Two Sketches: In the Breeze and In the Sun

 

Profile, Breeze
(c) Sarah Myers 2020
Pen on paper

    What if we were surrounded by a beautiful, refreshing breeze?  Or what if we were sitting out in the bright sun, with a jaunty hat?

   Two different kinds of weather, but both being enjoyed by the two people in these drawings.  The first woman is shutting her eyes in the onrush of wind; she shows us a tranquil profile as she leans forward and the air whips a few loose strands of hair over her forehead.  The second lady, gazing at us with a smile, is clearly suited up for the a sunny day at the seaside; we can see the cheerful pattern of her sundress and its little tie at the back of her neck, not to mention that clever hat...

    These drawings are part of my special “sketchbook series”.  Their clear lines, a black pen following across a light sketch in pencil, make the portraits of women you will see from this procession of pictures; ladies with lively or peaceful faces, fashionable hairstyles and hats, and a sense of poise or grace.  It is a daily story, told with a pen and very occasionally with a line of charcoal; please enjoy the visual words that create their identities and expressions.

Sarah Myers

Summer Day
(c) Sarah Myers 2020
Pen on paper

  If you are interested in buying a picture from this series, please contact me on my website:

https://www.sarahmyersart.com/contact/

Two Sketches: a Pair of Stylish Hats and Their Wearers

Three-Quarters, Lady in a Hat
(c) Sarah Myers 2020
Pen on paper

    For today, two hats which make quite definite statements, and their elegant wearers.  The first hat is a boldly stylish shape and carries a stripe across its jutting outline; the second is simply big and broad and would provide any amount of shade in a brash, sunny climate.  However I chose to name the second drawing after the lady's short shirt-jacket, a bolero pulled over her light polka-dot bodice.

    These two drawings are part of my special “sketchbook series”.  Their clear lines, a black pen following across a light sketch in pencil, make the portraits of women you will see from this procession of pictures; ladies with lively or tranquil faces, fashionable hairstyles and hats, and a sense of poise or grace.  It is a daily story, told with a pen and very occasionally with a line of charcoal; please enjoy the visual words that create their identities and expressions.

Sarah Myers

The Bolero
(c) Sarah Myers 2020
Pen on paper

   If you are interested in buying a picture from this series, please contact me on my website:

https://www.sarahmyersart.com/contact/

Two Sketches: Ladies, Flowers and Changing Seasons

Lady with Daffodils
(c) Sarah Myers 2020
Pen on paper

    Two drawings with flowers; one, a lady holding a lavish bouquet of daffodils, and then – a picture of changing seasons, appropriate for the onset of colder days.  This second image shows a woman with hair streaming back; the flowers of summertime float away as the snow rushes toward her eager face.

   These two artworks are part of my special “sketchbook series”.  Their clear lines, a black pen following across a light sketch in pencil, make the portraits of women you will see from this procession of pictures; ladies with lively or tranquil faces, fashionable hairstyles and hats, and a sense of poise or grace.  It is a daily story, told with a pen and very occasionally with a line of charcoal; please enjoy the visual words that create their identities and expressions.

Sarah Myers

Changing Seasons
(c) Sarah Myers 2020
Pen on paper

If you are interested in buying a picture from this series, please contact me on my website:

https://www.sarahmyersart.com/contact/

Two Sketches: Bright Sun and Dancer in the Wind

Bright Sun
(c) Sarah Myers 2020
Pen on paper

    Let's imagine what we would most want; a bright sun overhead, inviting us to bask in its light, or a warm wind blowing around us as we dance?  Or both?  These two sketches are about weather and our reaction to it; one lady reclining at ease in the brilliant sunshine and the other whirling in a breeze so strong her hair flies bodily into the air.

    These two drawings are part of my special “sketchbook series”.  Their clear lines, a black pen following across a light sketch in pencil, make the portraits of women you will see from this procession of pictures; ladies with lively or tranquil faces, fashionable hairstyles and hats, and a sense of poise or grace.  It is a daily story, told with a pen and very occasionally with a line of charcoal; please enjoy the visual words that create their identities and expressions.

Sarah Myers

Dancer in the Wind
(c) Sarah Myers 2020
Pen on paper

  If you are interested in buying a picture from this series, please contact me on my website:

https://www.sarahmyersart.com/contact/

Two Drawings in Line - Art by Sarah Myers

Abundance with a Cornucopia, Sarah Myers
Minimal line drawing in charcoal

    Here are two drawings with classical inspiration; a figure with an overflowing cornucopia and an Athena with helmet and shield. While the minimal outlines describing them are a style we associate with modernism, it's also true that the ancient Greeks were masters of the very simple, very accurate line that brings so much life and energy to their vase-paintings, and I hope that some of that influence remains in my drawings - even though these quick sketches, made at least partly to express fugitive thoughts on even more transient social media, are very much results of the present era.

Athena, Sarah Myers
Minimal line drawing in charcoal

Woman with Jasmine Flowers - Art by Sarah Myers

Woman with Jasmine Flowers, Sarah Myers
Charcoal, conte, paper-cut and collage

    She looks out from the storm of perfumed jasmine flowers, blooms that blow down and across her and are caught in her stillness. Her face with its intense but motionless glance is reminiscent of ancient portraits from late Rome or from Fayum, but she and the fragile blossoms are clearly from own our time.

      Cut-out, collage, 'decoupe', 'mixed media' are all names for the techniques used; a charcoal and conte portrait was sketched and then cut from brown paper and applied to a sheet of soft grey; white bristol makes her large, handsome collar and the jasmine flowers hovering around her are simple stars of white paper, fastened down lightly.

Woman with Jasmine Flowers, detail.  Sarah Myers
Mixed media.

Three Pictures of Pigeons - Drawings by Sarah Myers

Pigeon Strutting, Sarah Myers
Drawing in minimal charcoal on paper

    Three pigeons busy themselves in these drawings. Strutting, preening, scratching, the friendly birds appear in dark charcoal on the white page, descriptions of their everyday life rendered simple and distinct by the strength of a bright sun...

Pigeon Preening, Sarah Myers
Drawing in minimal charcoal on paper

Pigeon Scratching, Sarah Myers
Drawing in minimal charcoal on paper

Head of a Woman in Conte & Charcoal - Art by Sarah Myers

Head of a Woman, Sarah Myers
Conte, charcoal on toned paper

    Having finished this sketch this morning I thought I would post it here - the drawing of a face with luminous highlights pouring over rounded forehead and cheeks and leaving a spark in the iris of each eye, while outlining layers of curls and beaded ribbon above. The forward tilt of the head leaves the woman's neck in shadow; lower down the light falls very simply.

The hairstyle is a fantastical one inspired by the Italian painter Fra Filippo Lippi, but the portrait itself tends more toward the tradition of eighteenth century drawings and the mediums used are similar; conte in white, red and brown; charcoal, and toned paper of a light brown.

Head of a Woman, detail.  Sarah Myers

Three Renaissance Hats - Drawings by Sarah Myers

Woman in Renaissance Plumes, Sarah Myers
Minimal charcoal on paper

    In my collection of minimal line drawings I found these three women with elaborate Renaissance headgear; hats of velvet and silk, laced with pearls and topped by plumes, clasped with a jeweled brooch, or set on top of abundant, flowing curls.

All of these drawings are in charcoal on paper and come from a long series of sketches in simple line.

Woman in Renaissance Turban, Sarah Myers
Minimal charcoal on paper

Woman with a Renaissance Hat, Sarah Myers
Minimal charcoal on paper

Lady with a Schnauzer - Drawing by Sarah Myers

Lady with a Schnauzer, Sarah Myers
Minimal line drawing in charcoal.

     A lady holding her small dog sits in front of us. The pet's small paws are draped gently over the woman's protective arm; fluff of brows and whiskers on the dog prevent us from seeing its eyes. But we can tell from the line of its body that it is pleased and relaxed, in contrast to the somewhat more watchful expression of its owner as she glances intently out of the picture to our left.

   This minimalist drawing in charcoal is part of a large series I have made; many of them, including the sketch here, you can see on my website, SarahMyersArt.com, under “Drawings”. 

  

Lady with a Schnauzer, detail.  Sarah Myers

Duck Flapping - Drawing by Sarah Myers

Duck Flapping, Sarah Myers
Drawing in minimal line, charcoal on paper 

 The duck eagerly flaps her bright white wings as she rises on tip-toe. Simple lines describe this friendly bird who has come to shore to see us; the black charcoal defines beak, eye, neck, and especially the feathers that curl as she briefly, gently, lifts herself on the impulse of her smooth wings.

Duck Flapping, detail.  Sarah Myers

Flowers and Ribbons - Drawing by Sarah Myers

Woman with Flowers and Ribbons, Sarah Myers
Minimal drawing, charcoal on paper

     With flowers and fluttering ribbons among her ringlets and with dangling earrings which swing as she tilts her head, she looks toward us - she almost smiles… This imaginary portrait is a minimal drawing in charcoal; dark, definite lines describe face, curls and the flying streamers. She is part of my long series of sketches in a more simple style. You can see much of this collection of drawings on my website, SarahMyersArt.com.

Woman with Flowers and Ribbons, detail.  Sarah Myers

Sketch of a Face - Art by Sarah Myers

Sketch of a Face, Sarah Myers
Direct Charcoal

Here is a sketch, a woman looking out with large eyes – perhaps she may smile in a moment and the grave expression of her glance will lighten… The forms are created with rapid lines in direct charcoal, strokes that are almost abstract in themselves; only once they are placed together are descriptive of the eyes, of the slightly curved mouth or the wisps of hair curling over the forehead.

Sketch of a Face, detail.  Sarah Myers

Hands Drawing Leaves - Art by Sarah Myers

Study of Hands Drawing Leaves, Sarah Myers

Charcoal and white conte define these hands against the grey paper. Is the right hand sketching a stem and leaves held by the left?

Hands Drawing Leaves, Sarah Myers, detail

Dog, Study in Charcoal, Sarah Myers

Dog, Sarah Myers
Study in charcoal

A drawing in simple, minimal line, charcoal pencil on paper - sketch of our dog, waiting expectantly.

Simple Profile, Drawing by Sarah Myers

Simple Profile, Sarah Myers

     This large profile is in charcoal and conte on grayscale paper. Shading and highlights I have worked with a light hand. The piece is simple - the head of a woman turned almost to full profile (not absolute - there is still a glimpse of the far eyelid and lashes, and brow and chin are softened imperceptibly in angle). Her glance is downward and to the side away from us, but there is still a hint that we, the viewers, are present in her world.

Simple Profile, Sarah Myers, detail

Simple Profile, detail

Head of an Egret, Sarah Myers
Charcoal

   Study of an Egret, minimal line-drawing in charcoal.