tough guy

Been doing lots of painting these days...painting the inside of a friend's condo that is.

I guess I sort of enjoy painting because although I painted all yesterday afternoon, I felt compelled to paint this guy this morning.

I drew him from a link on the Internet. (Sorry, had to remove the link of my sketch because the artist didn't want me to copy from her without including a link to each of her sketches. Originally I didn't because of the words she uses in her illustrated journals were not family friendly.) I found on the Internet yesterday, he looks so much more menacing painted.

I do feel like such a cheat sketching other peoples sketches, but it's a great way to learn. They've already done the hard part by simplifying the image for me. My goal is to be able to do these kind of sketches in public, from life. Right now, I just don't have the confidence to do that.

Ever had the experience of a little kid peering over your shoulder and then leave just seconds later, and overhear him say: "He ain't that great mom." Some people's greatest fear is speaking in public, not me. My greatest fear is sketching in public.

(How do the Urban Sketchers do it?)

It's great though to be able to visit any place via the Internet. I think this guy might be Russian and wearing a Ushanka. But I can't be sure since there wasn't much information about him on the net.

Of course, there is nothing like actually visiting the country and feeling totally out of my element. Not understanding a word spoken to me. Not certain I'll ever find the hotel. That's the stuff of foreign travel.

In fact, I've been reading Lavinia Spaldin's book "Writing Away" about travel writing. Great ideas on making lists, getting details, and what to record.

...dave
“You have this preconceived notion of him [Sly Stallone] as a big, tough guy, but he speaks four languages and he likes to watercolor.” - Rachael Leigh Cook