Nap Time

    This is a friend of mines dog named, appropriately, Fluffers.  I was captivated by this scene and painted a quick one on the spot, this is a larger version of that.

How about me?

     This is another airport sketch.  I was lucky enough to get this girl with her dog sitting across from me.  She was eating her sandwich and had her dogs total attention.  This dog had an odd way of laying with it legs splayed.  I wish they made this color of paper thicker for watercolor.   If I painted any bigger it would warp the paper terribly from the water.

Sketching at the airport

One thing I really like to do to pass the time while traveling is to sketch.  I highly recommend that if you want to develop your art you need to sketch from life.  These are fleeting glimpses of everyday life.  I sketch quickly to get the essence of the scene.  The gentleman at the top was looking at his iPad and he didn't stay there long.  I liked this position and try to keep that image in my head as he shuffled into different positions.  It is tricky but with practice it becomes easier.  The lower image is a man sitting with arms behind his head.  I was studying how to draw that and the light that illuminated him.  I really like the Strathmore Toned Gray sketch pads for these.  I saw some sketches that Thomas Moran did, he worked on a blue watercolor paper using white guache to show snow.  I have seen works by Turner and Whistler using a toned watercolor paper too.   Just a suggestion.