Italy Part 4: Milan

The Duomo in Milan

We flew in and out of Milan. It was beautiful but c-c-cold and raining when we were there. I hope to go back to see more. It is a design capital of the world.

I still have a couple Italy sketches to show back in Florence.

Italy Part 3: Florence

This was drawn after a very rainy morning. I need to design that urban sketcher sit-upon. Only cooler than the ones we made in girl scouts though.

Here is a vine video sketching on location: https://vine.co/v/bdbu6ubdLwn

I was sitting on the steps of the Duomo for this one. There were throngs of people around and lots of students eating gelato.

It was very cold. I sketched until my hand was numb.

Vine video: https://vine.co/v/bdnxVt3H6q2

Florence, Italy Part 2: Greve in Chianti

Wine tasting platter. We each got one...

As promised, more Italy. These posts take a lot of time so are less frequent. There is so much to sort through. I can only really show the shadows on the wall so to speak.

My cousin Maria and her husband Tom arranged for a wine tasting and tour of the Chianti area of Italy. We were driven around in a van and went to the adorable town of Greve in Chianti. 

 (We bought some sausage with truffle oil tin the town which was very addictive...)

Shop in Greve in Chianti

The aging hams for prosciutto also called Parma ham

Glorious cheese Gromit

The winery

Logo

We left the town and our guide Gianni took us to Castello di Verrazzano for the sctually wine tasting and tour.

More of the estate...

Touring the grounds...

We had a wine tasting plate (seen above), four types of Chianti, and finished with a cordial of Vin Santo with biscotti.

The pour

The four varieties

The finish...

Our guide owns a restaurant called Ristorante Academia Firenze. We ate dinner there a couple days later.

More soon!

Sketching in North Avondale

I went sketching with Vanessa on Saturday in her neighborhood. There are some beautiful homes close to the Xavier campus.

Here is a vine video on location:



Also, here is a pic from Spring Grove a couple weeks ago. I forgot to post it. More Florence sketchbook soon, I promise....

Cherry Blossoms and Rising Sun

Cherry Blossoms in Spring Grove

I know I need to post more Italy sketches, but here is another little intermission. We FINALLY got the spring blossoms a month later than last year. I went with Amy and Linda to sketch them after last week's illustrator lunch.

I unfortunately missed the spectacular Ault Park this year.

This week, I had a library visit at Rising Sun, Indiana. What a lovely little town. The students were great and really engaged for 4th and 5th graders. Also, between assemblies, I got to explore the town a little and sketch, of course.

Riverfront Restaurant and Hotel

Tree of Life

The day started out stormy but was sunny and beautiful by the time I left. I really love the Tree of Life sculpture, although it should be called the Whomping Willow...

We also went by the Historical Society which had this amazing two-headed calf curiosity. It also had the coolest speedboats with GIANT Rat Fink sized engines.

Two-Headed Calf Taxidermy at the Historical Society

A Little Easter Sketch

Deep conversations...

Although I am paying due penance for taking a vacation in the form of a mountain of deadlines, I sneaked out this little Easter doodle.

The titmouse and bunny are discussing how long it will be until we see those darn cherry blossoms...

Florence Part 1

Family who traveled with me: Tom, Maria, Gaby, Susan(Mom), Rosie and me peeking from behind. This was in Greve in Chianti as part of our wine tour. This is the Chianti Rooster. Only wines from this region can bear the black rooster seal.

The official Chianti seal

I just got back Tuesday. What a wonderful experience. If I had my druthers, I would only sketch and travel, but occasionally will have to do.

We left Monday, March 11th. As part of the urban sketching fun, I took Vine videos of my locations. Here is the airport one: https://vine.co/v/bwP25FH9avd

Sketch while waiting to fly to JFK from O' Hare

We arrived in Milan early Tuesday. It was rainy, but that is spring for you. We took a high speed train to Florence. I so wish we had these types of trains in the USA. Imagine a train ride to Chicago in under 2 hours from Cincinnati. One can dream...

The train station in Milan is a fortress. It was built in the 1930's by Mussolini.

Quickie sketch in Milano Centrale

We finally reached our apartment behind the Medici Chapel. This is the awesome view from our apartment. https://vine.co/v/bwl0aObi0qt

Medici Chapel from our apartment...

Pano of our apartment dining room and living room

Cat Study and Prep for Italy

Siena circa 2006

This is a crazy week of deadlines and prep to head out to Italy next week. To warm up since the weather has kept me from a lot of urban sketching (yes, I am a wimp when it comes to cold), I did this from my 2006 photos. Boy, my photos were mostly awful. I am glad to get a second chance. At least I have a better "real" camera now (sorry iPhone).

I just signed up for Vine video so I hope to show some little videos of the sketchbook panning to location.

I have got all my sketchbooks together and replenished some of the half pans in my watercolor set. I even got some ice-fishing fingerless gloves to use (I suspect it will still be a little chilly).

I am going with my mother, aunt and a couple cousins so it will be a fun trip, except for the fact that Italy currently has no pope, no government...  Interesting times...

Fortunately, our travel keeps us away from Rome, but my Aunt and cousins are meeting us in Florence via Rome. We are going via Milan because I have always wanted to go there. It is a design capitol of the world! Troy will be here in Cincinnati to hold down the fort.

Finally, here is a picture of our car Miffy from my sketchbook. She was doing that wonderful kneading the air thing. I am painting a lot of furry pawed critters this a year so it was good practice. Her fur is short enough that you can really see the toe/claw articulation.

Miffy, Always a Star...

Birthday Sketches

Cosmo the Papillon

I have been super-swamped lately. Plus, I am preparing to go on vacation to Florence and Milan, Italy mid-March so deadlines are intense til then.

I squeezed in these sketches for my friend Cheryl's and my nephew's birthdays. Cosmo is a really cute dog. I think it is the ears that make Papillon's adorable.

As for my nephew's card, he just turned 11. Any excuse to draw giant robots, dragons and mayhem, is a good one.

Birthday mayhem...

Wordsworth and the Dragon Chapter Illustrations

Chapter 7 Full Page Illustration

I have had so much fun working on these black and white illustrations for Wordsworth and the Dragon! In a time when so much is over-rendered, the simple ink drawing is refreshing!

Chapter 1 Illustration... A letter is missing...

Some Downton Abbey Fun and Maybe Not So Fun

Where is Bette Davis when you need her...

As many know, I have been a huge Downton Abbey fan. So, of course, last night's episode was a disappointment. I fee like the writing since the first season has been uneven. There were many other ways to handle the "Matthew" situation:

-Matthew could have been kidnapped by aliens
-Sent to India
-Sent to the mad house
-Recast like Bewitched/Rosanne characters
-A Doctor Who solution... Cast David Tennant as Matthew!

Season Four Likely Scenarios:

-The grandkids, a little older, are given puppies and/or kittens as gifts from the Dowager. They are promptly killed off in a freak steamroller accident.

-Matthew will have an identical cousin; Edith will marry him. Mary will acquire more and more cats and live in a Grey Gardens situation. 

-Hercule Poirot shows up and more main characters start to die in strangely unlikely ways. Who is the murderer?

Back off Tennant!

Happy Valentine's Day

A little quick painting to celebrate the season!

And of course a little Ultimate Sinister concept painting showing the heartbreak of jilting...

Life can be full of disappointment in the world of The Ultimate Sinister,,,

Quick Sketch Session at the Cincinnati Art Museum

Amy Bogard and I took a quick detour to the Cincinnati Art Museum to sketch after the Illustrators Lunch at Arthur's.

We could not resist this cool Jaguar. The room also has some amazing Rookwood pottery pieces.

Amy took this picture of me sketching...

Portrait Studies: David Tennant

Quick Watercolor Study

I did a couple quick sketches for my class of David Tennant Thursday evening.

Here are some scans. He has an interesting head and hair shape well suited for toon form...

I was initially drawing Helen Mirren, but no one seemed to know who she was. My luck that I picked the only British actress not in a Harry Potter film...

Ink and Brush

Additional pencil studies including Tennant as a rooster...

Krohn Conservatory Fairy House Exhibit

Fairy House Exhibit

I went with my friend Amy to Krohn Conservatory after the weekly illustrators lunch for a quickie sketch session. It was also a good chance to take photo reference of tropical and rainforest plants for an upcoming project.

Here is the view and the sketch...

I sketched the outside of the Krohn in the fall. So many cool structures to choose from... I can hardly wait for the butterfly exhibit.

The area around the conservatory...

Snow Day!

Miffy Watches the Snow

We got a little snow last week and I could not resist doing a quickie sketch of Miffy watching the snow fall. Both cats were at my painting studio windows. Spike ducks and paws at the window.

Portrait Studies

Benedict Cumberbatch

I was showing my class Tuesday about quick studies for portraits and did these in my sketchbook for them. Great fun!

These were from class requests and let's just say Benedict Cumberbatch was suggested with much swooning.