Japan Sketchbook 2011

  These are some sketches from my first arrival to Tokyo, Japan as well as drawings I did in Kyoto and Nagoya, and drawings I did in between plein air painting in northern Japan.

section of a gate at Nijo castle - Kyoto 2011

Greek statue at an exhibit in Tokyo

quick sketches at a cafe in Tokyo

popular canned coffee brand

art neuveau ash tray

 Harold Speed drawing study

Bust studies

quick Tori gate study for a painting

shishi (lion dog) statue in Kyoto

Torou sketch

paper lanterns in Kyoto

shishi statue study at Yasaka shrine - Kyoto

Rhino studies at the Ueno zoo in Tokyo

goldfish study

Sketchbook: Germany-Holland-Portugal 2012-2013

Music box man sketch in downtown Cologne, Germany and Liebl hand study

quick sketch of one of the spires of the massive Cologne cathedral while waiting in line for the Wallraf Museum.  Also, a bust sketch and wall relief sketch

                                                    Carpeaux bust

People who are sleeping, reading, or looking at their iPod make the best subjects to draw if you don't want them to know you're drawing them.  The awkward moment is when they look up to find you starring at them. One guy reading and one guy sleeping at a cafe in Cologne

quick studies at Hotel Freeland in Amsterdam

Javanese crown in Amsterdam

greek statue and fan

bust of Moliere and a view from our hotel window in Lisbon, Portugal

Fado singer's shawl and Van Dyck study                                          greek statue

 a study of a bust by one of my favorite sculptors: Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux

 Bust of a Apollo and a penguini at Lisbon's Oceanarium

Recent Charcoal Drawings of Maiko

I recently started getting into charcoal drawing and I am really enjoying the effects I can get with it. Here are some of the charcoal drawings I did of the maiko (apprentice geisha) from various hanamachi (geisha districts) of Kyoto, Japan.

"Maiko Satohana" charcoal on toned paper

"Nape of a Maiko" - charcoal on toned paper

"Maiko Katsuna" - charcoal on toned paper

"Blue Maiko_ charcoal on toned paper