Cougars and Napkins

Just posting a few drawings from this past week. When people ask me to show them the napkin drawings I have with me I never hesitate to, in fact I usually hand them away. Notice the tear in the napkin with the man on it. That was originally attached to the drawing of the woman above it until this crazy cougar at Canal bar (how's that for alliteration) ripped it in half without any warning. Not that these have any real value aside from the 2 dollars I spend every few days on brush pens, but "ca-mon!" Have a little respect! From now on I'll be a little more weary on sharing my napkin art with strangers, cougars, or strange cougars.

Revival Sketches

I was late for work the other day. It all stemmed from the night before, where Zartosht and I agreed to go for 'one beer' after work. There we were, at Revival, just minding our own business. There were these two girls sitting across the way that were, in fact, a little too loud, just a touch. Enough that is distracted us from our conversation. We made mention of this to them and one thing led to another. Before we knew it we were eating the food we had ordered with them, downing shots of Tequila and enjoying round after round. Somewhere along the way I sketched all of them, Tatiana, Julia, Ana and Ma Jo. Well, it's friday and, I'm going for a beer with Zartosht.
Later!

Sketchbook

some recent sketchbook drawings dating back to June. The guy in the middle was visiting from Boston and seemed pretty excited to be on the subway crossing the bridge because he wouldn't stop talking about it to his friends. I learned a lot about the differences between the Boston subway system and the MTA in those 10 mins between Atlantic and Canal street. The lady on the bottom right was having a rough day, she was swaying back and forth trying to light her cigarette. If I wasn't afraid of getting into a possible altercation I would have helped her, but I figured the safest thing to do was observe from a safe distance. The two people above her probably didn't know one another but I decided to tilt the woman's head a bit to the right, now it seems they're another happy couple having breakfast! O-righty then, thanks for checking in, and remember, napkins are for more than spills!

drawings from the rooftop

In the lifelong quest to come up with some nice sketches, these are compositional studies done on my rooftop two weeks ago atop a pink lawn chair that was found in the trash last year sometime.

Napkins saved from Laundry. Dollar bill wasn't so lucky.

Ahhh, to clean one's room! The many things you find, receipts from months ago, one in particular for sixty-five dollars and seventy-one cents. I can still remember that afternoon, sketching the roller skaters in Central Park and the dancers as well. Zartosht, Bryan and I then headed to the upper West side in search of a beer. We found that, along with some BBQ. I drew our lovely waitress on the menu, which doubled also as our tablecloth. She asked if she could have it and I obliged. Thus I cannot show you that lovely drawing, rather, these napkin and beer coaster sketches I found while cleaning my room -;) (Just in case my Mom reads this.)

Waffles and Sketchbooks

Have you ever eaten waffles for dinner? Well, I just did, then I scanned in this page of my sketchbook. The girl on the top left caught me drawing her but didn't mind at all. I was probably fuelling her "I need attention" tank. Time for a nap!

Open Mic night at Brooklyn Bean.

So after a sip and a bite and a nice little walk, Zartosht and I strolled into the two empty seats at the front of the packed cafe. It felt just like life drawing class, except they don't have their liquor license just yet so.... It was like life drawing was back in college. Canal Bar lies just an avenue south, and since I'd been there the two nights before, I had faith that it would still be standing there in an hour or so, stocked full of cold beer. Precisely at the aforementioned time, right at the beginning of an atrocious rendition of Ave Maria by a sweet, sweet woman, Z stumbled to the exit with his sketchpad leaving me alone with the rest of the crowd. I could hear him coughing as he passed me, but I knew all too well it wasn't a cough, in fact, I could picture him outside laughing to himself out loud while smoking a cigarette. Doing my best to disguise my impending laughter, I became overwhelmed with the markings on the coffee table, as if examining it for the first time. I studied them as I would a teenager laying his eyes on his first playgirl centerfold (one in ten folks, one in ten!!!)
I somehow managed to contain myself, but just barely. I didn't post any drawings of her, because, well, I didn't draw her. I was just pretending. These two, however played some great guitar and sang some beautiful songs!

Prospect Park sketches

Prospect Parc sketches from this month, trying to learn how to draw, more specifically how to draw trees and leaves and all that!

Montreal Jazz Fest Sketches

Sketching on the edge of the fountain at place des arts in Montreal a few weeks back with Bryan Cox. I was really envious of these kids who had Popsicles, since Bryan said we couldn't have any Popsicles until we finished our drawings I rushed these ones off and scarfed down about a dozen. Well, I made that up but I was really thirsty.

Montreal Napkin

This napkin sketch, done a few weeks ago in Montreal at a bar called...well, I don't recall anymore. What a great weekend though! Jazz Festival, sketching outdoors, seeing friends I haven't seen in a while. I often wonder why I left that city so suddenly.

Character Study -02

there's no shortage of inspiration around here I tell ya.

Character Study

girls on cell phones man...that's what I'm talking about.

Snacky drawing

As the clean but wrinkled napkin lay before me I noticed it was a little wet with Sake, I waited a few minutes and sipped some more, every so often glancing at the four girls to our left, my right hand holding the pen and my left hand quenching my thirst. I showed them the drawing and they liked it, probably because they were art students also. Later Zartosht asked me why I didn't give them the napkin. I said that I always give drawings away, and this one I wanted to keep for myself. It was late, and we had more dancing to do.

weather today

Today's weather forecast. Rain and Thunderstorms. and for some of us, sunshine in the form of beer and friends. Happy July 4th to my american friends.

Napkin Drawings by popular request

Drawing in my local bar, Canal Bar, is one of my favorite pastimes. Always a steady flow of new and old faces to practice the art of caricature, which is something I would really like to get good at one day. The pool table provides some new gestures to draw from, but as challenging enough as it is to draw from a still life, I much prefer a person to sit as still as possible when I’m trying to capture their essence onto the napkin. The drink helps a lot too, a couple of Brooklyn lagers, some popcorn for sustenance, some elbow space and a stack of cocktail napkins. I’ll supply the pens and markers. Cheers!
note: most of these were done at Bar Great Harry on smith st.