Recent Sketches
These were done during our recent trip, and also yesterday in Paris, where we spent a great day with our new friends Sandy and Drena. I’m getting extremely fast when I sketch, and I think very much to the detriment of my drawing style. I’m going to try to slow down and work on detail for a while. Ronell and I met up the other day, and are going to try to reinstate our art afternoons, where we work for several hours on a subject one of us has set up. Out and about sketching has its good points, but I think it’s important to settle down and delve deeper as well.
Here are some travel sketches, done in airports, through restaurant windows, in trains, etc (the first one is my husband, looking older than he does in real life – sorry Michel!) These are all done with my little watercolor travel box, in a large watercolor moleskine.
and a bunch of ‘randomers’ as my daughter calls people she doesn’t know:
The following were all done yesterday – they’re in water soluble pencil and ink.
rue Manuel bis 
I like these all quite a bit. I especially like the knapsack! All of these sketches read very well but I understand the level of dissatisfaction with working quickly and wanting to slow down and work carefully but something evolves with the quick studies. Maybe it’s an understanding of our essence. I’ve been going through the same experience over the last couple of years and it seems that what feels like sloppiness is really part of the process of expanding.
These are fantastic…so good to see people sketching from life, cant beat it in my opinion.
As Suzanne suggest very difficult to capture life in motion, but I think you captured it in these examples posted here. Good use of watercolor (not a big fan of the medium personally).
Would be good to see some of these worked up into big paintings and posted here in the future.
BobbyM
http://bobbywashere.wordpress.com
If you’ve made your husband look a little older but it certainlydoesn’t take away from a beautiful candid sketch.
I don’t think you will ever regret learning to sketch quickly, Casey. You are capturing so much with so few lines and washes – it’s very expressive and I’m sure you are going to see the benefit when you go back to more detailed studies.
I so enjoy your quick sketches, Casey, but I do understand the need to delve in and take a little more time with some things – I think that one is a complement to the other.
I love the randoms! But my favorite seems to be the last sketch of the cupola in gray scale….Not sure why it appeals to me so, but it does! Oh, and Michele is adorable as always! Hey when are you two going to come to the west coast???????? Hotel de Gonzales is always open!
What FUN sketches Casey!!!
Just got back from Paris this aftenoon…I thought it was you I saw in the metro going past me!! Hie hie. Will call you tomorrow, you have to come see Lindsay’s book..and we’ll have to start “painting” seriously!
ronell
Oh..forgot to say something about your great ketches…love Michel! (His sketch, I mean..)
Your fast sketches are always facinating.
For me, quick sketches and washes capture their own light grace and have
a special quality that paintings do not–I seem to always like them better.
It’s something besides the color–which I love in your work–because the
pen and washes also catch my attention. You get so much done with so few lines. I am so glad that you and Ronell may get to work, together, this autumn. I love the things that you two have shared with us, before.
Wow, bravo. I love the portrait of Michel. Absolument charmant…
They’re all delightful! I love how your sketches are so fluid and loose–it’s very appealing to me.
Your loose sketch of Michel has tremendous character…very inspirational for me as I’m just venturing into portraits.
lovely sketches!
and you DO have to go and see Lindsay’s book it’s so great! I had a job parting with it :>( !
Nice sketches Casey! I’m in love with the black and white ones for some reason… but they’re all really great.
Wow! I love your sketches and loose style… and agree with all comments above how much you express in so few lines. I wish I had more confidence drawing people like this.
I really love the simplicity and spontenaeity of your quick sketches! They have a very special quality. I love these, and the ones of the beach in the post below this one. I don’t think they are to the detriment of your drawing at all. I just wish I could sketch like this from life (but then perhaps I could if only I practised as much as you do!)
Man! Michel! Talk about a coup de vieux! Is Paul giving him all those grey hairs?
My favourite is the one of the fountain, cuz it’s so simple.
Your style of drawing is the complete opposite from what my roomate has to do for her drawing class (30 hour drawings). You can tell you’ve been travelling with Dad when all your drawings are super fast except for the one of him sleeping!
CAsey, I admire how much you can get down in a brief period of time. You have such a wonderful line quality and your color sense is rich.
I do know about the wanting to do longer studies. I’m feeling the same wayl
Nice. Great job with the pencil soluble.
No fair! You got to see more of Sandy and Drena than I’ve been able to in a while! Glad you had fun, though, of course ;D. I love your sketches—they’re so quickly and fluidly done, they take my breath away. Yes, Michel looks lots younger in real life, but that sketch of him is so charming.
Miss you!
What a good looking man! You’re very lucky Casey. You have captured in a wonderful way his great personality.