Tag Archives: plein air

Drawing in the Hudson Valley

I spent some time in Kingston and Woodstock, New York in late April and did some drawing. It was a beautiful few days, with lovely weather and fresh air as we hiked and visited the grounds of the Vanderbilt Mansion.

Drawing of house
Drew this while hanging out on the porch of a friend in Rhinebeck.

Drawing of reservoir
Drew the Ashokan reservoir that feeds New York City.

Drawing of storefront at night
Drew the storefront across the street as we waited for tacos in Kingston.

Drawing of building
The Vanderbilt Gardens were bare of flowers...and of people. This building stood out to me as it's a residence that overlooks the gardens.

US Combat Artists

Marines on Rifle Range by Kristopher Battles

There's a long tradition of artists being deployed into combat zones to document the day-to-day lives of soldiers and civilian populations. Drawing can give a different perspective on war that still photography and video don't. Kristopher Battles is serving in the US Marine Corps as a "Combat Artist". His blog Sketchpad Warrior documents his work in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2006. PBS created a documentary of combat artists during during WWII titled "They Drew Fire". The accompanying website contains resources of major artists and works from the period.