Since the last couple pieces posted were rather detailed  I thought it might be nice to switch things up and go somewhere a bit simpler.

There's just something great about sketching the figure in as short a time as possible, and in particular the figure seems to benefit from this approach more than other subject matter. The energy found within a loose sketch, one that captures just the basics, just the essential characteristics, seems (perhaps) to mimic the energy found within people. Or perhaps even further it's not just the energy of people but those specifically that are no longer in front of us. Those that have left and all we have is the impression of them. Either way, sketches done within a very short period of time tend to have a liveliness about them that's very unique, and one that many artists try their best to bring to their final works. I've heard more than once from artists that their favorite pieces are found in their sketchbook and this most definitely has do with this intriguing sense of animation.

This sketch in particular was just 5 minutes and done with brush and ink. I'd highly recommend ratcheting down the time too to help increase focus.

​- D 

"He can make just about anything the waterman needs, that fellow can. Somebody'll get a new piece of equipment and he'll go study it, cause if it works, a lot of people'll be wanting one too. Chances are, the one he builds will be better than the one you can buy in Baltimore."

This is the final drawing in my series from John Hurt Whiteheads' book The Watermen Of The Chesapeake Bay. Like the previous drawing I tried to keep this one loose, which can be rather challenging when you have as much content as this one has. I attempted to use this "painterly sketch" approach but unlike the previous drawing I incorporated black India ink (Speedball Super Black if curious) since the original photo was quite dark.

The Watermen Of The Chesapeake Bay is in fact still in print. I was happy to discover this when I was back in Salisbury, MD visiting family and saw it on the shelves in Barnes & Noble. If you get a chance pick up a copy. It's a great peek into the lives of a culture that many aren't familiar with.

​- D

"Sometimes it looks like most of the men around here are older men and I wonder if there'll be enough young ones to carry on when we're gone . . . so many of them going to work in town and all. lt always makes me feel good to see a young man's face on one of there boats."

This drawing as you can already tell is a little different than the others. I decided to experiment with the mediums, using black and white acrylic paint on bristol paper. I was looking for a painting technique that felt closer to a sketch - a painterly sketch. I hoped to achieve this by limiting my pallet to just 4 or so tones, leaving behind plenty of white from the paper, and continuing my use of a ballpoint pen to sketch out the drawing.

I like the ballpoint pen because it leaves itself behind when you make a mistake. You see it's various attempts until coming to the correct or accepted iteration. This I feel gives a drawing a sense of energy, of vitality, of being draw in the moment right here and now. My hope is that these approaches give the drawing that lively, painterly feeling (with actual paint) without feeling stiff.

​- D

From John Hurt Whitehead's Watermen Of The Chesapeake Bay...

"If it don't pick up, you going to see some long faces around here"

- D

​"I've always enjoyed giving. Whatever I got, it's the greatest pleasure I know to share it with other people that need it or don't have any. You know, when it's all said and done, the only thing you got is what you gave away... You can't take nothing with you."

- D

​Here's another sketch from John Hurt Whitehead's Watermen Of The Chesapeake Bay, as well as a quote...

"You'll never eat better food than what you eat on board a boat, for some reason I don't know, everything taste better on the water."

- D