lamy (1814-1888), first bishop and archbishop of the Diocese of Santa Fe, used this property as an out-of-town retreat.

Waterfall at Bishop’s Lodge
Digital print
30" x 40"

Tree at Los Poblanos

A stylized graphical print based on a plein air outing at Los Poblanos in Albuquerque. Los Pablonos is a historic inn and organic farm, designed in 1932 by John Gaw Meem.  

Tree at Los Poblanos
Digital print
30" x 22"

Joey

Joey
Charcoal on newsprint

Digital Traditional Art

Some artists have a certain disdain for digital art techniques, as opposed to traditional art techniques. I appreciate both and like to use both by starting with a traditional sketch or painting, scan it, import it into the computer, then manipulate it in different ways (size, contrast, color, etc.).

This is an experimental piece that started as charcoal and oil pastels on newsprint, 14" x 18". The final version is 28" x 32" on paper, canvas, aluminum, or whatever medium I decide at a later date.

Study of a Model
28" x 32"

Detail, Study of a Model
28" x 32"

Two-Minute Poses

It was another Tuesday night in which the shorter pose drawings looked better than the longer pose drawings. I’ll use these as studies for a series of graphic prints.   

Just Charcoal

Fifteen artists attended our weekly drawing group last night. Some of them used pastels, oil pastels, and ink washes. As for me, just charcoal.

Just Reclining
Charcoal on newsprint

Just Standing
Charcoal on newsprint

Partial Figure
Charcoal on newsprint

Models at Artisans

Several Santa Fe models have a group called MUSE that promotes drawing and networking among artists and models. This summer they are providing a free two hour modeling session every Thursday at Artisan’s Art Supply from 11 am to 1 pm. Last Thursday 10 or 12 artists participated, with poses varying between two and twenty minutes.

For this print version, I scanned the sketch, then digitally exaggerated the paper texture, fingerprint smudges, and newsprint paper color.

Jessi at Artisan’s
Original: pencil on newsprint
24" x 18"

Gray Chair

During a recent Tuesday night drawing group, I switched to a heavy-weight colored paper for one of the charcoal life drawings. Towards the end of a 3-hour drawing session I’m usually feeling weary and tired of trying too hard. Then, sometimes, I relax and just draw for the fun of it without caring how accurate the drawing is.

That’s how I ended up with this image. Several weeks later I used oil pastels to add color to the drawing, added a texture to the background, then changed the color of the background and the chair.

The Gray Chair
Oil pastel on paper
30" x 34"

The Gray Chair
Detail