I wasn't having much of a day drawing at the Palette and Chisel, first in the morning and then in the evening yesterday. I was getting discouraged, so I thought I'd try something different—nothing to lose after all. Then I came up with this drawing using compressed instead of vine charcoal. I was trying to… Continue reading Down the Rabbit Hole
Tag: Chicago
Charcoal in Chicago
One day's half-hour poses at the Palette and Chisel, trying to do things á la Graves's Life Drawing in Charcoal. 12 x 18 or 18 x 24 inches using vine charcoal and a kneaded eraser for the highlights. I'm working on my edge control. Right now I'm doing too much line drawing and… Continue reading Charcoal in Chicago
Moleskin Gouache Figure
Putting this figure on two pages is almost ironic, since you could pretty much divide it down the middle vertically and say the right side held together pretty well—nice edge where the right side of her back is in front of her right arm; nice substantial right leg and buttock; decent head angle. This against… Continue reading Moleskin Gouache Figure
Gouache in Chicago
I'm finally back in Chicago on Fridays: 1, 5, 10, and 15 minute sketches in charcoal, and 30 minutes in pencil and gouache. This painting was done in my 5 x 8 inch Moleskine sketchbook, so the lighting is different above and below the fold. I'm looking for larger paper that takes the paint (or… Continue reading Gouache in Chicago
Back to Chicago
Bored with using charcoal when I got to the last half hour of the evening open studio at the Palette and Chisel, I decided to do this small (10 x 8) gouache sketch in a new Moleskin sketchbook. It's messy, but it was fun to do. I had trouble with the sketchbook paper because it's… Continue reading Back to Chicago
Work In Progress – Ipad Drawing
I took photos for this picture 4 years ago. I also made an oil sketch at the same time. The scene is along the river outside Union Station in Chicago on a nice summer day. The large reddish object in the background is part of the Adams St. bridge abutment. The river is “off-stage” to… Continue reading Work In Progress – Ipad Drawing
Chicago On the Ipad
To complete my spring-weather theme, here's Chicago in the rain (specifically Starbucks on State just north of Chicago Ave.). Actually I started the picture last fall sitting at the window counter, and then finished it from photographs. The beauty of rain is the great reflections. This picture is also part of a series I started… Continue reading Chicago On the Ipad
Head Study
This is a small head study (8 x 8 inches) that I did at the end of a long open studio. Mary, who books the models and sets up the pose, does a fantastic job of finding a variety of models in great costumes. This model was dressed in a “peasant” costume, complete with… Continue reading Head Study
A Flower In Her Hair
Once in a while sketching in an open studio something works out. This was a week ago on a very cold MLK Day evening, 7 1/2 x 15, half-hour, 140# cold-press Fabriano paper. A beautiful pose and the very colorful wrap at her feet provided inspiration. Posted with Blogsy
Figure with marker
I got to the P&C late due to heavy traffic from snow overnight. No time for my usual 14×18 Utrecht spiral pad and compressed charcoal, so I got out some markers I packed at the last minute after an inspiring talk with Don Colley about the virtues of sketching. I got out my 5×9… Continue reading Figure with marker
Ken Crocker Artist 