I drew around the place with some other artists in NY. Today was a world-wide Sketch Crawl, and I finally got myself to one.

So there I was. Out in the cold in Central Park, looking for this group. Amazing, the first person I asked, who didn't even have a sketchpad out - was it! "Are you here for the Sketch Crawl?" "Yes."

It was freezing out. I found myself drawing quietly in the Penguin exhibit. Initiated a few short conversations, but mostly these people did 'side-by-side' play. Penquins? Why am I drawing penguins? But, okay. This is an interesting experience. I wouldn't have been doing it if not for the group.

Then I drew puffins. And seals. And tropical foliage. At least it was warm in the Tropical exhibit.

At first, my pictures were academic. Here I am, studying
Penguins?
Seals?
But then, something important happened. Having learned lots about penguins and seals, I decided to Caricature them - USING THE DETAILS THAT I HAD JUST LEARNED. And it was fun. This is a good way to learn. This is THE way to learn. I hope I get a chance to draw wild-west pictures this way. Because I agreed to do a gig this week in which I'm expected to do Black/White Face Only in a Wild-West setting. Of course, I know horses, spurs, boots, etc. But if I study the stuff ahead of time WITH NO AGENDA, the way we drew penguins and seals for no reason at all, I'll have more to call upon during the gig.

Turned out that these new artists that I met - they do have a lot to offer. Apparently, they 'draw alone' - not the way we Caricature Artists clown around when we draw together. But the Sketch Crawl continued as we walked to a restaurant, drew in the restaurant, took a bus to a mall, drew in the mall....

I learned about Animating Studios - how that industry works - because that's where most of these Sketch Crawl artists worked. And I learned about getting hand-warmers (which will help when I start Face Painting in Central Park less than 2 weeks from now. And I like these people. I can relate to their lives as working Artists. Drawing on their time off, it's obvious that they really DO it too. Drawing? That's just what Artists do.

At the resturant, I did my usual thing of drawing Caricatures. I gave out most of the ones that I drew of these people. But I was in the middle of drawing Rosemary when it was time to move on. So I told her I'd post it and she could see it on line. Here it is, Rosemary!

More riding around on the trains today. People out there are sooooooo interesting.

I was thinking in terms of Hogarth's book 'Drawing the Human Head'
in which he breaks down faces into basically 3 types:
square and blocky,
oval and neat,
long and thin.

To Hire this Artist:
(516)579-4706
visualdust@gmail.com

Fun drawing at last night's gig - an 18-year-old's birthday party at a country club in New Jersey. They were all laughing and enjoying the exaggerations. But one girl asked why I work in color - when 'the other Caricaturists' (at other parties) work in black/white. I thought about that.

I used to rely on color when I wasn't as confident with my Caricatures.
But last night the color was unnecessary. Redundant.
The Caricatures were just as good without it.

So, here in the Studio, I just drew 2 black/white Caricatures. Just for fun.

Lol. Right after posting today's message, I ran through this blog.
And I noticed that most of the pictures here are black/white. Hahaha.
You readers probably wonder what I was writing about.

What it is
is that AT GIGS
I practically always add color.

But the drawings would go faster if I used black/white line only.
I'm thinking it would be just as much fun.
Dare I try it???

I'm freaked with stress right now. Going through my folder of pictures I drew around town recently. Trying not to think about things I cannot control. Trying not to panic over a friend being sick. Nothing is different today than it was when I drew these pictures. Except my awareness that he is suffering - that his pain is real - that it might mean something.

Here are some of the pictures that I drew before I knew. Trying to get into what I am doing. I'm feeling a little calmer now just writing here about the situation. This is what life is. We draw and dance when we can. The facts of life. Time to grow up, Alison?

Learn like you'll live forever.
Dance like people will be happy to see you being free and happy.
Draw the way the picture works.
And love.

Just for Fun. Fun with a Capital F.
I took these pencil sketches that I made over a week ago while riding the trains, and markered over them.

I can't believe I'm doing this. 9pm already.
I just took a last minute gig in New Jersey
and I didn't set up at all for it yet,
I want to make some special tags that I promised to send asap to a client who will be sewing them onto tshirts that I will be drawing on,
and I still have to deal with
Tax Season.
And more. There's the pile of papers on the desk....

But an Artist has to draw. Or how would I be able to handle the jobs when I actually get there!
I'm lucky to be an Artist.
This drawing time was so
whew
appreciated.

Here's the markered versions:

On my own time.
On my own private time
when I can do whatever I want,

when I can speak or draw, sing, move, or be
whatever I want.
When I don't have to be concerned about whether or not anybody else likes it.
My own time. Not at work.
I can play with my drawings. Or I can draw what I really see.
Or I can sing right out loud. I don't have to smile. But I can if I want to.

Here's a picture of a woman that I saw in Starbucks today:

----------------------------------------

beginning of February 2006

It's not like me to choose my activities based on a generalized calendar,
but a friend asked me to draw someone in honor of black-history-month.
Hmmm, history. his story. do women count?
And what makes a person black.
And how long ago is history? Can it be based on a book I previously read that had been written by an author who is still very much alive?

Okay. Stop being ridiculous, I told myself. Draw someone in honor of black-history-month. I chose Iyanla Vanzant: