I use my café sketches to improve my drawings from life. I may render them in a coffee shop, a theme park, the beach, the laundramat or the grocery store. With these exercises, I can constantly hone my skills and flesh out new ideas. However, some of my informal scribbles can take on a life of their own. Some of these works are revisited several times with layers of ink washes, paint and colored pens. If I like how the piece develops, the drawing will provide the foundation for a more ambitious work. Some of these ideas may end up as an epic scene on canvas or a scenic mural in a home or business.

Here again, some of my ideas serve only as mental repitition. The most important aspect is that I keep myself artisically vital. Yet, even more important than learning by rote, sketching in really fun!

Always hungry for perfection, I find my sketch book an ideal source for birthing new ideas or perfecting old formulas. I will always find ways to improve upon my existing work.