From My Sketchbook:
This was the first visit of what has since become several meals taken at this café. My wife and I were staying at the neighboring “Cottages by the Sea,” and had heard how exceptionally fine the meals were at the Beach Side Café. We went there, and I can attest that there was no exaggeration to the claims of the fine and varied dining to be found. (My particular favorite from their dinner menu was the broiled fresh lobster with drawn butter.)
I was relaxing and enjoying the view of the water and the soft breeze in this shaded open air setting, and as is common, I had my sketchbook at hand and having ordered my lunch (one of their many salads) I settled back to capture a memory of our time there.
For those unfamiliar with working in pen and ink and wanting to try it, there often is less of a problem with making a poor or unplanned mark than is often expected. You simply select a focal point in the intended subject, then, committing your pen to the paper you begin to make your drawing, working outward from the starting point. However, it sometimes is good to have a plan in mind of what will be included prior to starting. In my case here I simply wanted to capture the moment, and depict these seated and relaxed individuals before the setting had changed very much. Change, is one of the particular challenges in working in public when it involves situations where people are part of the setting and might come or go unexpectedly. I was attentive to working quickly, and in the process saved the upper part of the drawing, which contains the building rafters, for finishing up at the end. Reserving a part of the drawing for last is not uncommon and presents no particular difficulty, except when it involves “forgetfulness,” of which I am abundantly blessed with having. In trying to capture the moment, I regretfully forgot to place a clean napkin under the side of my drawing hand, and thereby protect the drawing surface from my resting hand which then occasionally picked-up and redeposited damp touches of the drawing ink. There are some minor smudges of ink here and there, as well as some mis-drafted lines. But that too is part of the whole experience in making art, and anyone interested in pursuing this activity should not shy away from it, or be put off in getting started and enjoying the endeavor, simply for the concern that a mistake might be made.