Digial Paintings From the Archive - Last Group

As I wrote in my last three posts (1-15-20, 1-22-20, 1-27-20) — I've gone through ten years worth of old digital paintings on my PC and am publishing a few that either haven't been shared on-line before — or where uploaded but then taken down for one reason or another.

The ones below that are marked (WIP) — are "works in progress" that were never fully completed (but I reserve the right to finish them someday : ).

Let's get to 'em:

Eagle Photo Study - Copyright 2012 - Jephyr! - All Rights Reserved

Cartoony Character Design (WIP) - Copyright 2012 - Jephyr! - All Rights Reserved

Cartoony Character Design Study (WIP) - Copyright 2012 - Jephyr! - All Rights Reserved

Grackle (Photo Study) - Copyright 2011 - Jephyr! - All Rights Reserved

Cartoony Character Design (WIP)  - Copyright 2016 - Jephyr! - All Rights Reserved

Thanks for stopping by!

See you again soon....................

Pastel Pencil Drawing And Its Original Sketch Concept

Pastel Pencil Drawing And Its Original Sketch Concept

Today, I'll share a pastel pencil cartoon I did using a "new" sketchbook that is larger and has a paper with more tooth than the type I've been using for quite a while.

I'd actually purchased the large sketchbook years ago when I was taking art classes, but just hadn't ever used it before for some reason.

Jerry Employs The Ol' Footwedge - Copyright 2019 - Jephyr! - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^  After I sketched the original character concept for this one in my usual sketchbook, I decided I wanted to have more space to work in to add the background etc—so I dug around and found the larger sketchbook which is 14 x 17 inches.

My normsl "go-to" sketchbook has very smooth paper and is 11 x 14 inches—while this large one's paper is textured with way more "tooth."

Article On Understanding Paper Tooth

I'm really happy I tried this one out because the paper works a lot better with the pastel pencils I use.

Below you'll find the original sketch—which I redrew in the larger sketchbook, colored, and added an appropriate golf course background.

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BTW—If you're a golfer you'll no doubt get this one's title:

"Jerry Employs The Ol' Footwedge."

If not, here's my brief explanation.

When I was young my dad was an AVID golfer and I took it up just to be around him.  He used to tell me to use the "footwedge" when I was learning—which meant moving the golf ball to a better position for your next shot.  It's not proper etiquette once you've learned the game—but I was a just a kid, ya know.  ☺

https://www.liveabout.com/what-is-the-foot-wedge-1564148

Jerry Employs The Ol' Footwedge (Sketch)
Copyright 2019 - Jephyr! - All Rights Reserved

Thanks for stopping by.

Look for more new artwork soon......

First Sketches 2019 - Part Two

Hello!

Hopefully you've had a chance to check out Part One of my recent sketchbook drawings.

If not—you'll find that here.

https://artmusicpoliticsfaithhopeandlove.blogspot.com/2019/01/first-sketches-2019-part-one.html

Today I'll share more of my wacky characters and portraits.

Hare Brained - Copyright 2019 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

 ^ ^ ^ As noted in my last post I've been creating more complete characters recently.

One afternoon I went out to a coffee house to sketch.  

I honestly hadn't planned to make any kind of social commentary with this drawing—but as I was putting the final touches on this smart-phone mesmerized rabbit I looked around me.

Almost EVERYONE was looking at their phones.  There were only two exceptions—but otherwise at least eight other people all were bent over and engrossed with their phones.

Just a few tables away from me sat an older couple—both silently staring at their screens.  I watched them for several minutes—and neither said one word to the other.

I'm not anti-technology and spend a LOT of time on my computer every day—but think we have lost a lot due to our fascination with cell phones and devices—and wonder sometimes if a plane could literally go down and wouldn't be noticed.

Off To Market - Copyright 2019 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

 ^ ^ ^ I had a blast drawing this character one afternoon in a coffee house.

I had printed out a few photos of wart-hogs I used as references—but obviously went in a more cartoonish route.

I picture this sad, little tough-guy waving goodbye to a barnyard friend who is being taken off to market.

The Chicken King's New Clothes - Copyright 2019 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

 ^ ^ ^ A while ago I heard an interview with a woman was a secretary for a famous and well regarded cartoonist/animator.

She said that she would hear him laughing out loud at his own work as she worked in an adjacent room.

I mention that—not to put myself in the same category with him—but because I sat stifling my own laughter at this character while I worked on it one day in a local coffee house.

I wish I always had this much fun when drawing!

Update:  I was out sketching yesterday and one of the young men who worked at the joint I was in came over and wanted to see what I was up to.  I showed him what I was working on and he seemed very interested so I showed him several other sketches including the one above.

I thought everyone would know the Hans Christian Anderson's "The Emperor's New Clothes" so when I showed him this drawing I mentioned the story and was surprised to hear he'd never hear of it.

Perhaps you know already, it's a morality tale about a king being convinced by swindlers that they had made an elegant outfit for him that was invisible to fools—and no one wanted to admit they were a fool—INCLUDING the emperor—so everyone agreed it was an amazing outfit.

Later the king took off his clothes and put on the new outfit and then paraded around in front of his people "wearing it"—and of course no one wanted to admit they couldn't see his new clothes for fear of being considered a fool.

Then at last a small boy stated the obvious—THE KING WASN'T WEARING ANYTHING AT ALL.

With that—everyone suddenly agreed—the Emperor wasn't wearing ANYTHING—and even though the emperor suspected they were right—he continued parading around in front of them with his noblemen holding his imaginary train high.

: )

http://andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html

Glub-Glub - Copyright 2019 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ Just a silly sketch that started out as a scribble.

I'd done some large looping lines on the page that led me to "see" the large diving helmet and filled in the rest as I went along.

Colonel Almere - Copyright 2019 - Jephyr All Rights Reserved

 ^ ^ ^ This is another example of the kind of wacky portraits created from my imagination I've been doing for ages—and was drawn before I started creating more complete characters recently.

Master Tiggs - Copyright 2019 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ I'll close things out with this forlorn-looking "beastie" character—which goes back the furthest because it was the first drawing completed out of all the recent work I've posted in Part One and Two.

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Well—that'll do it for my most recent sketchbook efforts of 2019—so far.....

Thanks as always for looking in on my corner of the world.

See you again soon!

God Bless!

First Sketches 2019 - Part One

Hi!

I'm happy to be able to post my first sketchbook drawings of the new year.

There are eleven in all so I'll break this up into two posts.

In no particular order—and without further ado.....

That's What I Thought - Copyright 2019 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ More frequent visitors to this blog will know that I love creating wacky portraits—and have been focusing on those for quite awhile.  

You'll find recent examples of them in Part One and Two—but you'll also see that I've been feeling like drawing more complete characters lately as well.

Although I've done a lot of them over the years—this was one of the first of several recent drawings that opened up that door again.

I've also allowed myself to embrace more of a straight cartooning approach over the last month or so—and have enjoyed that a lot too.

It's been a very refreshing change of pace.

Rikkie Raatt - Copyright 2019 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ This was the drawing I created right after the one above—again going with more complete character design and a cartooning approach.

Haywire High-Wire - Copyright 2019 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ I still begin a LOT of my sketches by lighting scribbling on the page and looking for ideas to spring from those unconscious lines.

After beginning this sketch using that method—I saw the face on this guy jump out on me from those scribbles—and thought it looked like a whale.

After that—the rest of this po' character in a precarious position began to take shape.

 John Willy Bob - Copyright 2019 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ John Willy Bob is the kind of "portrait" I've been enjoying creating for ages—and is one of the older drawings in this group—before the more complete characters of late.

Although it wasn't intentional on my part—this character reminds me of older rockers like Neil Young or David Lindley.

Do You Feel Lucky, Punk? - Copyright 2019 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ In Part Two I'll post several more complete characters—but I'll close out today's update with another screwy "portrait."

Begun as a scribble sketch—I initially saw the lines that led me to creating this character's head.  

Later I used an art anatomy book as a reference to add the cartoonish neck and shoulder bones.

The title, "Do You Feel Lucky, Punk?" came from thinking his expression resembled the face Clint Eastwood made while saying (nearly) the same line in a Dirty Harry movie:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Harry

"I know what you're thinking: 'Did he fire six shots or only five?' Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kinda lost track myself. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do you, punk?"

: )   

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Thanks for stopping by.

This handy link will take you to First Sketches 2019 - Part Two:

https://artmusicpoliticsfaithhopeandlove.blogspot.com/2019/02/first-sketches-2019-part-two.html

See you again soon!

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!

"Alien Photo Bomb" - Copyright 2018 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ 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.

: )

"Cow King" - Copyright 2018 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ 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.

: )

RIP Chad - Copyright 2017 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ 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.

"The Prime Minister" - Copyright 2018 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ 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.

: )

"Seeking Whom He May Devour" - Copyright 2018 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ 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":

"Letting Go" - Copyright 2018 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

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"Dances With Gophers" - Copyright 2018 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ 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.

"The APQ-9 Lives" - Copyright  2018 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ 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....

: /

"Ernesto" -  Copyright 2018 - Jephyr - All Right s Reserved

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

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

"Pigeon-Head Jones" - Copyright 2018 - Jephyr - All Right s Reserved

^ ^ ^ 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'.

: )

"Buttercup Joins The Circus" - Copyright 2018 - Jephyr - All Right s Reserved

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

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"Zing!" - Copyright 2018 - Jephyr - All Right s Reserved

^ ^ ^ 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:

"Adrian" Copyright 2018 - Jephyr - All Right s Reserved

^ ^ ^ 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!

Lotza New Drawings - Character Designs - Concept Art

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.

 ^ ^ ^ Another sketch that began life as a scribble.

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!

Newest Sketches - Character Designs

Hello!

Thought I'd share a new group of pencil sketches from my sketchbook

Theophilous - Copyright - 2017 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ I originally created the good looking dood above one night while drawing with a friend.

I really liked his look and the next day went to put some finishing touches on him and blewy'd my coffee all over the page.

: )

Since I liked his design so much I decided to just re-draw him all clean and purty-like above.

Here's a look at the coffee stained version.  : P

Theophilous (Coffee Blewy) - Copyright - 2017 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

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Until I rejoined the Concept Art Forum I hadn't been doing many figures—just mostly wacky portraits of original characters—and also people and animals.

Someone pointed that out on CA—and so I've gotten to work doing more figures.

Bonesman - Copyright - 2017 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ I drew this long and lean dood one day and as I was finishing him up I added the bone in his hand—and then the words across the top.

This doesn't happen often—but suddenly a back-story filled my mind:  He was an ordinary guy in the post diluvian world.  One day he happened upon some LARGE humanoid bones that he thought either belonged to an alien, demigod or nephilim.

The story will eventually reveal that the bones are indeed from ALL three—but I don't want to give away all those details just yet.

When he picked up a bone he discovered that it was infused with powers that allowed him super-human strength, the ability to fly—and magically to transport himself across vast distances in a moment—among others.

In essence—he becomes a superhero through possessing and handling them.

The bones—which he kept and hid away—also give him long life—and so he found himself outliving many generations until he finds himself in the present day.

(I also like the "Bonesman" connection to the secret society—Skull and Bones—that so many of our politicians and business shakers belong to)

I wanted to post this story here—both to share it—but also remind myself about it so I won't forget my ideas so far.

In addition I want to lay claim to it before anyone else thinks of it—and this serves as my first copyright notice about the "Bonesman" tale.

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

^ ^ ^ I finished this big ole brute last year—but don't think I've ever posted this final version—so will with this group of sketches.

His name is "Timmy."  : )

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

^ ^ ^  The sketch above started out LONG ago too.  I liked the original idea but was unhappy with some of it.

So I decided to re-draw it and just finished the pic above in the last day or so.

Originally it had a "cowboy, bull-rider" type guy on the back—and as I thought about it one day—the image of  a beautiful woman riding it and having the time of her life—popped into my head.

It definitely "lightened" the mood of the pic and I'm pretty happy over-all with the way this one turned out.

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

^ ^ ^  So in spite of what I said about portraits above—I still love creating them.

I noticed this older one from last fall in my sketchbook recently—and just put some final touches on him so I could share him today.

It just occurred to me too—that he and many other characters I've created could wind up in the Bonesman" story.

"The Meeting" - Copyright - 2017 - Jephyr - All Rights Reserved

^ ^ ^ I'm not completely satisfied with the one above—but there are some elements about it I liked—so I'll go ahead and share it.

As I wrote in my last post here—I'm trying to infuse my art with "story"—so that looking at a single image will evoke the viewer to see more than just the picture itself.

If you've seen much of my other work—you'll know I also try to put a bit a humor in many images—and for me this does both.

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Thanks as always for stopping by.

See you again soon.