"A Sketch Of A Grouchy Man…"

On many occasions, I've tried to capture this man. His name is Bobby McGee, and he always has this intense, cranky look on his face. He's the only member I know that is a member of the same health club I belong to. He tells me that he likes staying in shape and the senior center doesn't have enough physical activity for him. Of course, the many times I see him at the health club, all he seems to do is fraternize with the babes.

It's not like he doesn't smile, he does. It is just that when he is discussing his disgust, his face get like this.

And, this time, I got him.

Copyright 2014/ Ben Bensen III

"Thoughts On Being An Artist... And Scrambled Eggs!"

Okay, it is just a creamer... and a bit crooked!

I'm like any artist type. I get bored too easily and start to sketch or look out of windows instead of paying attention. Today, psychologist and educators label it as "attention deficit." I call it a chance to sketch, doodle, look out of windows, or fantasize. There's no need to delve into the various reasons for this sketch or to critique it as something worthwhile.

It is just a sketch... on the back of a restaurant flyer!

But, I'm a stickler for precise ellipses and this creamer's spout is either correct sitting on a incorrect bottom or the vase part is perfect and the pour spout is messed up. I'll let the viewer be the judge. The truth of the matter is, that I started the bottom part first and then got distracted by the topic of the speaker. It was a delicious business dinner, with great conversation, but when the topic at hand turned to business at hand, I started to sketch.

Somehow, someone got up and spoke about a topic I was interested in.

Looking back at my career, it is truly a testament to my talent that I succeeded at all. Every thing else is scrambled eggs!

Copyright 2014/Ben Bensen III

"Free Ice Cream And A PT-22 To Sketch"...

Okay, I'm guessing. This is a PT-22 Racer version of the military PT-22.

Well, okay. I admit I'm a sucker for anything free, especially if it is ice cream. I had been aloft perspiring for my craft for over an hour and as I descended to earth, someone mentioned that there was a refrigerator in the "commissary" of the museum where we could have our choice of ice cream sandwich, nutty buddy, fruit bar, polar bar or whatever other frozen goody was available.

Talk about a bunch of ten or twelve year olds racing to the chimes of an imagery ice cream truck... well, that was us. I grabbed a "nutty buddy,"sat down to chow down, and, as I did,  this is what was staring me down as I ate. I decided, amidst the third bite, that even though this Racer wasn't in the best attitude for defining her beautiful shape, it certainly was good enough to sit, and eat, and sketch.

Besides, I wasn't getting up real soon.

Since one hand was busy holding the frozen key to my childhood, I decided to use a more forgiving black Prismacolor pencil to render this aircraft with. The sketch is not that bad, and there are no chocolate stains there to help me render the form...

For better or worse!

Copyright 2014/ Ben Bensen III

"Sketching Up On The Roof"... Number Two!

Certainly, not one of my better takes!

With a Stearman type biplane in the background, I decided to try my hand at capturing the entire right side of the museum hangar. This was maybe too big to tackle and the finish leaves much to be desired, but it was the second sketch from above in the museum loft and I was starting to perspire...

No, actually, I was starting to sweat!

I believe I made my first mistake trying to count windows behind the biplane, and one can easily see that I miscalculated the distance it would take to complete the entire wall. From there, it was fake your ass off, which worked in the foreground, but not with the Stearman and its surroundings.

All in all, it is not that bad, but not up to par with other drawings I did on this trip. But, the concept of this blog,"SketchieThoughts" is to show the good with the, sometimes, not so good.

I won't get all lofty with that, "It's a process" thing, but I did create it, and for whatever reason, it wasn't working for me the moment I couldn't fit the entire wall of window panes into the sketch. I'm showing it to say, hey, I am not too old to realize my mistakes, and learn from them.

I guess...

Copyright 2014/Ben Bensen III