Quick and Dirty

Last year's century plant flower stalk (leaning)

Still Not Good at Perspective

Just as I'm lazy about bothering with a tripod when taking photographs, I'm lazy about bothering with a grid when drawing, even though I know it would give me immeasurably better results. Below is the jar of colored glass that was my model:

You can see that, for a jar, it has pretty complicated lines. But that's no excuse. Anyway, I enjoyed the time spent drawing, and that's the main thing for non-artist me.

Can You Say "Hot Chili Peppers"?

I greatly simplified the background for this little sketch at our coffee place in Willcox. And I mean greatly!

Finally, I Pick Up a Pencil

It will take a while for me to get back into practice....

Sweet Pea Summer Morning

Pure contour

It's been a long time since I sat down with the drawing pad, but the other morning a vase of sweet blossom beckoned, and I had gotten up early enough that there was no rush to the morning. Sweet peas are very complicated flowers! But that's good for getting lost in the meditation.

Berries From My Garden

Pure contour drawing

Close-up of final drawing

I'm not showing the entire "finished" drawing, as the bowl was incredibly lop-sided. The strawberries, though, I thought, turned out all right.

'Nondescript' Becomes Beautiful Upon Closer Inspection

Big, fat purple clovers and bright yellow coreopsis are blooming among the varied tall grasses, with St. Johnswort getting ready to pop, but it was the inconspicuous flowers of the ubiquitous bladder campion that I chose for my morning meditation.

First the pure contour with ink, free and easy --

Then, with very sharp, very soft pencil --