Day three hundred and forty-nine: In 2004, I was snapping pictures of Tokyo from a tower near the center of the city. I’ve always been particularly fond of one distant view of Tokyo Bay that I photographed near sunset. Tonight’s sketch is based on a detail from that snapshot, and includes a giant Ferris wheel nestled within an industrial cityscape along the water’s edge.
Tagged architecture, landscape, oil, pastel, water
Day three hundred and forty-eight: Today’s sketch of an eagle is based on a detail from an early 16th-century etching by Daniel Hopfer. I’d write more, but I got a late start because I attended my first book arts class after work! 2011 has been the year of the sketch, and it’s looking like 2012 will be the year of the hand-crafted book!
Tagged animal, pencil
Day three hundred and forty-seven: One image that has come up a few times this year, rather spontaneously, is that of a face emerging from darkness. I don’t think any prior attempts at creating the image have been particularly effective. But now, near the end of the year, I think I’ve finally drawn enough faces to know where areas of light and shadow typically fall. This study turned out pretty well, if I may say so myself.
Tagged face, oil, pastel
Day three hundred and forty-six: This morning it was time to turn the pages of the illuminated manuscripts on display in the medieval galleries of the museum. Today’s sketch is based on a winged lion of St. Mark that I noticed in a nearby stained-glass window. I’m not entirely sure, but I think the window was reconstructed from 15th and 16th-century glass fragments, and is why this strange looking feline looks especially disjointed.
Day three hundred and forty-five: With only 20 sketches remaining, I’m already starting to think about what kinds of creative projects I may pursue in 2012. One goal I have is to make a print, and in particular, design my own printed holiday card. I came up with the idea while browsing through many of the greeting cards in the PMA collection that were hand-crafted by well-known artists for their personal use. There’s even one printed on glow-in-the-dark paper! With this project in mind, I thought today’s drawing might be a study for next year’s holiday design. Perhaps something like this snowflake could be refined and made into a multi-color woodcut. Hmmmm…
Tagged nature, pastel
Day three hundred and forty-four: I am repeatedly amazed when I make sketches after old masters. Their technique and skill is unbelievable. This detail is based on an etching by an unknown artist who was copying a print by Daniel Hopfer. I like the way my drawing ended up, with its peculiar, modern patterns and textures formed by trial and error; pencils and erasers both thick and thin. However, it does not honor the careful and fluid system of lines scratched with a needle into the plate and bitten with acid before being inked and pressed onto paper. The result of the 16th-century original creates a surprisingly realistic portrait in black and white.
Tagged face, pencil
Day three hundred and forty-three: Today’s pencil sketch is the view mountainous view from the peak of Machu Picchu mountain, which towers over the ruins given the same name. The lower peak just beyond the Incan complex is Huayna Picchu. I probably could have spent some more time enhancing the shading throughout the picture to improve the detail, but decided to leave it at the point you see here. It was terrific fun adding shades of dark over light to create the layers of mountains receding into the distance.
Day three hundred and forty-two: This evening I had the pleasure of hearing WW2-era Tuskegee Airman, Eugene Richardson speak about his experiences and the history of the Tuskegee Airmen. Today’s sketch honors the equal-rights struggle of these black American men to become military pilots, and for their outstanding and successful service in the United States Air Force. The tails of their fighter planes were painted red.
Day three hundred and forty-one: I spent some time this afternoon browsing through boxes of prints by anonymous artists from the 15th and 16th centuries. There were many interesting sheets, both peculiar and lovely, and largely forgotten. My sketch this evening is based on a detail from one striking 16th-century Italian engraving of Christ healing a blind man. While the name of the artist is unknown, it is clear that the artist had a strong, practiced hand, and an eye for ancient forms. I love the rugged, classical curls that heroically wrap Christ’s head like a wreath. Because I used pencil, my lines appear more like those of an Italian etching, rather than the bold, tapered lines typical of an engraver’s burin.
Tagged art on art, pencil
Day three hundred and forty: This evening I attended a dinner party with fellow fellows from the museum, during which I was asked if I had plans for my last drawing of the year. I replied that I did not, but expected to select a subject that day just as I have every other day of the year: spontaneously, and perhaps only moments before beginning to draw. After I returned home, I quickly made a sketch of the first thing that came to mind: myself sleeping. But Caprica was missing, so I tried to add him into the picture. This, in turn, led to several little studies of a snoozing parrot, and then specifically to a parrot standing on one foot.
Tagged pencil