I've been diligently drawing every day but just hadn't taken time to scan everything until today. So here's the massive catch-up post.
Last night M. and I had dinner at Pho 69 and checked out TechShop in downtown San Jose. In between I sketched the California Theatre, a '20s-era movie palace turned performing arts venue.
The day before, I drew the two trees and distant hills I see every day out our front door. They are tall and totemic and remind me that I am in California.
Finding InkTober subjects on busy weeknights was challenging until M. and I hit upon the idea of using word prompts (from vintage copies of Sunset magazine, found at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park) to inspire me to draw random things and tie them together.
M. thinks teacup-tuna-toilet-paper baby will go viral.
Me, I'm rooting for the Saltine desert.
It's hard to do it without any prompts -- I end up mostly drawing what's in front of me, and at 10 pm it starts with whatever I see in and around the mirrored bedroom closet doors.
Last Sunday M. and I rode our bikes at Viva Calle SJ, an open streets event in which miles of San Jose roads were closed to cars. I sketched at the Aztec dance demonstration by Tezkatlipoka Dance Group and then drew the cyclists who had gathered at the information tents at Parque de los Pobladores.
They loiter aimlessly and peck and scratch and strut and sometimes even use the crosswalk when crossing the street. And they will not be on your Thanksgiving table.
After two hours of high-energy one-step, cha-cha and swing at Friday Night Waltz, I caught my breath long enough to do some quick gestural studies of our fellow dancers as they whirled around the room.
Drawn while sitting on the new sectional in our living room. A gift plant was the inspiration for the first.
Delicious green papaya salad to start, farro entree for the main. Not the best vantage point for a sketch, though, and the light was rapidly fading.
InkTober is a disciplinarian.
M. was a ready, if oblivious, subject for yesterday's drawing. I learned that although striped flannel sheets are cozy, drawing them takes a lot of patience.
Today I decided to play around with dip pens, a bamboo pen, a brush and various bottled inks. I used Levenger Regal and Forest, and Noodler's Cayenne.
Free music in Golden Gate Park, good friends to hang out with, Strathmore gray sketchbook, an assortment of pens, my tiny folding stool. Saturday done right.
Took VTA to the South First Fridays Art Walk tonight. Perfect venue for InkTober sketching! Lots of people strolling the area. Saw some new restaurants to check out, and was particularly wowed by the show at the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art.
The people shaping clay at the Higher Fire potters' wheels were also impressive. They kept their focus even with all the people wandering in and out of their space.
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