The Sun Reports For Work

I haven't had a lot of time or motivation for drawing these days.   I've been busy trying to do some things around the house and writing some online articles on various subjects.  But, luckily, I was able to combine the two passions when I did an article describing the process that I use for doing my "extreme doodles."

You can read the article and see this drawing unfold step-by-step at my Hubpages site by clicking HERE.

Otherwise, I hope you enjoy my latest "doodle."

Illustration Friday: "Trail"

Lots going on this week and I didn't think I would be able to get anything done.  But, then I remembered I had this bear drawing from a couple years ago - PERFECT!

Apologies to those commenting in other languages...

I have been getting several comments sent to me in languages that I can't read.  Unfortunately, in the past I had gotten some that looked like they were in Chinese and it turned out they had offensive (sexual) content throughout.  Therefore, I do not approve comments that I cannot read.

If anyone can explain to me how I can post a translation, then I would be happy to do so.  Until then, I'm playing it safe and rejecting comments that are in other languages.  Sorry!

Blessings

Illustration Friday: "Equipment"

If you want to successfully steal the cheese, a mouse must have the right equipment.  Now, are there supposed to be extra parts?

Illustration Friday: "Fearless"

The Gingerbread Man was fearless…not necessarily smart.

This is kind of a 2-part post. I had playing around with this fox-like drawing when this theme came up. It immediately made me think of the gingerbread doodle in my sketchbook. However, I’m not really liking the fox and I don’t really have the time to redo them together at the moment.

The Gingerbread Man is kind of a special doodle for me. It was done on a train home from Oregon. It was my first attempt getting back into drawing several years. College had left me more frustrated and directionless, and I had done a lot of creative things, but I had set aside drawing and painting. So, this was my moment of saying “I’m just going to draw for FUN and let whatever happens happen.” It started me in a whole new direction and inspired me to consider illustration.

Digging Up the Past...In My Garage

Moving things around in the garage, I came across some old college-era drawings, paintings, and prints that I kept. It was funny to go back and look at these things that have rarely seen the light of day since the early 90’s.

It’s especially funny since I’m a completely different person now than I was then, and the imagery I gravitated towards oozed with my youth. With titles like “Angel of Suicide” …What? All that’s missing is my “Question Authority” bumper sticker.

I knew that I wanted to make some kind of statement, but I don’t think I ever knew what that statement was. I just knew what imagery fit the bill - or formula - for cutting edge, music saturated L.A./Long Beach California. But really, it’s very similar to a lot of other statements that you see even among today’s emerging young artists that I see online. And, we thought we were being so avant garde. I just knew that I DIDN’T want to “illustrate” as that was a bad word in the fine arts department. Oh, silly me.

What I do see that is worth anything is the interest in detail, linework, and texture that are a big part of my current work. I just think I took a pretty round-about way of getting here.

I remember that 3-D box face that I had on my wall, the mannequin head with the Mickey Mouse ears, the gas mask…I just can’t for the life of me figure out which apartment that was (I moved several times during my college years).

A Shout Out to Earth Day

Well, here's a little something in reference to Earth Day. It's nothing spectacular. What is spectacular is that I found a moment to do not one BUT TWO quick studies today. This one I squeaked out while waiting in the car with my sleeping baby while my other girls were in a fabric store with their girls group. The other is something I'm going to be using in my next Hubpages article.

Anyway, I'm trying to keep drawing - even if it's just a little bit.

Time sure goes by quickly these days! The end of the school year is closing in so we’re trying to keep on track, although spring fever is hitting us all pretty hard.

I have a confession to make…I have been cheating on this blog. That’s right. It all started so innocently. I was browsing the want ads in our local paper, and that’s when I saw it. It was an ad for an opportunity to write at home and - just maybe - earn a few dollars. Well, since I am currently unemployed and I enjoy writing, I guess I caved to the temptation.

So, I’ve been writing a few articles at HubPages to try to supplement the income…of course, it really takes time to build up any change. I’ll probably only make a dime in the end and won‘t see a cent for years…but it’s been fun.

In the course of my recent writing, I started browsing the works of a few still life artists that I like. One of them is 20^th Century artist Giorgio Morandi. I first encountered his work in college, but I don’t think I was as impressed then - it was my vibrant German Expressionism phase. Morandi’s work was completely opposite of my interests at the time, but I really appreciate it now.

Perhaps in my hectic and noisy life, his still lifes are a quiet and uncluttered refuge. I like the neutral tones of his paintings and the minimal details which are so contrary to my own style. The linework on his drawings adds life - a very nice balance to what would otherwise be considered bland compositions.

Another artist whose still life work I enjoy is Wayne Thiebault. Again, I am drawn to him for his difference from my own style. I always liked the thick application of paint and his colors (or maybe I'm just hungry). I’ve always wondered how painters who work so thick financed all of that paint (at least as a student)! In college, I always worked small and thin since I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to buy more paint when I needed it.

Well, I don't post other people's work that often. My plate is pretty full at the moment (and not with cake and ice cream). Summer's coming - things will change to some degree...although my toddler is getting clingy and busy busy busy!

Found the Colored Pencils

Easter Vaction and I finally dug through a couple boxes for my colored pencils.

These guys were a quick 2 minute doodle done a while back that I added some color to.

I doodled the picture on the left first and had no plans to do anything else. However, I do need to do some studies that show one particular character in different moods or actions. This isn't for the portfolio or anything, but it's good practice. I wanted to make sure I could recreate the same character from a different angle. I think I duplicated her shape and features well enough. But, I need to take a look at some other artists and see how they handle hair in this medium. I'm not a big fan of how I did it here.

Illustration Friday: "Dip"

I guess it's time to resurrect this from a few years back as I think it's a nice fit for the theme. After all, this is the week for resurrections :)

This was a drawing loosely based on my 2nd youngest daughter - while visiting the water slides at Lake Lopez, she put on every floatation device she could find (including a life jacket - not shown here). She was only in the "kiddy" pool and the life guards laughed - they certainly wouldn't need to rescue her.

Where did the last year go? Here's a Clue...

Well, it's been over a week since her actual birthday, but this picture was done right around then in the ol' sketchbook. Can't believe she's already 1 year old!!

She's very busy and quite the handful, but I'm seeing some opportunity to spend some time on developing that picture book idea previously mentioned. In the meantime, I don't see much opportunity to add much color to this blog - pencil and paper are just so simple and handy. Perhaps when I finish unpacking studio stuff over Easter Vacation, then maybe I can at least locate my colored pencils.

Until then, there'll be lots of baby and dog pictures in pencil.

More babies

You'll probably be seeing a lot of baby and dog sketches these days as I'm building that visual library for my children's book idea. Here are a couple I did quickly today. I think Lindy's legs are too short - there's that proportion thing again. But, I sensed that as I was doing it. Unfortunately, she was moving a bit as she slept, so I was rushing a bit. Still, I think I should take the time to capture the proportion first, details after that.

Anyway, I wanted to get some different angles, perspectives, and practice some details of the face and feet.

Post-Disney Doodles

Just trying to keep the momentum going with the drawing. I really wasn't able to do any drawing at Disneyland like I thought I might. But, I never really had the chance (even waiting with the baby for others to get off of rides). So, I took a bunch of pictures of interesting shapes and architecture to have fun with at a later date.

I did get a couple marks on a page once before being interrupted, so I just came home and doodled with them. Here's the result...fun stuff.

Illustration #5 - I Sorta Took A Shortcut

Ok, I'basically had 1 day to do this last drawing since we're leaving on a family trip tomorrow and my son's going to turn his project in before we leave. Soooooo, rather than redrawing the original sketchbook drawing, I just went over it in ink with very few adjustments. Therefore, I'm now noticing an issue with the position of his legs and foot - not quite right. But oh well...

Do I still have my pouch of ammunition and gunpowder? Yes, I do!

One thing that I'll take away from this little mini-commission is the importance of time management. I need to expect to do multiple drawings for a single illustration - in some cases, probably lots! But, this was fun - hope I get an "A."

Now, it's off to Disneyland. I plan to take the sketchbook as we'll have to take turns waiting with the baby for some of the rides - I'm guessing she won't make the height requirement for Space Mountain.

4 Down - 1 To Go

Illustration #4, again, would be a decent 1st draft. I like the proportions of the foreground figure (for the most part). But, there are several things that I would adjust if I had time to do it again.

He got up to the shed and almost screamed as he almost walked right into the path of an armed guard. But, he realized the guard was asleep.

As I'm rapidly running out of time - we leave for Disneyland tomorrow afternoon - I'm working even more quickly and letting things go that I normally might spend more time on. But, I still have one more drawing to do, laundry to put away, suitcases to pack, dogs to bathe...