gary amaro art

the new yorker's eustace tilley contest 2012

2012-02-06T15:59:00.000-08:00

For the fifth year now, The New Yorker has solicited readers’ takes on Eustace Tilley,the magazine’s mascot, and, for the fifth year running, I am among the winners. Tilley, a Regency dandy, is the creation of art editor Rea Irvin and has been on the cover of almost every anniversary issue — including this year’s — since his first appearance, on the début issue, in 1925.

Here is a slideshow of this year's winners, including mine, on the New Yorker's website.

Culture Desk: a cover story about this year's contest.

My winning images from 2011, 2010, 2009, and 2008.

Just as last year, one Grand Prize Winner will be selected from among the winning entries to be printed on a book bag from Strand Bookstore of New York. Stay tuned for updates, and wish me luck!

the art of urban sketching

2012-01-26T19:31:00.001-08:00

My work is featured in a new book by Urban Sketchers founder Gabi Campanario.

From the press release:
The Art of Urban Sketching is both a comprehensive guide and a showcase of location drawings by artists around the world who draw the cities where they live and travel. This beautiful, 320-page volume explains urban sketching within the context of a long historical tradition and how it is being practiced today. It includes profiles of leading practitioners, a discussion of the benefits of working in this art form, and shows how one can participate and experience it through modern-day social networks and online activity.

The book is illustrated with over 600 beautiful, contemporary illustrations, and includes artists' profiles and extended captions where these urban sketchers share their stories, how they work, sketching tips, and the tools behind each drawing. With sketches and observations from more than 50 cities in more than 30 countries, the book offers a visually arresting, storytelling take on urban life from different cultures and artistic styles, as well as insight into various drawing techniques and mediums.

Video preview of the book here.

The Art of Urban Sketching on Amazon.

sketchcrawl 34: the ferry building, sf

2012-01-24T21:13:00.000-08:00

The main hall - departing

urban sketchers 2011 holiday campaign: give a little, get a sketch

2011-12-12T19:24:00.000-08:00

Still a little time to make a donation to UrbanSketchers.org and get a high-resolution file of my sketch, Balclutha (above), or any sketch from this holiday fundraiser flickr set of urban sketches, all suitable for printing and framing. All donations to Urban Sketchers are tax deductble. Offer ends Dec. 31. Full details here.

good shepherd

2011-12-09T23:51:00.000-08:00

sketchcrawl 33: the haight, sf

2011-10-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

Anti-pigeon lighting at Crepes on Cole - cafegoers - occupy Haight-Ashbury - the dogs of Haight

grey morning

2011-10-07T15:10:00.000-07:00

acrylic on paper
9x9"

the gallery girls: steampunk

2011-09-29T15:35:00.001-07:00

Sketches from the recent Gallery Girls steampunk-themed San Francisco event.

missed connection: atl

2011-08-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

The Kubrickian quality of empty airports at night.

sketchcrawl 32: san francisco

2011-07-24T17:48:00.000-07:00

The 1886 square-rigged windjammer Balclutha along the Hyde St. Pier - iron ship propellers in the sand - sketchers at Ghirardelli Square - the boathouse of the Dolphin Swimming and Boating Club.

For more sketches from San Francisco and around the world, visit the forums at Sketchcrawl.com.

at camp

2011-06-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

quick studies

2011-05-22T13:54:00.000-07:00

From the last quick pose workshop at AAU this term. Two and three minute poses. Color added later in Photoshop.

life drawing

2011-04-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

10 minutes, 2 minutes

sketchcrawl 31: the mission, sf

2011-04-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

For more sketches from San Francisco and around the world, check the forums at sketchcrawl.com.

For the full story of the day, see my post on urban sketchers.

worldwide sketchcrawl - benefit for japan

2011-04-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

This Saturday's World Wide SketchCrawl, April 16th, is a special benefit to raise funds for Japan disaster relief. I will be drawing all day with my local sketchcrawl contingent in San Francisco. Please sponsor me in this drawing marathon by making a donation at this link to GIVE2ASIA.

I will make my individual sketches from the day available for donations of at least $20 to the cause, so here is a good chance to support a cause and get some original artwork. Details (and sketches) to follow.

For information on how to participate in World Wide SketchCrawl or locate your local SketchCrawl group, check the forums at SketchCrawl.com. For a look some of my previous SketchCrawl drawings and various urban sketches, click here.

the gallery girls: the opium den

2011-04-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

Sketches from the recent Gallery Girls drawing event in San Francisco.

the new yorker's eustace tilley contest 2011

2011-02-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

My piece won:

For the fourth year now, The New Yorker has solicited readers’ takes on Eustace Tilley, the magazine’s mascot. Tilley, the Regency dandy, is the creation of art editor Rea Irvin and has been on the cover of almost every anniversary issue—including this year’s—since his first appearance, on the début issue, in 1925.

Twelve winners were selected from over 600 entries. You can see a slide show of all twelve, including mine, on The New Yorker's website here.

This is the fourth year I've won. Here are my winning images from 2010, 2009, and 2008. You can also see slide shows of all past winners on The New Yorker's site.

This year, for a twist, a Grand Prize winner will be selected from among the twelve and will have their winning image made into a Strand Bookstore tote bag. The Grand Prize winner will be announced in the Spring, when the bag is ready. Wish me luck!

UPDATE: The Grand Prize Winner has been chosen and the winning tote bag can be seen at the Strand Bookstore. Congrats to Michael Clayton.

for steve t.

2011-02-05T22:56:00.000-08:00

Single panel and three page excerpt from an unpublished comics story.
Click the images to see them larger.

sketchcrawl 30: san francisco

2011-01-25T16:57:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 22 was the latest World Wide Sketchcrawl. Seen here: sketchers outside of Cafe Murano, St. Dominic's Church on Steiner, California Street with dog, two views of the pagoda at the Peace Plaza in Japan Center, Bart riders on the way home. For more sketches from San Francisco and around the world, check out the forums at sketchcrawl.com.

red morning

2011-01-07T21:20:00.000-08:00

acrylic on paper
9x12"

figurative show, santa rosa

2010-12-04T20:05:00.000-08:00

Before it ends, I should mention that I have a few works on paper in the show "Figuring Out the Figure" at the Santa Rosa Junior College Art Gallery. The show goes from November 4 through December 11 and includes figurative works on paper by a number of California artists. An exhibition catalogue is available at the gallery for $15. More info at srjc art gallery.

life drawing

2010-10-22T18:29:00.001-07:00

skyhawk, hornet

2010-09-01T00:10:00.001-07:00

A4 D Skyhawk attack bomber, flight deck of the USS Hornet, Alameda, CA.
More at Urban Sketchers.

life drawing

2010-08-27T11:50:00.001-07:00

cafe philosophy

2010-08-08T18:48:00.000-07:00

My cover for the August/September 2010 issue of Cafe Philosophy, a non-academic magazine about philosophy, published in New Zealand and available now. The current issue also features interior illustrations by my fellow urban sketcher, Lapin.

Featured in the foreground are Friedrich Nietzche and Arthur Schopenhauer. Also depicted are Sartre, Plato, Aristotle, Berkeley, Descartes, Spinoza, Vermeer's geographer, a Yagua Indian, a woman as the Sphinx, a man who may be Kierkegaard, and a tribute to the destroyed Klimt painting, Philosophy.

sketchcrawl 28: crissy field, sf

2010-08-02T11:36:00.001-07:00

The usual cold, slightly foggy summer morning in San Francisco. We met at the Warming Hut in Crissy Fields - seems to have been about 50 of us - and sketched our way to the Palace of Fine Arts. Click the images to see them larger. For more sketches from San Francisco and around the world, visit the forums at sketchcrawl.com

sebastopol

2010-07-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

Feeding ducks and swans, house with half-dead willow and swan, treehouse by the creek.

the gallery girls: midsummer night's dream

2010-06-20T23:50:00.000-07:00

Drawings from the Gallery Girls' Midsummer Night's Dream drawing party held at the spectacular Westerfield Mansion in San Francisco. Great music and atmosphere and a whole lot of talented artists crowded into little ornate rooms. Click the images for greater detail.

More sketches from the night by Marc Holmes

sketchcrawl 27: san francisco

2010-05-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

Some images from last saturday's World Wide Sketchcrawl. We met at the ferry building in the morning and again later at union square. A few of us kept drawing into the night at the top of the Marriott hotel overlooking the city. For more sketches from San Francisco and around the world, visit the forums at sketchcrawl.com

marathon

2010-05-11T00:35:00.001-07:00

From the recent bay area models marathon. This grouping was from the 20 minute stage but I only turned around to draw them for the last few minutes. There is the suggestion of a story here, almost a song. Click to see bigger.

metamorphica

2010-04-26T08:03:00.000-07:00

Friday I went to a drawing party in San Francisco featuring the butoh performance troupe Bad Unkl Sista in spectacular costumes, moving and posing to live music at the Bus Stop Gallery. Here are some of my sketches from the night. Click through the images for greater detail.

More sketches from the night by Marc Holmes and Jackson Dryden.

wings

2010-03-08T21:09:00.000-08:00

found object on the sidewalk, berkeley

figure study

2010-03-05T15:11:00.000-08:00

acrylic on paper

sketchcrawl 26: the waterfront, sf

2010-03-01T14:48:00.001-08:00

We met in an industrial part of town along the waterfront south of the ballpark. The skies kept threatening rain, but never quite delivered. Here is the view from the patio of The Ramp restaurant with heavy skies looming, fellow sketchers and a frenzy of pigeons attacking some leftover fries, graffiti-tagged cranes along the harbor drawn from a sheltered perch, a lone parked motorcycle drawn from the same perch, and factory towers. Click on the images to see larger.

For more sketches from San Francisco and around the world, visit the forums at sketchcrawl.com

the new yorker's eustace tilley contest 2010

2010-02-08T18:29:00.000-08:00

My piece won:

This is the third year the New Yorker has invited the public to submit their own takes on the magazine's iconic mascot, Eustace Tilley, originally drawn by Rea Irvin for the magazine's first cover in 1925.

12 winners were chosen from over 300 submissions. You can see a slideshow of all 12 on the New Yorker's website here.

This is also the third year that I've won. One of my pieces won in 2009 and two won in 2008. You can see all of the winners from the past couple of years at the New Yorker site as well.

Special congrats to Claire B. Cotts and Marcus Thiele, also among this year's winners.

life drawing

2010-01-26T15:42:00.000-08:00

sebastopol

2010-01-06T16:56:00.000-08:00

A seat made from a willow stump next to a creek where I spied an otter swimming, peace sign made of Christmas lights on an old aermotor windmill, child sleeping at the Graton neighborhood potluck.

urban sketchers holiday mini fundraiser

2009-12-23T18:01:00.000-08:00

Give a little, get a sketch. Urban Sketchers has just become a nonprofit and is looking to raise a little money to cover some filing fees before the rates go up. Make a donation and receive a high-resolution jpeg of my tractor sketch, or any sketch of your choosing from their holiday fundraiser flickr set, all suitable for printing and framing.

Details here.

life drawing

2009-12-18T00:18:00.000-08:00

sunflowers

2009-12-07T23:06:00.000-08:00

(detail)

sketchcrawl 25: yerba buena gardens, sf

2009-11-24T11:45:00.001-08:00

Saturday marked the 5th anniversary of Enrico Casarosa's original SketchCrawl. It's grown into a worldwide phenomenon with more participants in more locations every time. Here's to many more.

For more sketches from San Francisco and around the world, visit the forums at sketchcrawl.com

Here's a recent story about Sketchcrawl, featuring one of my sketches, over at Lines and Colors

happy dia de los muertos

2009-11-01T19:40:00.000-08:00

Oaxaca, Mexico

life drawing

2009-10-23T22:15:00.000-07:00

life drawing

2009-10-02T14:06:00.000-07:00

handcar regatta, santa rosa

2009-09-29T22:20:00.001-07:00

Sunday was the second annual handcar regatta in Santa Rosa's historic Railroad Square. The main event was a race featuring all manner of handmade railcars propelled by everything from classic handcranks to pedal power to man-sized hamster wheels to giant wind turbines. Here are a couple of the contestants, both the work of an outfit called Krank Boom Clank. The three-wheeler on the left is Murray the Fish. To the right is one of the front wheels of the Hennepin Crawler, featuring twin rubber tires for travel on ground, and a central groove for riding the rails. That's a flame thrower above the wheel.

More artwork from the day at urban sketchers.

sketchcrawl 24: chinatown/ north beach, sf

2009-09-20T20:07:00.001-07:00

Another great day for a sketchcrawl in San Francisco. There was the Autumn Moon festival going on all over Chinatown, and an Italian American festa in North Beach. Good times.

For more sketches from San Francisco and around the world, visit the forums at sketchcrawl.com

life drawing

2009-09-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

life drawing

2009-09-06T19:29:00.001-07:00

urban sketchers

2009-08-31T14:54:00.001-07:00

I've just become a correspondent over at urban sketchers.com. Urban Sketchers (USk) is the brainchild of Seattle journalist and illustrator Gabi Campanario and features location drawings and sketch reporting from all over the globe with new stuff posted daily. It's like a world-wide sketchcrawl that never ends. Check it out if you haven't already. Here's my introduction page. I'll be posting location drawings from northern California and anywhere else I travel to. Most of them I'll post here too, but a few may be USk exclusives.

Above is the Lone Star Industries cement factory in Oakland. I've often seen it in the distance from the freeway and thought of it as the "milk carton" building because of its distinctive shape.

life drawing

2009-08-28T22:18:00.001-07:00

sebastopol

2009-07-31T10:03:00.000-07:00

House sitting again in Sebastopol. I've drawn the tractor
before. Click the images to see larger

sketchcrawl 23: the presidio, sf

2009-07-15T21:19:00.001-07:00

For more sketches from San Francisco and around the world, check out the forums at sketchcrawl.com

amador county

2009-05-07T13:31:00.000-07:00

Young cousins of mine at the ranch.
Acrylic on wood panel, 8 x 8".

the godfather 2

2009-04-23T15:07:00.001-07:00

Here are some environment concept paintings I did for the Godfather 2 game recently released by EA Games.

sketchcrawl 22: chinatown, sf

2009-04-16T13:33:00.000-07:00

For more sketches from San Francisco and around the world, check out the forums at sketchcrawl.com.

life drawing

2009-04-07T15:11:00.000-07:00

the new yorker's eustace tilley contest 2009

2009-02-05T09:52:00.000-08:00

My piece won:

This is the second year the New Yorker has invited the public to submit their own interpretations of the magazine's iconic mascot, Eustace Tilley, originally drawn by Rea Irvin for the magazine's first cover in 1925.

12 winners were chosen from over 300 submissions. You can see a slideshow of all 12 on the New Yorker's website here

My piece also appears, along with three others, in the current issue of the New Yorker on the stands now.

Two of my pieces won last year too. You can see those along with the rest of the 2008 winners at the New Yorker site as well.

sketchcrawl 21: haight st, sf

2009-01-14T18:39:00.000-08:00

For more sketches from San Francisco and around the world, check out the forums at sketchcrawl.com

life drawing

2008-11-14T19:10:00.001-08:00

sketchcrawl 20: the mission /noe valley, sf

2008-10-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Oct 25th was worldwide sketchcrawl 20. Here are some of the sights from San Francisco, including highlights from the Noe Valley Harvest Festival. Click on the images to see them larger.

For more sketches from San Francisco and from around the world, check out the forums at sketchcrawl.com.

gallery nucleus

2008-10-02T21:13:00.000-07:00

Opening this weekend at Gallery Nucleus: Endless Reflections - Commemorating 20 Years of Sandman Art, featuring two of my pieces and works by over 30 other artists.

If you're in the LA area, stop by!

Endless Reflections
October 4, 2008 – October 20, 2008
Opening Reception October 4, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Gallery Nucleus
210 East Main Street
Alhambra, CA 91801
(626) 458 - 7482

life drawing

2008-08-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

life drawing

2008-08-08T00:01:00.001-07:00

sebastopol

2008-07-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

The abandoned tractor in its skeletal shed in the field just past the garden and the chicken run across the bridge from the willow tree. Click to see larger.

sketchcrawl 19: fort point

2008-06-23T19:38:00.001-07:00

Saturday, June 21st was worldwide sketchcrawl 19. The San Francisco group met at Fort Point and Crissy Field. I got there a bit late and didn't draw as much as I wanted to, but I made these. Click to see them larger.

The fort was built in the 1850s to defend the bay against enemy warships. In the 1930s the Golden Gate Bridge was built right over it. The combination of the brick masonry and that giant red arch overhead makes this an amazing architectural space.This view features the lighthouse which dates from 1864.

Here is a quick sketch of one of the upper passageways, several of the cannons on display on the ground floor, and my buddy Justin Chin sketching. The passport-style souvenir stamp can be found at the Warming Hut, down the shore along Crissy Field.

For more sketches from San Francisco and around the world, check out the forums at sketchcrawl.com

tuolumne

2008-06-09T21:23:00.001-07:00

I spent last weekend at Berkeley Tuolumne Camp, a family camp up in the mountains. This is a view from the beach looking out across the swimming hole to the main lodge complex. There's no lifeguard on duty, kids, so swim at your own risk. Click to see larger.

This fellow camper was kind enough to let me sketch her over breakfast

life drawing

2008-05-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

fish head

2008-05-23T21:11:00.000-07:00

What was left of the rainbow trout at Saul's

artists warehouse sale

2008-05-09T20:17:00.000-07:00

I collaborated with Claire B. Cotts on a few pieces for the annual SF MOMA Artists Gallery warehouse sale. I drew the birds, she pretty much did the rest. The sale goes on May 7- 11, and the art goes for 50% off. Get the bargains while they last.

(detail)

SF MOMA Warehouse sale

sketchcrawl 18: hyde street pier, sf

2008-04-03T18:21:00.000-07:00

Saturday, March 29th, was worldwide sketchcrawl 18. I met with the local contingent at Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco. Click the images to see them larger.

I headed down the hill to the Hyde Street pier to see the historic ships. It was cold and windy where I caught this view of the stern of the Balclutha, a square-rigger from Glasgow. In the distance you can see both the Transamerica Tower and Ghirardelli Square.

Anyone who didn't pay the $5 to board the ships was missing out. I wish I could have drawn everything but I was having too much fun exploring around. Here are some spot observations from the Balclutha and a view of the Hercules, a steam tug.

Here is a view of the steam engine at the heart of Eureka, a ferry boat, and a father and daughter, below me, listening to the docent explaining how it all worked. I think the old guy was dozing off behind his sunglasses. The lower deck is something of an antique car museum. Here is a 1930 Graham Paige sedan and a sliver of a ford truck.

For more drawings from San francisco and around the world, check out the forums at

sketchcrawl.com

bluesman

2008-02-20T19:14:00.001-08:00

about 15 minutes or so, while he played.

the new yorker's eustace tilley competition

2008-02-04T18:06:00.000-08:00

Two of my pieces won:

The New Yorker recently ran a contest inviting the public to submit their own interpretations of the magazine's iconic mascot, Eustace Tilley. The original was drawn by Rea Irvin and graced the magazine's first cover in 1925, and the monocled dandy has appeared in some form or another on most every anniversary issue cover since.

20 winners were chosen from a pool of almost 300 entries. You can see all 20, including both of my submissions on the New Yorker's web site here.

Check out the contest page on Flickr to see all of the entries. There were many very clever ones and I don't envy the judges.

You can listen to an interview with the magazine's art director, Francoise Mouly, in which she discusses the contest, the history of the character, and mentions my "blowing bubbles" piece here.

You can also see my entry "The Springfieldian," - a collaboration with Claire B. Cotts who came up with the basic premise - in The New Yorker magazine itself along with a few of the other winners in the current anniversary issue (Feb. 11th & 18th). So check it out!

All apologies to Matt Groening and the good people at Gracie Films.

sketchcrawl 17: chinatown

2008-01-25T18:05:00.000-08:00

January 19th was sketchcrawl day. I met with the Bay Area sketchcrawlers in Chinatown, SF. It was cold, and I had handwarmers in my pockets, but they don't help much when your hands are out and sketching. Here are some highlights.

Lanterns hanging over the street at Grant and Clay

One of the distinctive double dragon lampposts that line the street.

For more, check out the forums at sketchcrawl.com

life drawing

2008-01-09T20:25:00.000-08:00

sketch crawl 16: oaxaca

2007-11-28T22:10:00.000-08:00

I was in Oaxaca Mexico on sketchcrawl day. This is the church of Nuestra Senora de la Soledad.

A couple of boys who came to see what I was doing as I was drawing the church.

Ancient artifacts from the cultural museum

Waiting at the airport for our (delayed) flight home.

oaxaca

2007-11-28T21:34:00.000-08:00

I took a trip to Oaxaca Mexico recently to witness the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations. I was on the go most of the time, but I did manage to record a few sights in my sketchbook.

These sketches (above) are mostly from Oaxaca City. The Zapotec woman at the bottom was selling pan de muerto which is good for eating or leaving on an ofrenda or altar for the dead and which looks like a regular round loaf with a little angel head sticking out to one side. She carried them in a basket on her head covered with an embroidered cloth. At the top right is a street view looking toward the church of Santo Domingo, along the middle are some chickens and cilantro from a comida counter in the public market, and at the bottom is the inside of the bus heading up to Monte Alban.

A few very quick views around the ancient ruins of Monte Alban and some items on display at the visitor center including a drinking vessel decorated with images crossed bones and a severed hand, and human skulls showing signs of trepanation - holes drilled into the cranium to relieve pressure on the brain. The little girl at the bottom was with a family selling peanits in a market in the town of Ocatlan.

The woman here is Rocio, part of a community of mostly American expats in the town of St. Augustin Etla. I drew her in the dark. On Nov. 1st, Etla holds a comparse or masquerade in which the residents wear costumes made of mirrors and bells that they've spent all year putting together and which can weigh up to 60 lbs. They dance all night with a marching band accompanying them as they go from house to house through the town. Dressed as demons on this night, they are free to speak their minds about anything including the government. They put on little dramas. You can see quick impressions of some of the costumes at the bottom, drawn as we made our way through the crowd looking for a late ride back to Oaxaca. Also here are drawings of statues from an antique shop in the city.

sketchcrawl 15: golden gate park, sf

2007-08-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

I met with the sketchcrawlers outside the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, S.F. There was a jugband festival at the bandstand. I recognized some Mississippi John Hurt numbers as I drew this.

Three views from the observation tower of the museum, overlooking the park and the city.

Some of the other sketchers outside the Tea Garden at mid day.

At the fountain, just before we met to pass sketchbooks around. That's the museum tower in the distance.

For more, check out the forums at sketchcrawl.com

life drawing

2007-08-13T19:11:00.000-07:00

comics

2007-07-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

A couple of old comics pages of mine are in a group gallery show in Redwood City.
From the Books of Magic Annual no. 3 (Vertigo/DC). Script by Peter Gross

Click to view large.

stereo view

2007-07-26T21:58:00.001-07:00

I recently acquired a turn of the century stereoscope and have been collecting stereoview cards. This little image, however is something I put together myself. About a year ago I was digging through old photos in an antique store and found a snapshot taken of an auto race from sometime in the late twenties or early thirties (If anyone has a closer idea of when, let me know). Earlier this month I was in the same shop and I found an almost identical photo. It seems that the photographer was interested in the white car and taking pictures of it as it passed. These two shots are from different laps (notice the dark car does not appear in one of them), and they are also taken from slightly different angles - angles just different enough to create an almost perfect - if quite accidental- 3D view of the race!

I've composited the pictures into a standard stereoview format. Click on the above image to view it larger, and then gently cross your eyes until the two images align over each other. You should see the rail, blurry in the foreground, the two trees and the sapling beyond that, the race in the midground ,and the the spectators and trees in the distance. The cars will seem to flicker since their positions do not match.

sebastopol

2007-07-26T20:34:00.000-07:00

From the bridge over the creek behind the willow tree. The woman is dangling a beestung and mud-caked foot over the edge of the bridge. That's a flower on her belly. As it happens, the cat is also dangling an injured paw over the other side of the bridge.

figure drawing

2007-06-08T20:52:00.001-07:00

From the past couple of weeks

airports

2007-05-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

Denver

Dallas Fort Worth

sketchcrawl 14: chinatown, sf

2007-05-22T21:00:00.001-07:00

Last saturday was worldwide sketchcrawl 14. I met with the San Francisco contingent at the Ferry building in SF. We made our way from there to the Filbert Steps and on up to coit tower, and then down through Little Italy to Chinatown.

The best part of the day for me was in Chinatown. My buddy and I sketched scenes through the shop windows and attracted some attention from the passers by and the shopkeepers who kept taking turns to come out and watch us, smiling and expressing approval. These fish were actually kind of late in the day - makes me wonder what took me so long to pull out the watercolors. Next time: more color

View from along the Filbert Steps of this beautiful garden with roses growing around this tree. Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees, there were some spectacular views of the city to be seen from the Steps, which I didn't draw and so you don't get to see. Next time: better reportage

Coit tower, and then off to lunch in Little Italy. Then back around to China Town where I drew some hanging smoked chickens and the shopkeeper as he studied my partner drawing the same scene.

Embarcadero Bart station on the way back.

More to be found in the forums at sketchcrawl.com

And here is Justin Chin's sketch of the same fish and of me painting them.

figure drawing

2007-05-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

the past couple of weeks

bjork

2007-05-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

These are some face studies of the singer Bjork along with some doodles out of my head meant to evoke nonspecific but vaguely European folk art motifs. Imeem was sponsoring a Bjork poster design contest for tickets to an upcoming show, and I got as far as this preliminary study which gave me some ideas for an actual poster design, but, alas, time was too short and it fell by the wayside. You can check out the design that won and some of the other entries at imeem

figure drawing

2007-04-26T10:26:00.000-07:00

quick studies from this week's life drawing session

bosphorus

2007-04-25T15:51:00.000-07:00

This is a piece I collaborated on with Claire B. Cotts for the museum of modern art artist gallery warehouse sale.

The name, bosphorus, derives from classical mythology. Io, one of Zeus’ lovers, was disguised by him as a white heifer to avoid the attentions of his wife, Hera. Hera wasn't fooled by this ploy, and sent a gadfly to pursue the little white cow, who was forced to swim the strait to escape.
from the greek ‘the cow’s ford’ (like "oxford").

More on the event at sfmoma annual artists warehouse sale

zazen

2007-04-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

C. in her meditation

figure drawing

2007-04-11T22:31:00.000-07:00

From last night's session

sebastopol

2007-04-09T20:38:00.000-07:00

House-sitting Easter morning in Sebastopol. The willow tree seen from the porch. There's a creek behind the wire fence there, and off to the right you can make out the gate which leads across toward the garden and the chickens.

figure drawing

2007-04-04T21:46:00.000-07:00

A couple of highlights from last night's figure drawing session. One minute poses. I thought these had some good movement to them.

melt

2007-04-03T21:57:00.000-07:00

More from my sketchbook. The other night my cousin Mike was in town playing at a cafe in the city. He and his girlfriend are a band called Tell the Truth.

red rocking chair

2007-04-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

Ain't got no use for your red rocking chair. Ain't got no sugarbaby now...

Sunday was another bbq in Vineeta's fairytale garden and turtlepond backyard. These musicians were playing some beautiful arrangements of old traditional appalachian songs. The woman sitting next to me had never heard this kind of music and was gleaning a lot about the American psyche, she put it, as she sat enraptured by these murder ballads and tales of woe. She also insists that the guitarist in particular is much sexier in person than here, and I have to agree. The fellow at the bottom is playing an instument of his own creation, made from the body of a ukelele and strung like a bazouki with classical guitar strings. Some other time I'll have to do studies of the yard itself.

a few more in color

2007-03-23T15:47:00.000-07:00

watercolor and pencil on paper
click to see large

figure drawing

2007-03-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

Here is another quick study from the evening figure drawing sessions.

Click to see large

sketchcrawl 13: berkeley

2007-03-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

On saturday I met with the east bay contingent of world wide sketchcrawl 13. We drew on and around my old stomping ground, the UC Berkeley campus. I started in the life sciences building with the t. rex.

This little guy was circling overhead. I drew him twice

We all met up again at the campanile at 2:00. This bust of Abe on the side of the tower is by Gutson Borglum who carved Mt. Rushmore. In person this has a beautiful streaked green patina. On the right are the photographers taking the group photo, a shoe from the museum of anthropology, and some jottings from Cafe Strada.

The urn is outside the Hearst Womens Gymnasium which is a Bernard Maybeck/Julia Morgan design. More artifacts from the museum of anthropology

For more, check out the forums at www.sketchcrawl.com

figure drawing

2007-03-16T21:49:00.000-07:00

Nothing beats figure drawing practice. This is a study from a figure drawing session that's offered occasionally where I work. The topic this night was the costumed figure. I'll be posting more from these sessions in the future

black diamond mines

2007-03-16T20:29:00.000-07:00

This is a painting of my sweetie and me I did as a birthday present, a little while ago actually. From a photo taken at Black Diamond Mines regional Park.

Acrylic on paper
Click to see large

squirrel with acorn

2006-07-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

pencil on paper
click to see large

This one I didn't really intend for the blog, but someone snuck it in here anyway (this is an edit, I've since changed my password). Ask me sometime about my squirrel story sometime, there's quite an adventure to be told.