Hi!
So we're already well into 2018! I hope your year is off to a good start!
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I finally found some time to collect, scan and/or photograph some new work.
It's mostly pencils from last fall up until more recently.
So in no particular order lets get going.
: )
^ ^ ^ I'm always on the lookout for interesting photos and used a "mug-shot" of an Australian inmate from the 1920-30's as a reference for this sketch. I just loved his look, stance and expression.
He appears to be a smaller man, but you can imagine he was clearly not happy about being apprehended or photographed—and I don't think you would have wanted to cross him back in the day.
I used graphite pencils and brownish tinted paper for this one.
^ ^ ^ I'm still doing "scribble sketching"—where you start out just drawing random shapes and scribbles on the page and look for ideas to jump out at you for inspiration.
In this case I struggled and struggled getting something I liked on this page. I forget now what I had drawn—but I erased it all—but it left light pencil marks behind.
That's when I saw the beginning of this guys long face and I was finally off and running.
^ ^ ^ Although I've drawn a LOT of animals—I've never tried to "caricature" one from a photo reference.
When I saw the original photo for the drawing above I could instantly "see" in my mind how I might caricaturize the dog's wonderful, long face and ears.
In my drawing, he looks a bit like a dachshund—but in the original photo the dog looks more like a hound.
Anyway...I had a lot of fun drawing this pooch.
^ ^ ^ This angry looking sketch began life as another scribble.
I think I felt a little bit out of sorts the day I worked on this—and that was obviously reflected in this guy's expression.
^ ^ ^ I've been going to a little coffee house nearby to sketch—and they play a LOT of old classic rock which includes oodles of old Rolling Stones music.
As I sat there drawing one day—this scribble sketch morphed into a Keef looking guy—and so I added his gnarled hand from a photo reference I found of him.
I've always been fond of Sebastian Krüger's caricatures of the Rolling Stones—and although I'm not comparing my work to his amazing pieces—I know seeing his awesome work has influenced my own exaggerated characters.
I think this character is both a little dark—but also kinda funny.
I named him "Kevin" which makes me a smile.
^ ^ ^ Another drawing that began as a scribble (in fact I should stop writing that—because most of my sketches begin this way these days).
Anyway—there's a movie from the 1930's called "Freaks." It was an era devoid of political correctness—and the movie featured what were called circus freaks—people born with or possessing some unusual feature or looks.
The movie had several performers who were called "pin-heads"—or people with small heads—and they often had some mental retardation as well.
I've seen bits and pieces of this movie and was drawn (no pun intended) to the "pin-heads" because they always had smiles on their faces, were affectionate, and came across as good people in spite of their looks and disabilities.
As I drew the sketch above I thought of them—although I don't know why she wound up top-less—(initially I tried to put a house-coat on her).
I call this sketch "Love Is In The Air."
^ ^ ^ Had fun creating this tough guy—picturing him as an old-time pool-hall hustler or boxing promoter type of tough guy.
^ ^ ^ Another Rolling Stones-ish sketch that I drew while sitting at that coffee house mentioned above.
This time I felt my character looked more like Mick—but without hair covering his horns—making them more obvious. ; )
I call this sketch "Mick in 2079." : )
^ ^ ^ A simple character—but I like him. : )
^ ^ ^ As I worked on this sketch one day—I felt like it started to look like Frankenstein.
So I printed out some Boris Karloff / Frankenstein reference photos and finished him off the next day by adding the staples, neck bolt, and heavy eye-lids etc.
^ ^ ^ Just another character sketch that began as a scribble.
^ ^ ^ I really don't plan my sketches in advance—and so in the end I'm often ultimately surprised at what comes out—but I kinda fell in love with Yura and loved creating the cap and pipe.
I also had fun naming him Yura av Bergen—or Yura of the Mountains—which I felt suited his craggy face and garb.
^ ^ ^ I used to love seeing road-runner birds and rabbits everywhere around my house...but as the area has filled in with people—I haven't seen any in ages—except loads of wabbits in a nearby preserve .
Oddly enough I have seen a NUMBER of coyotes near road-ways though—so they're obviously finding something for dinner.
Anywho—this sketch of the wacky road-runner began as a scribble (of course)—when initially I saw that long, open beak and wild eye—and filled in the rest as I went along.
Even though I've never heard a road-runner call—I named this sketch "SQUAWK"—because that's what it seemed like he was doing.
: )
^ ^ ^ Just one more—this time a pastel pencil done on tinted paper.
I really like using pastels—but it requires a LOT more effort—so I have to really stay motivated to use them.
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Well—that'll do it for today.
Thanks so much for stopping by and having a look.
See you again soon!
