Sketches on the bus in January XI and a menu of freestyle heads

These sketches were done today and the menu of heads at a conference meeting I attended.




The free style heads are done more with a technique that I would say has improved my sketching the most over the years- it is called the "Blind Contour"- it is achieved by not looking at what you are sketching but just focusing on the subject and drawing the contour of the subject to the best of your ability and not letting your hand leave the paper! It works like magic! I think it trains the eyes-hand co-ordination which is so vital to sketching!

Sketches on the bus in January X

One page spread, but enough to keep the juices flowing... I got distracted by these two girls talking about guys that fancy them and all that kinda stuff.... It's amazing how much we used to talk about things like this when younger- it seems to be a big hot topic that never dies!

AFRO XXIV, 8" x 10", Mixed Media on Heavy Watercolour paper, 2009

This is number 24 in my current Afro series- another experiment- I started off by mixing the charcoal dust with some Liquitex Slow Dri Blending medium(Never tried this just looking for effects)I didn't do any initial drawing just attacking the paper with my brush as I would approach a watercolour piece. Then when it was dry, I added more definite drawing and tone to the piece with the oil base pencil. I then added some intermediary tones with cool grey and white coloured pencils.




The emphasis of this series is all about the beauty and variety you can get with natural black hair

The model is my little boy, "Josh" and that was when he had a bit more hair and was younger.

Painting of Diana (Stage 2)

I had the opportunity today to get in 3 hours of work on Diana.

Painting from life is really interesting and demanding, as one has to adjust and re-adjust with the movements and changes in the model, especially when it comes to clothes and folds.






Diana has been a great model and I look forward to getting more work done. At 2 hours Diana wanted me to stop the painting- she said it already had a certain level of completeness. Well, that was hard to do...the journey continues!

Sketches on the bus and tube in January IX

More people, more sketches. The people observing were very friendly today. Some gave some very encouraging comments and some very good winks and looks!



I even took time to sketch myself from the window of a 345 Bus. That was quite interesting, only some people looking couldn't really figure out what I was looking at when I was looking into the window and sketching. I got one of the passengers to snap while sketching!

Sketches on the bus and tube in January VIII

More sketches on the tube and bus today. Some of these sketches are a bit loose because I felt a bit sleepy all day.........sometimes they are kind of cool that way.

Painting of Dory (stage 7)

This is the 7th sitting of Dory. Again, I just enjoyed the opportunity to paint from life. I think I have added too much flesh on her arms. I'll have to have a better look when the next sitting comes up. I got in another 2 hours of work today!

Below is my palette for the painting.

Painting of Diana (Stage 1)

I'm currently still Painting Dory, but I have also got another life painting going at the moment. I met this model at the RP exhibition last year. The first thing that drew me to her then was her long natural hair! I gained the courage to ask if she would like to model after observing and she agreed to sit for a life painting. That never materialised since last April until yesterday, she had been busy and now that she had spare time, I could start.




I got three hours done yesterday and she was great at modelling, very professional. She is also an artist too and artists somehow know what it takes to be a good model.

I have started in oils, on a 20" x 24" linen canvas.

Hope to get more sittings done soon!

Sketches on the bus and tube in Jaunuary VII

More people seen yesterday, some very interesting looking people too! The mechanical clutch pencil continues!

Sketches on the bus in January VI

Just tried the mechanical clutch pencil today and it felt great!

EMOTIONS VI, Mixed Media, 10" x 8", 2009

I was divinely inspired to do this piece this morning while I knelt down with my little boy Josh in morning prayer. I let him pray and he prayed those simple lovely prayers that children so innocently pray about...bless mummy, bless daddy, bless mummy's baby(because Ruth my wife is pregnant) bless auntie Funmis baby(because my sister is pregnant too)....that's all I can remember.





And as emotions rise today with the New President of America, we can also pray with this little girl I have depicted here for the New President, America has given birth to!

This piece was done with watercolour, coloured pencil, pastel and wax crayons on heavy watercolour paper.

AFRO XXIII, watercolour/charcoal, 10" x 8", 2009

This is number 23 in my present AFRO SERIES. I haven't included any other masculine face in my Afro series apart from AFRO X - where I featured myself, the way I looked when I was younger and used to have my mum treat me to an Afro blow and a 90 degrees part in my hair.




But I am including the second male face in this series that celebrates the beauty of black natural hair. I met this guy at Nandos last year when I went for a send-off meal for one of my friends, she was moving over to America. I approached him and he agreed to join this project.

The face of a black male today makes a bit of history too as Barack Obama becomes the First American Black President!

TEARS OF JOY (REVISITED), 19" x 13", Watercolour, 2008

This is all I can say, Its tears of Joy!

I'm short of words.......................

And I am still short of words, even with what I have witnessed today!
This work was inspired by the day he won the election....stay tuned for my next posts.

This was my entry last year in Karin Juricks Different Strokes from different Folks.

Horsemotions I, 14" X 7", Sanguine dust/carbon,graphite pencils, 2009

I have sketched so many horses in the past and I love their movement, form and just the smell of being around these fun living things. The sounds they make and the way they are never stable but keep moving.






So this is the first of a series of drawings and paintings on horses called "Horsemotions". It will feature the character, movement, and general well being of these fantastic creatures.

I have done this one by ghosting the sepia dust to form the background, then I have sketched and shaded with graphite, carbon pencils and added a little white gouache for highlights I couldn't get with my putty rubber.

The Chef, 12" x 16", Oil Base pencil/graphite, 2009

Last week I went for a fast food at a Food Shop and one guy served me, he had a face that has contrasts-Silky smooth hair on his head but his beard was coarse and curly. Immediately I knew I'll love to put my graphite and oil base pencil into that.




I asked him and he agreed! I took my time to concentrate on these two opposites.

I have used Pitt Oil base pencil (hard and soft) and a H graphite pencil on a self sanded watercolour paper.

"ONLY REMEMBERED BY WHAT WE HAVE DONE......" 12" x 9" Mixed Media on Gessoed card, 2009

This is my entry into the current weekly Challenge on Karin Juricks Different Strokes from Different Folks. It was a view of Jefferson's Memorial at Night.






I did a little bit of research about this man and it reminded me that we shall all only be remembered only by what we have done. Now that is a challenge to us all! So lets go out there and do that thing we have always wanted to do, that will influence mankind for good and last till eternity! That's why with God's help I have wrapped up my life into three words that constitute my mission statement as " I'm Adebanji Alade and I want to inspire, motivate and encourage everyone I encounter." (I learnt this from T.D.Jakes' book on REPOSITION YOURSELF- he said we all have to have a mission statement that consists of just three words. See page 89)

So what shall you be remembered for?
Time, like an ever-rolling stream
Bears all its sons away
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day(from song- O God Our Help In Ages Past)

This work was purely experimental as I had no clue what to do with the night scene but had to work, re-work and keep re-working it until the gessoed card couldn't take anymore battering! All the battering was done with acrylic, Biro, coloured pencils and wax crayons towards the end!

Sketches on the train, tube and platforms in January V

More people a back load from yesterday...I had to get another sketchbook. Its great to start off a new sketch book!

Sketch of THE BERIMBAU PLAYER, A4 sketch pad, coloured pencil, 2009

As I was on my way from the Bankside Gallery in SE1. I passed through an Alleyway near TATE MODERN and I discovered a rare sight: A guy playing a very strange looking instrument. It produced beautiful sounds with his cool tenor voice. The lighting under the Alley was great because there was also a fluorescent light which added to the drama.





I paid homage to the musician made friends with him and asked if I could sketch him and he agreed! That was it! I endured the cold for about 25 minutes and got a sketch of him. He was pleased, gave me his e-mail address and I'll be sending this image to him too.

He said this instrument is called the BERIMBAU, GUNGA or HUNGU!

I'll be doing some more detailed sketches from this guy into my Emotion series and probably a painting too. I just loved the sight!