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Monday, March 9, 2009

Sketching at the Black Sheep

I was supposed to have a workshop this last weekend, but only 3 signed up, so I reluctantly canceled. I'll be teaching the same workshop, Basic Nature Drawing, again in July, so perhaps they'll sign up again, with a lot more company.

Since I had this unexpected bonus of time, I used it to catch up on things -- like reassembling my kitchen from its construction orgy last week. I finally have most of the stuff into the new cupboards.

It still isn't done, as I have a huge cedar "plank," 6'x3'x3" sitting in my yard on sawhorses, wrapt in a tarp against rain and snow, awaiting my ministrations as sander. A huge task. It's still too wet and cold to deal with. Maybe next week! The plank is destined to be a counter/bar, and since my house is pretty rustic, it should fit right in.

And on Sunday, I went to The Black Sheep Pub again to sketch the Celtic Jam Irish musicians. I've been experimenting with design elements, and I really like how this major sketch came out (I did a couple of small ones I didn't scan in). The musician on the left, one of my favorites, turned his chair, left and came back then switched to playing the "bones" while I was trying to draw him, so he ended up just holding his guitar in the sketch. I love how he dresses the part, in the old-fashioned pin-striped shirt with its simple buttoned collar, the green vest, and that hat. I could only see the girl's head, with that wonderful hat and hair, and I THINK, in retrospect, that she was playing a different instrument. I only got a glimpse of it, and I think it was tear-shaped instead of a violin shape. Ah well...... There were ten of them playing yesterday, seven men and three women. This is just the ones that were closest (and somewhat visible).

When I visit one of my groups, EverydayMatters, I'm always entranced with the heavily designed pages/drawings people do in their journals. Up to this point I've been fairly simple in my renderings, mostly without backgrounds. So maybe I'll give this concept a ride in future entries. The box/line around it really does hold it together!

My Intermediate Nature Drawing workshop is weekend after next, the 21st, so I'll post that next time.

7 comments:

Kate (Cathy Johnson) said...

Oh, NICE, Irene! Love it! Sounds like a wonderful time...and yep, I've had workshops that had to be canceled too. Looks like you made excellent use of the time!

joanieART said...

Really lovely and lively sketch. Ah, I can hear the music now.....i find Celtic music so evocative, just takes me away to another world. Beautiful entry.

Renie said...

Thank ye kindly, ladies! I love to share those sessions. They take the place of a life-drawing class for me, with the added advantage of being free, plus providing great music (and yes! evocative, Joanie!) and beer on tap!

One sketch I missed on Sunday (it didn't last long enough to draw) was a lovely colleen whirling in circles with a small child in her arms, long black hair flying. The child, with out-up-stretched arms and crowing with glee, clung with bare toes to her waistband. What a picture!

Spinneretta said...

Oh it does look good- I think the box really helps :)
I love those heavily designed pages too :D

Beth Baxter said...

That sounds like such a fun time, great sketch.

Anonymous said...

Great sketch, with the dark background value and lines holding it together!

Renie said...

Thanks Anna! I had hoped that was successful. I looked at it backward so many times to check it out that by the time I finished, the backward version was just as familiar as the frontward one, and I wasn't able to see it clearly.

Glad it came through okay!

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