A couple of the weekend sketches from golfing in Michigan.​ Keep the tools simple: sketchbook, pencil, micron pen, and water brush (with india ink). Saturday was TPC Michigan. A little chilly to start with but warmed up nicely. Sunday was Oakhurst Golf and Country Club. Threatening rain all day, we had to walk the first nine, because of all the rain overnight, but we could get in a cart for the second nine. Finished just before the downpour! Timing is everything.

Sometimes you just need to change things up!
I usually create art that is detailed and realistic. I believe drawing skills are critical. And I think it's not until you can draw realistically that you can leap to stylized and abstracted works… in my little brain anyway. So here we go...
I started with some very quick sketches (mere minutes) completed on the golf course. Too little time for details. A few pencil lines. Some simple shapes. Maybe a micron pen. Maybe add some tone. Later at home, I had fun creating these colourful, stylized pieces of art. Each is approximately 4 inches by 4 inches. Inspired by a logo I worked on a few months back, where the client wanted an old feel - like a woodcut. 

Played a little golf over the Christmas break. A long drive to South Carolina, but missed the nasty weather here in Ontario, CA. Colder than normal temperatures in Myrtle Beach, but played 5 rounds of golf.  The course I liked the best was World Tour Golf Links. After the round, while enjoying a Yuengling Traditional Lager, I sketched the 18  holes in my sketchbook with Micron pen and graphite. 

I have been invited to show 3 pieces of my golf course artwork at a plein air exhibition at Westland Gallery. The French term plein air means out of doors and refers to the practice of painting entire finished pictures out of doors. My artworks are not really paintings, but rather charcoal drawings that were completed on location. The more interesting part is that I made the charcoal from trees on that very golf course.

Name: Plein Air Group Exhibition 2022 (Various Artists)
Dates: June 7th to June 25, 2022
Live Painting in Wortley Village: Friday, June 17th from 4 - 7 pm and Saturday, June 18th from 9 am to noon

​Spring is that time of year… time to clean and organize. Starting with my studio, which was quite a disorganized mess, I must say.  And it’s amazing what you find. I have so many drawings that I have forgotten about. These little graphic illustrations we all created in 2016, and have been sitting in a box ever since.
These are all golf-related. Some are specific golf holes and some are based on places I have played. If I choose to create more, I think I should leave off the actual golf course reference, as they really could relate to many other courses and holes around the world. Some of the locations are Blue Springs Golf Course, Emerald Hills Golf Course, and Heron Point Golf Links. The illustration with the bridge was based on a hole from the World Tour Golf Links in Myrtle Beach. This particular hole was inspired by the 12th at Augusta National, one of the most photographed holes in the world.
It is the season to think and dream about golf!

I played my final round of golf for the season on November 13 (only front nine was open). 9 Holes + 4 extra, just because the opportunity was there. Played one of my best front nines of the season. Probably because - I was not expecting to play, it was quite cold, too many clothes for golf, so I had no expectations. It was relatively warm, when the sun poked out a few time, but temperature dropped as we were finishing. One final post round beer and we look forward to next season of golf!
For the next five months or so, I have so much time to do artwork! And now I have an extra day at home (no work Wednesdays) I have even more time. My "artwork to do" list just keeps growing. Check back to see my progress and new works.

I am still working on my "sketch every day" challenge. When I play golf, which is usually 2, sometimes 3 times a week during golf season, that is where my daily sketch is completed. Since I made charcoal from willow sticks that I collected at Greenhills Golf Course, it is where I have been sketching with the charcoal. It is a challenge, as the charcoal is bigger chunks than I am used to working with. I am most comfortable with fine detail and working small. This is forcing me to work a little larger, and I think that is a good thing!
First 2 sketches below are from Saturday and Sunday last weekend. Last drawing was created yesterday morning at home using a photo as reference. I like the first 2 quick and free sketches better than the tight and controlled last one.  I had too much time to "think" about it, work at it, and worry about ruining good paper. FYI - 140lb watercolour costs $10 to $15 per sheet.
I think (or rather... I know)  I have more work and practice ahead of me, to be able to create the picture I am expecting to create.

My process starts by picking up sticks, found near the willow trees on No. 18 at Greenhills Golf Course. Next you have to peel all the bark off the sticks. Cut the sticks to fit in the small tin can to be used as a kiln, which is just an old tea container. Visit friends to have a beverage, conversation, and fire the kiln. Wait until the next morning, when it’s cool enough to open and voila charcoal! Success, first attempt making charcoal! Then off to the golf course and test the charcoal our with a few quick sketches.

Charcoal is one of the oldest drawing media, appearing in cave paintings dating back 28,000 years. The medium has been refined, bound with wax or gum into sticks and pencils, and can be easily purchases at an art supply store. But making charcoal from sticks picked up on the course and then creating artwork of that course seemed like a fun process.

Charcoal can be used to produce either a soft or strong line. It can be erased without difficulty. It can be smudged to produce a different effect. Now to sketch and practice some more using the freshly made charcoal!