I was back at the museum this morning and met up with sketching buddies Yvan and Claudette.  In spite of the museum being over-run by several bus loads of kids, we had a good time.  It was just a bit more noisy.

We decided we should take advantage of the Samurai exhibit as it’s going to be leaving in two weeks.  I love sketching the many amazing helmets in this display and so that’s what I did.  Here are two more.

The first sketch is a bit of a bit different from the other dozen helmet sketches that I’ve done in that I did this one very quickly.  Typically I’ll take an hour or so to do one.  I did this one in 15-20 minutes.  I just wanted to see how my quick-sketching skills had improved.  Done with a Pilot Prera and Lexington Gray ink in my Stillman & Birn Epsilon sketchbook.  I was happy with the experiment.

This one did take me about an hour but this helmet deserved the time.  Representing two bamboo/metal pipes, one on each side, the metalwork here is really outstanding.  Much about these helmets is demonstrate status but it was also about identity, as on a Samurai battlefield there were no cell phones; only “There he is.  See his helmet?” recognition of your fellow soldiers.

For me these helmets are incredible pieces of art and an opportunity to develop my drawing skills, which need all the help they can get (grin).  Same tools, same sketchbook for this one.

I’m getting a lot of bang for the buck from my museum membership.  Another three+ months of winter will ensure that it’s the best bang for the buck I’ve ever received.