New Sketches

Hi!

Looks like re-joining Concept art has been a good thing.

You can see my "Sketchbook" thread here:  http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php/327483-My-Shiney-New-Sketchbook

It's given me a new place to share my efforts — and seeing all the other amazing art there has proven to inspiring to say the least.

Today I'll share some sketches that were posted on CA but haven't posted here yet.

^ ^ ^ This first one is more or less inspired by the amazing late artist Frank Frazetta.

A while ago I used to do a lot of figure / anatomy work...and I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that the more time passed the more I was feeling a bit intimidated to try it again.

Someone on CA pointed out that I'd shown several "portraits" but no figures and that was enough of a prod to get me to try it again.

I discovered it's like most things in this life — sometimes we build things up in our minds and when we finally try it we discover it wasn't as difficult as we imagined.

While working on the guy above I did use a number of references to get him laid out correctly — and found myself really enjoying the entire process.

"Happy Girl" - Copyright 2017 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ I used to sketch a bunch of these happy, BIG, dancin' womenz — and as I was trying to get back to creating more figure work this one "popped out" fairly easily.

I finished her body in a single sitting but needed a second go around to get her hair "feeling" right.

"Quack" - Copyright 2017 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ I called this buff rooster type character "Quack" — just because.  (Yeah — I know I have a strange sense of humor sometimes : )

I've been going out again to sketch and worked him one day at a nearby restaurant. 

As I've said before — Sometimes I can go out and sketch for hours and not a soul seems interested.

Some days — I have a steady stream of people who want to see what I'm up to — and want to talk about art — why I do it — if I have any schooling — etc.

On the day I was sketching the "foul" creature above — a woman with a son about my age sat beside me and we talked quite a bit.  Another woman came over to me and was very encouraging and complimentary about what I was doing — and told me all about her daughter — who is also an artist. 

I also noticed my waiter sneaking looks at my work and at one point he apologized for being "nosy" — which I assured him he was NOT!  : )

It was an enjoyable time.

"Far Out Man" - Copyright 2017 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

 OK — what can I say — I still love drawing these wacky cartoon faces. 

I think this one has a kind of whacked-out, paranoid "stoner" vibe — and he was fun to draw.

I do agree with the peeps on CA though — that we can get complacent and draw just what comes easy — and stop challenging ourselves as artists — and these silly character faces I've been doing fall into that category.

So — already I've gotten a good benefit from re-joining CA.

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Any-whoodle — thanks for stopping by!

See you again soon!

God Bless!

Two And A Half Political Cartoons

Hi again,

I've been sketching a lot recently and having a good time doing it.

Also—this election season is causing my mind to turn on all things political.

So I thought I'd take a stab at some cartooning that pokes fun at all the corruption and scandals that are plaguing Hillary Clinton's White House bid.

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Between the Veritas Project tapes which revealed Hillary's campaign is behind the bullying and violence against Trump supporters—to the landslide of WikiLeak's email showing the depths of the Democrat National Commitee's efforts to subvert the presidential election—and Hillary's corruption with the Clinton Foundation—all while making insane illegal and unethical profits while the United States Secretary of State—there's plenty to take aim at.

"Meanwhile At The DNC" - Pencil - Copyright 2016 - Jephyr!

Exposed by email and audio and video tape—Hillary and the people surrounding her are mostly coming across like a bunch of ignoramus and incompetent traitors to the American people.

This is fortunate for the American people—because they've left such an obvious trail of deceit and destruction—that only the very ill-informed or desperately partisan would vote for this vile woman.

Yet the media keeps broadcasting their fraudulent polls showing Hillary with a decided advantage over Trump—aided by their daily lie filled news reports.

No wonder people are beginning to believe that the elections in this country are rigged.

sigh.................

"Bubba's Confession" - Pencil - Copyright 2016 - Jephyr!

It's quite shameless to now hear Hillary and her campaign accusing Trump of negative treatment of women—and then remember her attacks against Bill's many victims—that she called them Bimbos and set out to destroy their reputations.

So much for her claims of being for women.  : P

Not to even mention her legal defense of a pedophile who raped a 12 year old girl—and a subsequent audio tape of Hillary laughing about it.

Unfortunately there are still too many people duped by her and the complicitous media.

"The only reason they'd bring Sanders back in — is if Hillary can't hack it. " — Chad
"Hillary Can't Hack It" - pencil - Copyright 2016 - Jephyr!

This last cartoon is the "half" mentioned in this blog post's title.

Only the caption is politically related—and the drawing is just one of the super exaggerated figures I like to draw.

So—what about the caption?:

While my artist friend Chad and I were hanging out one day sketching and talking life—our conversation drifted to politics and the election as it often does.

At that time it had just come out that the Hillary's DNC had subverted their primary with Bernie Sanders.

Hillary had also been having ongoing health crises—one after the other.

Coughing fits, balance problems, and finally her near collapse on 9-11—Benghazi anniversary karma some say.

After discussing her most recent choking / coughing spell that left her unable to speak—I wondered aloud about whether or not the DNC would bring back Bernie to run in her place if it became more obvious her health was making her unable to hold office.

That's when Chad innocently offered the line above.

I laughed my head off—and in spite of him protesting that he hadn't intended to make a pun—I told him it was going to be documented in my sketchbook.

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Anywho—that'll do it for today.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day—and may God help us—this election is critical to the future of this country!

New Sketch / Portrait Of A Friend

Hi,

I've been sketching a lot more recently and have felt some creative energies brewing that definitely makes it all a lot more enjoyable.

I'll do another sketchbook dump or two again soon—but wanted to share a pencil sketch / portrait of a friend that I just finished (and you'll find below).

My friend, fellow artist Chad Swanson (aka Valen), had shown me a photo of himself—and I loved the stern look he'd given in the pic—which is generally out of character for him—but he was playing the part of a "protective uncle" in it.  

: )

You can see additional photos of him smiling (and as a very sick man) in a blog post I wrote about him nearly dying in 2015:

July 29, 2016 Blog Post

Anywho—I axed Chad if I could take a stab at a creating a portrait of him using the photo—and he agreed and sent me a copy.

I had a lot of fun doing this sketch—working on it over several days —and just put the finishing touches on it.
  
Oh—and the banner across the top is Hebrew for Proverbs.

Hope you enjoy taking a look.  : )

And as always—thanks for stopping by!

Pencil Sketch:  "Uncle Chad" - Copyright 2016 - Jephyr!

"Uncle Chad"

Jephyr's Latest Pencil Sketches

Hi!

I used to go out to coffee houses and restaurants all the time and get out my sketchbook and pencils...and DRAW MAN, DRAW!!

It was a lot of fun...and as as I've written about before...it was a great "door-opener" to conversations and encounters with people who ventured over to see what I was working on.

I haven't done that at all recently...in part, because I'm trying to save money...but I really miss it.

And as importantly...it kept me sketching ALL the time...at certain times through the years...I was out draw'ring almost every day...and I think it was really helping my creativity and drafting skills!

So...I REALLY need to find places I can go hang out in now...to sketch...without having to spend any of the green stuff!!

: p

I plan to start digitally painting a lot more of my sketches too.

Man!  So much to do...so little time!!!  : /

: )


Anywhoodle...I'll post some sketches today...that I've been meaning to upload for a while.

"Who Did This" - Copyright 2016 - Jephyr!

^^^   I don't know exactly why...but I've got a thing for Rhinoceroses.

Last year I went to the Phoenix zoo with a friend...and later found myself standing alone at the Rhino enclosure at the zoo...literally only a few feet away from one of the HUGE creatures.

I told her how beautiful she was...and although I can't be positive...I think she enjoyed my presence (even though she hasn't written back yet).

"Like...Man...." - Copyright 2016 - Jephyr!

^^^   I forget what this sketch started out as...but I struggled and struggled to create something I liked.

One afternoon I erased everything on the page...and the old hippie guy above finally made an appearance!

: )

"Joy To The World" - Copyright 2016 - Jephyr!

Our little elf friend above began life as a scribble sketch...which is the way MANY of my sketches begin.

As I've mentioned before...I scribble on the page...and erase and scribble a bit more...until I see shapes that "lead" me into creating my characters. 

One day, I scribbled a bit and at last saw this guys sad mouth and chin...and then that big ol' nose and his forelorn eyes above it.

But as I scribbled...I also saw the circles around his neck.

What were they...I wondered?  (Yup...I actually did)

I figured I could always erase them as I worked...but still they remained...determined to become part of the final image.

As I finished that sour little face...I added the cap...and had my "a-ha" moment.

He was a sad, overworked, little Christmas elf. (already hard at work LONG before Christmas!!!)

And so the circles became Christmas ball decorations...and all was well with the world!

hahahaha

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Well,,,that's it for now.

Thanks as always for stopping by!