SKETCH OF THE DAY

Demo

2012-01-27T09:18:00.000-08:00

Here is the start of a painting demo I'm doing for my rendering class. I really enjoy doing this kind of stuff.

Story Boards

2012-01-26T17:55:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of frames of a job I'm just finishing, these were not the final but a step along the way.
I'm working on my next batch of bar paintings right now, don't go away.

VA Hospital Sketching

2012-01-25T07:29:00.000-08:00

OK no t a sketch but I'm cleaning up my desktop and came across this, got to keep on keeping on today. This was taken in December after our annual sketching day at the VA hospital on 23rd st. I really enjoy this day and it mark the start of the holiday season for me.

Iain and Gills

2012-01-24T05:31:00.000-08:00

I finished this one yesterday, pushing the vignette thing a little. Iain and Gill's love Pete's Tavern and here they are loving it again.

Fanelli Cafe

2012-01-23T06:45:00.000-08:00

I finished this one last night having started it in early September of last year. It feels good the wrap it up and get on to the next one. I think this was the hardest one yet but I learned some stuff that I can carry on to the other paintings in this series.
What a load off.

Till at Vazac's

2012-01-22T10:08:00.000-08:00

Ok I skipped Saturday, I was in all day with plenty of opportunity but manged not to post. To make it up to you all, here is yet another till, my 18th such post, view the others by clicking on THIS. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, I'm off to find another till.

Quick Studies

2012-01-20T11:11:00.000-08:00

Trying to get the pen flowing again.

Jose

2012-01-19T10:35:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure where to take this one but I don't think it's done.

Another Dude

2012-01-18T17:02:00.000-08:00

I'm on a roll.

Dude

2012-01-17T19:33:00.000-08:00

Just a quickie, no big whoop.

Subway sketches

2012-01-16T17:14:00.000-08:00

It's been a while for one of these, I've got plenty to share and I have to say I'm getting back in the swing of daily drawing. Happy Monday everyone.

Portraits

2012-01-15T13:13:00.000-08:00

This is a job for one of my favorite clients, I always give them 3 images to choose from and usually they will go with the middle one. When doing sketches like this it's hard to know when to stop which is why I like to err on either side.
2 days, 2 posts, things are looking up.

Bronze Medal Winner

2012-01-14T06:18:00.000-08:00

Okay, this sight has become a bit of a joke lately, "Sketch of the Day" has come to mean sketch of the "whenever". It's is a new year however so I'm ready to renew my efforts, I have the drawings I just need to get back into the daily habit. I feel like I'm ready to take this on again so here we go.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This painting won a bronze medal at the Society of Illustrators West show which is a positive way to start the new year and a positive endorsement for my continuing bar project. The sketchbook part of which will be available this year as a book titled 'The Little Gem".

We'll see what happens but as far as I'm concerned I'm back. Hope you are all having a wonderful start to the new year.

Ross

2011-12-10T06:39:00.000-08:00

This is the last of this series for the time being. I've got some ideas about taking it forward but I have some other stuff to do right now.

Ross

2011-12-09T05:07:00.000-08:00

And again.

Ross

2011-12-08T05:45:00.000-08:00

Another look.

Ross

2011-12-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

I like this one, i might have another stab at it later.

Ross

2011-12-06T05:16:00.000-08:00

Here is a sketch from another shot, i prefer the other reference but you have to have a go, don't you?

Ross

2011-12-05T04:54:00.000-08:00

Here is another look, I'm trying to work out the best way to use the shot I was sent.

Ross

2011-12-04T07:56:00.000-08:00

I've been doing a lot more drawing lately and i have loads of sketches to upload, I'm just out of the habit a bit. This sketch is one of a few preliminary drawings I'm doing for my nephew Ross, more on that later, but I have a bunch of these that I will be posting this week. Happy Sunday good people of the world.

Tools

2011-11-19T09:23:00.000-08:00

I dug this up from the past, it was a drawing I did for a holiday card at work. Does this some up the holiday spirit or what? Sketch of the day is almost making a comeback.

Cart Before the horse

2011-11-17T07:57:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of preliminary sketches from yesterday's post. not up to much but these days, two posts is two days in nothing to sneeze at.

Dracular

2011-11-16T09:52:00.000-08:00

This was a piece of homework I just reworked as a sample. I'm still working on a couple of bar paintings but this was a welcome distraction. I should post some sketches at some point,. what with this being "Sketch of the Day" and all.

Old Town Bar Till

2011-11-13T18:07:00.000-08:00

How many times have you seen some version of this on this blog site, click HERE to see some others.

Rohmans

2011-11-08T10:49:00.000-08:00

Once again it's been a while since my last post. Angie and I ran the New York Marathon on Sunday, can I use that as a good excuse? There are no excuses of course just distractions, once again I'll vow to do better, who knows maybe this time I will.
I'm mapping in the lights and darks on this painting, trying to prize the truth from the photographs I'm using, last week I went and sat in the bar again and made color notes and a value study, this is a little closer to the truth. I hope ti finish this soon, I'm working on a couple more which I'll be posting soon. Thanks for your patience.

Fishing Fish

2011-10-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

I got around to finishing this one for an upcoming show.

Pete's Tavern

2011-10-26T06:16:00.000-07:00

Finished this one up yesterday, I have to keep the momentum going right now. I could bestow the virtues of Pete's on you but I'll save it till later, back to the drawing board.

Iain

2011-10-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

I drew this back in the summer, i have a back log of drawings, I don't know why I haven't been posting except to say that I'm out of the habit. I used to feel anxious until I had posted for the day and now I often don't think of it. I'm working on the bar paintings and getting this book out so my focus a has been elsewhere. Sketch of the day has become a bit of a joke, I must admit, I'll have another go and see what happens, and and apologies for those of you who are visiting the site of late. I'll do better.

Rohmans

2011-10-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

Got a little done at the weekend but not too much on account that we are training for the marathon and ran 21 miles on Saturday, very little left in the tanks on Sunday but had a go, plat spot the difference.

Fanelli Cafe

2011-10-14T12:14:00.000-07:00

Here we are again at Fanelli Cafe, it's starting to come together but still a ways to go. I'll be working on the Rohman's painting this weekend so hopefully I'll have done enough to give a progress report on that.

Old Town Bar

2011-10-13T03:58:00.000-07:00

This is the finished painting of the inside of the Old Town Bar, you can see this and all of my other bar paintings by clicking HERE. I'm currently working on putting together a collection of my bar drawings into a book to be called The Little Gem. more on this one soon.

Old Town Bar

2011-10-12T04:18:00.000-07:00

This was my favorite lunchtime spot for a little while. Angie used to work a couple of blocks away so it was a great place to meet her for lunch of wait for her to get out of work.

Fishing Fish

2011-10-08T05:18:00.000-07:00

A bit of silliness on a Saturday morning.

Fanelli Cafe

2011-10-05T11:37:00.000-07:00

Moving along with the inside of Fanelli's, I'm trying to create the same feeling of warmth, these things take time.

Fanelli Cafe

2011-10-04T06:32:00.000-07:00

Here is a finish on the Fanelli Cafe painting, I'm still working away on the interior painting that is posted below. I have created a face book page of all the bar paintings which you can visit bey clicking HERE.If you take a look please take the time to "Like" the page, it's good for my fragile ego.

Fanelli Cafe

2011-10-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

Here is the state of play on this painting, I'm trying to create a warm feeling inside with a cool early evening feel outside. I've got high hopes for this one. I've got a page devoted to my bar paintings on face book, you can visit and see what I'm up to by clicking HERE

Rohmans

2011-09-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Here we are after another session, still a ways to go but I took a break from this one to work on the Fanelli's painting. I'm happy when I'm doing the series, long may it last.

Beale Air Force Base

2011-09-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot about this one but I really enjoyed sitting on the runway and drawing this extraordinary aircraft.

Rohmans

2011-09-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

Here we go again, I'm right into this at the moment.

Rohmans

2011-09-26T12:43:00.000-07:00

Here we are again, I'm making some changes to this one today to deal with the matter of scale. I'm quite excited about the mood with this one, I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops.

Beale Air Force Base

2011-09-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

Some kind of folk lift truck that was used to load things onto other things, what can I say, it was classified.

Beale Air Force Base

2011-09-23T04:26:00.000-07:00

So was a beauty, once again, I can't give to the details but I'm enjoying you all filling me in. These jets were used to train pilots and were in full use. whilst this does not come across in the sketch, they were big black and mean looking.

Beale Air Force Base

2011-09-22T04:51:00.000-07:00

I can't remember what kind of aircraft this was but it was the first drawing I made on a hot desert landing field. I came , I drew, I burned my ass.

Beale Air Force Base

2011-09-21T04:40:00.000-07:00

Here is a Global Hawk getting sorted out for a bit of business. I can say no more.

Beale Air Force Base

2011-09-20T05:23:00.000-07:00

Can anyone tell me what this is.

Rohmans

2011-09-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

Here I am at the first stage of this next bar painting, I'm going to be painting this one at weekend only, I'm working on a few others during the week. I've got to keep the momentum going right now.

Air Force Program

2011-09-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

Three photo's posted in a row, that's hardly sketches is it? I've got sketches and plenty of them but right now I don't have a scanner to hand but here I am with my fellow Air Force program colleges in front of the plane that holds the speed record for getting from New York to LA in 63 minutes, something like that anyway, I really should pay more attention. We were at Beale Air Force base in California and had a truly great week, I might have mentioned that yesterday, put it down to jet lag. Sketches to follow. Stay tuned good people of the world, I'm almost back to what I've come to consider normal.

MFA Bridge Show

2011-09-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys, I'm back again, i just spent the last week at the Beale Air Force base in California, what I great time and I have drawings and photo's to post on that trip. I went without a computer so I wasn't able to post again...excuses excuses. But this should be normal service resuming. Who knows, certainly not me.

Pepe at the Bridge

2011-09-09T04:44:00.000-07:00

Pepe, whom I have painted a number of times came to the Bridge show last night. I was thrilled to see him there.

MFA Bridge Show

2011-09-08T06:28:00.000-07:00

Here is another couple of hours spent on this painting. I'm building up the lights and darks. Tonight is the opening of the MFA Bridge Thesis Show, you can get details by clicking HERE.The main characters in this painting are my fellow MFA grads Eddy, Chad and Anwar, each one splendid to a fellow. See you tonight

Fanelli Cafe

2011-09-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

I have been absent again, no excuses. This is the start of another bar painting, I'm got two I'm working on at the same time ans I'm laying out a third. I've got 12 of these bar paintings on display currently at FIT, if you are in the New York area and feel like stopping by, please do.

Designer Magazine

2011-08-31T04:22:00.000-07:00

I'm delighted to report that there is an interview with me in the upcoming Designer magazine. The article covers my bar paintings and drawings amongst other things and to my delight my Ear Inn painting made the cover. I'm very excited about this, also for those of You in the NY area, 12 of my bar paintings will be on display at the,

Fashion Institute of Technology
227 West 27th St.

As part of the MFA Bridge Thesis Show. The show runs from September 2-24 with an opening reception on Thursday 8th 5:30-7:30pm

Hope all of you East coasters survived Irene, we got stranded upstate which was not all bad.

Woodstock

2011-08-27T05:48:00.000-07:00

This is a weird one, I know, but we are upstate avoiding Irene and very near Bethel Woods which was where Woodstock was actually held. I did this illustration as part of a series of trading cards for Upper Deck a few years back and since it was on my desk top i thought I'd post it today. Dark and gloomy here at the moment but then again, in the words of Dexy's Midnight Runners, "Come on Irene".

The Delaware

2011-08-25T05:28:00.000-07:00

This is a view of the Delaware river, I'm up to have another look at it this weekend.

Port Jervis Train

2011-08-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

Knocked this one off whilst I was waiting for Angie's train to arrive. You are never alone with a sketchbook.

Bowling Alley At Rohman's Inn

2011-08-22T15:20:00.000-07:00

Rohmans is a great bar in Shohola PA, it has one of only four hand set pin bowling alleys left in the US, Babe Ruth would often hop a freight train and come drink here during prohibition, plenty of good stories about this place. I'm about to start doing preliminary sketches for a painting of this place. stay tuned good people of the world.

Skull

2011-08-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

We ate well today.

Some People

2011-08-20T05:44:00.000-07:00

Some people look like this, sort of.

Missy

2011-08-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

This is Missy who sat and drew with us at Wednesdays drink and draw.

Driving Home

2011-08-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

I'm sat in the back of the car being driven back to New York which was greatly preferable to driving myself, especially in that rain.

Narrowsburgh Bridge

2011-08-17T05:16:00.000-07:00

Once again I had until Angie and Olga had shopped enough. That's how I roll.

Bike

2011-08-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

This vintage motorcycle was on display in a clothing store so whilst Angie and Olga were shopping around I drew this really quickly not knowing how long I might have.

Subaru

2011-08-15T05:01:00.000-07:00

I think that's how you spell it. I drew this yesterday whilst waiting for Angie and our friend Olga to be done at a flea market. It's Olga's car, she drove us home yesterday because we had to leave our car upstate to be fixed, weird rainy weekend.

Highland Lake

2011-08-14T07:52:00.000-07:00

Upstate, rainy weekend, car died on us, drew this.

A Dude

2011-08-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

He was sat on the subway yesterday and so was I.

Self Portrait

2011-08-10T07:52:00.000-07:00

Sketch of the day, give me a break, I'm still trying to get back into the daily flow, maybe soon, I'll try again for tomorrow but I'm all over the place.

Sam

2011-08-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

This is a drawing of Sam, I caught him yesterday whilst he saw playing some computer game, always a good time to draw someone. Sam is back in Scotland now and tomorrow I'll be back in Brooklyn. Life resumes I'm sad to say.

Gils

2011-08-05T09:57:00.000-07:00

Here is Gils from this morning on the porch,below is a drawing that Katie did for Gils. Once again I went for a 3B pencil and Katie stuck with crayons. See you tomorrow, good people of the world.

I'm Back Again

2011-08-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

I'm upstate New York currently and whilst I've been drawing I've not been blogging, I'm getting very sporadic on account of.......I don't know.
Anyway here is Katie, who when she is not playing her game boy device, likes to draw, in this case a monkey. I opted for a 2B pencil and Katie went for crayons. I will post again tomorrow. Say it out load, "I'm back and I'm proud".

Bill's

2011-07-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

I'm calling this finished, I started it in December and have been painted on it here and there for months, time to start so new works.

And Again

2011-07-21T04:45:00.000-07:00

One more final hair tweek produced the thumbs up.

Becka At Vazac's

2011-07-20T06:51:00.000-07:00

I'm finished with this one, I leaned some things and hope to apply them to the next. So many bars, so little time.

New Hair Do

2011-07-19T05:18:00.000-07:00

The Client sent me another picture of the portrait subject with a kinder gentler hairstyle, i had to do a kind of hair transplant. fingers crossed.

Portrait of a Lady

2011-07-18T14:28:00.000-07:00

This is a commission for Columbia Law University magazine. I could do these all day long.

Book Cover

2011-07-16T07:04:00.000-07:00

You have to go back a long way for this one but it was on my desk top and since I'm upstate and have not drawn yet this will be my post for today. Tomorrow I will be bottling my first batch of home brewed beer which will sit for another two weeks until i know weather of not it is actually beer or not. Hoping to finish a couple of paintings from the bar series this weekend as well, gotta do something whilst waiting for the beer to be ready. One track mind.....? Maybe.

Dignity

2011-07-15T05:44:00.000-07:00

This lady had it in spades.

Watching TV

2011-07-14T06:20:00.000-07:00

I was watching the Women's World Cup whilst drawing this at a Vazac's drink and draw session. Team USA will be playing Japan in the final on Sunday. 2pm on the east coast. Should be a great game.

Buick From the back

2011-07-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

Another drawing from the back end of a buick, these things are beautiful from every angle.

From A Buick 8

2011-07-12T06:14:00.000-07:00

That title is from a Stephen King novel, this Buick was drawn at the Mocha Museum in LA the day we were leaving, it was part of an exhibition on Street Art and this particular Buick was there because it had been painted on by Keith Harring. Keith was an important figure in the street art movement, no doubt, but in this case I couldn't help but think he'd vandalised a perfectly good Buick. What would I know.

Summer Illustration Acadamy

2011-07-11T04:40:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of taking these fine young artists to the Bronx Zoo on Friday for sketching fun and frolics. I have another class today, I think we are going to be drawing in Central Park. I love this kind of stuff.

Me by Angela Rizza

2011-07-09T04:24:00.000-07:00

This was Angela's drawing of me from Drink and Draw, I really like this.

Justin

2011-07-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

Justin is the Mayor of Drink and Draw. It was fun to get back to that event yesterday, great to see so many familiar faces.

Venice Beach

2011-07-06T07:06:00.000-07:00

Another LA sketch, time to get busy, it's drink and draw today for those of you who are NY based. See ya tomorrow.

Bill's So Far

2011-07-05T11:36:00.000-07:00

I'm working on finishing a group of these paintings for a show in September, I've got a bunch of half finished ones lying around. Now my MFA course has been completed I can start to reclaim my life and forge ahead with the book project.

Girl With Glasses

2011-07-04T06:25:00.000-07:00

This girl has glasses on. It's July 4th but that doesn't change the fact that she has glasses on. Just look at her, glasses all over her face, she don't care.

I Little Bonus

2011-07-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

I didn't post yesterday for reasons on temporary insanity but there is a drawing that my friend Maggie did of me when were were out in LA, it's the same Maggie I drew in an earlier post. Check out her uncanny ability at her own site HERE!

Becka So Far

2011-07-03T07:14:00.000-07:00

I think I could finish this in one more session but I don't know when that will be.

Venice Beach

2011-07-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

Another from LA, it was hot and I was working quickly, I don't know about this one but here it is anyway.

Subway sketches

2011-06-30T06:54:00.000-07:00

A page from last night ride home from class.

Old Town So Far

2011-06-29T04:50:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted a bar painting in a while but I'm getting back to them now the MFA is almost over. Still plenty to do but it's starting to come together.

Joe's Truck

2011-06-28T04:55:00.000-07:00

I'm not done with LA yet but this was something I was able to do yesterday, it's je's truck in case the title didn't give it away. Joe is building Angie a screen printing studio in the basement of the house upstate. More on that later.

More Dudes

2011-06-27T04:24:00.000-07:00

LA was full of them.

Some Dudes

2011-06-26T05:56:00.000-07:00

Random people at a bar.

Nate Gold

2011-06-25T05:07:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to catch him with his mouth closed.

LA Palms

2011-06-24T04:54:00.000-07:00

I guess they had to feature at some point.

Santa Monica Pier

2011-06-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

This car was on display, who could resist, not me.

Maggie

2011-06-22T04:06:00.000-07:00

With a far off look in her eyes, dreaming of veggie burgers, no doubt.

Santa Monica Pier

2011-06-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

This was a 15 minute sketch at the end of a long day, it's possible to work hard yet yield nothing that satisfies but it's all process. I've come back from LA with a very strong idea about how to change my drawing approach for the better. Now it's just finding the time to put those ideas into action.

Malibu

2011-06-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

I'm back from LA and here is the first drawing. This should be me back on a daily role but the best laid plans of mice and men and all that. LA was a load of fun, 12 of us rented the two bedroom two bathroom house right on the beach front, this drawing is from the deck beneath the house. I will remember this trip first and foremost for the laughter which never stopped (unless decorum dictated otherwise).

I just noticed that the ribbon from the Moleskine is laying across the drawing, I'd rescan but then again red eye and all that, also it seems to be supporting the composition.

Here's The News

2011-06-10T06:53:00.000-07:00

No drawing today because I'm off to LA until the 20th, I'll be drawing my brains out whilst I'm there but since I'm not taking a computer I won't be posting but once I'm back I should have a whole sketchbook to lay on you.

See you on the 20th.