Not making this drawing would have been easy. For a couple of days I walked right past my friend's basket of ordinary garden tools and nearby potted plants, not even giving them a moment’s notice. But little by little, this random backyard arrangement began to capture my fascination. And then it found its way onto … Continue Reading ››
Tag Archives: ink
My Brief History of Sketching Trees
As a young child, you likely learned to draw a tree by using a few circular shapes to symbolize masses of leaves supported by a narrow rectangle to depict the tree’s trunk. And if you were in a creative mood that day, a few angled lines could be added to suggest its branches.
[caption id="attachment_11864" align="aligncenter" … Continue Reading ››
Sketches In Paradise
Waking up to a misty Payne’s Gray sky that engulfs coastal Santa Cruz is common at this time of year. On this particular Saturday morning, I was hoping for summer sunshine that would keep our paper dry and help us to see and sketch crucial shadows.
Anticipation ran high as I packed my sketchbook and a … Continue Reading ››
Fast & Furious or Slow & Curious?
The mountains of Santa Cruz are a great place to practice drawing fast. While on a mountain bike ride, I completed the ink study shown above in just a few minutes. Being able to draw anything, anywhere—fast or slow—is how I like to roll.
Legendary teacher, Kim Nicolaides wrote, “For an artist, the important thing … Continue Reading ››
How a Road Trip Can Ignite Your Desire to Draw
Several decades ago, as an avid surfer, nothing excited me more than packing my surfboards and heading up the coast to discover new places to ride waves. Recently, I decided to conjure … Continue Reading ››
The Great Lions of Drawing
Learning to control your line work is crucial in learning to draw well. One way to tame the lines in your drawings is to take time to read the line work done by great masters. In studying the confident strokes by legendary virtuosos—from ancient cave artists, to … Continue Reading ››
Gianna Goodpaster Draws Her Future
Gianna Goodpaster is a Santa Cruz teenager who doodles, draws, and paints. What sets Gianna apart from other students is her quiet, self-determined journey of creative exploration. After viewing the extreme variety of media she experiments with, we're compelled to jump on board just to see where … Continue Reading ››