the cobblestone streets open the senses and it appears
an edible rapture of delight
peers through the window dressed in the finest of lace
an innocent invitation?
or touched by temptation?
select wisely young one .. une charlotte, des profiteroles, des beignets
there it is! .. the flawless Pain au Chocolat
can it actually be my favorite?
UNDENIABLY
perfection in design.
As I wait for my technologically challenged summer to come to a halt (scanner is on the fritz), I dig deeper in the archives and search for something that means as much now as it it did then. This is one of my favorite drawings from The American Museum of Natural History. This drawing, and the collection it comes from, were the start of several projects and led to a great job that allowed me to reportage the dinosaur show a few years ago. –Dominick
This is one of over a hundred drawings I made in Paris. I fell in love with Paris. This drawing in particular was produced inside the Chartres Cathedral. It caught my absolute attention. The sculpture just captures the perfect picture of what life in the spirit could be. The Cathedral itself was enormous, I think you could fit Notre Dame within its nave. You must make the trip if you have not, I must make the trip again because I have.
They had this thing called ‘art battles’ in the park area of my apartment complex. These four guys had two hours to make a painting in front of everyone and the crowd voted for their favorite. The winner gets a thousand bucks. There was one guy doing a pop-art kind of Statue of Liberty thing, I mean, it’s been done but he had a nice take on it. The other guy in this picture, I’m not sure what he was doing but he was trying something somewhat cubistic in nature and I liked him for giving it a shot! Then there was a graffiti type artist, mixed with a bit of manga, and the last guy was somewhat of a realist, copying a photo for his painting. He got the 1,000 dollars. I didn’t vote for the realist, I don’t know, the other three were more adventurous. It was fun to draw the crowd though, and the DJ was playing a lot of 80′s dance music, so I had a blast! I’d love to create the Studio 1482 art battles event! That would be terrific fun. – Veronica
CPDSA. This couple on the right were really enjoying watching the skaters/dancers and lovin’ the music – me, too! Margaret
So, as you’ve maybe noticed, most international holidays are just that, holy-days. Today in Spain, and many other countries, is the day to celebrate St. James.
Again, I did some quick research and found some fascinating things.
St. James was, among other things, a pilgrim. The symbol for pilgrims and people with no permanent home is the scallop shell. Sometimes the oyster shell. This is because, as they travel along the shores on their way to the holy land, they pick up shells and hold on to them for use as a utensil. This is my portrait of St. James with his scallop shell affixed to his shoulder, like a badge.
Drawing by: Despina
I thought I’d follow-up last weeks post with another from my time down at Disney. This drawing is from the Chinese Pavilion at EPCOT. I’m sure it’s nothing like the real thing, but it does offer a beautiful glimpse into the rich history of the culture.
In Dom’s edition yesterday, he said “One of the many things that makes reportage illustration so amazing is the idea that I can sit anywhere in the world, pull out my pen and ink, and draw. ” I couldn’t agree with him more. Funny thing is the drawing below was just that – done in pen and ink, (a crayon or two) on the spot, while sitting next to Dom in the gardens of the Château de Versailles a few thousand miles from home.
The secret is there’s really nothing as rewarding to a reportage artist than the experience of creating a drawing. It’s in that moment – whether it’s an image, a feeling, a thought, or a gesture – we know the opportunity to discover is priceless.
click for a larger image
So there we were, Dom and I in front of this gorgeous fountain, called Le Bassin d’Apollon, (a.k.a. The Fountain of Apollo). Like I mentioned before, it stands in the gardens of the Château de Versailles, (home of the Court of Versailles, once the centre of political power in France). The horses appeared so boisterous as they leaped out of the water’s edge it was irresistible. Not just to draw them, but to try to successfully capture how they felt.
Priceless I say. - Michele
urban trivia: The figure of Apollo at Versailles on the chariot of the sun is an allegorical allusion to Louis XIV who was popularly known as the Sun King because of his belief in the theory that the King was crowned by God and accountable to him alone.
One of the many things that makes reportage illustration so amazing is the idea that I can sit anywhere in the world, pull out my pen and ink, and draw. It is some strange hybrid of action drawings, happening, and plein air painting that makes the whole thing breath of life. Six months ago I found myelf in Washington, DC working once again—minus the sitting, and eventually the ink froze, but I did get in a few drawings the day of Barack Obama’s inauguration as President. I found this one in the pile of drawings that were not posted in April.—Dominick
Way too early.....
It’s 5:30 am on Sunday the 19th of July 2009 and a small group of artists are lined up at the White Columns down on Horatio St. We all wait anxiously as open casting calls take place for a reality TV project starring thirteen aspiring artists. The show is being developed by Bravo which brings Pretty Matches and the Emmy-nominated Magical Elves (”Top Chef,” “Project Runway”) and Eli Holzman, to produce an hour long TV Show. The artists will go against one another in a competition for a gallery show and win some USD’s. It was the first and most likely last time I do something like that. I had a great time and met some wonderful people and learned way too much about myself.
Met lobby
Reading Greg’s post the other day and seeing his drawing of Main Street put my thoughts also to Disney World and the happy summers I spent drawing there as a student of the late David J. Passalacqua. Dave taught me a lot about reportage illustration and a lot about life. This weekend marks the fifth anniversary of his passing, so I’m posting this drawing in honor of him. I drew these ragtime musicians years ago at the park – it’s a drawing of mine that he always liked. One of the last things Dave said to me before he passed was, “do it with what I taught you.” It’s amazing how much of his teaching I hear in my head when I’m on a reportage assignment. It is my hope to have a similar good influence on my own students some day. Thanks Dave. Veronica
Another CPDSA drawing. The dred locks are flying here! Another great skating day in Central Park!
I want to edit this blog from yesterday and acknowledge Dave’s anniversary. It’s been five years, and five symbolizes change. So, change is on my mind, moving forward, living life! To a great teacher, with thanks! Margaret
Obon (お盆) or just Bon (盆) is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the departed (deceased) spirits of one’s ancestors. -Wikipedia
The custom usually lasts for three days during the middle of July. Like the Mexicans and their Day of the Dead, the Japanese mark these days with dancing, singing and feasts. At the end, there are fireworks and people light floating lanterns on rivers to symbolize the spirits on their way to the world of the dead.
As I read about all this, I was reminded of a drawing I had made:
click for a larger image
I think I just may light a candle today.
Looking through some drawings I came across this one from Main Street USA (at the Magic Kingdom). I’ve spent many summers drawing down in Walt Disney World. And as soon as the weather turns warm, my thoughts always seem to go there. For many reasons, it is the most wonderful place I’ve ever been, and though I won’t be going down there this year, I will be thinking about it. Greg Betza
mbedigian©2009
Over the weekend I caught up with a few friends I had met in Paris a few years back in the gorgeous, (I mean GORGEOUS) musée Rodin, a museum dedicated to the life and work of master artist, August Rodin.
Their first time in America, I was excited to see them. We met in Bryant Park for a breakfast picnic. The weather was ideal to sit and people watch for a bit so I drew some, ate some, talked some and loved every minute of it. Here’s a drawing of a neighbor on the lawn enjoying a good summer read.
…till next week! – Michele
I have been drawing the Second Avenue Subway construction in New York City for a couple of years now. I haven’t had the time to get to the site lately but I found two drawings that I did and scanned but forgot all about at the beginning of the year. Some days I can’t even tell what they are doing, this was one of them. All I know was it was February and everyone was getting wet as they drilled into the roadway and water came gushing out. Check out the rest of the subway drawings in the Life on Second section on dominicksantise.com.—Dominick
Reptile!
“All deception in the course of life is indeed nothing else but a lie reduced to practice, and falsehood passing from words into things.”
-Robert Southey 1774-1843
Iago is a fictional character in Shakespeare’s Othello who entangles everyone around him in a web of lies to serve his own purpose.
I find that if you listen twice as hard as you speak you tend to weed out the reptiles. If you look hard enough you may even catch a glimpse of their tongue just splitting at the end.
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