Break from the heat

Some more sketches from perhaps a year ago. These are all copied from famous artists' works.

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We've had a break from the heat for a couple of days. Such a relief.

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 Being bad.

Two-headed kitty monster.

The red dog club, today at the dog park. That woman is Sue, a local dog lover. Mojito wanted to join the crowd. He's third, starting from the front and going clockwise.
And see that tiny gray dog on the far right? It's full grown and weighs 3.5 pounds.

More art on my website: jalapfaff.com

Sketches

The computer gremlins are really taking a toll... Kudos to The Husband who has spent countless hours with them so far. Very stressful. Not sure yet if they have been exorcised. No painting going on, just gremlin control. So here are a few older items from my café sketchbook.

And some Rumi back feet. Just because they're cute.

In Munnar.

More art on my website: jalapfaff.com

Sketches

It's been way too long since I did any sketching. So I went to my favorite cafe last night expressly (ha ha) to do that.

Someone once said that we fall in love with our models. I feel like it's true--regardless of what a person looks like, the incredibly focused attention we give them feels like love, the way our gaze travels so slowly and intimately across their every feature, their bone structure...by the time you've finished sketching or drawing someone, you do feel something for them. Even if it was just a five-minute sketch.

The only problem with this kind of focused attention on strangers is...they notice it. People are amazingly gifted at being able to sense when they're being stared at. Hence, when sketching strangers in public, the drawing often has to be hastily aborted, leading to quite unfinished sketches. But that's part of their charm.

This guy (above) had the most incredibly flat, narrow face...

(Above) Dreadlocked manga-maker.

Origami kitten.

More art on my website: jalapfaff.com

Sketches and Costa Rica part 2

Today I did the Monteverde zipline and Tarzan swing. Wow--talk about an adrenaline surge! While I was flying through the air, er, I mean, fog and rain, The Husband was viewing (captive) frogs and snakes.

We got plenty wet again all day today, and are looking forward to getting rained on tomorrow too, while on horseback. My hair is one big hopeless Brillo pad.

A few things from the sketchbook from the past couple of weeks...and then a couple of photos of tonight's sunset (photo credit: The Husband).

More art on my website: jalapfaff.com

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, artist friends!  Here are a couple of sketches I did while in Mexico. (I'm back in Colorado now and can't wait to get into my studio, but first there's still some visiting-relative time.)

The feet are The Husband's, as he relaxed on a sofa. About a 10-min. sketch.

The other sketch is from the Houston airport, where we "enjoyed" a 3.5-hr. layover...ughhhhhhh.  It was a young woman with her iPhone. It was maybe a 5-min. sketch.

Health, happiness, and creativity for us all this next year!

More art on my website: jalapfaff.com