Day 514 "Overpass" ink & pencils

I love the angular perspective of over and underpasses along the highways.  This is a shot along the lengthy ramp in Boston that snakes its way up from the congestion of the "if you lived here you'd be home now" Leverett Circle area, to Rte 93 North or South. Once you break free, you are on a long, luxurious ramp that flows under some fascinating structures and drops you onto the highway moving north.  I love the angles under here, and the movement.  I used a brush and added some india ink to the drawing, and then dropped in a hint of warmth in the tail lights and a couple of signs.  This line drawing is my five hundred thirteenth daily drawing, and transforming the drawing with ink is my five hundred fourteenth daily drawing effort.  Though contained in the same rectangle, I'm counting these as two separate daily drawing efforts.  Again, thank you for looking, and thank you for your comments.  You know I love them.

Day 284 "Get Your Hotdogs Here!" 7 x 9 ink & pencils

Our daughter gave us Red Sox tickets as an anniversary gift.  Though we have been to some Sox games over the years, I have not sat in the bleachers in decades.  It was a blast. The sun streams low over the left field wall for the 7:10 game time, and the spectators in part of the bleachers are lit by its golden glow as the rest of the park sits i shadow.  The hawkers caught my eye, scrambling up and down the stair selling pizza, hotdogs, popcorn, ice cream, water, and lemonade.  The last time I was in the bleachers, the most popular hawkers were the beer sellers, who could empty a tray of watered down cups of beer very in a blink.  They don't sell beer in the stands anymore; spectators have to leave their seats and travel down to the concourse. Makes for a much more reasonable night in the stands, but sometime this past week, I was describing our seats to someone who bemoaned the tame, dull bleacher seat experience available these days.  I loved being out there; beautiful, crisp summer evening... where you debate putting on the sweater you brought, but resist, knowing how great it will feel later when you finally don it; just like those late afternoons at the beach. 
This is my two hundred eighty-fourth daily drawing.  Thank you for your continued interest.  

Day 270 "Lincoln & Franklin - Brooklyn" pen & ink 12 x 9

I love examining the buildings on city streets.  They cut into the sky and descend in a variety of shapes, repetitive, and varied.  There is so much detail above the ground.  It is luxurious to sit still and observe all the nooks and embellishments.  This is the corner of Lincoln and Franklin in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.  You can see how I began the drawing yesterday.  
This is my two hundred seventieth daily drawing.  Thank you for continuing to look at the world through my eyes.  

Day 267 "Gueros" 7 x 9 ink and pencils

Another image from this past weekend in Brooklyn, NY.  Yesterday I posted the view from our wait outside Gueros taco restaurant.  After we ordered, we stood outside on the street to wait for our order.  As you can see, there is a line of customers working their way to the counter, where an efficient and personable couple of employees make sure your order is just right.  We waited on the street, had a nice conversation with a couple who arrived on their bikes.   They encouraged us to wait with one of Gueros 20 ounce margaritas, especially on a hot night. There was also a young woman who came out of the deli next door (see yesterday's post), dropped a bottle of iced tea, which exploded across the sidewalk.  She sighed, picked up the scraps and moved the glass against the building on the edge of the sidewalk before she moved on.  She became the subject of intense discussion between two tables of diners on the sidewalk 20 feet from the breakage.  One table was pleased that she picked up what she could and moved the rest to the side.  The other table was disgusted by the fact that she left broken glass on the street.  The discussion was heating up and I was fully engaged in eavesdropping (hey, open air, tables on the street...).  A few minutes later, the woman came back with brown paper bag, cleaned up all the glass, and disappeared into her building to applause from the two tables of diners.  So entertaining.  
This is my two hundred sixty-seventh daily drawing.  I was fascinated by the warm interior visible beyond the outdoor diners, and the complexity of the activity indoors as well as outdoors.  I chose to only color the interior because I loved the beckoning warmth and activity.  
Thank you for continuing to look at the world through my eyes. 

Day 266 "Prospect and Franklin" pen&ink 6 x 6

We spent last weekend in Brooklyn for a family wedding at the Botanical Gardens.  What a beautiful venue.  We stayed a couple of nights in an AirBnb in Prospect Heights.  We walked around the neighborhood the first night looking for dinner, and found Gueros Tacos.  What a spot... counter service, a few tables, and a line out the door for a variety of terrific tacos.   We ordered, and walked back to our apartment with take out, after waiting for a few minutes on the street, watching the city evening, including the train passing overhead.  This is the nearby street corner, Prospect & Franklin, and is my two hundred sixty-sixth daily drawing. Thank you for your continued interest and comments.
 

Day 230 "Downtown Crossing - Three Views" ink, marker, pencil 9 x 12

Don't you love the city buildings?  Sky peaks through between the vertical facades, while people scurry about down below.  These are three views of Boston's Downtown Crossing area, each from the same point of view, but with different focus.  I always enjoy the dynamic view, buildings shift as I take a step or two in any direction, and people constantly shifting the arrangement on the ground.  It's exciting.  
This is my two hundred thirtieth daily drawing.  Thank you for continuing to look at the world through my eyes.  

Day 207 "Skyline" 5 x 5 ink and watercolor

Don't you love this skyline?  The buildings overlap beautifully, with the Christian Science Church in the foreground.  I don't know what all the verticals are; in fact some look like concrete monoliths against the sky, without features... but they provide a great counterpoint to their ornate neighbors.  Boston is in a building boom.  I worry it will lose some of its vintage Childe Hassam appeal, but I think if you stay on the streets you will always be able to see and feel the wonderful details and history of this city.  
This is my two hundred seventh daily drawing.  Thank you for your continued interest.  

Day 206 "Walk Light" 9 x 12 pen & ink

I grabbed this image of people walking across the street at Boylston and St. Cecelia Streets.  I love the bustle of people coming and going, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends, with the backdrop of interesting buildings.  This is my two hundred sixth drawing.  Thank you for your continued interest.

Day 198 "St. Stephen & Symphony" mixed 9 x 7

I hopped into Boston recently to have dinner with my daughter.  We parked and walked through the sweet little streets behind Symphony Hall over to our favorite grill.  I love the quiet neighborhood with brownstones and interesting stoops and doorways.  When I looked over my shoulder at tone point, I saw the iconic YMCA sign above the brick houses.  When I lived in that neighborhood years ago, I used the Y as my gym.  It had a suspended wooden track above the basketball court space, a clever, and old design that maximized use of scarce city space.  I can hear it now, loud, shoes squeaking on the wooden court floor with the regular pounding of feet on the elevated track.  
This is my hundred ninety-eight daily drawing.  Thanks for looking at the world through my eyes.

Day 195 "What Can I Get You?" pen & ink 9 x 12

I met with some friends this afternoon to toast the onset of vacation.  I like the overlay of people in this visually stimulating spot.  Looking forward to the week off.  This is my hundred ninety-fifth daily drawing.  Thanks for your continued interest. 

Day 187 "Mercato" 9 x 10 ink and marker

Another image from the North End of Boston, caught one evening.  I love the warm glow inside the storefronts as people pass by on the streets in the evening.  There are 24 hour cannoli shops, and people on the streets at all hours.  It's lovely. This "mercato" or "market" has wine, cheese, olive oil... enough said.  Wonderful shop.    This is my hundred eighty-seventh daily drawing.  Thank you for your continued interest. 

Day 174 "Skyline by the Bay" 5 x 9 mixed

 I was in San Francisco a few months ago for a very quick visit.  I stopped along the bay late in the afternoon, looked over my shoulder to this lovely illuminated skyline.  It was magical.  This is my hundred seventy-fourth daily drawing.  Thank you for continuing to look at the world through my eyes. 

Day 161 "High Street" 9 x 6 pen & ink

Once again, I love the contrast of old and new buildings in Boston.  High Street has beautiful old buildings with intricate details on the corner, with tall, slick, skyscrapers behind them. I love the streets, love the detail, love exploring the contours with my pen.
This is my hundred sixty-first daily drawing.  Thank you for looking.  

Day 157 "Wendell Street" ink and markers 9 x 6

I headed into Boston early this morning, and wandered around the neighborhoods looking at the sun making its way between the buildings.  Downtown, I stopped on Wendell street, looking down this sweet alley, with a great layering of old against new, and sunlight reflecting from the new building back onto the old.  Very interesting.  
I love drawing the city buildings, examining their architectural details stories from the street.  As the city grows, I'm afraid these lovely notes will be harder to discover, as most new buildings seem very utilitarian and streamlined.  

Holding book up in front of the alley.

This is my hundred fifty-seventh daily drawing.  I love the city, and I love your thoughts about my drawings.  Thank you for looking.

Day 137 "Arlington Street" 5 x 9 mixed

Another scene that caught my eye in Boston.  Driving along Arlington Street with the Public Garden on the left, there is a great view down Arlington past the Arlington Street church toward the Park Plaza.  This was in the afternoon.  The sun is low in the west, which is to the right of the picture space, illuminating the flying flag.  I could study the light in the city all day.  
This is my one hundred thirty-seventh daily drawing.  Thanks for looking, as always.

Day 134 "Copley" 12 x 9 pen&ink

Any day walking through Boston provides contrast of new against old in the skyline.  Perhaps Trinity Church and the Hancock Tower provide the best example.  Here's a quick sketch of the area.  I like the juxtaposition of spires and towers against glass, and will explore it some more.  
Thanks for looking.  This is my  hundred thirty-fourth daily drawing.  I enjoy your thoughts.

Day 109 "Rive Gauche" mixed 7 x 9

A few years ago, we visited Paris on a school trip.  I fell in love with the city.  It is sparkling and elegant.  The buildings have sweet details, stories above the street.  Their profiles are lovely and beg the viewer to sit, have cafe, and observe.  The last night we were there with our group, we spent some time wandering the streets of the left bank, sat at an outdoor cafe and ate.  I can stumble my way through some rudimentary, decades-old French.  Our waitress addressed me and I bumbled along with her encouragement, succeeding in getting everything we wanted, including some escargot. I used pen and ink to lay out this drawing, then some watercolor pencils and some pastel pencils.  The pastel pencils were my mothers, and have beautifully chiselled points, by her hand.  It is very nice to hold them, knowing she did, too.  I remember seeing a Charles Woodbury drawing show at the MIT Museum with her years ago.  Mom pointed out the variety in his pencil marks, and told me they were the result of how he chiseled his pencil points.  

Here's an example of Woodbury's drawing with distinctive points on his pencil.
Thanks for looking at my 109th daily drawing.  I appreciate your attention and comments.

Day 97 "Volendam" 9 x 6 pen & ink

Years ago, my daughter and I took a school trip to several European countries.  We spent a couple of days in Holland, staying in Volendam, northeast of Amsterdam on the Markermeer  Lake.  I love the overlay of roof shapes and inviting sidewalks.  Soccer (or football) is very big here.  The town's color is orange, and our guide explained that huge celebrations were happening because the local team won a big tournament which elevated them to a higher level of competition.  We spent one of our days in Amsterdam, and upon return, found a parade celebrating the football team's recent championship. The street in front of our hotel was impassable, and we had 20 middle school students trying to navigate into the hotel.  Our guide, Louis, made a couple of quick phone calls and we found ourselves coming in through the back of the hotel, meandering through the laundry then the kitchen, and eventually up to our rooms where you could see the parade below, including all the orange streamers and confetti.  You can see the picture below.  

 This is my ninety-seventh daily drawing.  I am enjoying this daily exercise. Thank you for your continued attention.

Day 95 "Along Charles Street" 6 x 9 mixed

Charles Street, Boston, has an interesting group of shops, doorways, windows and is a fun stroll on an afternoon.  This doorway caught my eye with its grandeur and strong shadow pattern.  This is my ninety-fifth daily drawing.  Thank you for looking.

Day 91 "Hot Chocolate - Cold Day" mixed 6 x 9

Last week we spent a few hours in Boston on a cold, breezy day.  It was beautiful, crisp, not yet the single-digit cold that hurts your face.  We finished our time with a stop ie L.A. Burdicks Chocolate Shop.  I have walked by there many times, a little chalet-looking building off Newbury Street.  It is much 
bigger on the inside, with an interesting beamed ceiling with bright dormers.
I will make this a regular stop on chilly days in the city from now on.  The inside is filled with mirrors.  I loved the juxtaposition of  the still-bundled shoppers in the bright, cheerful, fragrant interior.