There’s a lot more colour outside, now that winter’s finished with. So, it’s lucky that this new little black sketchbook of mine takes colour in it. These are more or less things I drew on the balcony the other day.
May 2, 2010
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Medieval Portraits
By Jack Ruttan in men, sketches, watercolour, women
Just a couple of pics I sketched from a book of French painting from the 14-15th centuries. These are fun. I’ll do more. And maybe some modern ones.
Tags: colour, men, sketches, watercolour, women
April 30, 2010
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Another day, more sketches. (AKA: What do I title this?)
By Jack Ruttan in cats, sketches, women
Drawing a lot lately, because I’ve got some illustrating gigs. These don’t exactly address the gigs, but they keep my hand in, and make drawing fun for me. Hence plenty of sketches. And I’ve got to put them up don’t I?
Allegra, my late lamented small black cat, in graphic watercolour form. This is about as smooth as I can get as far as tones, despite the thin sketchbook paper!
Tags: Animals, black and white, cats, colour, sketches, wash, women
April 29, 2010
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Reading Sketches
By Jack Ruttan in men, sketches, women
I used to go to more literary readings, and at one point had resolved to draw a portrait of every author I had witnessed read. That resolution went by the boards a while ago, but I still draw at readings when the mood takes me. This was from an event called the “Literary Luau” at the Blue Metropolis Author’s festival, last Saturday night. I hate the microphones that always intrude in a certain way, and are a feature of many of these drawings.
Unfortunately, I didn’t take down names of who was reading (there are also a couple of people from the audience). So, it just becomes a couple of pages of character faces and random words from books. I’ll try to be more diligent, next time.
Tags: black and white, books, Brush Pen, men, sketches, women, writing
April 29, 2010
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Fairies, Kittens, Gnomes
By Jack Ruttan in cats, sketches, watercolour, women
Trying to do cute stuff in watercolour, as you can tell.
Tags: Animals, cats, sketches, watercolour, women
April 27, 2010
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Watercolour Stuff
By Jack Ruttan in horses, men, watercolour
For some reason I felt it necessary to scan an entire watercolour sketchbook of mine today. It took all day, too. But I’m not putting any of it up, right now. The above is a new painting. I didn’t really finish it, but I seem to like it this way. Maybe later, I’ll add some things. But for now, it’s on to the next.
Also, a regular guy face. This one didn’t take long at all, and in fact was a warm-up for working on the knight thing, which had been left half-done for a long while. Maybe I’m just glad it’s over with.
Tags: Animals, colour, horses, men, watercolour
April 27, 2010
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Brand New Book
By Jack Ruttan in cats, watercolour, women
Bought a nice new sketch book, at l’Oiseau Bleu, one of the few remaining non-chain art stores in Montreal. I’m going to have to draw some of the architecture in the area around there, because there are interesting Beaux arts and Art Deco, even Art Nouveau buildings and details around there. It’s not a rich area, so some of the older things are hanging around longer, not renovated or torn down.
Anyhow, here are a few drawings from it. Except for the last one, which is from another, older book. I’ve got stacks of these things.
Tags: Animals, ballpoint pen, Brush Pen, cats, colour, wash, watercolour, women
April 22, 2010
4
Burlesque Nights
By Jack Ruttan in sketches, womenNever thought I’d be writing that as a title. This is 2010, after all, not 1953 in Montreal with Gypsy Rose Lee and Lily Saint Cyr. Anyhow, the Blue Light Burlesque show wants me to do some drawings for them, and invited me to one of their shows tonight. Even though the MC inveighed against pictures, or even sketches, I doodled away with my brush pen in my tiny book sketches of performers and patrons. Only the lack of light, and too much beer eventually deterred me.
It’s going to be cool to see what kind of drawings this will produce. Mlle. Oui Oui Encore liked my drawings on the internet, because they reminded her of old 40s newspaper things. I’m not quite seeing that, but I love the era.
As many women were at the show as men, and there are courses offered in burlesque arts. Modern burlesque seems to be a mixture of role-playing, performance art, and dance. Also titillation. Maybe I’ll get attached to the corps as staff artist, to apply pasties, and other essential tasks.
Tags: black and white, sketches, women
April 18, 2010
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Add New
By Jack Ruttan in men, sketches, watercolour, women
I’ve been in such a rut lately. Body seems to be failing: odd problems mainly due to stress. Jealous of other, better artists. But drawing these things makes me happy. Guess I’m not going to stop.
Tags: black and white, colour, men, sketches, wash, watercolour, women
April 17, 2010
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Nightmare Puppy Dogs
By Jack Ruttan in dogs, men, watercolour, women
Failed painting. I’m still putting it up here, because it looks vaguely Edvard Munch-like. Reading a how-to-draw book which said that before you draw, you should visualize the head of a cute pet coming through the paper, and draw as if you’re caressing that head. But I just drew the head, added legs and a body awkwardly, and put one of my characters below. That’s mainly because he fit on the paper.
Then there’s this woman on a couch, which I think worked out a little better.
Tags: Animals, dogs, men, watercolour, women
April 16, 2010
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Bombastic Brush and Ink
By Jack Ruttan in horses, men, sketches, women
These brush drawings feel bombastic to me. A little quieter now that they’re scanned and put up. Still, that big brush line seems to “yell” more than the spidery pen. Harsh contrasts.
The page below is from one of those big books, and it’s hard to cover all that area with the brush. Also, my ink was running out, so, I just had to go with it.
The two big heads are from photos of poets from this book of stories and quotes about poets in Montreal. Drawing from photographs is boring to me, but sometimes it gets me out of my own head. It’s a drab day, so there might be more drawing from inside.
Tags: Animals, black and white, horses, men, sketches, women
April 13, 2010
1
Insomniac Doodling
By Jack Ruttan in horses, sketches, women
I feel asleep earlier in the evening, so didn’t get to sleep when it was time for bed. Sinking in and out, I dreamed in that half awake way that a famous author was staying at my place. Unfortunately I forgot the name of his new book that he told me. Later, I made myself some too hot vegetable ramen soup, and drew these sketches.
I’m posting them in this “big” format because I kind of like how it takes over the computer screen. I’ve been lax on other duties, but will try to get to them, and not worry too much. Later!
Tags: Animals, ballpoint pen, black and white, horses, sketches, women