Sketches on the Road and Goat Photos

We are on the road, headed for New Mexico. This was modeled after a cowboy having lunch in San Angelo, Texas. I didn't sketch in the restaurant, so the best I could do from memory. Hats are hard to do even when you can see them. Ha.


This sketch is on the highway between San Angelo and Big Spring. There is sooooo much mesquite. No leaves in the winter time. Cedar and pear cactus decorate the landscape as well. (I realized this after I posted it that it can be #7, view out my window (car window) for the Scavenger Hunt. That is good!)




These goats were near Brownfield. There were so many little kids. They looked like puppies and they were all hungry and trying to eat. Some successful.


Here are the sheep dogs that were watching over them. They were sure watching me. They moved the goats away from the fence.

Scavenger Sketches, Fireplace and Stool

I actually enjoyed doing these tonight. I was watching TV so the mind wandered. #4, fireplace (unfinished), #5 painting on wall, #6, footstool (a camel saddle from Peru .. why they have camel saddles with no camels, who knows?) I sketched for about 50-60 minutes with the ZIG Millennium pen in the Canson sketchbook. The shapes aren't in true perspective at all. The painting is on another spot on the wall, but it goes over the fireplace all right. :) Everything in the sketches sort of falls to the right .. maybe it is the way I was sitting. After a slow start, I did paint and sketch today and that is good.

Pastel Painting, Tea Cup

This is what is in the works today. I find that when working this small, I have to get it near completion to "see" the errors in ellipses, etc. This looks a little dirty. I was putting some of the red orange from the background in the cup and of course when mixed with blue, you get gray. I will touch this up and work on the front edge of the ellipse,a little high on the handle side. I'm pretty happy with it. What do you think? It is soft pastels on Ampersand Pastelbord, 5 x 7 inches. It may look good framed in a blue frame to match the Latte in Blue when it is finished again.

I took a couple of days off from posting. Larry had a birthday! Happy Birthday, belated that it is. A dinner in Austin on Wednesday evening so we could all be there. Larry was taking photos of the Capitol before dinner and was interviewed on KVUE and made the news. KVUE was doing a story on the historical preservation of the view of the Capitol.

And, there was the fourth UT Baseball game on Tuesday. Horns won 9 - 4. I did not take a photo, can you believe it? Missed those snapshots of the pitchers. I went with Janice, a girls' day out.

Sketches for Hunt

I sketched while we watched "24". Somehow "24" isn't as intense as some of the other seasons. It is more graphic in some ways, but that doesn't mean intense. Anyway, I sketched for the Hunt and just added on things, too bad they weren't things in the hunt. I could have done the fireplace and footstool!! Darn. These were done with the ZIG Millennium pen in the Canson sketchbook. About 40 minutes. I do think my perspective and lines are better lately, when I consider for a few minutes before starting. I do tend to just start in drawing. #2, TV and #3, thermometer.

There was a question on the Scavenger Hunts about how long it takes the different artists to do their sketches. Some of the artists, sketch in pencil first or use charcoal or whatever drawing tool, making corrections and coming up with a fine drawing, taking their time. Each artist is encouraged to do the items as they want, some of them or all of them. Some add watercolor and some paint with acrylics or oils. This is great if that is the purpose of their work. I try to work fairly fast with a pen or Prismacolor pencils (so I'm not tempted to erase), once I take a good look and start. Of course, as I said, I do just jump right in at times. I'm hoping this practice will help me plan and be more accurate and sure in my painting. Sketching in one tone helps me to focus on lights and darks - values. When working in color I sometimes substitute color for values and the painting is not as powerful.

UT Baseball, 3rd. Game

Here is James Russell the pitcher from yesterday for the UT Baseball's third game at the Dell Diamond against San Diego. The Horns lost 4 - 1. Drat! James went seven innings and was replaced by Austin Wood who's photo is in this previous post.


This isn't a great photo, but is a little action. Preston Clark about to be tagged in a run down between first and second base. He took off just a little early. :)

It wasn't too cold and was a pretty good day for a game. We just didn't like the results. The next game is Tuesday with UT Arlington, again at the Dell Diamond. You can read about these games on Joanna's Longhorn Baseball page or the main UT Baseball page. There you will find a photo of Jordan Danks saving a homerun. He made a giant leap! You can also see updated photos of the renovations at Disch-Falk Field on Joanna's page. It is looking pretty nice!

Art notes later. :)

Scavenger Hunt #28, Feb. 5 to Feb. 13 Sketching

I'm hosting Scavenger Hunt #28. (This means I made the list and try to comment on sketches.) You sketchers and learners out there, come join us. There is a list of 26 items, you do as many as you can in the 9 days. Comment if you want to. It is a way to sketch more often and not have to think of something to sketch. It is all for fun and learning. The challenge this time is to do something in reverse sketching. Sketch the highlights and let the paper be the dark,shadows. You can take as long as you want in the medium of your choice. You can drop in and out. I usually sketch in pen or Prismacolor pencils to calm my urge to erase and correct. I am trying hard to train my eye to see quickly and correctly and pass that to my drawing hand. Sometimes I do very well. At other times I start too quickly and just plow in and loose my perspective and ellipses. I have yet to complete all 26 items in the 9 days. Maybe this time .. ah, probably not, we will be traveling next weekend. See how it goes. :) These hunts on wetcanvas.com have kept me interested and sketching regularly.

I posted my first one for this Hunt, #1 - hand soap, as the challenge for everyone to get the idea of the reverse sketching.

Sketches, At Last

These sketches for the Scavenger Hunt on wetcanvas.com were done on February 2. I did not get them photographed and posted. #5, 9V battery, #6, corner of picture frame, #7, house plant, #8 nail clippers, and #9 remote control. These were done with a ZIG Milleneum pen in a Canson sketchbook, probably about 45 minutes. All sketched with a pen and no erasing. I'm pleased overall. A few skewed lines. We had leaves the last hunt and house plant this hunt and I only have 2 house plants, so you may see them again. Ha. Now off to the ballpark.