Grendel Colored

I messed around a bit with my Grendel drawing from my previous post.  Here it is.

Grendel

More artwork for the Ten Ton Sketch Challenge.  This time it's Grendel, created by Matt Wagner who I've actually had the pleasure of meeting.  Fun design and great premise.  Hopefully I will get to do more reading of this character when time allows because I was intrigued by what I found when researching for the sketch.

Graphite on 9x12 2-ply Bienfang smooth Bristol.

Street Sharks

Apparently, there was a cartoon on in the 90's that was a lot like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles but with sharks.  Yeah, Street Sharks.  Anyhow, this is the character selected by last week's winner of the Ten Ton sketch challenge so we all have to draw them this week.  I did a quickie this week since I'm working on a paying job at the moment and I wasn't too jazzed about the subject.  I'm sure they could be drawn cool, but not by me, not today.  2B & HB graphite on extra white copy paper

Loomis studies

More figure studies.  This time from one of my favorites, Andrew Loomis.  The book these are from "Figure Drawing For All It's Worth" is long out of print which is really sad to me.  I think it should be required reading for all who wish to advance their skills drawing the figure.  Maybe someday it will find a publisher again.  Actually, I don't know what the reason it is out of print.  Maybe there are publishers wanting it, but can't get the rights.  I don't know.  Regardless, here are my studies from a page titled "Turning and Twisting".  HB graphite on copy paper.

Hogarth Studies

In my continued effort to educate myself in the workings of anatomy, I bust out my faithful Dynamic Anatomy book by Burne Hogarth.  I've read it before and looked at it frequently, but never really did studies from it.  Here are two sketches based on his drawings in the book.  Helpful, but not quite as much as I'd hoped.  Still, I plan to do more from his book and many others in my collection.

Done with HB graphite on typing bond paper.

Aquaman

I don't think I've ever drawn Aquaman before.  This one is also for the Ten Ton Studios sketch challenge.  Done 11x17 with HB and 2B graphite.

As you can see, I'm still trying to work through lots of anatomy issues and continue to struggle with hands.  I used the wrapping lines a bit more decisively than in the Green Lantern picture, but still working to get them to help define the forms and not creating too much surface texture.

I've been working digitally more in the past few years with my Wacom Intuos2 in Adobe PhotoShop.  This has spoiled me in some ways.  Mainly, if I draw something too small or just plain wrong I can re-size or add  layer on top and draw over it.  Can't do that in traditional ways as easily.  Unfortunately, the Ten Ton challenges are for traditional media only, so the digital isn't an option.  I supposed I could work it all out digitally, print it, lightbox it, and finish it that way--but that's way too much work for a sketch.  Plus this is good practice for doing convention sketches.  That said, I'd still love to get my hands on a Wacom Cintiq 21ux and do the majority of my work on that. :)

Hal Jordan: Green Lantern

I am trying to participate in the Ten Ton Studios website sketch challenge more.  This week is Green Lantern.

I've been studying Vilppu lately.  He sometimes draws around the form to help define how it recedes or protrudes into space.  I'm starting to incorporate some of that idea into my drawings.  I still have anatomy work and a host of other issues to confront, but study is helping and these practices are extremely valuable exercises, too.

Portland Comic Book Show

I had a table at the latest Portland Comic Book Show this past weekend.  First time.  It was a lot of fun.  I met many new people and a couple of old acquaintances, sold some original comic pages, did a ton of free sketches for the kids who stopped by, and also did my first live commissions at a show.  After this experience, I'm pretty sure I'll get a table at the Emerald City ComiCon coming this spring in Seattle, and probably do the Portland one again next fall.

Here's one of the pieces I did that day.  I'll post some of the other ones I took photos of soon.

Flash

Flash sketch for the Ten Ton Studios sketch challenge.

Getting into the blog swing

Yes, I know I'm years behind the curve on blogging, but I want someplace to throw some of my sketching.  I'll try for a few updates a week, at least one a week.  I'm currently working on re-educating myself on figure drawing since that is my biggest weakness and most potentially lucrative skill.