Wednesday, April 18, 2007

sketches

My husband is writing a book on polo technique, and he asked me to do some drawings to illustrate the different types of swings, starting with the basic forehand shot. So I asked him to grab a polo stick and show me the different positions he needed illustrated. I did some preliminary sketches, and then he left for Spain, so I have to wait until he gets back to finalize them. In the meantime, I put them together on a black board and tried to figure out the best way to present them. And when I was done, I did a few other sketches, finishing off with Rusty and Auguste, who were obviously bored by my work.


The basic polo swing

After the game





Discussions with the referee





Stick and balling with the old white mare




Rusty crosses her paws when she sleeps August sleeps on his back.










9 comments:

Bernita said...

You have a marvellous eye.
The horse stretching its neck in "after the game," for example.

John Nez said...

Those are excellent! The postures are especially expressive... such talent!

Of course all artists always struggle to keep the looseness of the sketches in the finish art. Usually the rough sketches are my favorite part of the whole process.

Sam said...

Thank you Bernita - writers and artists learn to observe, I guess!

John, you're right, it's hard to keep the loose, relaxed lines, and when you work on it too much, it gets stiff. I remember one of my art teachers saying "You have to know when to stop!"
I think it applies to writing as well as painting.

Daisy Martin said...

You are a person with many talents. All pics were excellent. I loved the lines of the horse. The face was so expressive and with just a few lines, I am impressed!

Is this your husbands first book?

Sam said...

Thank you Daisy!
It's my husband's second book - we collaborated on one a few years agfo called 'The Little Polo Handbook' that was sold to clubs and tournament sponsors. He's been wanting to do a book on polo technique for some time, and finally sat down and started to work on it!

Rosie said...

Wow, these are good. I wouldn't worry about goose egg cake if I could sketch like that.

Gabriele Campbell said...

I so wish I could draw but my horses would probably look like hunchback rats with joint arthritis.

Great sketches.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Rosie and Gabriele!

sam

inspired said...

Wow
the sketches are amazing !