Category Archives: Look at That! book

Perspective difficulties? Try planting fence posts!

If you’re struggling with getting the perspective right when you’re drawing buildings, take it from me, you’re not alone. I’ve been drawing buildings in urban scenes and country scenes for decades, and my success in achieving credible perspective has been … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Look at That! book, Pencil sketching, Seeing and looking, sketching, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity) | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

99¢ is practically free!

This coming week, from November 7th through 13th, my first book, Look at That! will be available in eBook form for a mere 99 cents! It’s a promotion that Amazon.com and Amazon.ca are doing, and at that price, of course, … Continue reading

Posted in Cartoons, Look at That! book, Pen & Ink, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity), Watercolor | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Downshifting to autumn tempo

The only thing that beats my love of words and watercolor is having people to share both with. I’m sitting in my favorite cafe, Bean & Bakery in Concord NH, indulging in the most amazing pumpkin raisin muffin I’ve ever … Continue reading

Posted in 2- Bolts: Sketching Tools, Book #2: Double Take, Look at That! book, Musings on Life, Sketchbooks, Sketching tools | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Why Beauty Matters, Now More Than Ever

“Art once made a cult of beauty; now we have a cult of ugliness instead.” – Sir Roger Scruton, Why Beauty Matters, BBC 2, 2009 I just spent a delightful afternoon watching a film made by an unexpected ally: the … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Book #2: Double Take, Look at That! book, Musings on Life, Tip Jar | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

I did a terrible job explaining viewfinders…

… but this guy does a great job. Our approaches are somewhat different, but the point is the same. He shows how to make a clear plastic viewfinder, as well as the “hole in the index card” style that I … Continue reading

Posted in Book #2: Double Take, Look at That! book, Pen & Ink, Pencil sketching, Seeing and looking, Sketching tools, Tip Jar, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity), Watercolor | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Time to do a DOUBLE TAKE!

As of 6pm, June 30th, 2022, the draft of my second book, Double Take, is now in my editor’s hands! His edited version of all 38,000 words should arrive in my inbox tomorrow. That will be the first time I … Continue reading

Posted in Book #2: Double Take, Look at That! book, Musings on Life, My Story, Tip Jar, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My watercolors are lonely!

I’m sure you’ve been here too. It’s super hot out, or really humid, or maybe buggy, and you’d love to fit in some time sketching outdoors, but oh my, naw, maybe later… Then you think, “Maybe if I pull out … Continue reading

Posted in Book #2, Look at That! book, Sketching tools, Watercolor, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

What a year it has been.

A year ago yesterday I published the Kindle version of my book, Look at That! Discover the Joy of Seeing by Sketching. Two days later, a year ago tomorrow, the paperback version became available. In the last 12 months, 3,353 … Continue reading

Posted in Look at That! book, Seeing and looking, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Learning how to slog, again

If this post sounds familiar, that’s good! It was originally published on July 15th, 2021 and soon after, I got cold feet. I mean, really cold feet. Cold enough for me to sign up for an eight-week online art course … Continue reading

Posted in Book #2, Look at That! book, Musings on Life, My Story, Seeing and looking, Tip Jar, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Goldilock’s Sketching Travel Kit

It has suddenly jumped from almost-too-cold to almost-too-hot to be sketching outdoors, which means there’s no time to waste in fine-tuning my art-supply travel kit. I say “travel,” but in truth for me, “travel” usually means leaving my third-floor loft … Continue reading

Posted in Look at That! book, Look-at-That! Pouches, Pen & Ink, Sketchbooks, Sketching tools, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity), Watercolor | Tagged , , | 2 Comments