Happy Sufi

This is another life sketch at the same Sufi gathering in Cairo as the previous post. This old man was so enjoying the singing and poetic recitations, that he proceeded to include some subtle dance most to interpret the music. 

Sufi Gathering

This was a sketch done from life. It was at a mosque in Cairo near Hussein(Khan El Khaili). The gathering was of the sufi order of islam, and they were singing verses from poems by islamic scholars and from the Quran. It was very much a kind of active meditaion. The man in the centre was the leader of this group, all told a very dignified and wise man of profound knowledge.

Gracefull Step

This is another drawing from a liefesize sculpture. This one is in Alexandria Egypt, it is of Mohamed Ali Pasha. I'm glad I got the feeling of the perspective, as my eye level was at the hoof of the horse.

I think I managed to cature the refinement, grace and solidity of the Arabian horse depicted in this scupture. 

Dzoser

This is a portrait done from "life" at the Egyptian museum in Cairo. It is the Pharaoh Dzoser, who built what was then the largest building in the world, and the first pyramid, the step pyramid at Saqarah. I first used a grey marker to block it in, then pencil, then some pastel, and finally some digital texturing. This is actually art of an art work. The original sculpture is amazing. 4500 years old, and weathered, yet still lifelike with subtle expressiveness. Some of the Pharaohs are depicted with a slight hint of a smile, a sign of contentment. The ancient Egyptians believed that as something is written or depicted, so it shall be. This sculpture is one of the masterpieces of all art history, I hope I did it some justice.

Contemplations

Same fellow as below. Inspired by the local old timers of Egypt, and Omar Khayam. Perhaps he is contemplating the feminine figures silhouetted upon the dunes. Nothing perplexes and delights a man more then women.

Old Man of the Dunes

This is a drawing I did in Egypt. The faces of the old time locals where very lively and deeply textured with character and layers, specially the older ones. Somehow Bay street Toronto doesnt quite do it. (sorry for the sarcasm there)

These kind of people are as much part of Egypt as the desert, Nile and monuments. Living links to a heritage, a past and a depth of character. The stories they could tell. 

The water colour looking streeks are actually red wine, Omar Khayam to be precise, my favourite Egyptian wine. 

Philip, my sun

This is a portrait of my son Philip. originaly , I was trying to make it realistic, but it became clear that a realistic aprouch would restrict and stiffen this painting. 

So I put it away, and got back to it when I myself felt more free. I started to play with brushstrokes, colour and light. The reference photos I used are mostly from last yearwhen he was 2 and half), But I paintied him the way he looks now(almost4). I wanted this painting to be full of energy, and motion and light, both direct and reflective.  this is how I see my son, full of light , joy and energy.

Cafe Moment

Same girl as in previous post, a moment is realy all I had to get each one of these down,

as I was waiting to have a meeting, and getting stuff together on my laptop, and there was all kinds of things going on in the cafe, mid summer, mid-afternoon, downtown Toronto. But I managed to put some lines and shades down that capture a couple of moments of beauty.

A Glance and a Thought

This is same girl as in previous post. Luckily we were in same cafe.

She reminded me a little of Liv Tyler, very sweet, dark brown hair, warm eyes, full lips,

slip curves and refined gestures. It is a pleasure to draw beauty like that. 

Sexy Walk

This girl stole my attention one sunny afternoon. She was extremely beautiful and refind, she knew how to walk, she knew how to cross her legs, how to..well be sexy. It was lovely to see her, like a flower in a garden. So I tried to catch a couple of quick sketches, these are very fast, in the middle of a crowd, based on glimpses realy, I wish I coul have her sit for me for some life drawing. But for now just a couple of sketches.

Sunny Brush

So I was painting today, and all of a sudden the sun just burst into the room, and 

the rays and cast shadow made something I thought looked interesting, so I grabbed my cam and took a shot of my hand as I was painting. Interestingly the sun itself is also in the painting.

This work is still in progress so I will not reveal it all until it is complete. For now, just a glimpse.

Yeshua

Another Sketch done in Egypt, it is a portrait of Yeshua, aka Jesus, very rough, just an impression. Who knows what he looked like, but when I was painting it I was reading a book called "Jesus, son of man" by Khalil Gibran. I was thinking more about what he was thinking and feeling, and the depth of all that he was trying to teach and show people. 

Amunhotep III and his wife Tyi

This is a sketch made in the Egyptian meauseum in Cairo, it is of the biggest statue in the meuseum, that of Amunhotep and his wife, Tyi. In this drawing I tried to capture some of the refinement that this magnificent statue has, it is amazing that something of such monumental size can have such suttleties. That big grin on their faces is not an exageration, the statue realy depicts the Pharaoh and his wife like that. Amunhotep was perhaps Egypt's greatest Pharaoh, and maybe those smiles are to show that they had prosperity and contentment. 

Arabian Steed, F-16 of long ago.

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This is a sketch I did in Cairo, I tried to make it in an older, Victorian style that inspired me. The flavour in Cairo and Arabian horses always rings back to those times.