1920's Girl

As often the case my model is a girl from a vintage photo in my collection. I didn't do her justice, she was quite pretty honest. No matter as she doesn't complain and can hold the pose forever so I can try again. This in pen and ink with Neocolor and a bit of watercolor pencil.

Barn one more time

This drawing was headed for the never to be seen again drawer where by all rights it should be but after posting yesterday I was watching television and had all these watercolor pencils laying about on the table ( I never put anything away, just ask my wife) So anyway the barn got a coat of color and here it is once more. It might even show up again as I have some thoughts about opaque watercolors I have laying around somewhere.

We cooked out again today, enough for a week of meals but it wont last that long, such a glutton I am but once again I swear food is just better when it's cooked outside. Stop by for a brat or a dog before I eat them all.

1920 Barn

Drawing in sepia pen from an old photo in my collection, largely embellished of course. I love old barns, something that around here at least are harder to find every day or at least you have to travel a little further to find them. All the land they sit on is too valuable now to let sit dormant. When I was a kid it seemed like they were everywhere. Aint progress wonderful.

Feathers

Second post here today so look under this one also. I had scanned this one awhile ago and then decided I didn't like it so wasn't going to show anyone. Thinking about it today though I realize I have posted plenty of stuff I didn't like and sure wasn't proud of. It's kind of a strategy, post drawings that are pretty bad and then when I put up a good one people say " wow, he's really getting better."

Doodles

You might think that after not posting anything for ten days I could come up with something better then a couple of doodles from my sketchbook but you would be wrong. Some days, weeks, months whatever just go like that, plenty of drawing and nothing worth posting. (not that this is but don't want my few readers to go away) If you draw or write or do anything I'm sure you know those times come where you do nothing but fill the wastebasket :).

The wife and I went to see the new Harry Potter movie yesterday. I like the movies, in fact think it's a great series. Love the graphic effects in all of them and the story has been good and seeing the kids grow up through it all makes it all the better. This one wasn't my favorite although again the characters are growing up and we see romantic interests developing. I won't say anymore about it as I don't want to ruin anyones experience.

My wife is the Harry expert here. She has read all the books, probably twice and seen the movies more then that. She kind of ruins it for me as she had filled me in on what would happen before we ever thought about going. She also spends hours telling me how the movies do not follow the books and what is left out and changed and this and that, things I don't care much about. I do intend to read the books sometime but always seem to have something else to do. (besides we have mostly the pocket sized books and being closing in on sixty now I tend to fall asleep after reading small print for more then five or ten minutes.) Takes me about a month to read the average book anymore.

The doodles here were on the way back on the surprise trip to Target where she just ran in to pay her bill. An hour later I had done these and a bunch others. I always take a sketch book or magazine or something when we leave the house as there is always a surprise stop that will just take a few minutes.

I do have another drawing scanned that I wasn't going to post but if this uploads soon I will. Also have two new posts on the other blog if you feel like looking.

Urban Cartoon Pen and Ink

Maybe not one of my proudest efforts at drawing but something I had fun doing so I'm going to share it. It does at least get me away from the head and shoulder rut I was in for posting like I said I wanted to. There wasn't any reference, just something that started out of the head. I do like streetcars so am always trying to draw them but never come up with anything I like a whole lot.

It was hard to concentrate finishing this up as in the next room the wife and grandson ( same one with the watermelon) are in the next room playing some video game. It's like listening to two little kids arguing. I did go in once and tell them if they couldn't play nice together that he would have to go home or maybe both should do some corner time. It's mostly him of course although the games are my wife's obsession but they get so serious about it it's scary.

Summer seems to have came and went, one week of heat and now it's kind of like fall, nice and cool, most definitely not complaining, I like it like this as long as it doesn't mean an early winter.

Princess

Wanted to get away from the head and shoulder thing but was a little busy the last few days and this is about all I have to post at the moment.

I hope everyone had a good and safe fourth of July. Our's was relatively good, the relatively all the inlaws that gathered here to celabrate as I mentioned before. Things went pretty well, no injuries to report and the after incident damage list is small compared to past years.

In the past I have grilled but this year the wife decided to get catering. I would guess the cost was about the same and certainly less work for yours truly. I do like to cook on the grill but not for large crowds. The catering actually led to the only two near injuries we had. We had some of the food staged in the garage part of it being a large bag of Kaiser rolls. When the wife went to get them they were nowhere to be seen so of course she called me to look. I went out and searched for like twenty minutes ( I had seen them there that day, knew they were there) I had also seen my grandson and his cousin out there earlier, had chased them out of the garage in fact as they were rearanging the whole garage and making a mess. So when I went in to search the house I asked the boys if they had done something with the rolls to which they looked up innocently at me and said " why no, what Kaiser rolls?"

Such two little angelic faces you have never seen so why would I doubt them so anyway after a ten minute search of the house I went back to the garage along with one of my brother in laws and made another good twenty minute search there. Again we came up empty and I'm not sure who it was that asked did we check the dryer or why they would think to but of course that where the rolls were along with a watermelon that we had not yet known was missing. Turns out of course the grandson and cousin thought it might be funny to hide the rolls and melon in the dryer. I'm sure it was to them and lucky I have entered into a non violent stage of life . Ghandi would be proud, don't think they even got yelled at, not by me anyway although I admit for a minute I thought about putting them in the dryer for a ten minute tumble ( on low heat of course, I'm not a monster)

Anyway the day went well, early sprinkles left and the Village fireworks were exploded, people ate and talked and went home and the day after we're left with a lot of leftovers and a fairly quiet house. Hope yours was at least as good.

Another Portrait

It's not that I haven't been drawing, I always draw but I don't always "finish" I wasn't all that happy with this and it almost hit the round file but I delayed and then decided I didn't hate it that much, something to keep and work from.

We have been busy, think I mentioned before that the wifes family gathers here on the fourth and she is busy getting the house and yard ready for that which means we are busy getting the house and yard ready. There's a big difference in viewpoints there because to me the house and yard are ready right now for just about anybody to come by but for her it isn't and will never be.

It happens whenever we have something and leads to a period of small arguments, mumbling and grumbling ( by me ), threats and yelling ( by her ) and compromise and grudgingly working together ( by both of us). Eventually the day comes and is suffered through and then is over until the next time. At least we are down to only two events a year and even an antisocial layabout like myself can tolerate that.

It cooled off a lot today which helps and makes me feel easier about what next months electricity bill will look like. It was so hot for awhile that everything in the garden was drooping despite watering but hopefully things will perk up now.

Pearls

Another pen and ink, this time a lady, also a large one so takes a while to upload. I like pen and ink but need to learn to work even smaller I think.

Also another hot day here. Went to the grandson's next to last ball game for the year, first one they have had under the lights. Somehow it adds a little to it although it didn't help thier play any. I don't think they have won a game this year which ties the record for the last year. If they win the next game ( the last regular season) they make the playoffs. Not sure how that happens if you only win one game but it does. He doesn't seem inclined to return next year which probably doesn't have much to do with the team record. He just isn't the "jock" type and certainly doesn't have baseball in his blood. He's played for three years so at least he gave it a try and that's good enough for me.