Category Archives: Machines

Down By The Tracks

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Don West
image

Down By The Tracks

Sketch Text:
When my work life was a maze of stress, deadlines, phone calls, missed meals, and keeping everybody happy but me…there were times I’d think to myself, “I should just hop a freight and leave all this insanity.” Of course I never did.

I did read about hobos & the hobo life though. And I took long drives alone & whistled or sang train & travelin’ songs. And wondered how in the world a person ever had the fortitude to actually live a hobo’s life. Or any kind of alternate life really.

These days I’ve pretty much ended up living an alternate life of sorts and I actually like it. I know what freedom is now. Sometimes I don’t know what to do with it…but I’m learning. And it’s good.

Life is simple.

Posted in Introspection, Machines, Objects, Sketches and Words, Travel | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Railroad Snow Plow…

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Don West
RailRoad Snow Plow

RailRoad Snow Plow...click for a larger image.

Sketch Text:
When I first saw this beast I had no idea what it was. Then  Irealized it had to be a snow plow for clearing the rails.

It’s pretty cool really. I would love to see it in operation some day. But if it snowed that much, I’m quite certain I would remain at home, bundled under a nice quilt with some milk & cookies on the night stand.

Further Comment:
This is the second attempt at yesterday’s failed sketch post. I think my brain was hung up on “big”. I almost missed getting this one on the page as well!

Posted in Machines, Sketches and Words | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Arghhhh!

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Don West
Arggh! A Big Boo-Boo!

Arggh! A Big Boo-Boo...click for a larger image.

Sketch Text:
Started this one out all wrong. Don’t know why…could be the unfamiliar shape of this piece of machinery I was trying to sketch.

Most likely though, it was due to the way my brain works…as I’ve mentioned before.

BIG BOO-BOO! Lack of attention, carelessness, impatience, not taking enough time to assess how the sketch will fit on the page.

In this case I needed a bigger piece of paper lol! Yeah…that was the REAL problem…the paper wasn’t large enough! And of course the old-reliable Little League Baseball excuse I always used: “The sun was in my eyes!”

Further Comment:
I’ll post the second attempt on the next entry. This is good though. We artists all get the drawing heebie-jeebies sometimes. I’m not to proud to admit it :-)

Posted in Machines, Sketches and Words | Tagged , | 6 Comments