More like eight hours
Posted: October 13, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized 26 CommentsMy delay in Toronto (en route to Chicago) last Friday turned out to be longer than expected so I had lots of time to draw. I was travelling very light —carrying only a pencil, some pens, a water brush and some drawing books (it is Inktober, after all) so I made the most of my time by drawing both in Toronto and then at the airport. I finished the drawing of the Victorian house across from the museum using only a Sharpie pen and a Pentel brush pen.
I did a little thumbnail of the skyline from the island airport, using a Pilot fine liner (water-soluble) and my Koi water brush.
When the plane was further delayed, instead of eating the free Porter snacks, I expanded my thumbnail into a more complete drawing.
And then did one final thumbnail of the CN tower from the plane just before takeoff. Glad I did all this drawing in Toronto because I didn’t have much time to draw in Chicago. I’ll have to go back there again when I have more time, but tomorrow I’ll post a few of the mini drawings.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
Your energy is inspirational!
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Thanks Jane. What else can you do but draw when you are stranded like this? That is, if you have a sketchbook with you.
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Great sketching!
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Thanks!
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You just show your talent in everything you do. Thanks for giving us this view into your drawing ability and how splendidly you use your TIME!
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Thanks Dee.
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I like the line work for shading. I am not a fan of people in pictures. However in this one the man and the ladder seem to belong. And their presence tells a story…whatever the viewer deems that to be. And thankyou for the photo of the house in the previous post.
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The man and the ladder very much belong in this. He was working away the whole time I was sketching and he took that nice break just at the right moment. I appreciated his timing.
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Yes, I thought the man was actually there. But if I was drawing that house I probably would have taken the easy way out and not included the man and his ladder. And I think that the man and his ladder look like they ‘belong’ because of the way you have drawn them. The line work is balanced with the house. I can’t explain it except that it caught my imagination and I started wondering about the man; he has a ladder and he is sitting in a particular way. I just thought to myself there’s a story there – one could make up several stories.
It’s great to view a painting or drawing and have it suggestive of a story. Thoughts of a painting I saw at a small art exhibition, about 3 years ago, have never left me because the painting conveyed such a strong emotion in me. It was a view of a garden with stone steps leading up a slope. About a third of the way up there was a bunch of flowers lying on one of the steps. When I saw this painting I immediately thought, how sad. I spoke with the artist later and told her my immediate reaction and said innocently, ‘there’s a story there’…just using my imagination as a writer. The artist replied that it was the first painting she did after her husband died of a long illness. They were married for 40 years. There was nothing in the painting to suggest sadness or strong emotion. It was painted in an ordinary way; there was nothing in the brushwork or colours to suggest sadness. The flowers weren’t even dishevelled. I think it was the composition.
Thankyou for your drawing of the beautiful old house, and the man and his ladder. I hope he had a nice break and he enjoyed working on the old house…and that he was careful each time he climbed the ladder.
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Marvellous! That’s the great thing with a pen and a piece of paper – you can make a start somewhere in the middle and carry on working outwards till you have to stop.
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Thanks Anne. I did buy a new format book just for that purpose. Stop and start whenever I had the time. It was perfect for that.
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Wonderful drawings, Shari! Not only are they a source of inspiration, but they also demonstrate that subjects await no matter where we are. I love the grand old house. Bet it could tell some tales. I wonder how many artists have painted its portrait. Thank you for doing so and sharing it with us!
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Thanks Louise. And sorry for taking so long to respond to comments. Busy week at school!
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Talk about making lemonade! Very impressive.
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Thanks Barbara!
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As always, these are all lovely Shari, but I especially love the fully-worked skyline drawing -just fabulous!
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Thanks so much!
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You are such an inspiration. Your drawings are awesome.
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Thanks Ros!
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I was more than pleased – and then some. Somewhat abrupt conclusion because I was cut off unexpectedly while driving in the inner lane on the expressway. Big cities – great for sketching – tough for driving.
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It was great to talk to you George. Were you driving during our conversation?
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thanks a lot Shari , it’s quite fantastjc to be able to draw instead of eating chocolate bars …..i’ll try one day in the futur §
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Thaks so much Monique. I did eat a few of the free cookies after my drawing was done.
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Your sketch of the Victorian house is just great!!! Sketching does take some of the frustration out of airport delays…or at least makes them a little easier to take.
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It certainly makes the time go by more quickly!
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Nice sketches.
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