Sketching - Thoughts, This, And That

In the last couple of days, I've been sketching more than I've been posting. For some reason, it's been easier, especially outside of my home. On Wednesday, I tried a small sketch of part of the Horticulture building at the State Fair. Yesterday, I tried some sketches while waiting to exchange equipment at an Xfinity store. With a small sketchbook (4" x 6") and a micron pen in my purse, it's easy to draw at any moment.

I purchased this sketchbook and several other small ones to try out at Wet Paint since they were having a white sale. I'm staying with their cheaper alternatives, but even so the paper is a big step up from what I usually use. At home, my "go-to" pad is the Artist Loft brand from Michaels. As a beginner, I don't mind burning through a lot of this paper.

While I'm glad to be sketching more, I wish my skills were better. It seems like when I look at my work, the critic is sitting on one shoulder shouting in one ear and the editor is sitting on the other shoulder whispering in the other ear. It doesn't help that I don't know what I want and I don't know how to get there. Fortunately that mostly goes away when I pick up a pen, pencil, or paint brush.

Actually, I do know one thing that I really, really want. I want to be able to do urban sketching. One of the things that I like about drawing and painting is how it can change your relationship to your subject matter. It can be a mild change or it can sear a time and place in your memory. There is a local Urban Sketchers group in the Twin Cities. They have monthly outings. I plan to take my brave pill and go, but so far the scheduling has not worked out.

Last night, I had a few minutes and started a sketch of him. It started with his nose and grew out from there. At best, the result should be labelled inspired by him. I did not do any measurements. Yes, it shows, especially in the length versus width of his face. It would have been better to start with an outline of his face. By the way, these are editing comments, not critical ones. As much as the critic can lash out at times, I can't believe that I'm a actually trying to draw people.

I do like the shirt, arm and bits of the chair. Poor guy. He looks like he is being stalked by the Kitchen Aid mixer, since I frequently draw in whatever corner of  paper is available.