Sketch Therapy

It's hot today.

Too hot to do anything.

I have grand plans to tidy up and organize my studio, so I can start painting there, but it's just so damn hot!

With no air condition in our house, couch-potatoing with a wet towel around my neck and a big bunch of grapes, is the only way to go.

And yet, I have those pangs of conscience that I am yet again reverting to the status of I-am-painting-in-class-hence-I-don't-need-to-paint-at-home; a known place many of us tend to get stuck in when we participate in an art class, be it a figure drawing class or a full-blown watercolor workshop.

It's an easy and convenient self-deception excuse, but very, very wrong.

While watching TV, there was a phone call. LimaB, telling me that in between remodeling going on in her house and her husband staying home, doing contractor-sitting, she actually managed to sketch and draw. Hmm... well then, who am I to just sit around?

Went back to the paused Aussie film, and realized that the frozen face on the screen had an interesting expression. So, I went to the studio, dug in the skyscrapers of stuff piled all over the place, and found my new vis-a-vis marker (just had to try it after WackieM's recommendation!). My excavations also revealed the smooth surface Bristol drawing pad, and - armed with those, I went back to the TV (with a detour to the fridge for a refill of grapes), where I sat watching and pausing and drawing images that spoke to me.

I went for quick sketching, capturing the movement and main lines, softening some of the edges with a we brush, letting the vis-a-vis ink run and separate to blue and orange, and - as I was getting more into it - I allowed myself to add some touches of color with watercolor crayons.



That was fun!!

Can't think of a better way to spend a hot afternoon (actually, a cool swimming pool does come to mind, but it would be a bit hard to sketch in there, right?).