Does it ever happen to you? You agree to meet people for a sketching session and when you arrive you’re just not inspired to sketch? It doesn’t happen to me very often but when it does, the results aren’t pretty (grin).
Stillman & Birn Beta (9×12), Namiki Falcon, DeAtramentis Document Black
And so it was when I agreed to meet five of my sketching buddies at the Latin Park, or whatever they call the place where there are a bunch of statues of famous South American folks. The smiling faces and upbeat attitudes that always come with sketchers were there and the day was gorgeous, as it’s still considerably warmer than it should be this time of year. But, for some reason, I just wasn’t in the mood to sketch.
I sat down to draw this guy, or this hunk of stone that looks like a guy. I worked faster than normal, mostly because of my disinterest, I think. The drawing result wasn’t horrible but I decided to try something different with the watercolor and made a mess of it.
From there I started sketching one of the most boring buildings in Quebec, the bus station, which is also an expansion to the train station, one of the most beautiful buildings in Quebec. I’d only just begun when everyone finished their first sketches, so we headed into the Dept. of Justice, the back of which looks out on the park, and we found toilets, coffee, and then returned to the park to eat lunch. That was fun and we talked about film festivals, the weather and sketching.
Everyone decided to do some more sketching so I went back to my bus station sketch. Why do we build such bland, soulless structures? As I look around Quebec it’s easy to see that there was a time when people cared about the esthetics of the world around them. Now it’s all just glass boxes full of cubicles. So sad.
Stillman & Birn Beta (9×12), Namiki Falcon, DeAtramentis Document Black
After I finished that sketch I did a couple quick sketches of statue pieces but it just wasn’t an inspiring day for me. Still, any sketching day beats a non-sketching day.
It’s especially miserable when one is uninspired AND it’s a beautiful day! Who wants to waste a beautiful day! But a miserable day of sketching beats a good day of just about anything else. 😉
– Tina
So true, Tina, and we’ll soon be having fewer and fewer of those beautiful days. As a guy from Arizona, I’m a real sissy when it comes to cold, and Quebec has serious cold 🙂
Your trees, however, are wonderful! And I’ve asked myself that question many times…why DO they waste space on the soulless?
And of course I’ve had those days…just dowanna.
Thanks, Kate. I”m glad I’m not the only one who has “dowanna” days 🙂 — Larry
Whenever I’m in a non-sketching mood it seems I end up drawing portraits of the other sketchers 🙂 It’s a sure sign to me afterwards there was nothing in the environment I was compelled to sketch. And that I did more talking than drawing. I also have this thing that I’m more excited to sketch a place the first time I go. Like a shark – always moving forward 🙂
I’ve found myself doing that at times, Marc, and that’s odd as people are way down the list of things I like to sketch. I’m trying to enjoy it more, and to get better at it, but I’d rather draw fire hydrants and garbage cans 🙂
You’re right about that shark thing, too. I’ve now been drawing on the streets of this city enough that it’s getting harder to find things I want to sketch. Eventually I may be stuck with drawing that Chateau Frontenac building but not until everything else is sketched 🙂 — Larry