Travel Sketchbook Ivan Vazor National Theatre Sofia Bulgaria

Friday snuck up on me fast this week.  Probably from trying to keep up with the Draw Daily 365 blog and Every Day in May drawings.  There has been a lot of drawing going on.  Some results I've been super happy with others made me want to pull my hair out.  This drawing has issues all over the place and yet somehow I am fond of it and all its imperfections.

Travel Sketchbook Matamana New Zealand

This weeks travel sketchbook destination was New Zealand.  I chose to draw Hobbiton the movie set for Lord of the Rings which is located in Matamana.

Travel Sketchbook Parliment of Oslo Norway

It's Friday and another week has gone by traveling this time to Norway for the Travel Sketchbook.  After researching and getting heavily involved with the history of the last drawing I desired something more art less study.  I liked this building because of the contrast between the circular main building and hard straight edges and angled walk.  Other buildings I've draw have had the main building squared with the columns being the circular accent.  It was a nice change of pace.  Don't forget to pop over and say hi to Art and Sole, through the link on the right, the inspiration for my weekly adventures.

As a reminder Tuesday May 1st starts the beginning of Every Day in May with the Every Day Matters group their link is on the right if you're interested in joining.  EDiM is a month long daily drawing project following the 31 prompt list for the month.  I will be participating this year and will be posting on their Flickr page as well as here to share my progress.  My plan is to continue the DD365 project on the sister blog while completing the group project.  It's going to be an art filled fun spring I hope you tag along with me.

Travel Sketchbook Casa Sofian Botosani Romania

It's Friday and for me that means sharing my Travel Sketchbook destination this week.  We went to Romania thanks to NatashaMay for her help this week.  The Casa Sofian Botosani is a magnificent building that is tragically falling to internal disrepair.  The people want to keep it for the historic value but the funding for it isn't available therefore they've put it on the auction block.

Iceland Hafnarfjorour Viking Village Restaurant

Got up before the sun this morning that doesn't happen very often.  The perfect opportunity to jump on the blog and share the most recent page in my travel sketchbook we took our virtual trip this week to Iceland.  This is the Viking Village Restaurant it is full of rich carved wood interior details.  In the drawing the unusual shapes on the building eaves are dragon heads, no really they are.   I was in the throws of fast sketching and they obscured pretty badly.  My favorite part of this piece is the viking warrior statue at the front of the building.

Sky Park Singapore Travel Sketchbook

My Travel Sketchbook virtual world tour has been guided by Art and Sole - Post Card Challenge check out the blog on the right hand side button.  This week took us to Singapore.  This building is a hotel Sands Sky Park here's some information about it from their website, " Stretching longer than the Eiffel tower laid down or four and a half A380 Jumbo Jets, with an impressive 12,400 square meters of space, the Sands Sky Park can host up to 3900 people. The gravity-defying cantilever is one of the largest of its kind in the world. From this privileged observation deck, hundreds of visitors at a time can feast their eyes on the unforgettable panorama view of Singapore."

Tel Aviv Isreal Travel Sketchbook

See past posts for this themed sketchbook here.

Amsterdam Netherlands Travel Sketchbook

While reading about the Netherlands for my Travel Sketchbook I came across this scene in Amsterdam.  The sun and sky were shimmering on these windows and each house had its own unique windows both side by side and comparable to the other buildings in the neighborhood. 

I wish I would have had more time to draw.  Done too quickly the windows angled awkwardly unfortunate since I was trying to capture their overall look.  The three sister houses look like they were done by a contractor who was becoming more drunk as he was completing houses.  They do not look like that in real life.  The house on the left was my best I could imagine sitting on the front stoop watching the boats motoring by. 

Hopefully next weeks virtual trip will prove to have more creative time.  Not every art piece is perfect but they all deserve their time of reflection for the sake of artistic growth.

Travel Sketchbook Ottawa Canada

03-09-2012  For this week's Travel Sketchbook we went to Canada.  This is nice in real life because I could drive to this country within a day from where I live if I so chose.  For the sake of this virtual trip I drew the Ottawa capital building.  It appealed to me with the pride filled country flags blowing in the front as well as the overall length and layout of the building itself.

Swiss Made Castle

For this weeks Travel Sketchbook we went to Switzerland I did a 20 minute sketch of Château de Chillon at Lake Geneva.  From aerial views this castle is round and almost completely surrounded by the lake waters.  This drawing shows the area that is attached to the land.

Not Just Cigars

Squeezing in time last night to explore Cuba our travel destination this weeks Travel Sketchbook.  Just as a side note there are lots of fun people playing along with the Postcard Challenge where I get my inspiration for this book you can check out the link button on the right. 

What I was able to gather in my time crunched travel was that the Communist leader Castro would not allow ownership transfer of cars and homes since 1959.  What does that mean?  That means a country full of these American classics.  When I was looking at photos it was as if the country was stuck in a time bubble.  I wanted to read on and see if they had overcome this obstacle I saw that as of April 2011 talks had begun to make changes. 

Could you imagine how different your families possessions would be if they had to keep what they had in 1959?  What did they do, were younger people living with their parents as adults and sharing mom and dads car?  If that were the case there could easily be four generations living in that house by 2012.  Something to think about.

Travel Sketchbook Hay on Wye Wales

I was really impressed with Wales for my Travel Sketchbook Hay on Wye is a town known for its world renowned book stores.  This is an example of one of them a honor system bookstore in a park setting.  How great is that?

Travel Sketchbook Brussels Belgium

This weeks Travel Sketchbook destination was Belgium.  I chose to research Brussels this is a quick sketch of their bi-yearly event Flower Carpet this was the 2010 carpet the next event is scheduled for August 2012.  Constructed of Begonias and ranging as large as 538 feet by 137 feet and placed in front of their Grand Palace.

Travel Sketchbook Petit Venise Colmar France

I've fallen a little behind schedule with my Travel Sketchbook.  Everyone went to France last week, I just finished today.  This is Petit Venise Colmar France the houses are similar to our Tudor style homes but in vinbrant colors of lilac, sunshine yellow and more.  They traverse the waterways with gondolas similar to Venise Italy.

Sketchbook Page from China

For my virtual sketchbook this week I visited China.  I studied at length the Forbidden city and took in much of the unique architecture and symbolism.  I was delighted with the pagodas and almost drew the building at the Square Pagoda Park but it was very square and linear.

I wanted to create something with more feeling.  China's population is large, just people jam packed everywhere.  This is especially true of Shanghai, I was entranced by the colorful advertising but also amazed that the lighting of the inanimate objects had more projected life to them then the people themselves.  This is what I believe captured the mood.  Within the picture is the false life created by the lit up city and the the faceless people within.  Maybe it was the rainy day that made them seem so distant from one another.

Sketchbook Page from Brazil

For my virtual sketchbook this week I visited Brazil.  This is the courthouse in Rio de Jeneiro.  It appealed to me because of the contrast between the straight pillars and rounded domes as well as all the statues around the building.  It seemed almost too ornate for something as common place as a courthouse. 

While surfing around researching Brazil  I got caught up with looking at images of their 2007 Cow Parade.  Wikipedia describes it as, "An international public art exhibit that has been featured in major world cities. Fiberglass sculptures of cows are decorated by local artists, and distributed over the city centre, in public places such as train stations, important avenues, and parks." 

Sketchbook Pages from Spain

For this weeks country we visited Spain.  I chose to use the town of Seville as my inspiration destination for this two page spread in my travel sketchbook.  Moleskine with Micron liner pens and Pitt gray brush pens.  For the Alcazar I took it over the left edge on purpose because when I looked at it the gardens just seemed to jump out at me so I wanted to make that a reality.  The cathedral statue was very ornate I lost quite a bit of detail in the sketch.  It was a very attractive piece with the dome roofed backdrop.  The museum has a reflecting pool in front of it but it seemed like unnecessary double work to draw it in so I only mentioned it in the descriptions. 

I hopped everyone elses blog posts for the postcard challenge this morning, they're looking great.  I wanted to post comments a few times but Blogger's comment forms aren't loading correctly.  Hopefully that isn't happening on this page too...

Spain Travel Sketchbook

Sketchbook Pages from Austria

For the virtual travel sketchbook (postcard challenge button on the right) this week the artists took a trip to Austria.  Drawn with my trusty Microns in ranging sizes and shaded with three Pitt pens.

I chose to start my trip in Retz located in the north western Weinviertel in Lower Austria.  I drew their windmill which is now used as a residential house.  I  then visited the town hall the area is so open inviting with its cobblestone roads that blend seamlessly with sidewalks.  This area was built in the 1500's the cabinet maker that did the carvings inside the town hall worked on them for thirty years.  This angle is viewed while sitting at the water fountain. 

From there I 'traveled' an hour and a half to the Open Air Museum where 80 historical buildings were disassembled from all over the Weinviertl and rebuilt again true to their original construction at Niedersulz.  I drew this inviting place setting in the village.

Virtual Traveling Sketchbook

12-30-2011 Darcy over at her blog Art and Sole has suggested an interesting project called the Postcard Challenge 2012.  I considered joining along but after some careful consideration realized that I wasn't very interested in the correspondences as much as I am interested in the country prompts that she plans on sharing weekly.  So as a follow/deviation I've decided to use two of my Cahier Moleskines as travel sketch log books.  With her prompts I'll be able to visit my virtual travel destinations online.  Hopefully I will find things that inspire me.  She will announce the destination country on Monday and I will be posting my completed sketches after Friday each week.  This travel sketch book has already started as a travel log with my virtual visits to the Elbow of Cross Ledge Light the Ship John Shoal Light and the  Emlen Physick Estate so this should be a lot of fun.  I created the cover for the first book tonight, it's soft pink simple but sweet.  I really liked the birds and the butterfly's hinting at traveling but also they were from cards I received from artist friends a long time ago.  So when I look at them I get an added smile.  I believe there is french written inside the birds and the ticket in the middle says London Transport.  I'm ready...





Travel Sketchbook

Emlen Physick Estate Cape May NJ

11-12-2011 For todays Art Every Day Month drawing I drew the Emlen Physick Estate located in Cape May NJ.  Another fun choice with lots of architectural interest and a good opportunity to practice freehanding straight lines.  AEDM Day Twelve

The Physick Mansion is one of the finest examples of “Stick Style” architecture in America. Its exterior is distinguished by Furness’s trademark oversized features, including gigantic upside-down corbelled chimneys, hooded “jerkin-head” dormers, and the huge stick-like brackets on the porch. Many original furnishings are on display throughout the house.W