Sketchbook: "Fall Dirt-Diggers"

I've been on a long break from sketching, so I'm pushing myself into drawing more. I love drawing construction equipment and machines. The first in line was a sketch at my church, the second sketch is the view from my driveway of the Water Company digging a hole. The last sketch is from the opposite side of the street from the digger.

SCULPTURE : "Frog Flyer"

Time to show my latest sculpture project..."Frog Flyer"! This was inspired by a chalkboard drawing I did for my neighbors back in 2020. It was a bit more time consuming than I anticipated...which just proves, once again, that I have a "faulty anticipator". I had fun searching for bits and pieces from my junk collection, as well as finding cheap stuff from Target and a couple of hobby stores. I also created some parts from wood, where needed. The frog was done in "Sculpey Clay-Medium", with an armature of wire and aluminum foil.

 

SKETCHBOOK: "Earth Movers"

I decided to return to where I was sketching last week, on this gorgeous Sunday morning...my church's Youth House lot, which will be torn down in the near future. The church sold the land, so I've enjoyed drawing the earth movers while they've been working. Below is the sketch I did last Sunday, while sitting under the shade of a mimosa tree.

SKETCHBOOK: "Machine and Nature"

It's been a while since I've taken the time to go outside and sketch. A couple of weeks ago, I grabbed my gear and headed over to a place near my home that will be under construction for several more months. I decided to keep this one loose...pencil and watercolors. I'll definitely return!

After I got home, I happened to catch this view from my upstairs office window. The sun was illuminating the bright pink blooms on my neighbor's tree. As I post this, the blooms are already gone, and the new leaves are sprouting. Catch these moments when you can...they don't last long! I used a sepia marker for the line, highlights with a white Sharpie marker, then over-glazed with more watercolor washes.

NEW PAINTINGS: "Combines"

This morning I painted in a field next to my church (a regular occurrence now, after my men's bible study). There were two combines and a terrific old blue truck out there, and I couldn't resist.

 After finishing the painting, I decided to grab my sketchbook and get a more detailed drawing of the machines. The lighting had dramatically shifted, since it was about noon when I finished adding color. These were mostly in cast shadow, so no highlights to speak of.

SKETCHBOOK: "Dinos in Smackover"

I suppose it is appropriate that I am posting about dinosaur bones, since I just got back home after attending my 40th HIGH SCHOOL REUNION! I spent several days after the event sketching with my Mom.  Below are the results!

These were taken at the Arkansas Oil and Brine Museum in Smacker, Arkansas. A nice display of a traveling exhibit.

Mom and I drove around El Dorado and sketched from her air-conditioned car. There was a heat advisory most of the time I was there. Love stopping and drawing construction equipment!

Here are a couple of vehicles...a great old restored Chevy truck, and my Mom's new riding lawnmower. 

This last item is a vase that my grandmother gave to Mom years ago. Fun to sketch it!

SKETCHBOOK: "Construction Trio"

I haven't been outside sketching in a while, with so much rain lately. So today I drove over to a construction site nearby to draw some of my favorite things.

UPDATE 5-30-15
I decided to go back over to the same location and draw another.

UPDATE 6-10-15

Here's one more from Church of The Resurrection, looking out of a second story window, in the nice air-conditioning.  I don't attend there, but a friend who works in the office alerted me to the on-going construction.

SKETCHBOOK: "Sunny Days in November"

I have a few recent sketches to show you.  There have been some gorgeous days here lately, and I just needed to get outside and DRAW!!!  The huge tree above was done yesterday at my office's "Day Away" out to Kearney, MO. 

Below is a sketch of the little barn and mowers that are on the property at my church.  This year, a "community garden" was started...the produce and proceeds of the sales of the crops were used to help families in need.  

The drawing below is of another "mower"...just from the 1800s.  On Wednesday, I took my girlfriend, Judi, out to Watkins Woolen Mill State Park, in Excelsior Springs, MO.  We had fun sketching some of the antique farm equipment.  Unfortunately, the tour of the inside of the mill was not available, except on weekends (during the off-season).  So we'll just have to come back again to draw more cool stuff!!

SKETCHBOOK: "Ditch Diggin'!"

I took the day off from work and enjoyed a lunch chat with some friends who were visiting from out of town.  On the way home, my eye caught this "Ditch Witch" and I had to draw it.  I struck up a friendly conversation with the road crew, and started sketching.  About mid-way through the drawing, they politely asked if they could borrow the machines to work, with a promise to put them right back when they were done!  Ha!!  They were true to their word and I was able to finish!   Thanks, fellas!! (See the action below!)

Here's a little sketch I did back in March 2012..."Scooters on the Plaza".

It's been a while since I've posted a robot sketch...so, here ya go!  These were started while waiting for my daughter at the airport, but finished after a couple of other "waiting for something" situations.

SKETCHBOOK - "Stinky Pig"

I can't believe it's been a month since my last post! Truth is, I have been doing a lot of creative things...but not with the visual arts. I've been working on co-writing some songs with a buddy of mine who lives in New York...we share music files over emails, and each work on the other guy's tunes. It's been a blast! However...today I HAD to get my sketchbook out...it's been way too long!

This batch of drawings is from a few hours that I spent today at the Deanna Rose Farmstead. It's a petting zoo that we used to take the kids to. Over the years, it has expanded into a wonderful park with lots of antique farm equipment all about, and many more animals. The weather was perfect, so I had a great time (even though it was pretty crowded with families everywhere).

The sketch at the top was a VERY STINKY pig that was kind enough to take a nap while I drew her. Below is another cooperative model..."Chico" the pony, who was on break from "letting" kids ride him.

A bison in the sun...or "buffalo" if you prefer.

And a couple of nifty pieces of farm machinery.
After I was done sketchin'...I ended up at a music store and bought myself another little drum, a "foot tamborine", and a new "shaker" for band practice tomorrow. All in all...a very nice day!

SKETCHBOOK: Waitin' and Sketchin'

Many of the drawings I've done in my sketchbooks are created while waiting for something else to happen. It helps pass the time, and I often get so caught up in the process, that I forget what I was supposed to be doing instead of sketching. Today, after church, I was waiting for a store to open, and saw this little construction site in the parking lot. As has happened before, someone came up at the end, looked over my shoulder and asked, "Are you an artist?" I try to be polite when I answer "Yes", but it always amuses me. Kind of like watching someone swimming laps in a pool, and asking, "Are you a swimmer?"

In keeping with the "waiting theme", the sketch of the guy above, and the series below, were done while waiting to get my oil changed back in May. I've posted similar "oil change" sketches, and you'll probably see more...just a great spot to people-watch.

Here's one I drew way back in 2008, but haven't posted before. This was done while waiting at an Art Fair in downtown Kansas City. "Cliff" was selling CDs of his music while playing live...some nice jazz tunes, if I recall.

SKETCHBOOK - "Spudnut Cowboy"

Just returned from a trip home to see my family in El Dorado, Arkansas...a weekend full of sketchin', eatin', laughin', bush-hoggin' and swimmin'! Thought I'd post a few images of some of the fun.

On one rainy morning, I headed over to one of the iconic places in my home town...The Spudnut Shop! Most folks wonder what you're talking about..."What's a spudnut?!" It's better than any donut you'll ever taste...made from potato flour and love, covered in a sugar glaze and greasy as can be. Melts in your mouth!!
I had started the sketch below, when "hoss" sat down right in front of me (the drawing at the top)! Couldn't resist. I told someone later, "Don't sit down in my composition and not expect to get drawed!" (You may notice that I'm even writing with a southern drawl now...always happens when I "go home" for a bit.) Anyway...after the "Spudnut Cowboy" left, I finished the sketch of the tables.

Mom, her sketchin' buddy "Speck", and I spent a couple of days on a sketch adventure . Mom had scouted out some locations before I arrived, and hit the "Mother Lode" with a wonderful place ..."Rusty Acres" Salvage Yard!! The name says it all...acres and acres of junked out cars, trucks, tractors and who knows what...all rusting away. It was beautiful!!! We stayed out there for a few hours, in spite of the threatening rain clouds, and had a blast. I will be back!!
Mom and "Speck" sketched some ol' John Deere tractors, while I was around the corner continuing my series of vans with weird things sitting on the roof.

We ended that day's efforts at the Arkansas Gas and Oil Commission building, next to First Assembly of God Church.

Another day, we drove to nearby Smackover to visit the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources (a.k.a. the Oil and Brine Museum). There was an interesting vehicle made from a former circus trailer that was owned by the locally famous "Goat Woman" during the depression era. She was a "one woman band" and could play seven instruments at once. She lived in this little trailer, raised goats, and would entertain any visitors who might drop by.
There were a couple of old "boom town" vehicles on display...I liked this delivery truck.

Since it was raining, and we were getting tired, I was not able to sketch some of the terrific treasures out on the grounds of the museum...antique oil drilling machinery. Another time!

One of the highlights of the trip was going out to the home of my brother Kris and his wife Debra. For the first time in my life I got to drive a tractor and bush-hog the front pasture!!! I had a silly grin on my face the whole time. Kris was more than happy to "let me" mow for about an hour. (Reminds me of Tom Sawyer's approach to getting his fence white-washed.) After showing me the ropes, and goin' a lap or two around the field, he turned me loose on my own.

Whew! Worked up an appetite...I need me a SPUDNUT!!