A tourist
Grote Kerk, Den Haag
Easter weekend is always a long weekend. Today is Good Friday. And although it is not a national/bank holiday in Holland, my office is closed anyway. Then Monday is 2nd day of Easter, which is a national/bank holiday. After checking on the internet on how the weather would be in the rest of the country today, I decided to go to Den Haag (the Hague). They said that this afternoon it would be sunny there, and they were right. It was a beautiful day just to be outside. While sitting on a terrace of a cafe and waiting for my lunch to be served, I drew this church ‘de Grote Kerk’ which is located right across where I sat.
Salami 29.03.06
Click to enlarge.
My fat cat Salami (and the squashed couch). Graphite pencils and watersoluble graphite pencils.
Bird sketches
Something different: bird sketches. I was back at work today after taking a week off. During lunch break, I stood in a nearby park and made these two very quick (gesture) sketches. My first sketches of birds ever. I don’t know a lot about the world of birds, so I can’t tell you what kind of birds these are. That tall leggy bird on the 2nd sketch is a ‘Reiger’ in dutch. For the English equivalent, you can ask Google for help.
NOTE: Click to enlarge. Sketching pencil in Sanguine.
Breakfast at Delphi’s
A sketch that I made last Friday before our order arrived. We had breakfast at Delphi’s on Neude (square) in Utrecht. My omelet with feta cheese and tomatoes was very delicious. I applied some colours today using Derwent Drawing pencils.
Old & New Resolutions
Last day of 2005, time for new resolutions?
Hmm…let’s review 2005. From the many promises I made to myself, I think I manage to achieve only one. My resolutions were: loose weight (typical), loosen up a bit (relax, not to take everything too seriously, be less perfectionist), draw more, cook more often, and make Nor become a coffee addict. Guess which one I manage to achieve, and it is so successful that it is beyond my expectation? Nor is now officially a coffee junkie!
Instead of loosing weight, I’ve gained weight a bit. I did draw and cook more, but not as much as I like. My work (sometimes it can be very unpredictably demanding) seemed to be always in the way. Same reason with loosening myself up a bit. I will have to work on that one much better in 2006. But I managed to encourage Nor drink coffee. Even more than I could ever imagine.
Nor was a tea drinker and often teased me about being a coffee junkie. I said, “Well, if I could make you drink coffee by the end of the year, that would be really something”. At the start of 2005 he refused to take a sip of my Cappuccino. In the summer he started to steal a sip or two from my cup. He began drinking coffee with milk/cream at his office about 2-3 cups a day by autumn. Now, he beats me as a coffee junkie. This morning he drank a mug of Cappuccino and 5 cups of coffee with milk/cream, while I only had a mug of Cappuccino and 1 cup of coffee. Talking about fulfilling a new year’s resolution. What an achievement! Nor is officially the coffee junkie of the house.
What are my new resolutions? Pretty much the same, except for the last one. That one about a coffee addict Nor can be off the list. However, I am so intrigued by a resolution that Elizabeth Perry of the EDM group made for 2006. She has drawn every day (365 days) in 2005 and will do it again in 2006! She will fill in 12 sketchbooks, one a month! This is really amazing, and I admire her for her ability to draw every day this year. Will I be able to do the same in 2006? This is a very ambitious resolution for me. I may not be able to stick to it (just like the rest of my resolutions), but what about if I just TRY and give it a go? Hmmm…
Sick umbrella
I had a red pencil with me yesterday. The pencil is not exactly an art/artist’s colored pencil. It is just a regular cheap pencil, only it was red instead of black graphite. I thought I would do a little experiment with it, and so I did. Well, the red pencil actually makes my umbrella look like it is suffering from chicken pox. So it seems that I may have to carry a graphite pencil in the future.
Keys
Everyday Matters Challenge #37
On the train home Friday night and after the miraculous flying bike, I wanted to draw something else. Hmmm… think…Oh yeah, the keys. Then I set up a small temporary ’studio’ on the train, right where I sat. I had loose drawing paper scattered all over the small table (see the bike I drew previously?); the cheap drawing pad that I had with me decided that it had enough of my rough handling. I set my keys on the table and started drawing. Poor fellow passenger, who sat in front of me. I totally monopolized the table, that there was no space for him to put anything on it. The train journey was just long enough to complete the sketch (only in ink). I added some shadows afterward from memory, and I made sure that I was more awake this time. Just before scanning, I added a bit of wash and color. I used a fountain pen with soluble ink and a red colored pencil for this drawing.
NOTE: Click on image for larger view.
