train sketches

It can be a lot of fun to sketch on the trains. Sleeping passengers and people engrossed in doing email on the mobile phones are good candidates are they're unlikely to move much. The challenge is to capture them before they get off or before someone stands in the way and obscures my view.


"Long Day" sumi liquid ink on watercolor paper, 19.2 x 24cm
Done recently.

These others were done last month.
I started sketching this guy just after one stop and he suddenly woke up and jumped off at the next stop.

"Cat Nap" sumi liquid ink on watercolor paper, 14 x 18cm


A friend says this next one reminds him of Jackie Onassis,.... but this Jackie is male, happily doing email on his mobile phone, headphones hanging around his neck....

"Jackie" sumi liquid ink on watercolor paper, 14 x 18cm

contes on the boat

Summer is here and it's a great time to be out on the water. Thought I'd post a couple of conte sketches I've been doing in gig breaks at my Friday nite boat gig. The breaks are short, and I never know when someone is going to move or get up and walk away, the usual story with sketching, except for Greg, the barman, who was kind enough to pose for me. Even still, he was moving around a bit, but at least I knew he wasn't about to walk away....


"Yukata" - conte on toned paper, 33.5 x 24.5cm (approx 13.25 x 9.6")





"Thank God It's Friday"conte on toned paper, 33.5 x 24.5cm (approx 13.25 x 9.6")





"Greg, A Quick Sketch"conte on toned paper, 33.5 x 24.5cm (approx 13.25 x 9.6")


The boat runs back and forth from Hinode pier to Odaiba, doing 3 circuits during the evening. For those who aren't local, that's in Tokyo Bay, crossing under the famed Rainbow Bridge. The boat itself looks like a spaceship and was designed by a well-known anime artist (whose name escapes me). It looks way cool. I'll have a few more weeks worth of sketches and after that the musicians will be rotated so I will be landbound once more. There's a lovely view from Odaiba pier at night in the summer with all the traditional party boats floating on the bay all lit up in many colors. If I can find the time I'd love to go down there one night with my oils and paint them. In case you're wondering what the boat looks like, here are some pics on a blog I happened upon called frangipani. And a daytime "promo shot" in case that wasn't enough for you.

"Curvy Bow"

liquid sumi ink on watercolor paper approx 9 x 16cm (3.5 x 6.25 inches)

Last week I had my first chance to play piano and sing with an orchestra at an Australian cultural event. This is a quick sketch I did of one of the violinists at the rehearsal before I had to get up and play.