Playing with colours

A black chair ...

Back when I was a student at Sheridan, my best friend Chris and I used to do cafe drawings all the time... this was before the big boom of this art form. We would draw at concerts, Starbucks, Zoo's, Jazz clubs ( you can find some really cool characters there) and parks. Since our lives went separate ways (work reasons) my flame/desire to do cafe' drawings had dwindled. I had not know one to compete and push the caricature with. I remember one day in particular, Chris and I followed a guy at the Toronto Winter Fair for almost 45 min. and we ended up at the Starbucks close to the Paramount Theater... hahaha... poor guy. We mangled and deformed him in our drawings way beyond human recognition ... it was a blast.

I truly believe that cafe drawing is the key to bringing together the major departments/classes in the animation field ( Concept Design, Storyboard, Animation, Life Drawing). So, I decided to bring my 3rd year students to the Mall in Oakville to draw all the interesting people in the Food Court, followed by a short lecture. They loved it and it is something you can get seriously addicted to as soon you can get away from thinking as an adult and start to think as your inner child. It does not have to be formal and there are no rules ... just draw from your heart and use your creativity. Be loose and have fun. :)
I have now discovered the passion of adding colours to it. I always loved and focused on the quick line drawings... but as you can see, the color in these drawings can add that extra flare. That special flare that is in all of us and makes us unique. That lady I drew with a flowery shirt was just a simple push drawing in my eyes, but when i added those colors to her shirt it all made sense for me- she came alive. Same as the guy in all black...he was a Sheridan student in the Food Court and he managed to pick the only black chair in a sea of red ones! Did he bring it from home?? He must love black ! :)

Well enjoy the drawings and please let me know if you have any tips for me...
Chris, Jeoff, and Mr Joseph....call me any time for more cafe drawing time !!!
I love the Animation field...passion for art is the only thing I have :)
Sincerely

Angelo Libutti

Caffe Drawing & Water Colour