New Chopsticks

A grid of line, color, and texture is a quick and easy way to organize impressions when you're in a hurry or don't want to reduce a drawing to one focal point. It's a good exercise for beginners who think they can't draw, because anyone who can write their name can fill in a simple grid of close-ups.

I seldom use a grid, but on this day remembered the previous one I'd sketched at New Chopsticks. It's always fun to return to places and repeat drawings, and see how your vision has changed over time, what catches your eye, how you see differently.

Standing in line, Panini Opa

When a sketcher first ventures into drawing people, it is easier to draw them from the back, in a situation where they will hold still, for at least a few minutes.

Re: past

Weekend repasts

One of the best parts of childhood Sundays was coming home to the smell of my mother's roast beef dinner in the oven. Nowadays, we occasionally go to Cracker Barrel for a throwback to those meals, which were—themselves—a foretaste of the Marriage Supper to come.
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These sketches brought back the memory of Lyle Lovett's tribute to everyone whose stomach ever rumbled embarrassingly in a church service.
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The lower Sunflower sketch was begun in watercolor pencil. Ink was added after watercolor, to give definition where needed.

Around the table, around the sun

Seasonings

During the season of Great Lent,
so much depends upon the brown sprinkle of pepper,
the white glaze of salt.

carrot cake, fries

Rows of beautiful desserts line the display case at Panini Opa. Here I drew the carrot cake, as I waited in line.
The fries are always good. (The foil-wrapped gyro next to them needs a little work.)

Farm market

Yutzy's farm market added an open air fruit and vegetable barn this summer. Garage doors are raised on the west side, allowing easy unloading of produce and air circulation.

Panini Opa

Another quick sketch of the egg basket lights at Panini Opa. The longer you look at them, the more you notice the differences.

Baklava

The calm before the holiday (advertising) storm called for baklava.

Village Salad

Watching traffic flow past during lunch.

Wondering if driving by faith makes you a safer or a more reckless driver. Maybe more relaxed.

"Write-O"

Panini Opa, lights

I love drawing these egg baskets. They remind me of days long gone, and also give practice with ellipses and depth.

(As Gay Kraeger says in her Craftsy class, "I strive for imperfection." Roz Stendahl has coined the term  "write-o", for unintentionally creative hand-lettered spelling.)

Note: Watch for frequent Craftsy sales, when most classes are $19.99 or less.

Sunflower Chinese Restaurant, montage

I have heard Sunflower is now the only eatery in central Ohio offering Dim Sum.

(I thought the bas relief bird facing the dragon was a chicken but was told a phoenix is more likely.)

Rose Bush

Quick impression of light on rosebush, in a flower pot, at the entrance to Anna's Greek Cuisine. ( I am at sea without the anchor of an ink line.) Avgolemono soup highly recommended for those who are ill. I need to find an authentic recipe.

Plain City Florist

Once upon a time, this corner housed the public library.
There's a slight warp in this Pentallic paper, since the spill, that affects the photos. Wonder if it can be ironed out.

Wine bar at Panini Opa

Always enjoy eating here: delicious food, interesting menu, fair prices, friendly staff.

Panini Opa

Village salad, Philly cheesesteak, lemon chicken soup, moussaka, raspberry lemonade.

Panini Opa

I usually sketch the food or (egg basket) lights at Panini Opa. Here, I tried the statue on a small shelf. The woman has no head or hands. Her long dress has many folds.

Trying to copy Marc Taro Holmes, who does such a great job with this kind of subject. (Very limited time.) Drawn in (Pentel Graphgear) pencil, painted on a later visit.

 Although the statue is tones of cream and buff, I used color for fun. The red must have migrated from the wet adjoining page. The waterbrush I was using was a bit too blunt for the task.
Maybe I will darken the wall in the background.

Anna's Restaurant, Greek Cuisine

The main course didn't last long enough to draw. Babette's Feast could hardly have been better.

(I had a tendency toward the dread "hairy lines" here. Probably thinking of dessert.)

Village salad, Panini Opa

Wall hanging, Amul India

This restaurant has a delicious lunch buffet.

Grid: textures and patterns

View from my chair at lunch, New Chopsticks. Could use as ideas for carving linocuts.