Kitchen Counter Scene

I have a real love for interior details of houses, esp. cabinetry and architectural detailing. I drew this kitchen counter vignette, using a photo out of a book called: The Way We Live as inspiration. There's something about a well-utilized work area: where frequent use over a long period of time naturally dictates the organization of the space. In the reference photo, the shelves are a patinated mustard yellow and the china pieces are stark white. (To me, the well-placed shallots on the stainless steel counter are a dead giveaway that it's out of a design book!)

EDM #116: Something Green (Two Green Peppers)

These two peppers are the result of a quick exercise I got out of Keys to Drawing: "draw a vegetable from memory; then, find the same one out of your refrigerator and draw it from observation". I have to say, this was a revelation.
When I would attempt to draw in the past, I would end up with drawings like the pepper on the right-which is borderline okay...but not a real enthusiasm producer. Consequently, I would quickly lose interest and another ten years would pass by.
Very recently, I picked up Danny Gregory's book: The Creative License (after happening across his blog on the 'net). The pepper on the left I attribute to what I 'got' from his book; and, all the drawings I have publish here in this blog are also after this spontaneous discovery.
For some reason, I have apparently given myself permission to stop working from preconceptions and to penetrate to something richer. As the EDM group can attest (and as I have witnessed), the mundane holds treasures.

EDM #120: Flashlight

This is a very nice flashlight. It has a heavy-duty rubber 'skin' that protects it from everything except my inability to keep fresh batteries in it. I didn't buy this flashlight. I end up possessing alot of things because they get left on my jobsites and never reclaimed. (The reverse is also true!) If this is your flashlight...call me.

I drew it twice and was surprised by how similar they turned out to be...can you tell which one was first?

EDM #1: Shoe(s)

This is a pair of work shoes from a familiar view. So far, I have drawn all of my sketches using a Faber-Castell Pitt Pen (Superfine)-in dark brown or black and a F-C Pitt Pen (Brush) in cool grey. I really like being able to do shadowing with the 'brush' pen. I am going to try to stick with the monotones for awhile to get my skill level up...altho', I do own a 24 set of water-soluble colored pencils that I have never actually used.

EDM Challenge #55: Doorknob

I drew this doorknob and deadbolt while sitting on my porch. It is the door into my living room: one half of a set of french doors. I was kinda happy with this one; maybe because I have installed so many of these things, I have a certain knowledge about them.
As a carpenter-cum-contractor, I have always used the proper installation of a door as a metaphor for the way I try to conduct all of my work. If the door is hung correctly, then everyone will use it as intended and pass through it without notice.

EDM Challenge #37: Keys

I have two sets of keys: the ones on the top are my personal set. I know what every key is for and use them all the time. The set on the bottom is my job-related ring. (I have renovated houses for over 25 years!) Half these keys probably don't open anything anymore; but, I'm reluctant to just toss them. Heck, alot of my friends (former clients!) know I have 'an extra key' and they may have some odd situation where they might need it...or I might find that old padlock again...or maybe I just have a fondness for unlocking the memories that these little pieces of metal open up for me everytime I handle them.

EDM Challenge #16: Favorite Tool

This is a quick sketch of my absolute-no question-favorite tool (and a stapler, too...which I drew on the same page in an otherwise vastly empty sketchbook...don't ask me why I did this.) Anyway, I used to carry a Swiss Army knife; but once I discovered this jewel, I never looked back. If I misplace this one, I have a back-up always ready. If I should-god forbid-lose the back-up, I would drop everything and go buy two more (REI). The elements of it that I find so indispensable are...well...all of 'em.

Oh yeah...it's a Leatherman Juice XE-6. It comes in a brilliant purple...but will age to a beautiful, burnished stainless through constant use (...not a good enough sketcher yet to represent this low-luster, polished quality).

EDM Challenge #2: Lamp

This is a very nice lamp we inherited from my wife's grandparents. I started the lampshade first; but-once I got into the carved stone lion-it became obvious that the shade was too small...an all-too-familiar turn of events in my new drawing life.

EDM #18: Draw a view from your 'office'

I spend alot of time waiting for people to show up! I did this drawing on one such day. To my surprise, and contrary to their past history (!), these flooring guys showed up relatively 'on time'...so I wasn't able to really finish the view outside the windshield.
As you can see, I have a calendar book that sits on a custom-bent piece of sheet-metal that 'sits' over the top of the dashboard. By the slant of the writing, you might also be able to tell that I use my left hand-(when I draw, too). This notebook arrangement would probably be unworkable for non-lefties; but-on the other hand (no pun intended)-if I was right handed, I probably wouldn't need this contraption.
Whatever.

Clamp

When you have a shop, you can't have enough clamps. Every time I see them on sale, I grab them. I like the substantial handle on this one. They are also handy for holding the other end of something when working alone out in the field.
(Now that I am starting to draw some of these tools I have used all my working life and writing about them, I tend to want to wax poetic...draw parallels...philosophically reflect; but, well...there's not much getting around the fact that this is just a clamp.)
Luckily, there is the 'edit' tool in case something strikes me later!

EDM Challenge #27: Book(s)

What could be better than finally being able to relax on vacation with a stack of great books from which to choose the evening's literary diversion...that is-after the drawing of said books is completed.

photo of steel gate (Assisi, Italy)

I enjoy taking photos too, esp. when they are somewhere beautiful like Italy. I took this photo while walking the back streets of Assisi. It was a gate into a private parking area...or a vehicle repair place...couldn't tell. It was on the upper edge of the old town. We stayed within the walls and it was magical. (Click on the image for stimulating close-up view and see why I love 'found textures'.)