Sketch of Helvetia in Basel, CH

I did this sketch today. It's a well known statue in the center of Basel located on the "Middle Bridge" that crosses the Rhein river.
This is a statue of Helvetia - the mother of Switzerland. The plaque says she is resting here after a long journey around her country. She laid down her spear, coat, and suitcase. If you could see the front of her, you would see that she has her right leg folded up and her right arm is resting on her knee. You can just see her right hand holding her head! It must have been a long tiring journey.
I enjoyed including the very black raven that landed on her head for several minutes.

Urban Sketchers

I was very honored this week to be "featured" on the banner of www.urbansketchers.com. This is a blog that features the work of various sketchers that sketch scenes on site from around the world. Cool. There is a never ending supply of inspiration on this site.

Sketch from the balcony

Today was a holiday in Germany. That meant today was a good day to do quick little sketch. I did this sitting on our balcony looking at the golf course in the distance. That's the 17th green on the left and the 18th fairway on the right. And yes, that's a pretty good hill over there. Markgraeflerland GolfClub Kandern e.V.


That's the clubhouse just above my head. So close, and yet SO far. Most of the members are wealthy Swiss golfers.

Heidelberg Sketch.

I was in Heidelberg this morning (16.05.09) and had time to do a sketch. I was in town to attend a meeting yesterday and had some free time this morning.

This is a shot of my sketchbook at the spot where I did my pencil drawing. First I did a quick sketch in pencil (see below) and then I darkened it with my pen. I did most of the penwork at the train station while waiting for the train home.

Close up of my pencil work. It was fun to stand on the bridge and draw. Several people sneak up and take a look over my shoulder. Lots of tourist in town today. Americans and Japanese.

Faces in the Crowd

Each of these faces were above doors and windows on an old building at University of Heidelberg - Germany. Amazing faces.






Is that a Nilla Waffer in this old guy's mouth?

It's in here somewhere...

Bikes outside the train station. Wow!! How many bikes do you think this is? How would you like to find yours in this tangle? Click on the picture to see what I mean.

The Calm

Sandee and I went in to Basel early this morning (8:00am) for breakfast. As we sat, sipped, and talked, I sketched what I saw out the window of the coffee shop.
The city was just waking up. In just a couple of hours this corner would be jammed with shoppers. That's why I called this "The Calm".
Can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday morning after a full week of heavy meetings.
My favorite part of this sketch is the tram wires overhead. I like details like that.

Jan Hus - Old City Square

This was fun to draw. I was trying to capture the imposing statue of Jan Hus in the middle of the bustling Old City Square of Prague.


Jan Hus, the reformer, was burn at the stake for his faith. The city of Prague honors him with a very prominent statue in the heart of their city.

A conference doodle

This sketch was done at a conference held at the Marriott in Prague. Readers of this blog will know that I like to doodle during meetings. It seriously helps me to concentrate on the speaker. I listen better.
I kinda liked this doodle on the hotel notepad. This is a sketch of the church towers in the Old City Square in Prague (from memory).

Sketching in Prague, CZ

It was an amazing warm day in the center of Prague. Perfect for sketching. I was trying to capture the imposing statue of Jan Hus (the reformer who was burned at the stake for his faith) in the center of the Old Town Square.


Can you see the Hus statue in the center?

Easter Sketches

These are the images that came to my mind this Easter morning.
(Left page.)

(Right page.)

Easter Sunday Illustration

Pastor spoke on the power of the resurrection extending all the way to me. It's like the power generated by the Hoover Dam extending all the way to Los Angeles.

April 8 Sketches

This was a drawing done at the Marktplatz in Basel, Switzerland. Everyday they have a market (foreground) in front of the Rathaus (background). It's great. The Rathaus itself is a stunning building. You gotta see it in real life. Click. I loved the long flags hanging from the building waving in the breeze.

Sandee took a picture of me sketching by the tram tracks. It's funny how people try to get near you and take a peek at what you're drawing. The Rathaus is just to right of this picture.

Later, after the above, I walked to the Muenster and sketched the back side of cathedral. Again, people try and get close to see what I'm drawing. I'm kinda shy about having strangers look at my drawings especially before I'm done.

Full page from my Moleskine sketchbook.

Erasmus Haus in Basel

Today I found the "Erasmushaus" in Basel. As the sign says, Mr. Hieronymus Froben Eramus von Rotterdam lived here as a guest from 1535 to 1536 spending his last days in this house. Erasmus was a great Theologian and Christian educator. I've written and quoted Erasmus in the past. Click here to learn more about Erasmus.

Erasmus lived here...

Sunday Sketch 29.03.09

Went to the Basel Cathedral again for service. I'm always quite taken with the towering pulpit (if that's what you call it). It in itself is quite an artful masterpiece made completely from red sandstone.
Today as the pastor spoke I counted up to 4 seconds after his last word was spoken before the echo of his voice stopped booming around the cathedral walls. The whole experience is always very moving.
This is the beginning of the Passion week. Even though I only caught about half of his German words, he presentation was full of the correct emotion leading up to the death of Christ on the cross.

After the service I sat in Starbucks and finished my cathedral sketch and added this little one below. The cappuccino, like the church service, was inspirational. I also enjoyed reading several more chapters in "What's so Great about Christianity". It's a very good book. I recommend it.

My pencil serves as a divider between these two disparate drawings.

Harmonika-Orchester Kandern

Last night I did something I never did in Germany before. I went to an Accordion concert! I don't know what took me so long, but I finally did it and it was not bad at all. The Kandern Harmonika-Orchester (Accordion Orchestra) performed in the Black Forest Academy auditorium for their 75th anniversary.

Sunday Sketch 22.03.09

Pastor Harrop spoke from Galatians 5:13-26. This is the image that came to mind as he spoke.

Basel Munster Sketch

Attended the Gottesdienst (Sunday worship service) this morning at the Basel Munster. I made some random sketches during the service (tried to be very discreet). Obviously, I could only draw the backs of heads. It's interesting what you can tell from a slumped shoulder or an alert and upright head.

Some observations from the service. 1) Cathedrals are cold! Everyone keeps their winter coats on. 2) No one (or very few) carries their Bible. 3) The seats are very HARD and straight! So, the service was mercifully short - one hour. 4) The chair backs are all unique! Cool patterns. 5) The sounds are fabulous - the deep church bells, the organ, the Pastor's echoing voice, the singing. 6) The Pastor's white collar is extremely WHITE! I wonder who does his laundry and what keeps it so bright?

Sketch of the day

Just a quick pencil sketch of our living room. That's skynews on the TV.

Sunday 22 Feb 09

Sermon notes. The Galatians 4:21-31 passage is a bit difficult, but our Pastor got through it. :-) The section in scripture is an allegory and Paul tells us so. I get the idea that Hagar and Sarah represent two lines of spiritual living - slavery and freedom. One based upon human effort, the other based upon God's effort directed at humankind. We have a choice to make...