Sketches in offices III

Arrived for a meeting this afternoon and found a locked office. Nearby was a huge, touching the ceiling, office plant. I have had my eye on drawing this for awhile, so I took advantage of the situation, leaning on the office wall to sketch. After 10 minutes, with the majority sketched, I called my office to find out what was going on. Sketched a couple more minutes before I was called back with the news that the meeting was cancelled. 

Result - no meeting, one sketch, and the chance to pop home for a cuppa, which is what I'm doing now.

A better result... Laziness 0 - Drawing 2

On Sunday, after I had published the post  Laziness 2 - drawing  0 I received a challenge from Stephen Gardner, an Urban Sketcher correspondent, and who has the great blog  Sketch of the day. He said:

Oh boy do I know all about this. ...
I'll get past the laziness if you will, next time I check back I'll expect to see a drawing of an orange.

For Stephen, here it is. The oranges were bashed, dented, and ill-shaped, anything but round, which is great as I can't draw circles, but taste Delicious!  

The orange drawing was done when I was home between students this morning. Afterwards, I headed back to work and I arrived 20 mins. early for the next appointment. The sun was shining, it was almost warm, I had time to kill, so I sat in the bus stop and started to draw the factory. Unfortunately, the time sped passed and this was all got done.
However, that is 2 drawings during a weekday, plus the Rick Tulka quickie sketch last night. Roll on Saturday's SketchCrawl #26. (I'll be in Calabria if anyone wants to join me sketching).

Sketching inside and out

Yesterday, it rained and rained and rained. I had a couple of hours to kill so went to the mall at Lingotto. Whilst there I was fascinated to watch the people sitting around. It was not the most successful sketching session: I couldn't sketch very much as I was eating a huge piece of carrot cake, which was too delicious to stop and draw; the 1st man, in the cap, moved his chair to a new position; the 2nd took off his hat; the lady reading a menu decided; and finally the young lady decided to get "friendly" with her boyfriend - too much to watch.

In contrast, today it was a lovely day here in Turin. It was even warm enough for me to sit and do a quick sketch of a band playing in the Piazza Vittorio Veneto as part of a demonstration against something. After 5 minutes, I stopped as my fingers had started to freeze and coincidentally the band stopped playing. The word of Urban Sketchers must be spreading because an Italian student asked me if I was a journalist, and checked out the very rough sketch posted above.

RAI Nuovamusica 2

 

 I went to another concert on Monday, and whilst the music did not excite me, as the previous week had, I still enjoyed sketching. My seat was only 4 rows from the front, so a great view, but on the same side as the previous week. This meant I drew some of the same instruments, and a new one like the trombone above.

Whilst waiting for the concert to start, I drew some of the percussion instruments set up on the right of the stage (and was very tempted to add a figure during the second half, when the percussionist played them.)

The first piece of the evening was very slow, and to my uneducated ears, sounded like the instruments were tuning up for the whole 8 minutes the piece lasted. A positive aspect was that the conductor, who was different from last week, moved very slowly and I think I got quite a good study of him.

Also different, was the double bass player. This guy was about 5 foot tall (1.5m) tall and held his instrument more upright than the previous musician. I wonder if that was for a technical or practical reason?

Finally, I think this was the same cellist as last week. However, either he has lost weight or one of the drawings is wrong. If you want to compare he is here.

 

Sketches in offices

Desk from corridor
Originally uploaded by travelingsuep

Last week I was waiting for a meeting with Luigi. Stood outside his office I started to sketch the chaos of the desk in the next office (there are glass doors).

I added the colour at home, which my scanner has made brighter) .

This week he was held up in another meeting, but this time I got to wait inside his office. Despite the snowy winter scene outside the window, I thought I would try another inanimate object... It seems to have twisted, so I must work on perspectives.

RAI Nuovamusica

I find going to a concert alone a bit daunting, but it was great for sketching, especially as the light in the auditorium wasn't too bad.

First off, in the bar with my pre-concert glass of red wine, these brothers came in and leaned casually over some coffees. I find the fashion of wearing trousers very low-slung strange as it makes the wearer appear to have very short legs. Worse, my drawing looks out of proportion.

Next, in the auditorium I drew some of the instruments whilst waiting for the concert to start. I liked the double bass lying at the front of the stage, and was fascinated as he played.

The conductor was not still throughout any of the pieces, so I recorded my impression of him.

 The second piece was played by four percussionists each with a xylophone plus drums, cymbals, whistles and other things. I started drawing the guy on the right face on, then he never stood that way again, which is why it looks like there were 5 musicians, plus the manic conductor.

 

 Along with my fascination with the bass player, I attempted to draw the lead cello too.

I had a thoroughly enjoyable evening, and I am quite pleased with my sketches too. 

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment please.

Cobbled streets

...make it difficult to sketch on buses. However, today I was brave enough to take my gloves off, albeit briefly, and did a sketch on my way to work lunchtime.

Then again on the way back, concentrating on people's hats, as everyone is wrapped up tightly against the cold.

Due to the cobbles I tried to make the strongest lines when at the bus stops, but was not always successful.

A winter industrial view.

 

My new apartment in Turin has a view of the mountains, over the rooftops of several factories. In my view, I actually have two cranes, which are on the other side of the river, alongside a gas container. On the mountain tops are power and satellite pylons. What a difference from my mountain view in Muscat. At least today the sun was out, although it's not in my picture.