PlanSponsor: Patrick Groenendijk

 I illustrated a portrait of Patrick Groenendijk for PlanSponsor Europe. Patrick is the CIO of a Dutch co-operative private road transport pension scheme Pensioenfonds Vervoer. Read the article online.

Patrick Groenendijk by Graham Smith

The article's theme is change, and how this investment officer adapts. Art Director, SooJin Buzelli chose a sketch with dramatic clouds blowing ahead of a storm to represent the interview.

"Everything needs to change in order for things to remain the same." Patrick Groenendijk

Following the theme myself, I changed the way I usually illustrate portraits and inked this one at almost triple the print size. See how big the original inking is next to the magazine and my sketchbook? It was fun to draw that big.

 

Above are some details from the illustration. I create the backgrounds by any means possible, using  ink, acrylic paint, brayers, brushes and different types of paper and printing techniques. To me, changing the way things are created each time, keeps things fresh and in discovery mode.

G.

Another sketchy weekend

Friday at Cosmos Cafe

Friday night in La Mesa, California outstanding guitar performances by Michael Lille and Andy Lund from Taylor guitars, rocked Cosmos Coffee Cafe. I sat down in the back with a chicken salad sandwich and black cherry soda (not pictured) and my sketchbook - and drew the room while acoustic harmonies soaked into the room.

Saturday at Tibet House

My friend, Rima Fujita is an artist and activist. We went to the Tibet House the next day, to learn how she was inspired in a dream to help Tibet. And to buy her book, "Save the Himalayas" which she gracious signed for a house full of her admirer's.

The Dali Lama wrote the forward to "Save the Himalayas" and gave Rima a special recognition at the peace summit in Japan. Through her organization, Books For Children, Rima has donated over 12,000 copies of her books to schools for Tibeten children in exile. All the proceeds from her books go towards supporting education in Tibet. Helping Tibet is Rima's life's work and she will not accept a penny for it.

G.

Kim Jong Il - Death of a Dictator

Kim Jong Il - Graham Smith

Kim Jong Il, 69, died from a heart attack today after "dedicating his life to the people." The North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il was the son of Kim Il Song, the founder Communist Nation and had been in power since 1994.

G.

See More:

Hosni Mubarak
Amedinejad

Restaurant Sketchbook

Coffee at Conrad's Diner in Glendale.

A while back, I started a new Moleskine sketchbook and decided it should have a theme. Since drawing and eating are two of my favortite things, I decided to fill the Moleskine with drawings done in solely in restaurants. That's it, above, with the coffee drawing. The Restaurant Sketchbook.

If you have gone out to eat with me and wondered, this is a collection of what I was scribbling in my sketchbook, while stuffing my face...

Pizza Port: Highway 101, California.

China Max: Dim Sum

A giant "Pho Warehouse" in Orange County.

Dim Sum on the Patio

Waiting for a table at Toshi.

Sake and seaweed salad at Toshi

Seared Ahi, green tea and sushi at Wa.

Dawn drinks tea at Thai /Chinese Cuisine.

Teresa and Andrei at Saigon City for Pho

Kitchen: I do have one.

Throw down at China Max

A very late night sketch: Conrad's

You can get anything at this diner - 24 hours a day.

Pho Hut in Glendale

Cotija's in Santee - picking up Menudo for Vinnie.

Tajima: We'd hit this place for spicy noodles after life drawing.

Picasso's for tapas: Hillcrest, San Diego.

Dawn preps a Thanksgiving feast while I draw.

Tofu House: brings you hot tea in a can!

Saigon Star for BBQ pork chops and rice.

Cafe Venti: Drawsome! Sketchbook Sessions

Sushi Roku in Santa Monica.

Another China Max throw down!

Cafe Venti: Drawsome! Sketchbook Sessions

Cafe Venti: Drawsome! Sketchbook Sessions

Cafe Venti: Drawsome! Sketchbook Sessions

It's fun looking through the old sketchbooks at the drawings, seeing what we ate, who sat at the table, what it looked like and remembering. I just noticed there are a bunch of places I eat at all the time, but never seemed to draw... too busy eating! I'll bring my sketchbook next time.

G. 

HealthLeaders: Portraits of the Editors

Ed Pruitt - Editor of Healthleaders

Jim Molpus - Interim Editor of Healthleaders

 Ed Pruitt and Jim Molpus are the Editor and Interim Editor at Healthleaders magazine. I was commissioned to illustrate their portraits for the Editor's Letter page by award winning Art Director Doug Ponte.

You can see the size of the drawing and the kind of pen nib I use to draw with. The bigger thick to thin strokes are drawn with the pen nib in the standard position. The really thin lines are drawn with the pen nib held upside down, using the thin, forward edge of the nib's foot.

Each person is drawn quite a few times until the portrait is figured out. I spread the inked portraits out on my desk to decide which best suits the assignment.

The Editor's portraits were destined to print small, so I illustrated the portraits about twice the print size, which was still pretty small. I have to be "hold-my-breath" careful when drawing small portraits, where the thickness of the line makes a big difference.

Sometimes, I think my nose is going to touch the paper, I get so close to the work. This is what the drawings looks like from that perspective!

Ed Pruitt: Detail, Black Cat India ink and General's non-repro blue pencil: Graham Smith.

 G.