Thursday 1 July 2010

The Card Players

Sketch in pen and coloured pencil
If you go to any small Sicilian town or village on a warm day, you will always find some old fellas playing cards, sometimes under a tree, in the village square or even wedged between some fishing boats.  Sometimes they bring their own chairs, often they bring just a bit of cardboard to sit a the wall with.  I have never seen any money exchanging hands, so it can only be for fun!
The man in the cap I'm sure I've drawn before in a bigger coloured pencil piece from last year, so he must be a 'regular'. (He's the one with his back to us). 



Coloured Pencil on Fabriano F4

19 comments:

martinepittet said...

Wow !! Great drawing! I love the colours and you've rendered the attitude so well! One can see they are concentrating on their game !

Unknown said...

These are wonderful! I like the combination of colors and fabrics in the second one best. You did a beautiful job capturing the calmness of the moment and the friendship between the men. I'd love to visit a place like that! You have a gift for putting together a composition. I wish I could do that!

Anonymous said...

Your card players could be in Provence, specially the second drawing with the boat and stipped t-shirt, tres joli!

Patsy Taylor-Craw said...

The expressions of the card players are great as well as the colors and "feel" of your painting.

Alex said...

Awesome drawing! Definitely captured the atmosphere there, and I could feel the time passing by with a lot of talking and exchanging cards...what game were they playing? Skorpa?

Cathy Holtom said...

Yes probably Scopa Alex, using Sicilian playing cards.

nanke's stuff said...

Wow! These drawings are just wonderful ... the positions of the men, the expressions, the colors - really great. I love the second one especially with its bright colors. Well done! nancy

Sandra said...

These are terrific. You have captured the moment!

Shirley said...

These are both fabulous! I love the way you use colored pencils and capture so much detail.

ANAIS G. BURGOS said...

Great drawings, Cathy

Anonymous said...

Lovely drawings - if only we had the weather here for old men to sit out in the sun playing cards!

Gillian Mowbray said...

How lovely this looks - and isn't that what retirement should be all about! I can always rely on your blog for a bit of calm and tranquility. x

Anonymous said...

A fabulous drawing!! I always love your work- expressive and calming.

debra morris said...

Lovely drawing Cathy!

Unknown said...

Lovely drawing, it simply captures the scenne, very nicely done :)

Lesley Purcell said...

Both these sketches are fantastic Cathy - you really know how to work coloured pencils.

Unknown said...

WOW! These are great! Amazing really.

Lucia B. said...

Dear Cathy, your works are absolutely wonderful! It's a great pleasure to look at them!
Lucia

K said...

Love the bottom one especially!