Self_Portrait Sketch Card

I like the way my face looks when I look angry!  LOL  I get asked why I always look angry on my self-portraits, honestly, it is because I think I look more interesting and I enjoy drawing that more.  This is ink brush on a sketch card.

A Bluer, Happy You!

I used a blue colored pencil to see what kind of look a sketch would have.  I picked a happier photo, cause franklly, my lastest sketches have been mean or sad-looking faces.  Anyway, I thought it was a pretty decent 20 min sketch.

Hulkin' out Self Portrait

 

Another 20-minute sketch.  Me all angry and stuff.  I don't think the left eye is right...and the face seems a bit thin.  I will have to work on that.

Self Portrait Sketch

 

Here is a 20-minute self-portrait sketch in pencil.  Seems to be a pretty close likeness...What do you think?

Darks, Lights and Comfort Zones...

So last nights class was so much more satisfying that Tuesday's class. But I was totally out of my comfort zone, and I loved it. The class focused on lights and darks, and we use water with charcoal and ink. The first skull was charcoal and then used a wet brush to use the charcoal like an paint. It was very uncomfortable but I think for my first use, it turned out alright, I mean it looks like a skull.

The second was much more straightforward, ink and a brush. We did some pencils to give the shape and then added inks for values. I have to say, working on paper this size (18x24) really made me feel free, like a had room to breathe. I think the brush and ink really needs this kind of space to open up and helped be feel ambitious.

Long ass-time. I am back to normal (kinda)

Well, after Comic-Con I finally experienced what is widely known as "Post-Con Depression". I didn't want to see a pencil, much less draw anything for about a month. I had heard other people talk about it, but I had never really experienced it until now. But this Con was different than Cons in the past for me.

Usually at the Con, I would check out Artists Alley and the Small Press area and just get really depressed at the con, instead of afterwards. But that was more a product of seeing all the cool art that was being one and wishing and lamenting that I wasn't do any of it (still). But since I have been drawing this year, the Con was more about connecting with artists that I admired and spoke to on the web and meeting other artists in the same place as I am. And really connecting with the artistic community in a way I was never able to before. So I was on a high during the entire Con. It wasn't until a few days after the Con when the depression set in and...DAMN. That sucks. I didn't want to do anything. I ended up getting caught up on a bunch of Graphic Novels and TPB that I needed to read but never got around to.

After the Con depression went away, I found myself swamped with stuff to do at work. My company (Write Brothers 'makers of Movie Magic Screenwriter & Dramatica') was moving from Glendale back to Burbank (348 E. Olive Ave, suite H). I took way too much on myself and I was stressed to the bone with taking care of the move. After the move, I had to get the network nad internet up and running and with all the little bumps and bugs, it was a difficult time. It looks like we are back to normal and I can relax a bit. So I wanted to get a post up and let people know that I am still here and I will be posting new things. (Thanks to everyone for inquiring, it helped get my off my butt.)

SO ABOUT THE CON

The Con was great from both a business and personal standpoint. We doubled our sales this year and that was awesome. We have some new professional clients, Orson Scott Card, Robert J. Sawyer, Marc Guggenheim...if I am allowed to namedrop.... :) Personally, I made it a point to meet Matt Busch, Katie Cook, Cynthia Cummens, Todd Nauck, David Petersen...I also got to meet some of the Half-Pixel Gang, Dave Kellett (Sheldon) and Scott Kurtz (PVP) these guys are writing some of my favorite web comics right now. They are very cool in person also. I hooked up with some people from drawingboard.org for a sketch jam on Saturday night. It was great to meet everybody, but because we were staying on Coronado Island, I had to leave early to catch the last ferry over.

IN CLOSING

I had a great time at the con and now that things have gotten back to fairly normal, I will be drawing more. So until I post another drawing...Cya

Christian Bale Sketch

I started this sketch and after I got done with the pencils, I knew this didn't even come close. but I went ahead and inked it anyway because I thought it came out as a portrait very well. Almost Robert Downey-like. So, as a Christian Bale sketch it didn't work but as a sketch in general I think it looks pretty good. Remember, I always want to hear what you have to say about the things I post.

Self-Portrait & Practice Sucking

This is a self-portrait done today during my lunch hour. Pencils and then inked over with black, medium-grey and light grey pens. I am happier with the pencils than I am the inks, but that is probably I am not yet comfortable with inking anything. Choosing what to make black and grey and what to leave alone...It is just so...permanent. LOL

Okay, so practicing sucks right? Or am I the only one who cannot stand to sit and draw head shapes (even though that is what I really need right now) and body gestures and hands and feet. I am terrible at practicing, I wish I wasn't I would be a better artist. I would love to find some slick way of making practing fun, but I am pretty sure it is one of those things that you just have to sit down and work on to get any benfit from. Which sucks, cause I suck at practicing.

Does anyone have any tips on making practice more enjoyable? I use music, but other than that, it is just me in the dark with a board and a pen.