Here's a sketchbook spread from last year. I find I'm attracted to sketching mostly real things like buildings and people more and more...it seems easy that way. Less thought more drawing. Sometimes it's worthwhile to inject some random out of the brain doodles into the creative routine, just to make sure the noggin is still working. Good ideas often ensue.

The warm weather is back again, which for the many sketchers out there in colder climates means freedom. No more doodling in the car, or trying to draw without getting ink all over your gloves as you shiver (and swear). Park life is here to stay for next few months, so get out and enjoy the people watching and fill up your idea file and sketchbooks while you can. Fresh thoughts and inspiration are a great thing. Might still consider bringing an umbrella though.

The weather has finally warmed up, and along with it has followed a symphony of birds. It's their busy season, so pretty much any tree, wire, pole and fence has suddenly been adorned by one of our feathered friends. And they are actually easier to see now, without leaves on any branches yet. All of the usuals have been out and about, including an abundance of cardinals. There was a particularly tense stand-off this morning between a stubborn blue jay and rough-around-the-edges squirrel. Do desperate angry squirrels eat birds? hmmm. But as of yet this spring, the rare Weiner Dog Balloon Bird, has remained elusive.

Sometimes it's good to work in a method you normal wouldn't consider the best for the project at hand. Breaking free of your creative routine is an important tool, not only in refreshing your artwork, but also in making new discoveries. If you just stick with what you know, then you will grow extremely familiar with that, but never actually grow as a whole.

Personally, I often find it difficult to disregard the "proper" methods of drawing and working, fused inside of me from schooling and experience. For example, no matter how much I try to draw like a child, it is never anything as unique, innocent and unrestrained as a real five year old would actually produce.
To break free, I like to just grab a random medium, and start to create, without any burden or expectation of producing something great. Shown here is a recent sketchbook doodle looking out the studio window, done in large pink oil pastel. The pastel specifically forced me to ignore details and realism and just draw away. It's certainly no masterpiece, but rewarding all the same.

As the final 22-man squad for the Canadian World Junior Hockey team has been announced, it brings to mind, yet another little thing that the holiday season is great for. I have some very fond memories of classic games that I've gotten to take in over the years, and certainly for me, the tourney is a can't miss.

Here's a sketch I did of the good ol Canadian boys while watching a game last year. It was inspired by some highly entertaining colour commentary, which itself is worthy of analysis from sport to sport. Hockey and it's tough sounding strange terms, golf and its whispered commentary, or the beautiful game and its highly critical hosts. "That was a horrendous effort. Really should've done better for himself there. There's no room for utter despair like that on that pitch. He's brought shame not just on his family, but his entire country with that poor display of an excuse for football."

It's no secret that traveling is a great time for sketching...I count myself among the many that find an influx of new visual information, leads to to some productive doodling. Out of the ordinary architecture, fashion, signage, people and food, are all great fuel for creativity. Airports are an especially great place to get some sketching done, with time to kill, and a lot of people immobile for hours at a time. Here are some pages from Havana, New York and San Francisco.

I felt that the one of the classic high-five sequences deserved some artwork. If you ask me, "cut the pickle, tickle tickle" is way better than "on the roof, you're a goof." But that's just me.