"On Second Look... It Ain't That Bad!"

Chino's Focke-Wulf...

One of the really cool things about the Planes of Fame in Chino, California is that they have some awfully unique aircraft and many of them are actually flyable like this German FW-190. The plane was practically deconstructed when I sketched this, so I assumed it wasn't gonna be flying on the day I was attending the air show. Many of the panels were opened or taken off for maintenance and I thought all those square panels would make a pretty cool drawing, but I ran out of gas on that hot summer day and only got this far.

I didn't show it originally because I was quite frustrated with the effort. It didn't go where I expected it to go,  but looking over this sketch and, some others that are floating around in that "blog vacuum, " I decided that it really wasn't all that bad.

Copyright 2014/Ben Bensen III

"Three Girls,Three Sketches..."

Three Girls, Three Sketches, Three Styles...

Another one of those sketches from a local Starbucks that I haven't posted since it has been drawn. All of the "models" were all busy multi-tasking, so I had to keep it quick. I prefer the one on the right though the drawing looks pretty static, she sat still long enough for me to capture her.

The one in the middle was very quick since she was at the coffee bar waiting for her libation. I like that I captured something... in about a minute.

And, the drawing to the left is one that I labored over because she sat across from me for over an hour. You can't tell by my drawing, but she was quite beautiful with big, dark eyes, raven hair, high cheek bones, and a very definitive jaw line. She was also very pregnant. Three times within that hour she came over to me and asked that I watch over her table full of electronic devices.

On the third request, I teasingly replied," Oh, that's enough, don'tcha think?"

Copyright 2014/Ben Bensen III

"Sketches From The ASAA Forum"

One is Keith, one is Peggy, one is Mike and the other...

One morning, at the ASAA seminar, we had three or four presenters and speakers. They were all incredible talking about their art, professionalism, business practices, and lifestyles, but the most interesting, and long winded, was the veteran WWII pilot and career Air Force man, Steve Pisanos.

Wikipedia writes...

He was born in November 10, 1919 as Spiros Pisanos (Greek: Σπύρος Πίσανος)) του Νικολάου και της Αθηνάς) is a USAF Colonel (retired) who served successfully as a fighter pilot with the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and the United States Air Force (USAF) 4th Fighter Group in World War II, having been credited with 10 victories and thus considered an ace.^[1] By the end of his career in 1974, he received 33 decorations and distinctions. He is author of the book The Flying Greek, published in April 2008, where he has meticulously recorded all of his personal adventures and detailed war fighting experiences. The book is commented by his friends and renowned USAF aviators Gabby Gabreski and Charles Yeager.

To say this man had a colorful life is to totally underestimate his contributions to our democratic view of the world. What an ambassador for America and all we fought for and stand for. He spoke for almost an hour, with much humility and humor, and he spoke like you'd expect a Greek to speak...

With his hands!

I originally attempted to sketch his large, expressive hands, but he moved them so much telling his story, that I gave up and just decided to put the pen down and enjoy.

Copyright 2014/ Ben Bensen III

"Add One More Color And She Could Celebrate Mardi Gras... All Year Long!"

A cellphone photo, Kristen was kind enough let me shoot!

What color this week? Since I last sketched Kristen, she has decided not to let her hair grow out, but did color it purple and green. Add one more color and she could celebrate Mardi Gras all year long, ha!

One thing's for sure, this is Kristen in final sketch form. I showed this to Kristen and she was "politely" impressed. As I got to know her a little bit, I realized that she has her plate full. Don't need to go into one's private life to do a sketch, but I found out she has to drive from Baton Rouge to Mandeville, three times a week to get to work at the Mandeville Starbucks. That's about a sixty or seventy mile trek, one way!

Things will slow down a bit when her daughter goes back to school, she said.

Sure hope so…

Copyright 2014/Ben Bensen III   

"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