Fireside Sketches

Saturday, we went to Anita's to get some prints of a comic and bind a different comic. But the printer was not working so we didn't get to do any of that. So after a delicious BBQ chicken dinner, we had Abe and Jim give us drawing suggestions while we sat at a fire outside. So here's what we did. I used a brush pen and did not pencil first! That's very rare for me. I pencil before everything. But this was a really fun exercise.

Top is Despair and Golfing. From Abe. Then a creature coming out of fruit. Jim's idea, I think.

Then Abe suggested a platypus playing a sport. I could only think of cricket. That's the only sport a platypus would play, right? I have a pretty good memory of what a platypus looks like because Abe asks me to draw them all the time. Then Anita suggested their dog, Blue. She was staring at our dogs in our car.

Then I couldn't come up with anything. So Abe suggested a monster using the space needle as a tooth pick.
I am pleased with all of these.

Maurice Sendak

Took a while, but I finally drew Maurice Sendak. I think we were both influenced by his amazing books, so this week we are going to try to post drawings of the late, great Sendak. If Anita's is better than this, I will have to do another.

Maurice Sendak, a Quick Note

One of the most inspiring children's book illustrators is Maurice Sendak.

Maurice Sendak enjoyed large dogs.

It's always sad to hear of passing of a person whose work is influential to so many people, especially someone like Mr. Sendak. So, here's to you, Maurice: last night's 30-minutes-or-less drawing. 

--Anita

Special Technique for Painting on Wrinkled Paper

Here are two paintings I've made during 2012 using crumpled masa paper, watercolor and sumi ink. The artist and poet Sheila Sondik teaches workshops for this technique. (See sheilasondik.com to see more of her work.)

Dawn Over the Lake

Where Good Swimmers Drown

This year, I've made five or six paintings using this technique. Angela also did a crumpled masa paper and ink painting or two this year. Maybe she'll put hers up. These are approximately 14 by 17 inches. I may post a few more of my paintings here later. If you have any questions about the technique, Angela, Sheila or I can probably answer them. 

---Anita