Sketches so far

Here's some point-and-shoots of my sketchbook.

and here's the main source of excitement in Redwood City:

24 hours in Redwood City

Well I’ve been in Redwood City for just under 24 hours and I am bored out of my mind.  I spent several hours going over the paperwork from DWA and that was more interesting than the town – and I’m in the downtown area!  The weather is gorgeous, so if I were near a mountain with a mountain bike I could certainly be entertained, but then if I had some bread and some ham I could make a ham sandwich.  There are some nice cafés and I did have a fine cupcake and enjoy the day, but that’s about what this town boils down to.  Oh, and watching Cal Train go by.

Tomorrow I start at DWA - yeah!  (And talk to my movers and try to make arrangements for them to come, etc. but I'll try to not thing about that at least until tomorrow morning).

Frightfully slow connection right now - I think a number of folks are logged on and weighing down the router.  I'll upload some sketches later on.

Greetings from California

Where did I leave off?  It’s been a rather exhausting few days, but the good news is that I found a place and signed a lease.  It’s smaller than what I had before so the weed whacker and lawnmower will not be moving to San Francisco to me (so not paying to store those) but that’s to be expected with City Life.  I figure I’ll spend a year or so doing the City thing, then go get my art studio in the rolling hills somewhere.
The flight over was absolutely gorgeous.  At least, what I saw – I slept like the dead  through much of it, but did wake up in time to see Marin and the Bay.  Beautiful view flying it.  It’s been like summer here – mid-70s and sunny.  I’ve been wandering around the city experiencing neighborhoods.  I looked at one apartment with a stellar view, but wasn’t sure if my stuff would fit.  I measured it and the guy held it for me, then I went back to the hotel and played with floor plans.  It’s gonna be really tight in there, but it’ll be a great  place for a while.  I don’t plan on spending my life in the city, but I figure it’s worth paying through the nose to have that experience for a  while.  Besides, I want to do a series of city paintings.

After measuring things multiple times and stressing about it, I figured, go for it.  Once I finally signed the lease (which was about 20 pages long) I could actually somewhat relax – and I went for dim sum and tea and a walk along the Embarcadero.  I also slept well for the first time in a while!  Everything save for a duffel bag full of clothes is still in Seattle – so I need to fly out, meet the movers, and fly back and wait for them to arrive, but at least now I have a place.  I don’t have the keys, though, since for whatever administrative reason I don’t get those until the 30^th, and now I’m in Redwood City, but I decided to take the day off and have fun and worry about the actual moving part of moving later!

Today was the farmer’s market at the Ferry Terminal building, and I enjoyed crab cakes and people watching and picked up some apples and green beans.  Then I went over the Ghirardelli’s just because, and walked back along the Embarcadero.  There was a beautiful sight at Pier 39:  A line at the men’s room!  :)  Later in the afternoon, and further down (pier 7 or so) I was part of a hostile takeover:  The ladies room was closed off for cleaning for at least 15 minutes, and we finally decided to just take over the men’s room instead of waiting all day.  The guys just got in line behind us – they know when they’re not going to win a battle.

Then it was just hanging out enjoying the sunshine, followed by taking Cal Train down to Redwood City.  My immediate impression of Redwood City is that I’m glad I signed a lease in San Francisco!  Not an exciting town, but I do love the train so I won’t mind the Cal Train ride in to work.

Tomorrow is all about going over paperwork – some from DreamWorks and some from the moving companies.  I had two estimates, both about the same.  If everything else looks equal, then it will probably come down to who can be there next Monday!

Woke up to fog

I woke up to fog this morning.  I'm still in Seattle, but on my way to San Francisco.  In just a few hours I'll be on my way with a duffel bag full of clothes, a hotel reservation, and a one-way plane ticket.

Night shot

Final days; final sunsets

Farewell Seattle, thanks for the view.

Moving to Cali

Twenty years ago I moved to Seattle with a suitcase, a duffel bag, and a hotel reservation and all my stuff followed in boxes later.  I didn't have a place to live.  Thursday I'm getting on a plane with a backpack, a duffel bag and a hotel reservation, and all my stuff will show up in boxes later.  No, I don't know where I'm going to live.  Unlike the move to Seattle, however, I do have a job: at DreamWorks Animation designing their super-cool software.  I'm totally stoked about it, although at the moment I am also losing my mind.  I will also be losing my plants since you can't take them to California.  They will be going to Auntie Ruth, though, and have been there many times when I've been on vacation, so at least they'll be with friends.  I'll keep you updated, although I'll be unplugging my scanner pretty soon here.  Wagons Ho!

Scenes from a coffee house

We'll take a break from Bhutan for some coffee house sketches.  I went in search of Walnut ink but Blicks didn't have any, so I tried a couple of new pens instead.  This first is sort of like a thick ballpoint, and blurbs and smudges, but has thick, rich lines (Pentel Technica):

This is a Prismacolor Premier, which is a lot like a Micron, but the ink seems to dry lighter:

Rice and a madman

More photos from Bhutan.  This is walking back from the Temple of the Divine Madman:

And some rice fields - love the look of those bright greens popping out.