16.8.12

Some sketches today while on Cal Train to San Francisco. Some sketches are not meant to be in there. But it is all part of the learning experience! I noticed I tend to go towards faces that wears glasses (so I can avoid drawing the eye) or faces where I can't see their eyes. Well, I gotta start somewhere. As my professor always said, "On and up!"

That ah-ha moment

I can't say that I'm not proud of my attempt at sketching people on the bus! I needed to get out of the house to sketch and since I don't have a car right now, I took the SamTrans to Downtown San Mateo. It's a shame no one rides the bus. You don't have to drive, it's air conditioned, and you can nap (as I sketch you of course). But it being 20 minutes late PLUS it took 30 more minutes than how long it would take for a car to get there, I understand why many choose cars over buses. Anyways it's all for fun. 

The bus was nice and empty so I took a seat in the middle and sketched the passengers in front of me. Few things I learned as I stated in that sketch: sketch what you see, eyes to pen, make it quick, add details after. While I studied in Italy, my professor for life drawing/sketching told us to draw what you see, not what you think you see. 'Keep your eye on the subject. Once that eye leaves the subject you start to imagine things that's really not there and soon your drawing looks nothing like the subject. ' That's exactly what I did and this is what I got. 

Then I got to Peet's coffee to work on my cover letter and once I needed a break, sketched a few people there. This grandpa impressed me with his laptop. 

So the first two sketches were in this dark grey fine pen that I bought yesterday. Maybe I gravitate more towards the grey pen because it doesn't look so permanent as the black... This time I tried using a thick black pen (.6) to really penetrate the paper with. 

So after I finished my sketches, I was comparing them and I really liked the work that had less lines in. The grandpa sketch has more strokes and the other two don't. The lines were more concrete and defined, while the grandpa one seemed like I was unsure. I remember another professor of mine looking at my sketches from before telling me I need less lines to produce my sketch. Got it.

Pardon

...my absence. I was in Hawaii for about a month and these are the two sketches I did until I lost my pens (somehow, or possibly stolen) in the mess. Here is my first sketch full of energy: a sketch on the plane ride there. I don't know how some sketchers sketch the passengers on planes/buses/trains; I probably would freak them out if I kept staring at them. I especially like that seatbelt... It really is hangin'

My days were spent with various combinations of surfing, napping, eating, tanning, working, shopping, and hanging out with friends. A sketch of the view (opposite from the ocean) while I was tanning in Waikiki:

And then I lost my pens... I don't know how but I kept them on the side pocket of my small backpack and went out so either it fell out or someone just decided to 'borrow' them. No excuses really but ball point pens really aren't my favorites. So instead I enjoyed my time in Hawaii until I came back. 

Since I don't have my car here in the Bay Area either I am stuck with using public transportation. I'm starting to notice that Caltrains does a good job at dropping you off at really convenient locations where there's some life in the town. So today I took the Caltrains to California Avenue in Palo Alto. That street were homes to some nice cafes, Mollie Stone's grocery store, restaurants, thrift store, book store, and I randomly found an art store (Accent Arts)! Happy to see one I went in and dove into the world of art supplies. I got three pens and after I ran a few errands I found a nice little area to sit and sketch as I waited for my train back home. I remember reading a post on someone's blog about including the white space (I'll have to find that blog/post) so this was my attempt at it. Also wanted to try all three of my new pens so this is the final outcome. 

SO! Back to the daily routine in California..