Stillman & Birn softcover | Larry D. Marshall

Those Egyptians Really Liked Bes

Written by Larry Marshall on March 13, 2016

Here’s a couple small vessels (shot glasses?), each different depictions of Bes, the dwarf god. They’re part of the Egypt exhibition at our Museé de la Civilisation. Maybe these were intended to ward off evil spirits from their spirits. I don’t think the top squares on the green one were intended to look like a hat but they sure do, making it quite funny.

These were drawn in an 8×10 Stillman & Birn softcover Alphas series book. I’m just starting to use this size book but I think I’m really going to like it. Bigger than the typical 6×9 but much easier to scan than a 9×12. The softcovers are also so much lighter than hardcovers that it actually weighs the same as a 6×9 hardcover.

Sketching A Dwarf Egyptian God

Written by Larry Marshall on March 11, 2016

Bes, the dwarf Egyptian god was represented, in both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional form, everywhere in Egyptian society. Seems he had a way of scaring evil spirits away and the Egyptians were very worried about evil spirits.

This is the second or third Bes statue I’ve sketched at our museum, all showing similarities but each unique in its own way. I did this one in the 8×10 Stillman & Birn Delta softcover I reviewed not long ago.

Urban Sketcher Boredom As He Awaits Spring

Written by Larry Marshall on March 9, 2016

Have you ever wondered if bears open an eye, look out of their den at the snow and wish that spring would arrive because their stomach is growling? Naw…me neither but that’s how I feel right now.

Our winter has been relatively mild but from the view of this urban sketcher, it’s been very long. Sure, I’ve been going to the museum to sketch but a good portion of the fun of sketching for me is wandering around, looking for something interesting to sketch. I’ve got the darn museum memorized; there are no surprises.

It’s times like this that I wish I liked to sketch from photos, but I don’t. So, for the most part, I’m a bored urban sketcher, doodling just to keep my hand moving. I thought I’d share a few pages of doodles with you. These were all done in a 4×6 Stillman & Birn Alpha series softcover.

As you can see, it’s a melange of tiny sketches, some ear practice and some hatching scribbles thrown in for good measure. Sometimes I’ll fill a whole page with circles or bad ellipses. I do a lot of this stuff on photocopy paper and when sheets are filled they are wadded up and thrown in the garbage. Just for giggles, here is one of those sheets. Sorry for the wrinkles. It was pulled from my garbage can (grin). I also apologize that some of the sketching is upside down. I don’t pay much attention to that when I’m filling these pages since my garbage can isn’t particular. Do you do this sort of thing or am I the only one? I bet I’m the only one dumb enough to share them.

Sketching My Pet Fish

Written by Larry Marshall on March 8, 2016

Winter persists. Attempting to maintain a stiff upper lip, this urban sketcher watches TV, reads art books and longs for warmer days. Yesterday, I was watching a spring training baseball game, an indication that I won’t have to wait much longer. I grabbed my small S&B softcover Alpha sketchbook (4×6) and looked around for something to draw.

I decided to draw my pet fish, Oscar. He’s not a real fish; he’s made of plaster. That means less to feed but he doesn’t wag his tail as much as live fish do. Nevertheless, he’s great at posing for a sketcher. Handsome little guy, don’tcha think?

(4x6) Platinum Carbon Black, Platinum 3776, Abrecht-Durer watercolor pencils

(4×6) Platinum Carbon Black, Platinum 3776, Abrecht-Durer watercolor pencils

Cancelled Concert – McDonalds Fun

Written by Larry Marshall on March 4, 2016

This little guy was munching on a hamburger and fries. Stillman & Birn soft- Alpha (4x6), Platinum 3776, Platinum Carbon ink

This little guy was munching on a hamburger and fries. Stillman & Birn soft-
Alpha (4×6), Platinum 3776, Platinum Carbon ink

Yvan and I were going to sketch at a musical event in downtown Quebec City on Saturday morning but a blizzard was in progress and it was hard to get around town. Schools and offices were closed and even the buses were having a hard time.

As I trudged through snow on rue St. Jean I couldn’t help but think about how silly it was for someone, someone I resembled, to be expending this much effort to get somewhere to sketch. It was ‘free coffee’ week at McDonalds and I met Yvan there. We got coffee and looked out the window at the storm as we drank it.

Rather than be completely defeated, we both got out our small sketchbooks and did some quick sketches.

This plow was sitting down the street from McDonalds. The view from our second-story window was a bit odd but it made for a fun quick sketch. Stillman & Birn soft- Alpha (4×6), Platinum 3776, Platinum Carbon ink

Yvan's last name is Breton and this sign was hanging about half a block up the street. Stillman & Birn soft- Alpha (4x6), Platinum 3776, Platinum Carbon ink

Yvan’s last name is Breton and this sign was hanging about half a block up the street. Stillman & Birn soft- Alpha (4×6), Platinum 3776, Platinum Carbon ink

In many ways the storm and cancelled event could have soured the day. But we had some great conversations about art, did a bit of sketching and, like most sketching days, it was a good day. I’ll stop here as otherwise I’d have to start talking about the hours I spent the rest of the day clearing snow.