More Airport Sketches

These are from my recent trip to Florida. I flew down on Saturday and worked Sunday afternoon through Wednesday, then flew back on Thursday. So I had time to sketch in airports, and time to sketch a little on Saturday and Sunday there at Universal in Orlando. Those sketches were more detailed drawings, and are for another post. Here is the Mexican band which was playing in Raleight-Durham Airport on Saturday when I flew down. They were by the ticketing area, and so I went right over and sketched them. I love that the shortest and widest musician was also playing the shortest proportioned and the widest instrument. It was as if he here playing a short necked cello as a guitar, or a guitar proportioned like a cello. I'd forgotten about this unusual instrument - I haven't seen one in many years. These guys were pretty good, and lots of fun.

Then, with my boarding pass printed and bag checked, I sat down and did a drawing to try to capture the sweeping open beauty of the new terminal, with it's wood and cables and metal connectors. The very first time I ever saw it the construction reminded me of the style and materials used by the Wright brothers on their first plane - and I wonder if that's what the architect intended. I wish they would suspend one of the replicas of the plane from the ceiling.

This sketch was done with people coming and going at my gate, built up gradually while I waited to board. Nothing makes the time go faster than sketching.

These all feel unrelaxed and forced to me - and they felt that way when I drew them. Later, in Florida, I got more into the drawings, and relaxed more. Practicing a little nearly every day is the only way to make progress, and to regain the quick connection with the right side of the brain which is so necessary to doing good drawing.

On the last day, after the other sketches (separate post, as I said above) I was again in the airport, waiting for my departure home. I could not resist this scene, and the style is more relaxed, and more effective. This sketch made me feel I was ready for a figure drawing session when I got home. But that is yet another post...