Expanding the Studio and Some Creative Summer Fun

What can I say - I love a good bargain! I have a pretty traditional drawing table I've been using and it has a fair amount of table-top square footage. However, the whole thing shakes when I'm erasing something. So, last week while at a thrift store, I just couldn't pass up a sturdy metal drawing table for $14.

The drawing surface is smaller than I've had, but that's fine because I work small when drawing anyway (and I still have my other drawing table to spread out on). It's metal and HEAVY, so the thing doesn't budge while working. It has several drawers down the front and a cool locker in the back that could fit 2' x 3' canvases (or whatever). It must have been used in some sort of school setting since it had an "I love Michael" message written in pencil on the table-top and a couple wads of gum stuck underneath - all of which have been removed now. If only the garage wasn't so stifling hot to work in right now.

I also thought I'd share these little sculpted dolls and dogs that my 10 year old has been mass producing. I picked up a box of Crayola Model Magic - an air dry clay - as a little something to do during summer. Turns out my 10 yr old has a knack for sculpture. I was quite impressed with her efforts and had to share them. This is only a fraction of the little figures that she's created. Look out 101 Dalmations...I've lost count.

Illustration Friday: "Vacant"

This was one of those instances where I had an idea jump into my head as soon as I read the prompt.

Well, I didn't exactly envision the above drawing. But, I did immediately think of the bronze figure sculptures of antiquity - I've always noted their more stylized features (like swirly hair) and the empty, "vacant" eyes that so many of them have. So, starting with that, the drawing just sort of evolved from there.

I was thinking that I might have a close-up of the head with a figure peering into the eye. But, as I began working on it, the figure ended up being placed at a distance.

One struggle I had was that some of the poses I envisioned were a little tough for me to pull off. Usually, I'll recruit one of the kids to pose for me when I get stuck. But since they were already in bed, I had to change some plans. Anyway, I realized that I need to do some practice sketches involving more dynamic gestures.