Chimpanzee Drawing Montage

Over the past week or so, I’ve been building my portfolio with a series of drawings that tell stories. I take small drawings that I’ve done, sometimes add components from other drawings, and then blend them together with Photoshop.

I enjoy drawing with ink, and last night I drew a chimp, which was him or herself a combination of a few different references. This morning I combined her with a watercolor backdrop I’d done earlier, and a few small sketch fragments, also done at an earlier date.

Today’s inspiration: People say that what we are all seeking is a meaning for life. Idon’t think this is what we’re really seeking. I think what we’reseeking is an experience of being alive.  The Power of Myth – Joseph Campbell.

Drawing The

The title of today’s post isn’t a typo. It’s the name of my most recent sketch fragment.

This little piece is from a page of one of my sketchbooks. I’m not an organized sketcher–I have several books going at the same time. While some have themes, like “Colorado Trip” and “Facebook”, others I just use for general sketching.

I’m working on a lot of disassociated little drawings. I need to work on my people-drawing skills, so I’m doing very simplified sketches of portraits I’ve taken as a photographer over the years. I’ve also been charmed recently by fantastic architectural drawing, and I’ve done several that I’d like to color before posting.

Today’s drawing comes from a larger page that’s filled with angel wings, little buildings, and figures. Oh, and text, which is another thing I’m working on developing.

Today’s inspiration: If you don’t live it, it won’t come out your horn. Charlie Parker.

Drawing and Typing

Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time on the internet, looking at blogs and design sites, hoping to integrate some of the fabulous ideas I see into my thinking and execution.

Many who look at this site regularly know I’m in a life transition. My product development days are likely behind me, and book sales are largely a thing of the past. So now I’m looking to develop a small portfolio of designs that I might use to sell my services as an illustrator. It’s a long road, but I figure if I keep at it, I may find my way.

I did this drawing with a micron pen, with a typewriter reference I found on the internet. The typewriter had no marks on the keys, so I filled them in with a combination of keys from other photos. I did the background and text with photoshop.

Today’s inspiration: The only cats worth anything are the cats who take chances. Sometimes I play things I never heard myself. Thelonius Monk.

Three Bird Sketches

Today I painted three birds. The first was inspired by my desire to play with my Rotring art pen. I love the way this pen feels in my hand when I’m drawing, and its elegant look combined with the weighted “feel” it has is a winning combo.

Though it’s an extra-fine nib, it doesn’t allow for the nuance and detail of line I get with my trusty .005 Sakura Pigment Micron pen. One nice aspect of the rotring is that since it’s not waterproof, you can do washes by wetting a brush with water and flowing it over your linework. The first sketch below is an example of that. I wasn’t interested in technical proficiency here, just in seeing how the lines would wash.

Then I added some color with Staedtler ergosoft aquarell watercolor (colored) pencils. Painting very carefully with a wet brush, taking as much care as possible not to touch the black outlines and details, I wetted the colored pencil on the bird and in the background. You can see at the tip of the bird’s tailfeathers how the water from the background wash knocked up against the black ink to create more feathering than I might have wanted.

Next is a sketch of a little robin with red berries. I did this one with a minimum of black linework, and tried to keep it as clean as possible. When I added the colored pencil, I washed it very carefully. It has a slightly more stylized, fresher look.

Finally, because I’m a creature of habit, I did another drawing with my trusty micron. This one I washed with tube watercolors (mostly Windsor-Newton and Daniel Smith). It looks pretty good, but it’s not as playful. I’ll be working on that.

Today’s inspiration: Art is a vast democracy of habit. Twyla Tharp.

Sokkia Engineer’s Field Book as a Sketchbook

We visited McGuckin Hardware twice while we were in Boulder last month. What an amazing store. It’s filled with an almost infinite number of gadgets and supplies. I was particularly interested in the glass container section–they had HUGE jars that I imagined would be wonderful for iced tea–, and the art area, which is filled with a wide-ranging selection of journals, including Moleskine and Rhodia brands.

The first time we visited, I bought a large Chinese brush for my background washes, and Marty got a 24-count box of oil pastels. I also picked up some colored pencils, since I hadn’t brought any for the trip. I fondled a beautiful Sokkia Engineer’s Field Book, but told myself I didn’t need it, since I’m overloaded with sketchbooks already.

But Roz Stendahl’s review of the Alvin Field Journal #mce_temp_url#played in my mind, and on the second visit to McGuckin Hardware, I fell victim to temptation and bought the 4 1/2″ x 7 1/4″ sized book.

The journal has a hard, bright yellow cover, which seems like it would withstand variations in the weather quite well. Indeed, it’s advertised as weatherproof and highly durable. The book has 80 pages, with paper of 50% cotton rag content. The white stock is gridded with thin blue and red lines.

I love the way the paper takes watercolor washes. It’s more firm, and the finish considerably more accepting than Moleskine paper, which is what I normally use for my quick sketches.

Although the Sokkia paper ripples a little, the wonderful crackling sound the pages make when you turn them more than compensates for the ripple effect.

 

Today’s quote: I hate flowers. I only paint them because they’re cheaper than models and they don’t move. Georgia O’Keefe.

 

I’m back!

This month has been kind of a whirlwind. Marty and I drove to Colorado shortly after my last post, and I had big plans to do a sketchbook journal of our trip. Got a few drawings in Estes Park and Boulder, but didn’t do as many as I thought I would. I have to color some of the ones I did do, and I’ll be posting those over the next several days.

The good news is that I have been doing lots of drawing. Since I have sketchbooks scattered all over the house, I usually end up picking up whatever book is convenient and drawing in that. I’ve been trying out some new watercolor pencils, some non-waterproof ink that creates wonderful wash effects when you wet it, and a new Sokkia Engineer’s Field Book. More on all of that later.

My friend Arlene invited me to display my artwork at her restaurant, The Measuring Cup, in East Dundee. Arlene is a fabulous chef, who bakes mouth-watering pastries. Her menu includes delicious sandwiches, salads, and soups too! It’s right on the bike path adjacent to River Street, and worth a visit if you’re ever passing through. My art’s on display for a few months. Thanks, Arlene!

Today’s inspiration: I saw the angel in the marble and I carved until I set him free. Michelangelo Buonarotti.

Happy Fourth Drawing

A few years ago, I traveled with some friends to Saugatuck, Michigan, for a stay at a cottage on the shore of Lake Michigan. As we wandered the shore, I came across two remarkable rocks, a drawing of which I’m posting here in celebration of the 4th of July holiday.

Remarkably,  each of these rocks is the size of its sandwich equivalent!

I call them Fast Food Rocks. I hope you enjoy them!

Today’s inspiration: We have art in order not to die of the truth. Friederich Nietzsche.

Rainy Day Drawing

It’s been the rainiest June that I can recall here in the Chicago area. If it’s not raining, it’s cloudy and gray. I haven’t been doing much sketching outside, but there’s been plenty of time to work on more complicated pieces during these dreary days and nights.

Today, the sun’s shining! We took the dogs to the dog park this morning, and I sketched the surrounding landscape. Hope to post that as soon as I get it colored.

In the meantime, here’s a rainy day sketch of the room we call “the second living room.” It has a small fireplace and lots of books, and it’s where I prefer to spend my time when I’m at home.

Today’s inspiration: The thing is to become a master in your old age to acquire the courage to do what children did when they knew nothing. Ernest Hemingway.

Black Dog Mug and Chain

Today’s drawings are of a hook and chain Marty dug from the side yard and my beloved Black Dog mug. Both feature one of my favorite colors, indian red.

Today’s inspiration: Music is the space between the notes. Claude Debussy.

Wind-up Duck Drawing

I’ve mentioned before here that I’m attracted to the anthropomorphic qualities of nature things, like sticks, and humble household sculptures. We keep a major collection of tiny toys along the wainscoting ledge in the bathroom, which I imagine have many and varied internal lives.  

There are other small toys scattered around the house, that I’ve collected over the years because they’ve spoken to me in some way. Others have been gifts, from like-minded souls who also believe that inanimate objects a great deal to say to us.

Here’s a wind-up duck who is riding a sort of motorized scooter. He’s having great fun with this adventure, and he enjoys feeling the wind blowing through his helicopter cap as he moves. Here, he is stationary, since my skills are not great enough to capture him in motion.

 

Today’s Inspiration: If you bring forth what is within you, what you have will save you. Jesus, Gospel of Thomas.