more Saturday journaling...

Waiting....

In a few weeks we'll be flying back to our homeland where snow is real. We've been in Georgia long enough that we've become acclimated to the climate. While I was thinking about the clothing we'll need to bring for the kids, I took time to sketch a little boy that is impatiently waiting for the snow to fall....

Realization...

Isn't it funny what things inspire you to draw. Lately I have been thinking a lot about power. My current responsibilities at work place considerable power within my hands, it's been my chore to figure out how to wield that power most effectively.

Brainfart.....

I haven't posted pictures for a while. I've been experiencing one of those phases where there just isn't a lot of joy doodling...and when there isn't joy, the stuff that comes out of the pencil isn't too appealing either. NONETHLESS, I've decided to post some of the little doodles I've tried. Maybe if I see these every time I log into the blog it will give me added desire to put something out that is more eye-friendly.

A splendid Saturday

Today was one of the good days. After getting up and playing with the kids a bit, I was off to get my haircut. I've posted previously about the barber shop that I go to. There is a single barber, pulled right out of Mayberry, who comes to work in a white shirt, a tie, slacks, and he takes his own sweet time cutting hair. There are 3 chairs, 2 are never used (from his partners that have both died already) and the old men in town line up more for the conversation than the haircut. There is nothing better than sitting, sketching and listening to the conversation. I did the sketch above while listening to a handful of angry southern men ranting about the drought, politics, how to use a computer, and women not knowing how to drive. It was blissful. I kept my head down while I sketched because I had a grin that was hard to wipe off my face.

A bit later we took the kids on a drive to future camping and fishing spots, went out to dinner, and came home to relax.

A great day.

Enjoying diversity...

I found this delightful photograph of a Hindu man and decided to do a little doodle. I loved the colorful turban. When painting the happy man, I thought a lot about religion, diversity, culture. Isn't it a sad commentary that we attack the things that we see as different...or even define our own beliefs based on what we see wrong in the beliefs of others...

I think Mohandas K. Gandhi deftly explained it best when he uttered:
"It is the duty of every cultured man or woman to read sympathetically the scriptures of the world. If we are to respect others' religions as we would have them respect our own, a friendly study of the world's religions is a sacred duty."

...and ne'er a word said she

If thou wilt...

And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of aleprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

weekend sum-up

I haven't really spent too much time doodling the last few days. Mostly I sketched today. But I did produce a couple of things. This one was a quick study of a young man next to me in a meeting.

Inspired by other E.D.M. sketchers, I decided to try a few farm animals (going way out of my comfort zone), and this is all I came up with.....bacon.

Yesterday, I had to take the boys to get a haircut. Strapping a 3 year old into a seat while a stranger holds sharp scissors over his head is always an interesting experience. Actually, the little guy was pretty good yesterday....

Finally, a little more morbid doodle. I was examining the "mental" or "cerebral" approach to doodling...

Bandaged

Last night I had an urge to sketch before going to bed. I sat up on the couch as not to keep the family up, and watched old reruns of M*A*S*H. I love that show. I started with just a face. That's often what I find myself reverting to when I don't have anything in mind but am wanting to run the pen across paper. As I began, the face seemed bland and boring, so I added the moustache. I added some wrinkles to add a little character, and still it was missing interest, so I added a few bandages and bruises. The finale was the cotton up the nose. I actually really enjoyed doing this one. My wife got mad after painting because of the blood here and there...I blamed it on the old M*A*S*H episodes.

remembering

Here are a few more doodles that I did over the weekend. The first one just kind of happened on the paper. I was thinking about creating an image that left the viewer to decide if it was about one thing, or the exact opposite. I suppose it could be about surrendering. Or, it could be about faithfully upholding the standard, despite injury....you decide.

This other one was done while I was at a meeting that was discussing the importance of the family. September is an interesting month for me because my Dad's birthday is in September...so, while the speaker taught, I didn't really digest what he was saying...rather, was thinking about dad, and wondering what that reunion will be like...in retrospect, maybe I was digesting exactly what the speaker intended. So while he was speaking, I was sketching. I later added the photo of my father when he was a boy.

Mental Dysentary

Here are a couple of sketches that I have done in the last couple of days. This one I did while I was at the barber shop waiting for a haircut. There was a lot going through my mind. The thought came to me that a "mute" can pray with as much power as the eloquent....this is what came out.

This one was done a few days ago in a meeting (it was actually a baby blessing for a friend.) I was in a place where I knew very few people, and all the new faces were fun to look at...I had to put something on paper...

CANDY SUSHI

This lazy Saturday afternoon was needed and enjoyed. A little while ago the kids and I did a project to calm them down a bit. We decided to make sushi out of sweedish fish, fruit roll-ups, rice krispy treats, jelly beans and yogos.

Here's how they came out:

Another Portrait Exchange

A couple of days ago a fellow contacted me and kindly suggested another portrait exchange. His name was Roy Mosby, and you can check out his stuff here.
I agreed, and sent him off a photo, and I received this in return:
He was kind enough, in his email exchange, to ask if the shadows would make it too complex...and I tucked that away in the back of my mind.

After work today in an effort to relax, I decided to get this project done and started looking at his photo. I continued to think about his comment regarding the shadows, and Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" kept coming to mind......so, I went with it.

Here's what came out (I'll probably color it later, but I'm too tired tonight.)

poopie potpourri

I haven't posted for a while, and really haven't produced anything noteworthy...but, I'm going to post some of the doodles from the past few days any way.

This was a little journaling while I was waiting for my wife to come out of her doctor's appointment.

Today I took my son to a scout activity at our little local airport. They went up in some small, two-seater planes for a while to get introduced to aeronautics. They had a blast. I decided to sketch some of the stuff that was surrounding me.

This was just an exploration sketch with color and images that I really wasn't able to articulate with a brush.

This was sketched out when I couldn't sleep last night and as I stayed up late watching old re-runs.

Then there was this...I can't say I particularly know where this came from...

Harvesting

This is a sketch that I did some time ago, and I already posted it in this blog. However, I recently wrote a story while remembering something from my childhood and thought that it would be a good visual. I posted the story on my writing blog.

Examining fear...

I've been having a hard time sleeping lately. It seems that the troubles that weigh on me during the day seep into my sleep and transform themselves into monsters. Last night I awoke screaming a bit. My wife had to calm me down, it was embarrasing and frightening all wrapped up in one.

While at lunch today, I thought I would explore some of the images in the sketchpad...once again, the pen becomes the therapist.

Mitt Romney...

I was asked to continue my presidential candidates series. So on this lazy Saturday, I pulled out another caricature. Enjoy.

Down by the river...

The other day when my wife needed some alone time, I packed up the kids and went to the park down by the river. They played, jumped, squeeled and I pulled out the moleskine and sketched the trunks of trees that were beautiful in the shadows of the setting sun. Here is what came out of the pen.

Also, the other day at lunch while I was waiting forever for a new waitress to bring us our food, I sketched out this little man. I colored him in photoshop, which was most of the fun of this little project.

And then there were...three

Here are a few more sketches that I have done these last few days. I'm taking a break from the Presidential sketches for a bit, maybe I'll go back in a few days. I enjoyed doing the really muted tones of the "prisoner" picture. The other ones just kind of eeked out of the pen, one at lunch, and the other during a sleepless night.

Hillary Clinton Caricature

Here's another political caricature that I did to release the stress from this past week...I think the picture explains it.

Fred Thompson Sketch

Someone suggested that I make a go at doing a series of presidential contenders...
I kind of liked the idea, however, if I were to try to capture all of them, I'd still be doodling when I am as old as this guy.

I think that when you combine the ages of ol' Mr. Thompson and John McCain, you get around 350. That's just what we need in the oval office, someone who needs a nap 3 times a day and a presidential helping of geritol.

Barack Caricature....

I had the urge to do some more caricature doodling in the moleskine today. There is a face that is plastered on the news channels today because of his campaigns ability to raise cash. The war of words continues between the talking, campaigning heads...It'll be an interesting race this time around... SO MUCH VERBAL KUNG FU....

Gouache in my Moleskine

I got some cheap gouache paints yesterday to play around with in the moleskine sketchbook. So...here...is gouache paint in my sketchbook.

Journaling on Saturday, June 30, 2007

I spent some time in the moleskine again today playing around with color, gauche, watercolors and some strange ideas. I don't necessarily know where this one came from, but I actually like the way that it came out.

Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before...

I drew this the other night when I couldn't sleep. I stayed up sketching and watching politicians on the news channel.....

mouth that runneth over....

Here is a sketch that I did while watching t.v. the other night. Who is she? I don't really know. Maybe a typical high school cheerleader who's 20 year, post-school stint, hasn't been too kind. The hair is nice, but it's the rest that needs work....
Or, maybe it's Chelsea Clinton in 20 years, (like mother, like daughter).
You decide....

My kids and I have been sketching together quite a bit. Here are a couple that my daughter did while we were on a Saturday afternoon "sketch hunt."

Hinckley

I have been looking at a few web sites where there has been some amazing caricatures of various people. Caricatures that don't poke fun, but that are masterfully done. I decided to try my hand at it. I've been thinking a lot about religious leaders, and the ones that I deeply respect. Consequently, this gentleman came to mind and the challenge was to do a sketch, caricature style, that isn't demeaning, but that still comes across as a caricature. I don't know if I succeeded, but it was a good exercise nonethless.

The Plague

I've been reading a book entitled "The Plague" for the past few weeks and have found myself thinking a lot about sickness and pestilence. Some of Camus' imagery in the book is gripping, and prompts some pretty in depth introspection.
On a similar note, with the sickness that has been occuring in our home recently, I have reflected on our own mortality much more than I normally do. I suppose that a good reflection on the brief nature of this mortal existence is good for the soul.