Monday, August 16, 2010

Absolutely!

Last Saturday I was looking out onto the absolutely stunning San Francisco Bay with my absolutely good buddy and fellow artist Paul Bianchini. We were doing what we absolutely like to do best...sketching! The cold summer fog cleared out and we had absolutely warm sunshine on our backs ( I got a sunburn on my neck but who the hell cares, I was sketching!). Today, I got on the road to Concord, Calif. to see my friend and absolutely fabulous artist, Myrna Wacknov, and sat in on her portrait workshop at Gallery Concord. Being a workshop teacher myself, it is often educational to see how fellow workshop teachers do their thing. The gallery offers workshops by absolutely nationally known watercolor artists like Myrna, and, like her, I am now a member in absolutely good standing with the California Watercolor Association. Yes, indeed, it's been an absolutely good week, and both of these sketches reflect that fact. Click on them twice to enlarge. They were done on a cheap cold press watercolor sketch pad with an office pencil followed up with a fine tip Sharpie pen, followed up with a water soluble Tombow pen whose dabs of ink can be dissolved with a wet brush to make absolutely lovely, lovely value washes. I once wrote an article for American Artist Magazine about this absolutely wonderful sketching technique and will be conducting a workshop on it this Friday. That will be yet another joyful experience...absolutely, and may I add, for sure!!

14 comments:

Autumn Leaves said...

These sketches are both simply glorious, David. Your joy came right through your hands. I love 'em both. So wish I could take one of these workshops. That said, I'd embarrass myself royally!

RH Carpenter said...

Absolutely fabulous sketches!

David Lobenberg said...

Autumn, you would NOT embarrass yourself. Yes, it takes some practice but you would need to start off with simple still life objects such as a coffee mug or hammer or maybe a wine bottle. These are some of the items I bring to my workshop. Try it, you'll like it.

David Lobenberg said...

Hi, Rhonda. Thanks!

Barbara Muir said...

As usual I am absolutely dazzled by your work and your absolute enthusiasm.

Take care,

Barbara

Myrna Wacknov said...

Thanks for the "plug"!David, it was fun having you in the "audience" for part of the day during the workshop. Love the sketch! I came off better than a photo! Welcome to CWA. The group is the richer for having you as a member.

David Lobenberg said...

Barbara, I am absolutely tickled pink with your kind words.

David Lobenberg said...

Myrna, I only came to your workshop to spy on you and pick up ideas!
Nobody even noticed me sketching you, which only confirms my stealthiness when spying on an absolutely fabulous art teacher!

Raechel Miller said...

I love the San Franscico sketch David. It is just so simple, and i love just how you used the tombow. I can only say I'm envious due to the simplifity of it.

Meera Rao said...

absolutely shamelessly I echo the comments about absolutely wonderful sketches :)

David Lobenberg said...

Hi Rach! "simple" is the trick...how to look at all those boats and draw it in such a way that the viewer sees all those boats without the artist drawing all the details. Guess what?...SQUINT!!!

David Lobenberg said...

An absolute thank you to you, Meera!

lifeartist said...

Ain't it grand doin' what you love to do!? It's days like the one you just described that linger in the memory. The products of the day are beautiful mementos too. Fabulous sketches.

David Lobenberg said...

Lifeartist, Good description of my sketches..."mementos" I like that!