The French Quarter

After a couple of days (and nights) exploring New Orleans I finally got my bearings and had checked off the major tourist sites and had some time to wander around and sketch.

The French and Spanish lineage is so very strong in the French Quarter of the city, that I expected people to be speaking another language.

Balconies were were pervasive on the larger buildings and the smaller homes all had shutters.  Many of them had delightful courtyards , some  with pools which you could peak into through the gates.

New Orleans Characters

"There's a lot of places I like, but I like New Orleans better"
Bob Dylan


New Orleans has more character as a city than anywhere else I've visited.  I had enough time to walk to get the touring out of the way and be comfortable to just hang out.  I drew several street scenes, but gravitated to some of the people who animate this unique place.

Cigar smoking cops,  Freddy the Realistic Mystic and the cook at FredRick's Deli.

New Orleans Street Jazz

"Your applause is nice, but it don't buy no ham and rice.

Please leave us a bit before you split."

Cajin Spices

The sky was turning dark and there was some distant thunder .  Eddie told me, "in N'orleans it thunder, it gonna rain".

I walked over to the French Market for shelter and spent a couple of hours sketching under cover.

This was perfect opportunity to try something from one of the Urbansketcher Symposium workshops  - a combinations of illustrating patterns and capturing people.

Eddie and Bo

"They got funny chickens.

They got got funny dogs.

They got funny everything."

I was sketching in the French Quarter of New Orleans and was sitting close to Eddie and Bo while I sketched the Spotted Cat nightclub and heard several pearls of wisdom, including,  " Gentlemans ain't so nice when it comes to money".