Carry a Sketchbook!

The sketchbook is a great place to learn. I once heard that if you want to be a great artist, then you have to carry a sketchbook with you. There isn't one great artist in history who didn't. I'm not sure if that's true but I believe it.

I was looking at these sketches and trying to determine what I learned. Here are just a few things. The left drawing of the old chevy pickup - copied this from a Fine Homebuilding article. I loved the way the rust looked so that's what I wanted to replicate. In this one little sketch, I tried several different approaches with different levels of success. Also studied ways to paint chrome, glass reflections, headlamps, person silouettes behind reflections etc. On the right is my friend Carlos. I love drawing faces and especially faces of friends and family. I used doc martins watercolors along with my standard windsor and newton set. The five o'clock shadow and background taught me the most here.

Always carry a sketchbook - and sketch!