Arizona Artist Jephyr (aka Jeff Curtis): Graphite Pencil sketches

Showing posts with label Graphite Pencil sketches. Show all posts

Thursday, October 3, 2019

New Artwork 10-3-2019

Several non-art projects have kept me busy—but I have managed to slip away and do some sketching as well.

☺

So, today you'll find three new drawings from my sketchbook—all in the cartoony direction I've been exploring with my character designs lately—although admittedly, the last one is a bit "darker" in mood and tone.

Let's get to 'em.

^ ^ ^ This silly sketch was begun way back in June before my surgery—but I only just got around to finishing it.

Even though I'd quickly scribbled in most of the bird's pose and entire body—I was feeling dis-satisfied with it.

Then while sketching at a coffee house recently, a young artist approached me and said she liked this one—and that encouraged me to keep working on it.

Within minutes of speaking to her, and on a whim, I added a smart phone and ear-buds.

Then I added the high-wasted, nerdy pants, and shirt complete with a tie and pocket protector, along with a city background with a hunched character skulking in the distance (his posture/mood contrasted with the 'Song Bird's')

A few notes swirling around the bird's head completed the composition and then all I had to do was tighten the whole shebang up..

It's pretty light-hearted sketch I admit—but the world needs a bit more of that IMHO.

^ ^ ^ This one was another loose scribble started eons ago—probably before my surgery as well.

I try to finish every drawing on every page in my sketchbook rather than leaving a bunch of stuff half-realized—so periodically I'll flip back through my sketchbook looking for something to work on—and recently decided to see what I could do with this one.

The basic shape of the eagle was already there (with a rough idea for the flag/background)—but I didn't like just having the eagle just sitting around doing nuthin'—so I was trying out different ideas for it's right-side weaponry—still trying to decide in my mind what it was holding or doing.

Then, when I sketched a claw/talons that looked like they were grasping something—and added a candle that had just gone out in it—the character/pic began to feel like it had something more symbolically going on than just being a cartoony sketch of an eagle.

After that I tidied-up everything up—and could finally call this one DONE.

^ ^ ^ While still a little cartoony—creating this "darker" feeling character/creature was challenging and fun.

Way back when—I'd scribbled some of the basic concepts—and as I mentioned about going back through unfinished drawings above—I decided to finally finish this page up one recent afternoon when I was out sketching.

Initially, I had the head and torso and tried to add stubby, lizard-like legs onto it—and worked with several ideas in that direction—but nothing I came up with was very satisfying.

So after a bit I gave up on legs—and erased them and roughed in a snake body—and when I swept some quick lines around the body indicating its tail—everything FINALLY began to "feel" right.

☺

Creating hands I was happy with was another hurdle to get over—and although I had some loose concepts sketched in—I took several photos of my own hands in various positions and used those as references to get the look I was after.

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Anywho—that'll do it for today.

Thanks for stopping by.

See you again soon.......

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

New Artwork And A GREAT Old Song

Hello,

Today I'll post a couple of new sketches/character designs—and an excellent old song that's related to the second drawing.

Let's get to it!

^ ^ ^ I went out to draw one afternoon and as I drove I prayed that God would help me come up with something that would serve Him.

While I'm not exactly sure how this sketch fulfills that—I definitely felt inspired as I drew it—and enjoyed the process a lot.

BTW—I also asked God to open doors with people—and as I finished this up several employees where I went were really engaged by this character (and were complimentary and encouraging)—and that led led to some enjoyable conversations about their interests and lives.

^ ^ ^ I prayed before starting this one too—but had a bit more of a struggle to bring it to life.
I started with my world famous, and patented "Scribble Technique" ™ ☺—and after a bit—began to "see" the GIGANTIC...ummm..."well-fed" character emerging from those lines.

As I put more detail into him, however—I was left with a large open area on his shirt that looked far too empty.

Since a lot of people walk around giving free advertising to corporations etc—I mused for a bit about who/what this character would happily advertise for—and then a light-bulb went on.

I've seen first hand the terrible health costs of our processed "convenience" and fast-food diets—such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, joint issues, edema and skin disorders, sleep apnea, heart-attack, stroke, depression, and social isolation, etc.

In fact—a few years ago, I lost a friend who was just in his early forties—and his death certificate listed his weight as a contributing factor to his early departure.

So, as a protest of sorts—it felt "right" that this...ummmm....large character would be wearing his corporate "master's" advertising on his shirt—while simultaneously advertising the effects of their poisons (oops...I mean products) on his body.
☺
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Even though it's about another vice—smoking cigarettes—Randy Stonehill's 1976 tongue-in-cheek, Lung Cancer, seems appropriate to include with this post.

It's fun and light-heart but has a pointed message too.

BTW—while smoking cigarettes has decreased—the use of vaping and e-cigs has now surged—and there are over 400 illnesses and and as many as FIVE recent deaths being attributed to them.

In this first link, it reports the US Center For Disease Control (CDC) "said 450 cases of vaping-related lung illnesses in 33 states and one territory are now under investigation by state and federal health officials."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/five-vaping-related-deaths-confirmed-another-under-investigation/ar-AAGV7FB

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7432983/California-man-diagnosed-respiratory-failure-placed-medically-induced-coma-vaping.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7433569/Teen-18-claims-nearly-died-vaping-starts-campaign-hospital-bed-ban-products.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7432067/Second-person-dies-U-S-lung-illness-linked-VAPING.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7408783/Vaping-cost-college-athlete-20-lung-family-says.html

Update (7pm - 9-10-2019):

Since publishing this post a sixth person's death has been linked to vaping.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7448731/It-time-stop-vaping-Kansas-reports-6th-U-S-death-linked-mystery-illness.html

Update (9:30am - 9-11-2019):

Today—another article on a serious vaping related illness and hospitalization. A twenty-one year old man is "fighting for his life on a ventilator after developing a lung-related disease" after vaping for six years.

Minnesota student hospitalized with vaping-related lung injuries and SIX US e-cigarette users die | Daily Mail Online

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Thanks for stopping by!

See you again soon.......

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

December 2018— Still More Sketches

Hi!

So another year is drawing to a close. Unbelievable!

I hope you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year—and that you are surrounded by people who love ya!

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I just finished scanning some of my latest character concepts from my sketchbook and wanted to share them here with you.

They're in no particular order from the last month or so.

^ ^ ^ I went to a Pizza joint one afternoon for a bite and had fun sketching this after a slice.

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As I've written here before—I use a scribble method to start a LOT of my drawings.

That means I just lightly scribble random squiggles on the page—erase some lines—add a few more until I start to "see" a face or shape jump out at me.

I try not to guide too much whatever happens during that initial process—and I'm often surprised and entertained by the characters that emerge.

^ ^ ^ Early one morning—I went out to a Greasy Spoon that's open 24 hours to have some breakfast and sketch afterwards.

I had the place to myself for a while—but after eating—when I started to sketch—the tables around me started to fill up with "regulars."

Even though "Cliff" looks like he's not one of the good guys—he sparked an enjoyable conversation with a couple seated near me.

^ ^ ^ Of course this sketch started out as a just scribble one morning at a coffee shop—and this alien/other-worldly guy, with the regal, far-away look in his eyes "appeared" on the page.

I wanted to put him in some kind of background—and his expression combined with some left-over lines from my original scribbles led me to put him on that throne.

Even though this Prince Nadda looks a bit scary—I like his "look" and had fun creating him.

(PS: Nada in Spanish means nothing)

^ ^ ^ I'm working on a digital painting with a horse featured in it.

Although that one looks more realistic—I drew this horse caricature one day after I'd put in some time working on that painting.

Later—after I added this SUPER muscular body—I decided to call him: Arnold Horse-Neigh-Grrr—after the former Gov-ah-nate-ah of Cal-ee-forn-yah.

: )

^ ^ ^ If you've ever read history about the early US west—you'll know MASSIVE herds Buffalo filled the plains—but in a short period of time they were almost completely wiped out.

Billy - Der Vunder Bison's forlorn look might be a result of looking for romance—but not being able to find a Lady Love.

: )

^ ^ ^ When I lived in L.A. I saw elderly women in Hollywood who looked like they'd moved there when they were young in hopes of becoming a movie star—but time and opportunity had passed them by—yet they still clung on to the youthful "look" and styles of those long gone days.

I think my sketch of Liz comes from that place in my mind.

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The next two drawing are the last I'll share today—and don't really have a story attached to them.

Well that'll do it.

Hope you enjoyed a peek into my art-world.

Thanks for stopping by!

See you again soon!

God Bless!

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Lotza New Doodles

Hi!

Today I'll be posting some newish sketches for your perusal — mostly from the last few months — and one from last summer.

Let's get to it!

^ ^ ^ One morning I got up early and went to a local greasy spoon to sketch and came up with this other-worldly guy "photo bombing" an alien dood in the background.

While he doesn't seem to pleased about it — this sketch makes me happy — and it was the first in a new sketchbook — so a good way to begin.

: )

^ ^ ^ As I've mentioned in numerous posts through-out this blog — I start a lot — if not most — of my "just for fun" sketches by lightly scribbling on the page and looking for shapes and ideas to jump out at me from those lines.

This cows head was the first thing I "saw" — and I added his body and other details to him as I went along.

The background "logo" and the milk carton and glass were some ideas I came up with towards the end of this sketch.

I imagined our determined looking friend the "Cow King" — negotiating a new contract for his herd with the Milk Council.

: )

^ ^ ^ Last summer my artist friend Chad had some serious on-going health issues and passed away after a long battle.

Although this might seem like a very dark tribute — I thought about him as I worked on this.

^ ^ ^ I went to a local coffee house to sketch and of course started with some scribbles. Pretty quickly I "saw" this guy's monkey-like head and tried to add a matching monkey-like body.

Later at home — I looked on-line for monkey reference photos to help me finish this off — and printed out a bunch. <banana humor)

But when I tried and tried to make something like that work it just wasn't happening — so at one point I erased everything except his head — and the lines that were left on the page led me to putting this costume on him instead.

Ultimately I was way more satisfied with that.

By the way — the banana the Prime Minister is pondering — began life as a few lines I hadn't erased from my initial scribble.

Life is good sometimes!

Oh...and the caption in the sketch is just one of the MANY ways I entertain myself.

: )

^ ^ ^ Towards the end of last summer and through September I began a routine of going out to various places to sketch — and one day drew the basic idea for this one after lunch in a local dive.

When I was a kid my mom had a Christian book with amazing illustrations in it called Sermons by the Devil — I still have that old book published in 1904 and find myself going through it from time to time.

It's written from the perspective of the Devil laying traps for the unwary — and beguiling people with his words and charm — and contrasts those dark "sermons" with life in the light as a Christian.

This drawing would fit in well with a lot of the illustrations found in it.

BTW: This is the way many people see Satan — as a scary tough guy — but I always think about the verse from the Bible and what it says about him — Isaiah 14:15-17:

12
How you have fallen from heaven,
    morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
    you who once laid low the nations!
13
You said in your heart,
    “I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne
    above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
    on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
14
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
    I will make myself like the Most High.”
15
But you are brought down to the realm of the dead,
    to the depths of the pit.

16
Those who see you stare at you,
    they ponder your fate:
“Is this the man who shook the earth
    and made kingdoms tremble,
17
the man who made the world a wilderness,
    who overthrew its cities
    and would not let his captives go home?”

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v v v That equally applies to this somewhat more cartoony — but sad creature with a tear in his eye — whose home is also in the "lake of fire":

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^ ^ ^ Someone on the Concept Art Sketchbook Forum recommended I do more backgrounds and so I put this Native American looking guy in a village scene.

The name I came up for him makes me laugh.

^ ^ ^ I've been going through old sketchbooks and realize how much I used to LOVE to draw figures — but have been doing mostly portraits for quite a while now.

This one of a few recent attempts at doing an entire body — and I'm obviously very rusty at it....

: /

^ ^ ^ This cranky old pup started as another scribble.

I really love drawing all kinds of creatures and critters!!

^ ^ ^ This one also started out as a scribble.

I "saw" both the bird and this guys nose as I went along.

At first I wondered how I could make both of them work together in a final drawing — and initially thought — maybe the bird was something like a coon-skin cap.

But as its proud expression emerged — I decided that Pigeon-Head Jones was allowing it to nestle down on his aging noggin'.

: )

^ ^ ^ Just another wacky character concept that started life as a scribble

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^ ^ ^ This character concept started eons ago.

I was really never happy with that original sketch and decided to rework it one day more recently — and eventually came up with this — which I'm much happier with.

While it wasn't what I intended to do when I started out — this sketch reminds me of something Marvel Comics might do as a concept for a creature that is part man — part sea-creature.

: ?

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v v v Last one:

^ ^ ^ This guy may look a bit intimidating — but he's actually quite good with kids and teaches Sunday School at St. Troll's under the old bridge down on Main Street .

: D

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Thanks as always for stopping by!

See you again soon!

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