Clare Means and Carlos Guitarlos

I saw Clare Means perform at the Third Street Promenade (first sketch) and then head over to Liquid Kitty to check out Carlos Guitarlos (second sketch). The third sketch is his bass player.

Spectrum Dance #24

I went to a performance called Spectrum Dance #24 at the El Portal Theatre. It is the 24th year of this dance show which features a variety of dance pieces by all different kinds of performers. Here are some sketches from the first night which I attended. It's interesting to see how people convey stories and emotions in different art forms. It's also quite surprising what types of movements people can do. I think it helps to not limit yourself as an animator to actions that you yourself can physically perform. Most of all it's just some great dynamic movement to try and appreciate and capture.

Figure Drawing and 7 things...

Here are some 3 and 5 minute marker figure drawings. I've tried to loosen them up a bit more than last week, by going straight marker, without laying down pencils. Also, Alina tagged me to post 7 things on any topic I want. So as a topic, I've chosen (in no particular order), "7 things to make the work day a little more interesting."

1. Pull up the online employee database (with photos) and draw funny pictures. And they thought their ID photos made them look bad...

2. Send "motivational" videos from YouTube out to your suffering comrades.

3. Sleep during meetings, but wake up as soon as your name is called for the second time, with hopefully the right answer.

4. Sneak up on co-workers who wear noise cancelling headphones.

5. Swap offices to escape flooding toilets and don't tell co-workers who need stuff from you, where you've moved. Let 'em figure it out.

6. Anonymously quote wisdom from co-workers in your email signature.

7. "Hide" co-workers' belongings in plain site. Wait. Watch. Laugh. Truthfully say you don't have it. Watch them find it on, under or beside their desk...quite unhidden.

Rupa and the April Fishes

I went to see Rupa and the April Fishes perform at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood. The first three sketches are Rupa, Ed Baskerville and Marcus Cohen. Next up was Joshua James and then Priscilla Ahn with Gus Seyfrett. I didn't manage to sketch Rupa's drummer before the set was over. Nor did I manage to stick around for the final acts...must sleep to you know. It never ceases to amaze me as to how much talent there is in this town.

Pencil and Marker Figure Drawings

Switching mediums is always good. This week I used markers and pencil instead of ink and watercolors.

Eddie Vedder and the Red Hot Chili Peppers at Hullabaloo

I went to an amazing, small show called Hullabaloo at the Henry Fonda theatre with performers like Eddie Vedder, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and others. It was a benefit for a great organization called the Silver Lake Conservatory of Music, which works to provide young musicians with music education and aids in purchasing instruments as well. It's a crime that the arts somehow don't play a part in public education anymore. It's too bad the country is so poor and has no money for such "frivolous" stuff. Being creative and challenging your mind is essential for anyone, whether they pursue a career in art or not. Not to mention, it is an amazing outlet for people to channel their aggresion, depression and to just stimulate the mind in general. It's great to see organizations like this one, fostering that creativity and talent. Some very good bands, consisting of kids from this program were among the opening acts. The last sketch is of one of these students. I was too packed in and jumping up and down to draw during Eddie Vedder's performance, but I wriggled out a little further when the Red Hot Chili Peppers went on and managed a few of them. Words can't describe how incredible it is to see musicians like this in such a small venue, only a few sardine packed rows from the stage.

Wednesday 3s and 5s

Here are this weeks life drawings.

Welcome to Persia

I needed to do some drawing after a rough week at work, so I went to the Wilshire Ebell Theatre and took in a performance called "Welcome to Persia." Here are some of Anna Djanbazian's dancers.

Wednesday 3s and 5s

I did these 3 and 5 minute sketches on Wednesday. I think I'm getting a bit more accustomed to the larger sized paper. Some are straight watercolors and others are a mix of ink, watercolor and a watercolor marker. This time I used some dark green non-waterproof ink and some waterproof yellow ink.

Poets

Thanks to Haneefa for putting it together, and my friend Taz for telling me about. I read some of my writing at a coffee shop along with a number of talented writers/performers. I also managed to sketch two of the other poets. I'm glad I didn't get to "finish" the first one, and glad that I did get a moment to finish the second. I think they both worked that much better each way.

Super Big Life Drawing

So..I got a huge pad of watercolor paper and just started using it on this session I did last week. The 3 sketch image is the same as the last size paper, since I did each on half a sheet. The single figure with her arms on her head was an attempt at the full page size. It's odd working in a larger size, but something should come of it eventually. I also sketched some hands using a watercolor marker (ooh so cool!) and a little bit of yellow watercolors.

Girls Gone World

Went to a show called Girls Gone World put together by my talented friend Manisha Shahane, with Micropixie and Sumitra.

LA Zoo

I took a trip to the LA Zoo with my pal Tim. Mostly I just looked at the amazing animals and all the funny kids all over the place. I did manage this one sketch of a leopard.

A Sufi Celebration: Calling for the Beloved

I went to a show at UCLA last night called A Sufi Celebration: Calling for the Beloved. Put on by volunteers, it was an introduction to MTO and some of the concepts of that school of Sufism. It was a lot of fun, and I managed to get in a few sketches. The first one is of Brandon Hechinger for his wife Rudi who's always telling me about great Persian music shows to go to. The second sketch is of one of the backdrops on the very beautifully setup stage. The last is of another performer from that night. The food afterwards was really good too. All kinds of desserts and chicken, kabobs etc.

2 and 3 Minute Outdoor Figure Drawing

Today we got moved out of the usual room we draw in. We ended up drawing in one of the courtyards at work. The wind was blowing, and my drawings got blown all around, but these 2 and 3 minute sketches were a lot of fun! You can see the ones where the ink bottle flew over and assisted in the art creation process. Our model was amazing with her energetic poses, and that always makes it that much easier to create interesting drawings.

Venice Beach Drum Circle

Spent Sunday afternoon at Venice Beach, on the boardwalk and out on the beach in a drum circle. The first two are from the drum circle and the last sketch is of a talented singer who was playing at the north end of the boardwalk. I could spend all day there painting. Each of these is 6" x 4".

Les Nubians

Went to see a show at Fais Do Do last night. Les Nubians were performing and it was a lot of fun. I wanted to do some sketches of them, but the place was really packed and it's hard to paint with no elbow room. So, I just hung out and enjoyed some great company and music. I did manage this sketch from the side of the stage before it all began.

Wednesday Figures

Some drawing sessions you really feel like you did something. It's been a while, but this time I felt that way. These are 2 and 5 minute poses. A few are probably a minute or less since I would do one sketch and then knock out another before the time was up. Those are the really loose ones that are fun to do. As the red ink ran out, I did a few where I just poured a puddle of ink on the page and drew the entire figure out from that (first image middle crouching figure, fourth image first figure, fifth image first figure). Others were drawn in succession during the same pose, with the second being scribbled out very fast. First two figures in the third image and the first and last figures in the last image are good examples of that.

Yoni Ki Baat

Last Sunday I went to a show called Yoni Ki Baat. Kind of a South Asian Vagina Monologues. Great storytelling. Here are a few sketches I finally had a chance to scan and post.

Manisha Shahane's Band and Amit Apte

I went to see Manisha Shahane and Amit Apte perform at the West LA Farmer's Market. I was glad to run into Mitra Martin and Stefan Fabry (two amazing tango teachers, whom I was lucky enough to enjoy taking classes with back when I had some time) as they performed on stage just before the musicians. I switched from watercolors to pencil and markers for these. These are also the first sketches in a lovely spiralbound sketchbook that my pal Eriko sent me from Japan. The first one is of Amit and the rest are of the amazing musicians who accompanied Manisha. Geoff Rakness on upright Bass (which I kinda shrunk), Delton Davis on some bongos perhaps and Dave Lewis on drums. I had to run off to another show downtoan so I didn't get a chance to draw Manisha this time around, but it was a lot of fun.