Thursday, June 5, 2014

Sketching in the car. . .

Our older son has his driver's permit and is working on getting the required hours so he can test for his driver's license.   He is SO much better than when he started  - in the beginning I would be grabbing the door handles and smashing down on my invisible brake on the passenger side of the car while attempting to explain, without screaming in panic, the best techniques of keeping the car safely on the road.  Managing a calm demeanor while teaching a teenager how to drive should earn me an honorary Oscar!!
While he is making admirable progress I still feel butterflies in my stomach when he is driving in the country.  Believe it or not I do great when he is driving in "traffic" (whatever traffic we have in our bustling town of 50,000 people - LOL) - I think because that driving is slow.  
My new sanity technique is to sketch in ink in my Moleskine while he drives.  It keeps me from making him nervous and the time flies on the way to Nana/Papa's that way.  This is the girl that I sketched during our 30 minute drive yesterday.  Added a quote from Shakespeare and a watercolored background this afternoon.  Any tips on surviving this phase of life?? 

15 comments:

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

Oh, wow! This is an impressive sketch, especially since you did it in the car. I taught both my girls how to drive, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I do recall some nerve-wrecking moments along the way. Blessings!

Clare Lloyd said...

she is ace, the colour background makes the design pop!

Tracey FK said...

Phants hasn't gotten her Learner's permit yet thank goodness... I am thinking Sinus will have to be her teacher... in the mean time she is in no hurry as public transport is so easy and cheap.... good for my nerves as well...I have no clue how you manage to make such lovely lies and work while in the car... amazing...xx

Cindy D. said...

Holy cow I do not envy the teaching of driving to a teenager - but I am very glad to hear he has improved. My main worry about teenagers is their cell phones. It sounds like you're doing as well as can be expected!

Lovely inked girl, with wonderful texture in her hair and dress! I could not doodle (or read) while driving, because it makes me feel terrible. Which is too bad. :)

Julie said...

Wow! I don't know how you managed that in a car! If I tried something like that it would be a bunch of squiggly lines! haha! I love the way you created her hair, beautiful! Good luck with the driving adventures! haha!

Julie
http://www.artworkbyjm.com/

Faye said...

Pen and ink drawing while being chauffeured by a newbie driver should certainly earn you something grand! I have been through this with a son, a daughter, and a granddaughter. On country roads here we have to watch out and not hit mailboxes! It is amazing we survive this stage. Prayer helps!

Faye said...

PS. I forgot to say that your drawing is beautiful! I salute you for producing a lovely and calm face in the drawing instead of a face with fear written all over it!

AM Zafaran said...

Love the sketch and beautiful color background combo!

Penny Lee StewArt said...

Great sketch! I love the hair especially.

Teresa Arsenault said...

You drew this gorgeous lady in a moving vehicle? A moving vehicle with a teenager at the wheel? And your lady looks so serene too.

I never could manage it myself. Hubby sat in the passenger seat while our sons were learning to drive. I sat in the back with a bag over my head. (Just kidding, but I did keep my eyes down)

Connie Reeder said...

She is beautiful, calm and collected and does not reveal your possible "state of frantic" at all! :) Amazing!

Con-

Julia said...

I have been coming to your blog for 6 months or so, because I saw your link on Julie Balzer's art journal everyday. I love the way you draw and paint your girls - especially the hair. This one's dress is awesome too in that rose pattern.

No advise on the driving. I'll be joining you in your stage of parenting, in that my oldest begins driver's training on Monday.

JKW said...

Nervous in the car. . .I would play with my hair! But I know the break on the passenger side and the feel of the car door too. Good for you. The sketch is stunning (peaceful, beautiful and a bit zentangle?). Blessings, Janet PPF

Tammie Dickerson said...

Wow! Wonderful work! I can't believe you could do that in the car with your son driving! We have 5 children - four now with their driver's license - and I did not teach a single one! My husband did the honors - thank God! Soooooo, my advice would be - DON"T GET IN THE CAR WITH THEM - haha!

bellefrogworks said...

That's a beautiful sketch and I could never do that in a car (especially when I was supervising a new teenage driver). Terrific work even if you were standing still!