Sketchbook History Tour
1972 – Present
Plane People
Plane People I've been scanning my sketchbooks this year and recently scanned one from 2000-2002. There were a number of drawings of people on planes or about to get on one. Planes and waiting rooms are wonderful places to people draw and I always make sure I have my...
The Sad Women
The Sad Women “I can promise you that women working together – linked, informed and educated – can bring peace and prosperity to this forsaken planet.” - Isabel Allende When I think about the Middle East recently I keep thinking about how powerless so many women must...
Women with Microphones
Women with Microphones As many of you know, I draw in church. When I lived in Tulsa the person I drew at church most often was the pianist. We sat in just the right location to get a good view of her so she was a ready subject. When we moved to Texas and found a...
Polka Dots – Recent Paintings
I recently finished a sketchbook. It's a weird thing to finish a sketchbook. I always feel like a relationship is ending. The feel, paper, size, look are all unique. How it takes ink, how I hold it, how it fits as I go somewhere is different with each sketchbook. Some...
Recent Live Drawings – 2022/2023
Finally, after many years of not being able to get out and draw live i've started to sketch in person again. These are from the winter of 2022-2023 in various locales; in a waiting room, at a pharmacy, at a coffee shop, in church and on a train. Sometimes I talk to...
The Poodle – A Short Story
The Poodle Annie finished reading her daily scripture and was contemplating its meaning when the phone rang. She decided, based on her morning study, that she was not going to answer the phone. The phone call was from the National Academy of Poodle Excellence and they...
Ten Drawings
Here are 10 drawings I've done over the Winter and Spring of 2021. Let me know your favorites! 'The Tik Tok Dancer' Ink on Paper 2021 She practiced her TikTok dance in the mirror in the room with her favorite dog and painting on a Sunday instead of going to Temple....
Six Drawings of People Looking at Things
The Weed Smoker, ink on paper, 2021 The Ring Finder, ink on paper, 2021 The Bird Saver The Hors d'oeuvre Eater The Worm Whisperer The Flower Arranger, ink on paper, 2021 Copyright © 2021 Marty Coleman | napkindad.com
Seven Drawings, Before and After – part 2
Jess the Flight Attendant, ink and acrylic paint on paper, 2013 Sara and the Phoenix, ink and acrylic paint on paper, 2016 A Poem in Her Head, ink on paper, 2016 The Pill, Ink on Paper,2016 A Song About Herself, ink on paper,2016 What She Is Made Of, ink and acrylic...
Seven Drawings, Before and After – part 1
I sometimes think ahead and scan my line drawings before painting them. I thought I would show some of them to you side by side. The drawings were all done live at the scene. Painting was done afterwards in my studio. Five of these were done in coffee houses, one was...
The Vaccine – An Illustrated Short Story
The Vaccine - An Illustrated Short Story The woman had rarely been out of the house for the last 12 months. The last time was picking up her daughter from the day care center the day it closed down. Since then she'd had groceries and meals delivered or her partner had...
Chimera Cafe, Tulsa, OK
Chimera Cafe, Tulsa, OK Back before the Pandemic, when we could actually go and hang out in coffee houses, I did so on a regular basis. Way back in October of 2016 I tried a new cafe, Chimera, in the Tulsa Arts District. After I settled in I drew the scene in front of...
Feeling Art – Six Drawings of Paintings and Sculptures
Painting and Patron The painting looked at her longingly, hoping she would feel the same. She did, paying $765,000 for her and putting her over her couch so they could watch TV together. Two Portraits The portrait sat there for years but the serpent was a good singer...
Portraits, 1988-1989
These portraits from 1988 and 1989 are all from my sketchbook. Most of the models were friends from work or were students I asked to model to illustrate how to draw portraits. Student in Profile, Ballpoint pen on paper, 1989 I asked my students to use sketchbooks...
12 Recent Drawings – Fall, 2020
The Wounded Woman The Unhappy Wife the Moment Her Fences Flew Away The Renaissance Room at the Museum The Water Angel Mother and Son The Dancer Dancing in Her Favorite Spot During Quarantine The Sad Queen Just Wanted To Be Loved The Dishwashing Attorney With Her Bra...
15 Recent Drawings
A Woman in Summer, 2020 A Memory of Mine She's So Ugly The Hurricane Dance The Vision and the Weight A Discussion with the Goddess The Prayer and the Sign The Thinking Skyscraper The Runner's Prayer The Sign in the Desert The Artist Knows Tongues Covid Landscape The...
I Draw in Church – Three Very Short Stories
She thought she was XX because of church but thought she was XY because of God. The End. The sermon caused her to search for her spiritual identity in the stars, not on the ground. The End She obsessed over Wor all during the service and didn't regret it. The End ©...
18 Pregnant Women
Drawings © 2020 Marty Coleman | napkindad.com
The Decision – An Illustrated Short Story
She couldn't decide. She wanted to go to the Forum where she could show off her new hairdo and earrings and watch wrestling and talk and eat and flirt and listen to people say profound things and maybe get a mani/pedi. She would see her friends and have fun, laughing...
That’s Interesting
I think this might make an interesting T-shirt for a lot of interesting women. They are busy with their interesting lives, doing interesting things and aren't interested in men being interested in them just because they look interesting. © 2020 Marty Coleman |...
La and Fa – The Story of a Disaster
La and Fa - The Story of a Disaster The music said La but he thought Fa and as a result the concert was a disaster. The End © 2020 Marty Coleman | napkindad.com
The Woman Who Became a Violin
© 2020 Marty Coleman | napkindad.com
What She Saw When She Was Underwater in Life
The Violence and the Victim
© 2020 Marty Coleman | napkindad.com
The Shape She Was In – An Illustrated Short Story
The Shape She Was In She was nervous singing in front of the congregation because she didn't like her shape. Her hips were too small and her shoulders and chest were too big. Her knees were too knobby and her feet were too small. Her hands were too manly and her lips...
Mary And Martha Have a Spa Day – An Illustrated Short Story
Mary and Martha Have a Spa Day Mary and Martha had some time to spare before Jesus and the boys came to visit later in the week so they decided to go to the spa and pamper themselves. They did mani-pedis, massage, hot yoga, a salt room and finally a facial. The facial...
A Friend from the Past
I did the black and white ink portion of this drawing in January of 2003 at Borders Bookstore in Tulsa, OK. We dated for a number of months in 2002/2003 and remained friends after. I left it as a black and white ink drawing in my sketchbook for 16 years. This fall...
She Thought of Her Life – An Illustrated Short Story
She Thought Of Her Life Her walk home that morning allowed for thoughts on what had just happened. She wanted to believe she was free but her behavior told her she was not. However, she also believed she could change and be free in the future. The End Drawing and...
Recent Drawings – 2019
'Making Him'pen and ink on paper, 2019 This was a quick sketch that didn't have a defined background. I decided to work in some color well after the drawing was done and while doing so I thought it would be a challenge to see if I could make the clothing translucent....
Three Drawings
'I Am Glad I Am An Artist' - pen and ink on paper, 2019 This is a true story. I was in the men's room before church and stood between to men while peeing. They were both older gentlemen (I know the drawing makes them look younger, oh well). They were talking about...
A Woman Thinking of What She Is Made Of – I Draw In Church
From Real To Un – I Draw In Church
Drawing in church (or anywhere) is not restricted to drawing something or someone I am looking at. Here are 5 examples of the range, from starting with a real person but adding a made-up background to doing something abstract that has no connection to a world...
The Revelation Dragon’s Younger Sister
In the Book of Revelation there is a terrible dragon. Here is how it is described:"Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crown on its heads." Rev. 12:3 Well, this isn't that dragon. This is...
The Elegantly Dressed Beautiful Woman
The Elegantly Dressed Beautiful Woman | Ink on Paper | 2004-2018 'The elegantly dressed beautiful woman with the cat as her carry-on wearing black and an orange scarf and visiting her parents in San Diego who can't have pets and thinks her nose is bigger than I drew...
I Draw in Church – Women of Color in a Grey World
A Woman of Color in a Grey City A Pianist of Color in a Grey Church
The Difference of the Same
They were the same except the parts where they were different.