At the Oil and Brine Museum

Out Urban Sketching again today with Miz Dee and Dee's #1 Son. It was a cold and icky day weatherwise so we took shelter in the museum.

I started with this drawing of an oil well drilling bit.

Wandered upstairs in search of something interesting to draw. Looked over the balcony railing and found #1 Son down below absorbed in drawing an old truck.

My spot on the balcony was in almost complete darkness. I could barely see my sketchbook, much less the lines I was drawing. This little sketch took no more than five minutes to draw and paint. I was trying to be very, very quick and quiet so #1 Son wouldn't notice me up there.

I thought the sketch turned out amazingly well for the situation. It taught me that I obsess over details too much and that I should trust my instinct and hand more than I do.

I finished off the day with a sketch of this old Republic Truck, circa 1924.

I seem to pick a lot of all-black stuff to draw. Makes it kinda boring to paint. One of these days I'll get the courage to paint something like this using bright purple and orange. That would be fun.

And I picked up a postcard for a penpal in Pennsylvannia.

A good time was had by all!

Bad Table Saw

I'm OK with saws when I control the saw and the workpiece is fixed (circular saws, jig saws, chop saws). I get the heebie-jeebies when the saw is fixed and I control the workpiece (table saws, band saws.) Band saws look like a fine way to take off a whole arm, not just a few fingers.

Process notes:
I seem to be in a color rut lately. I'm using the same 3-4 colors over and over again. Palette Police: "FREEZE! Put your hands up and step away from the New Gamboge. Do it now!"

I was 'finished' with this page and decided it could really use some green. There wasn't anywhere logical to add some green, so I just added some green. :)

Sutterfield's Shop

There were lots of dangerous medieval machinery thingies that looked like they would be efficient at body part removal. Looked around for something interesting to sketch but everything was grayish brown grease color and unidentifiable (to me at least). Finally zeroed in on the red welder and trotted out to the car to fetch my little pocket sketchbook.

Started sketching and after about five minutes (wait for it) Hubby decided it was time to go. I'm beginning to see a pattern here with Hubby. I think when he sees the sketchbook come out he starts getting a rash. Sigh. Anyway, I madly scribbled bits and pieces trying to fill in the spaces. Added a few finishing touches to the inkwork at home.

I think the stuff I scribbled in a hurry is actually better than the stuff I tried to draw accurately. Hummm.....

Gas Company Trencher

I'm beginning to understand I have an affinity for large contruction equipment.

Thanksgiving Day at the Farm

After two days of cooking and two hours of driving, we finished Thanksgiving dinner in 15 minutes...that's including dessert. Half the womenfolk went to see a scary movie and the other half adjourned to the sun porch for naps.

The boys went outside to ride on their big-boy toys. All four have a riding toy this year. Hubby decided three idiots on wheels was plenty, so he opted to cut brush with the jetpack weedwhacker with the medieval blade. It's a nasty looking thing.

Two brothers were riding things with leaf sweepers. They would make a round and dump the leaves in front of the fire. The brother on the tractor would scoop up them up to make a ginormous pile. It would have been a ginormous fire too if the leaves hadn't been so wet. They smoked and smoldered all day.

Today I am thankful for this wonderfully quirky family and the privilege to be part of it for another year.

Domestication