The "Trocks"

We watched the "Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo" show at the Joyce Theater in Manhattan, NY last weekend.  Fun show! 

Got there earlier than the 8:00 PM showtime so I had time to sketch the theater goers.  Our upper level seats were the nearest to the aisle section which was great to move in and out, in case we need to.  Sketching kept me busy before the theater dimmed the lights and curtains drawn up.  I also tried sketching blind contour in the dark except that they move so quickly on stage,  I abandoned that idea.  The original group was started in the 1970's so it's now 5 decades old and still running.  Who knew men can dance well en pointe?

 

A Collab with Ming

My work colleague, Ming, patiently waited for weeks ever since he marked these pages for me.  Actually, he explained it was his signature with a star on it.  I kept looking for an appropriate scene to work on his page and I found one not too far from work.  It was done this week on two different after work hours.  Last night, I finished working on the sketch.  This morning, I made a video of it.

Commuter Sketch on Car 9568

Last week, on the return home that evening in an almost empty coach, I closed my left eye and sketched what my right eye could see. I noticed my right eye immediately drawn inward to the left lens view.  There appears a parallax effect between what my right eye could partially see from my left eyeglass lens and the full view of my right eyeglass lens.  As noted on the page, I slouched into my seat to get this perspective of looking up the overhead rack shelf.

A finished Sketcbook!

It took me two months to fill this sketchbook with daily train commute sketches and other doodles of figures and gestures.  So happy to work on a new sketchbook!

Commuter Sketch on Car 6129

Yes, you see that right.  Car 6129.  A number NOT in the 9000 series cars I've sketched before.  It felt nostalgic to ride on one because the interior design was dated.  These cars were built in the mid 1990's and the diesel locomotive was probably built in the mid 1980's.  They're still running these on the Metro North New Haven Line.  The handle bar and the front wheel of the folded motorized scooter seen off-centered here. 

 

Commuter Sketch on Car 9301

I can't wait to use up all the pages in this sketchbook.  A more recent entry was this morning commuter sketch done on November 22, 2021.  The mid-section seats offer this nice view of the train commuters.  Except for the lady to my right and the one across the aisle, no one else knows I was sketching them.

A Food Cart Vendor at Grand Central Terminal

I made a quick sketch of a food cart vendor near the Vanderbilt Avenue entrance to the Grand Central Terminal over a week ago.  Once I got home, I added some watercolor wash to it.  This evening, I saw the same food cart vendor and couldn't resist showing the sketch to him.  Basically, I wanted to add a name to the food cart vendor in my sketch.  He was amazed and asked if he could have it.  "I don't tear out a page of my sketchbook" was my reply to Moustafa but I did let him take a picture of it instead.

Commuter sketch on 8:20am train

I missed the previous train by a couple of minutes.  For this sketch, I added the bold random marks to make it more interesting since I don't know what will come out from the sketch.  Except that it would be something I have observed on the train.

Commuter Sketch on Car 9296

Friday evening on the return home, there was an incident on the tracks near the Harlem 125th Street Station in resulting in suspended train activity.  We were stopped on track at the station for about 1.5 hours total before the train got moving again.  Apparently, a trespasser was lying on the track and the police had to get that person off the rails.  Suffice it to say, it was a confusing and chaotic period of time for passengers especially the ones with children in tow.  The train crew opened some car doors and let the passengers get off the platform to have some air.  Some passengers decided it was best to hire a car ride instead. I wasn't going anywhere and I find it a good time to continue with my window reflection sketch.

Subway commuter sketches

Last Sunday, I was enticed to join the sketch outing in Central Park by the Belvedere Castle upon seeing a live feed of the NYC USk group.  Got there late because of the train delays due to the NYC Marathon Day event.  Lots of people in the city and the subway.  I didn't mind the wait because I was doing the subway commuter sketches.

 

Commuter Sketch on Car 9534

Sketching is my end-of-day meditation and relaxation activity while on the train.  Here I sketched the window reflection of a newsprint reader.   Not very many of them newsprint reader these days.  Just a hand and a bit of the newspaper indicate a passenger was behind this seat directly in front of me.   The coat jacket hanging on the fold out coat hook was what attracted me first to this scene.

East 41st Street and Madison Avenue scene

I walked past some construction workers in front of a Deli yesterday morning on the way to work.  Above this deli store is a fortune teller shop.  Out front, the street ad sign says "PSYCHIC - $10 Special".  I wonder what that "$10 Special" means.   I was attracted to the orange barriers so I had to sketch it.  It's this kind of city scene that makes it so interesting.

W 38th and 5th Avenue Scene

This building used to be the Lord & Taylor's Building on 5th Avenue which was bought and owned by WeWork before getting acquired by Amazon.  I was attracted to the scaffolding and since I pass by this route almost daily after work,  I kind of knew what I would like to capture in the scene.  Now that I'm no longer intimidated in drawing people, I see it as a fun way to make the sketch more interesting.    

Commuter Sketch on Car 9193

I barely made it on the 7:59am train to Grand Central Terminal but I had the two seater all to myself.  Not much of a view from my seat.  Since I've been doing a lot more of this daily commute sketches, I want to draw some variety from what I see.  It's a bit problematic at times since the car interior doesn't change.  The view is always the same.  The commuter always add to the scene but it's a bit tricky to navigate the sketch lest I get caught sketching them.  

Commuter Sketch on Car 9135

These ladies were captured within view on the morning commute to the city.  Two of them busily entertain themselves with the mobile phone.  I think the lady in front of my seat, too, as does most of the passengers on the train.  Me, I have my sketchbook to capture and sketch the start of my workday.

The Big "C" Collaboration Work

I was mulling on this idea of doing a collaboration work with the black marker series.  In today's sketch meet, at Inwood Hill Park, I brought out my marker and asked Suzala and Jeffery if I could "collab" with them.  All they needed to do was to mark a clean sheet of paper for me and I will do the rest.  I think it went well.

There goes the Summer!

Last Saturday's warm weather was perhaps the one last summer-like temperature we'd have for quite some time.   It was just fitting that day to enjoy a glass of wine at our favorite winery, the Hopkin's Vineyard in New Preston, CT.  There was afternoon entertainment going on and this lovely couple in front of us was there to enjoy it, too.

Commuter Sketch on Car 9204

I missed my usual 6:39 PM train, and the next one after that, because I had to work late the other night.  On the next local train at 7:15 PM, it wasn't as crowded so I had the whole seat to myself.   The inside-the-train window reflection was a good scene for a sketch practice.  Once I got home, I added some watercolor and I was quite pleased with the results.

 

Sketch Location: Roosevelt Island

Last Sunday's USk sketch meet at Roosevelt Island was well attended.  So nice to meet new friends and also reconnect with those I haven't seen in a while.  It was a sunny, cold, and windy day but a beautiful crisp autumn day nevertheless.   Great views down stream the East River when you're at the southern tip of the FDR State Park. That day, I chose to sketch this view of midtown Manhattan near the United Nations Headquarters.  Newer high-rise buildings seem to go up at record pace in New York City these days.

The Columbus Circle and Monument

It rained a little bit on our drive down to the city on Sunday.  Anne bought a ticket to see a show at the David H Koch Theater at the Lincoln Center and didn't want to commute by train.  It was a 2.5 hours long show so I used the wait time to sketch the nearby Columbus monument.  Up on the second floor of The Shops at Columbus Circle, you can see the monument and a good portion of the West 59th Street.  Tomorrow is the Columbus Day holiday, also celebrated as the Indigenous Peoples Day. 

 

A Fire Alarm Call in Nyack, NY

We have just arrived at a corner shop on S Broadway and Burd Street in Nyack, NY when the blaring siren came tearing through the street.  A small fire alarm apparently got triggered in another shop not too far from where we were.  Since I already had my sketchbook out anyway, I did a sketch reportage.  Didn't have my phone on me (I left it in the car) so I wasn't able to take an on-site pic.  Color added later at home.

 

Sketch Location: DUMBO

DUMBO is an acronym for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass.  We were there this past weekend to sketch a scenic view of the Manhattan Bridge from Front Street.  You can even see the Empire State Building framed by the bridge's pillar arch.  It's a famous and popular sport for pictorials thus many tourists and onlookers.

In the afternoon, I sat among the many tourists taking a rest on the rows of benches nearby the East River.  There was a fantastic view of Jane's Carousel, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the skyline of Lower Manhattan in the background.  I have new fountain pen with a non-permanent blue black ink cartridge that I used for sketching.  Not exactly the fine nib I want but it was okay to use for sketching.  A little too wet and make a broader line for my preference.  In the end, I used a water brush to make instant shading from the water soluble ink.  Mixed with Burnt Sienna, it was just fine for a minimalist sketching setup.  I think it worked well for this scene.

  
  

Sketch Location: Governors Island

The NYC Urban Sketchers met at the Governors Island the first Autumn Sunday.  The first ferry ride from Manhattan, 10 South Street port departs at 10:00 am but since I got there much earlier, I spent some time sketching the nearby scene.  Here are some people gestures.

We Urban Sketchers gathered together and took the first ferry out to Governors Island.  For the morning session, I sketched this view at the Nolan District.  The red Adirondack chairs caught my attention.  Then a biker came along and plunk himself down on one.

For the afternoon session, I focused on the park visitors enjoying the view near the Castle Williams.  Like them, I found an unoccupied lounger, which was very comfy for my sketching.   This view was looking west toward Jersey City and the Staten Island Ferry ply this waterway on schedule.  I didn't want to get up from that prized seat but it was time for the group to gather and do the show and tell (my favorite part of the weekend outings).  Thus another enjoyable weekend of sketching with my Urban Sketchers group.

Sketch location: Green-Wood Cemetery

The NYC USk sketch location was at the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY.  I've always wanted to sketch the architectural beauty of the main entrance to the cemetery.  Near the entrance, you can hear the loud green parrots that took residence on the upper reaches of the entrance towers.  On that beautiful autumn like day, I could have easily driven my car to Brooklyn but I opted to use the public transportation.  As always, it was a fun outing with the NYC Urban Sketchers.

A Commuter Sketch on Car 9222

On Wednesday, I made the 7:59am semi-express train to Grand Central Terminal.  I took the available seat toward the rear section of this car where I had a good view of the train conductor doing his job collecting fares/tickets from the riding public.  Luckily, I observed him fast and got his stance right on this sketch.  The lady passenger got up from her seat once we passed the last station and before arriving at Fordham Station.  The picture was taken after we reached destination.  P.S.  I just noticed the date 9222021 and the car number 9222.  Some coincidence.

A Commuter Sketch on Car 9639

It was one of those mornings when I have the two seater row to myself. One row over, another passenger got the three seater to himself, too. All I could spy was part of his legs, maybe the hands on the phone, but mostly the fairly new black Timberland work boots. And that was what I sketched on that trip to work.

The Orange Cones

It was a scene I couldn’t resist sketching after work last Wednesday and I know it wouldn't be there for another day. Con-Edison workers at the corner of 5th Ave and 38th Street in Manhattan. The bright orange cones drew my interest. Added pen colors at home.

The Charging Bull Sculpture

A sketch of The Charging Bull sculpture from last Sunday's NYC USk outing in the Financial District. There wasn't a line of people yet when I got there before 10am. Took as selfie before positioning myself in between the stalls of nearby street sidewalk souvenir vendors. Soon the tourists came and I start filling my sketch with fun figures.

Michael and Willy the Python

Went sketching at the Financial District in Manhattan with the NYC USk group last Sunday. After lunch, I headed out to the pier at Battery Park where I saw this young fellow with a Burmese Albino Python pet hanging around his neck like an 80 lbs necklace. I would later learn Michael is the owner of "Willy" the Python.

Each time a ferry start docking to unload passengers, Michael would enthusiastically call the tourist's attention with raised hands, shouting "Do NOT be afraid, Do NOT be afraid!", "Put them on you!", "It looks good on me, it looks BETTER on you!" "Who's next?, Who's next?" I've seen several tourists line up to get their chance for a picture with Willy hanging over their neck at $10 a pop.

A Commuter Sketch on CAR 9161

I don't know what sketch will develop once I board my train but I first note down the car number, date and time. Yesterday morning, I started this sketch with her partially visible elbow, hoping to make it down to her shiny black rubber rain boots, until she shifted out of view. The man behind her seat came into focus as I noticed his weathered brown boots. And it just grew from there until I ran out of space on this page.

A Car Show Sketches

A car show was held last month to benefit a local church.  I got there late in the afternoon and most of the car exhibitors were wrapping up for the day.  This shiny black 1939 Chevrolet sedan was so interesting to sketch but even more interesting were this couple seated in picnic chairs just behind the car.  I suppose they were the owners.  And then this sketch of another car that I forgot to mark down the model year.  Again, I became more interested in the people nearby.

Labor Day Concert and Fireworks

The Town of Harrison, NY held a Labor Day concert and fireworks show on Sunday evening.  It was nice to see the fireworks show push through even though the setup area got flooded several days ago due to heavy rain from Hurricane Ida.  Some rain also occurred today in the afternoon.  To sketch this scene, I stood at the corner Halstead Ave and Macy Street looking in the direction of Oakland Avenue.  First, I tried using my new Platinum Century 3776 FP in 14k SF nib but the lines came out too wide to my liking.  I switched to the trusted Zebra F-301 and got the results I wanted.

The "Rigoletto" Opera at Bryant Park

Friday night, I made a stop at the Bryant Park Picnic Performance before catching the 7:36 PM train home.  Featured last Friday was the New York City Opera - "Rigoletto"   I started this new sketchbook (a gift from a friend) and was able to draw parts of the orchestra rehearsal, the gentleman in khaki jacket, and a stage scene. This is what I like about working in the city.  There are many things to capture in a sketch.  If only there's more time....