Lisa + Books = Something to Draw On

For the last few weeks Lisa and I have been working outside (both at Point Pleasant, and in my yard), and in the Trident Bookseller and Cafe. What I would like to do is get a series of sketches together for etchings that focus on Lisa, reading and coffee. They seem to go together so well! And it means Lisa can do her work (studying) while I do mine

We had started out in Point Pleasant a few weeks ago - the weather was cloudy, and there was some offshore fog - a typical Nova Scotia day. Which is actually nice to work in, as long as it doesn't rain, and the weather stays warm.



Unfortunately we only had a brief bit before the fog decided it didn't want to stay offshore, and it brought with it rain. Once the ink started running it was time to head for shelter. The odd thing was that it only rained on the very point - the parking lot was dry. So it was off to Trident.

Trident is a great place to work - it's small and intimate, has great coffee, lots of good books, and even a few tables that are not for laptops. And big windows.

A big part of this is just collecting drawings; what ever goes into an etching will be an amalgam of these. So there are lots of little ones (I tend to do quick scrathes in a sanguine sort of colour and corrections in a sort of bistre, using Faber-Castelli india ink felt tips).





The problem with doing interior scenes is that one needs a lot of detail to situate the image. These include quick sketches of customers going about their business:



as well as the general setting:



(to be continued in a week or two...)

Jennifer and David

Jennifer and David are a couple I've been working with for awhile - with Jennifer somewhat longer than with David - and I am dying to do a double portrait (or a family one), maybe in encaustic, or maybe in oil. The problem is that it can take me forever to actually "see" people, especially when they are lively and fascinating. So in the meantime, I work with them individually.

Jennifer:


David:


My initial ideas for a family portrait run to something like Schiele's:



but not so morose. But it is a classic sort of ordering, echoed in in things like this old milk ad Jennifer sent me:

Hanna At The Piano Redux

I was going to get back to this about 3 months ago, but it was hard facing the fact I had to grind off most of the etching and re-aquatint....So finally I got up the courage to bite the bullet - or more appropriately bite the plate - there's still lots of room for work (I want to darken the floor and raise the tone in the walls, and add in defining etched lines, for starters) but so far it looks salvageable...

Jenny

Though as usual I haven't posted much, it's been a busy month. Lots of drawings to - which I hope to catch up on with respect to posting - and back at etching. (And yes, I'm working on Sasha's portrait :) ).

I think this is my favourite picture (so far) of Jenny, who is a delight to work with. Unfortunately (as usual) I spent way too much time on the hair, so ran short on the feet. And someday I will get the details of those tattoos down.



There's a few more, not so good, where I made her look far older than she looks in real life. Interesting how that happens, but I thought I should put them in for completeness..


And of course, one in the red robe. I should start a special collection of these...