A Thanksgiving creation

Pencil and watercolor on A5 Hahnemuhle Watercolor Book

There are so many ways to express creativity. Look at this cute cake presented last night at Thanksgiving dinner. Unfortunately I didn’t get to taste it. You know how these dinners are, there so much food, you barely make it to dessert. It was a fine day and a great reminder to be thankful for our blessings, for family and friends, for health and security, for peace and freedom. I wish the same to you wherever you are. Happy Thanksgiving weekend!

Like a box of chocolates

Pencil, watercolor and water brush on A5 Hahnemuhle Watercolor Book

From the many diners wearing  dark cloths at the restaurant, she was wearing a cheerful top in yellow ochre and teal, some color in cold days is welcome in my sketchbook. She, however, was playing with her soup indifferently. A man younger than her, probably her son, was seated in front of her at the other end of table looking at her constantly, in silence. When my pencil delineated her eyes and eyebrows I saw sadness. After I finished the sketch in few minutes, between the time we ordered the food and the moment they brought it to the table, I couldn't resist the need to go to her table and show her the sketch above, something I don't normally do. Dorothy was surprised and smiled. She scanned the sketch with her deep blue eyes. The man smiled also because she smiled. He told me her husband recently passed away. That explained it. They thanked me for showing them the sketch and he took a photo. I returned to my table, minutes later they both waved a good bye with a smile. I felt good. "Urban sketching is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get".

It's all about geese

Pen&Ink and watercolor on Stonehenge Aqua Hot Press 10" x 7"

Today I had in mind sketching the "hood" I live in. On my way back to home, after inking this street mall at sunset, I made a  stop by a water pond where hundreds of geese (perhaps close or above a thousand) were departing in flocks of 20 or 30 or more towards North (yes North, it should be the opposite but who knows what's in the mind of these birds). I was there watching them fly away mesmerized by the numbers. 

When most geese were gone, ducks started to water land in the same pond in less numbers. A pleiades of birds of both species filled the sky. I couldn't help but thinking this looked like a busy airport! Fascinated, I was overwhelmed by joy to the point that I almost cried. What a great unexpected display of nature behavior. I came home and finished the sketch with watercolor and although this sketch has zero geese, this sketch is all about geese.  

Little House on the Prairie

Pen&Ink and watercolor on Stonehenge Aqua Hot Press 22" x 7"

I've been watching a TV series I saw when young in Mexico, Little House on the Prairie. It's a series I'm enjoying again, it's like a break from all those today TV shows that overload your senses with crime, violence, a thousand frames per minute, loud. On the contrary I enjoy a slow pace, a show that speaks of values like friendship, love, honesty, dignity, sacrifice, helping others, even sensitive subjects like religion and racism.

My favorite character are the always learning lessons Laura Ingalls and Harriet Oleson. Of course after watching seven seasons out of nine, the set becomes very familiar so I draw them on my sketchbook. 

A lot of detail going on this piece. I used for the first time a tool called fluid writer. 

It's a tool useful to make constant lines using ink or any color you can create with watercolor, a much needed versatile tool very easy to use.  It worked great for the lines of the house sidings. I used yellows for the school and Nellie's Restaurant and purple for the Oleson's Mercantile. I'm happy with the results. Every time I look at it, it will remind me of the happy old days.