Hair’s up

Line drawing of a woman at the airport

I don’t know if I did this woman’s hair justice, but it was the reason I drew her. She had so much hair just all wrapped up and there was something very unusual about her hairline. Sometimes that’s all it takes to make me get the pen out and draw. Greg Betza ©2023

View post →

Xochimilco

I’ve wanted to visit Xochimilco, the “Venice of Mexico City,” ever since I saw my friend Kati Nawrocki’s brilliant reportage of it. And I have to say, it did not disappoint! Color galore, beautiful greenery and friendly people, the Mexico City staples, plus our own personal mariachi band playing for us as we drifted along […]

View post →

Sunflowers

drawing of sunflowers

It was my daughter’s birthday this week and I bought her a few sunflowers. She’d never shown any particular interest in them, but they were beautiful so I bought them anyway. What a great idea that turned out to be. She’s been carrying them around all week! One of the flowers in my drawing snapped […]

View post →

Happy 4th of July weekend

Hoping you all enjoy the long Fourth of July weekend! 🦞🌞 🇺🇸 This #drawing of #RedBankNJ is from a #reportage job for New Jersey Monthly magazine a few years back. I thought it felt appropriate for the holiday. #fourthofjuly #illustration #marina #lobster Greg Betza ©2023    

View post →

for pride

Every year on the first Sunday in June, the Queens Pride parade makes its way along 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights. It’s a great tradition since 1993, and I try to get out there every year to draw it: To support my LGBTQIA friends and family and also, because it’s fun. The message this year […]

View post →

Looking around

thumbnail sketches of succulents and plants

I drew a few empty boxes as the light was getting low outside. This helped hide some of the extraneous detail of these plants, and I just went ahead and did some designing for fun. As is often the case I don’t really know where this is leading, but it was good to do. A […]

View post →

Happy Memorial Day. Sharing gratitude for all who have served.  Drawn at the Intrepid during Fleet Week, a NYC tradition. The lady at bottom right sat right in front of the ship calling all the sailors over to her – “Wait a minute! I’m an old lady! I need a picture with you!” And, they […]

View post →

What coronation?

This past weekend I was in Gainesville, Florida, to celebrate my step-daughter’s graduation from the University of Florida (congrats Danielle!) It also happened to be the weekend of the coronation of King Charles III. The graduation was Friday, and I thought it would be great to draw the coronation from a watch party at a […]

View post →

One Minute Poses

For artists – and art students – drawing from the model is so important. It’s not just about learning to draw the human form, it’s also and more importantly about discovering your innate sense of design, taste, and empathy as an artist. These are a few one-minute drawings of @taylor.kindred that I made yesterday morning […]

View post →