Disney Session: Life Drawing 1

So I recently finished a session of a yearly class that consists of 5 full days of figure drawing and then 10 days of drawing at Disneyworld doing reportage. It was an INCREDIBLE session, and I can't wait to go again next year! I'll be posting drawings from the figure drawing and reportage over the next couple weeks, so enjoy!

Here are a few drawings of the model we drew for the first two days of the class:














The Jersey Shore



I went down to South Jersey this weekend to visit a friend, and had a great time at the Jersey Shore. South Jersey is beautiful! It was my first real time into New Jersey, and I was so surprised, since all I had heard was people badmouthing New Jersey (and especially the south). But it was so beautiful, lush, and green! It was nice to get out of the city for a few days and just relax on the beach.

Belvedere Castle


I've always wanted to draw Belvedere Castle in Central Park, but the last time I tried to draw there, it was January and I got frozen out of the park. Now I decided to go in the summer, and I got horrendously sunburned! I can't win! Or I should just wear sunscreen. Anyhoo, it was a great drawing day, I'm glad I finally got up there to draw the castle. Plus, I got to try out my new reportage stuff for my trip to Disney this year (new dip pen and new oil pastels/turpentine brush pen!) and the new reference book I've been making.

Central Park



Went down to Central Park to draw the runners for an assignment and got a little drawing done for myself, too! It was a beautiful day, though I'm surprised so many people were out running in the heat of the day! Masochists, all of them.

Colorado Continued: Macchio!



While I was home, I also had the pleasure of meeting my brother and his fiance's brand new puppy, Macchio (It means "Spot" in Italian)! I am not a dog person. I even took a "course" from my mom's friend when I was little about how to not be completely terrified of dogs (I received a bone-shaped magnet for my achievement). But Macchio is the sweetest dog in the world. I absolutely love my new little nephew, and he even let me draw him while we were headed up hiking in the car! (You can see a tiiiiny drawing of him with my brother in the last post of the hiking drawings.)




Colorado



Last week I went back home to visit my family in Colorado and had a fantastic time! I even got to do a little bit of drawing on our hike. When you live in New York City for a while, you start to think that you can fit the entire world onto the head of a pin. There's everything you can imagine, including a nice swath of nature in Central Park. But going to a place like Colorado makes you remember how magical real nature feels, and nothing else can really compare.



Madison Square Park



Nice lazy day drawing in Madison Square Park today! I'm so happy that it's finally sunny, and so was everyone else. The park was mobbed! As soon as the clouds started to roll in, though, the park practically emptied out. Catch the sun while it lasts!

Pride



Yesterday was the Gay Pride Parade in New York City, and it was my first Pride event. Up until yesterday, I never really understood the relevance of Pride. It was my thought that people already understand that yes, we're here and we're queer, but now it's our job to help them get used to it. And the vocal extreme fringe minorities that I thought of when Gay Pride came to mind, were not the way to do it.

After going to the parade, yesterday, my feelings began to change. I began to see that Pride isn't about flaunting yourself, it's about camaraderie. It's about being able to go out and see the overwhelming sense of unity and support that are present in the gay community. Being able to step out anywhere in the city and feel a sense of belonging, and yes, Pride in oneself and one's community, is a wonderful feeling. A feeling that I hope soon, everyone will be able to experience. So although this was only my first Pride Parade, it won't be my last!

This post is part of my project "A Picture For A Thousand Voices".

Summer Drawing

Now that it's summer, I've gotten some time to draw around the city a little bit more! Here are a few drawings from various places in New York:


Chris: The Unwitting Model

The MoMA Sculpture Garden


The Cloisters Museum


The elms in Central Park


The Subway






Union Square
In the last one, a man had cruised this girl for about 15 minutes, and then knelt down next to her, handed her a flower and schmoozed on her for another 15 minutes. A rather ballsy (creepy) move, I thought. But she seemed to like the attention whether she was interested or not!

A Picture For A Thousand Voices


I'd like to let you all know about a project that I'm working on for the gay rights movement called "A Picture For A Thousand Voices." This is a project that seeks to help establish a dialogue between members of the LGBT community and the straight community about why the equal rights movement is a fight worth fighting. Since words have often been falling on deaf ears, I would hope that perhaps through art and illustration, these ideas can be better understood by both the straight and LGBT communities.

If you are an illustrator, ask yourself or your LGBT friends what their hopes for equal rights are and send me (evan@evanturk.com) your artwork. If you’re not an artist, send in your story, and someone can help illustrate your hope for equal rights (this includes non-gay members of the gay community!). If you are an artist and would like to be involved but don't have a story to illustrate, e-mail me and I'll find you one.

The idea of equal rights is about understanding others, not just tolerating them. If we can show others, and remind ourselves, why this fight is important, it will be that much easier to win.

I hope that you'll all participate!

-Evan

Washington Square Arch


It was a beautiful day today and I went to draw the Washington Square Arch! I love this time of year in New York, there are so many people outside. I also thought this was neat because almost exactly a year ago I drew the arch during my first semester at Parsons. Fun to compare!


Cherry Blossom Festival


Last weekend I went to the Sakura Matsuri festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens where all of the cherry trees are in full bloom. There were crowds of people (lots of them in extravagant anime costumes) and beautiful flowers everywhere. It was raining to begin with, which was actually sort of fun because everyone was walking around with their umbrellas out. It looked like a Japanese woodblock print. But then the sun came out for most of the day and it was absolutely beautiful. The colors, the smells, the sounds; it doesn't get much better than drawing all day outside under the cherry blossom trees.








North Pole Expedition



In a class of mine, director Barry Scott, a friend of the class' instructor, proposed a competition to our class to design a flag commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first trip to the North Pole. Barry came on behalf of the Masonic Kane Lodge in New York City which was organizing an event in honor of Robert Peary (once a member of the lodge) and Matthew Henson reaching the pole on April 6th 1909. So we all created designs, and mine was selected to be used for all of the promotional materials for the event (posters, pamphlets, programs, etc). The photos are of my friend, Christina, and I at the Grand Lodge at the event (which we received a free invitation to!). The lodge is absolutely beautiful, and the room we were in was what the ballroom on the Titanic was designed after. A great experience!

New York City Reportage

Some drawings from over the past month around New York.



The Bethesda Terrace at Central Park


A chatty group of girls at the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park.


Outside a movie theater in the rain in Union Square.

Flower Breaks



I took little 10 minute breaks while I was working today to just play around and see what I could come up with while drawing the same thing multiple times. Here are my various interpretations of a flower arrangement. Just a fun little exercise!

Haiku: Wisteria in Bloom




草臥れて　宿かるころや　藤の花

Exhausted, I sought
a country inn, but found
wisteria in bloom

This is an illustration of a haiku for a show at the Children's Book Fair in Bologna this summer.

Around New York

Just a couple sketches from the past month or two around New York in winter:


(A snow-covered Belvedere Castle in the distance in Central Park.)


(The Astor Court Chinese pavilion inside the MET.)


(Ducks on a partially frozen pond in Central Park.)


(View out my window of the Empire State Building in the snow.)