Quick Thumb Nail sketch

This is a quick Thumb Nail Sketch, i.e, it is small but is a way to quickly get the details of a scene and a way to experiment with the composition before committing to a larger piece.   I have trying to do more of these to quicken the drawing skills and to capture fleeting scenes.

Joshua Tree Sketch

More sketches from the Southwest.  This is the Joshua Tree from the deserts of Southern California, Nevada, and Arizona.  These are probably the strangest trees I have ever seen.

Cholla Cactus Sketch

I am continuing the sketches of trees and cactus.  This is a sketch of the Cholla cactus.  They have wicked bad hair like spines which are very hard to remove.  In Haiti, they had Cholla trees as big as Saguaro cactus unlike the smaller ones in SouthWest United States.

Happy Anniversary - the late version

Friday was my wedding anniversary, the one for the Army to recognize I had a wife.  It was 22 years ago.  The wife likes Day of the Dead themed things so this is her card from me.  We had the Church wedding in May so I have two anniversaries and a ring day.  (The day I gave her her engagement ring).

Desert Cliff - Block-in

I helped a friend move today, so I was only able to block-in this Desert Cliff landscape.  It is going to need alot of work but its still a start.  More to follow tomorrow.

Bristle Cone Pine Tree

I have a sketch book I am filling with tree sketches.  I have about 60 done so far and most have been posted.  Most are not original but are a method of study and observation.  Today's sketch is black and grey art markers of a Bristle Cone Pine tree.  They are found near or at the timber line in the Mountains of the Rockies and the Sierras.  I have some pictures of some of these trees from my own travels and I am exploring ways to capture the trees essences and unique characteristics.

Rabbit Sketch

Long day today so I scanned this sketch of this long eared rabbit.  Enjoy!