In the Round

I am really having fun exploring so-called "fish-eye lens" distortion, only sans camera. The more I look, the more I'm starting to see things this way. I may be losing my mind, but at least I get to draw it.


From Rockford Coffee, yet again (they should start paying me)


From the bed


Okay, this one is pretty straightforward. From the Barnes and Noble Cafe, looking at the parked cars.

Downtime

Free time is drawing time...


Every thing one can see from the Rockford Coffee back booth


MSU Creative Arts Library


Rockford facing the other way

Website Update

I've finally gotten around to putting some more sketchbook and Main Street Bozeman images on my site, so go check it out! And send links to your friends! And potential higher-education employers! In case you've not yet visited, the URL is, simply enough, www.paulheaston.com.

Change of Plans

It had been sunny and warm all week here in Bozeman. After a half-dozen false alarms, I was certain Spring had finally arrived. Early in the week I completed my penultimate spread in the Bozeman Main Street series:



I was all prepared to complete the series today, but I should have known better than to make any kind of plans in Montana. This was Bozeman today, also known as April 24:



Unacceptable.

Odds and Ends

A random recent assortment:

at The Leaf and Bean coffee shop on N. 19th


I occasionally draw my life drawing students while they draw, although the sketches have to be done rapidly during long poses. I really enjoy drawing people while they are drawing people.



I rarely do contour line drawings anymore, but I thought I'd try one while looking out the window of our favorite Greek restaurant in Bozeman, Greek to Me (aren't all Greek restaurants called that?)

Nova Cafe on Main always has a bunch of stuff on the table to draw.

Bozeman Main Street #22

Bozeman Main Street #22, originally uploaded by paul is just dandy.

Easter Sunday was another beautiful day in Bozeman so I headed out with the intention of completing another Main Street spread, which I did, in two sittings.

I set up my camp chair near the entrance to Poor Richard's, the local newsstand/tobacco shop. Apparently it's also some sort of rendezvous spot for pot dealers and their clients, as a strange-looking mohawked fellow was camped out front all day, while various "stoner" types stopped by to chat briefly with Mr. Mohawk, then go around the corner with him for about 30 seconds. Mr Mohawk would then come back to his spot alone and wait for another customer. I left for a few hours to eat a potluck Easter supper with some friends. When I came back, he was gone--replaced by a skinny dude with a beard playing guitar-- but as I drew quite a few potential "clients" walked by, obviously looking for him.

Oh yeah, and there was some sort of movie being filmed across the street late that afternoon as well. About 15 people, including a cameraman, sound guy and security guard were shooting some sort of crime drama that involved a man running up to a woman with a gun. They filmed this same scene several times, then left. No idea who they were or what they were filming.

bozeman main street #21

bozeman main street #21, originally uploaded by paul is just dandy.

I have four more spreads to go. That number is based more on how many pages are left in the book than how many more buildings are left on Main Street, but I'm down to my last block and a half, so I think it's doable.

At first I was kind of upset with myself for the severe foreshortening of the building on the right (stemming from an errant initial roofline), but now I'm okay with it.

I did part of this in the sunshine (and got a sunburned nose as a result) and part of it in my parked truck in the rain.

week in review

Let's see--drank coffee, sketched, watched Lori Hiris' MFA thesis oral defense, sketched, went to Yellowstone, sketched, drank more coffee, sketched...

More coffee-fueled moleskine scribbling

I'm now going to more than one coffee shop per day to satisfy my desire to find new things to draw. Of course, my compulsions aren't helped by all the caffeine, and I'm much too polite (or guilt-ridden) to sit and draw without ordering something.

Rockford Coffee from the inside

The view from the Daily Coffee Bar on North Rouse.

Not done from a coffee shop, but from my truck: The Holy Rosary Catholic Chruch on Main Street

Bozeman Joe

Bozeman's coffee shops usually have good interiors to draw and, if they have seating near a window, are good places to draw from, especially in Bozeman's lingering winters.  The only bad thing about the omnipresence of Bozeman's java joints is I'm becoming a coffee drinker again.

looking out the window at Rockford Coffee, my new favorite hangout

Wild Joe's is in the middle of downtown, though window seats are usually taken

our Borders cafe is a actually a pretty quiet place.