Guardian Angel

My bike's steering wheel broke last week, while I was commuting to my work. Luckily enough it didn't cause a crash. I managed to stop without too much trouble. I guess my Guardian Angel was riding with me.

What caused the steering wheel to brake is still some kind of mystery. I never have had this experience before, nor fellow bikers around me. I now fitted a real MTB-steering wheel on my trekking bike, just to be sure this doesn't happen again.

Oyster

Sometimes it's just fun to make a quick sketch with ballpoint. This is a sketch of a Japanese Oyster. They can also be found in other parts of the world. They're named Japanese, but that doesn't mean they can only be found in the waters around Japan. They can also be found in the Mediterranean or in the North Sea. Even on the shores of a tiny little Chinese island. But that can cause diplomatic tension nowadays.

Piece Of Cake

You might think that drawing a piece of cake would be very easy. Well, think again. Drawing a piece of cake in black and white is far from easy. In colour is easier, because you can basically use basically two colours: pale yellow and raw sienna. Adding a few tones of grey for depht purposes and “Presto”!. In black and white the struggle is not to make the drawing to dark as a whole and try to find a balance between toning the crust and the cake itself.

The Empty Hat

Yesterday 35 of my colleagues were told that they're no longer needed. Just like that, out of the blue. Makes you wonder what more pops up out of the board of director's high hat...

Camping Sketcher

Last week we went out camping. The weather was fine, the children enjoyed playing in the mud and the campsite wasn't too crowded. So good opportunities for finally reading a good book and making some sketches. I've not had the time nor the peace of mind to do those things for a long time. Now, after a few days back at the office I still have difficulties picking up the usual pace, going from deadline to deadline. This afternoon I've decided not to bother too much about that. Actually this evening I picked up working at a painting which has been patiently waiting for me on the easel. It was fun getting to know each other again. Also says my wife and our kids.
The sketch shows the tent my son and I used. My wife and daughter camped next to us, in their own one.

MG TC

Last month I've had lots of fun drawing a black and white pen drawing. So I've decided to draw another one. The choice was easily made: for long I wanted to do something with a sportscar, especially a MG. Back in the old days my nephews restored MG cars and many times my brother and I drove on our bicycle to the old shed where our nephews always seemed to have several MG's for restoration purposes. My job was mostly on the chassis: painting big black tar on it. A dirty job, but you know what they always say: "someone has to do it". As I was not very technical that was the best contribution I could do at the age of twelve, thirteen. The rewards were priceless: when the cars were ready we were invited for the testdrive on the nearby highway. After all, the maximum speed had to be tested. So without any safetybelt, helmet or other safety device, the exhaustpipe roaring, the heat of the motor on your legs and the wind blazing through your hair it gave an unique driving sensation. A once in a lifetime experience!
Pen and ink, 21 x 30 cm.

Jools Holland

Jools Holland is best known as bandleader of his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra. This band played with famous artists like Solomon Burke, Tom Jones, Sting, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, BB King and many others. I made this drawing with Jools sitting behind the wheel of a replica of a famous Rover, the so-called jet car. The replica was made by the boys of the Chop Shop in London. How the car was made can be seen here . You can see the whole episode of this Discovery Channel series on Youtube, search for: Chop Shop, season two, episode five. I'm sure you'd be amazed how this replica actually was build and surprisingly enough looks very good at the end.