I’m back in love with my latest portrait. The affection was waning for a little while, but after a very productive session last night, I think she is coming together nicely. I think I’m going to love drawing her scarf.

I also did a quick hand study. Not bad, I suppose. Probably one of my better drawn hands. It showed me that if I keep at it, I can actually draw a hand and not a fleshy mound with sausage fingers. So I suppose that is what they call hope?

Still, I’m looking into finding some art reference books that are devoted to hands and feet. If for nothing else than reference images. I checked out the library yesterday, but it seems everyone has a hand/foot affliction as none of the books were in. I might have to reserve one or something. Crazy.

I swiped a few poses from PoseManiacs (PoseManiacs FTW! It really is one of the best artistic resources on the internets!) and just sketched for about an hour or so last night. Nothing fancy, just a nude. Overall, I’m pleased. I mean, proportionally, there are some problems – namely her hands, her arms, the size of her head (I think it might too small), and the details of her face*. But it captures the pose (though slightly more turned than the default) quite nicely.

And, I found this line tutorial by Amy Hadley. I think it has some pretty interesting stuff. Especially to an inking newbie such as myself. I’m going to take a more detailed read through it tonight. I think it might help my inking/line skills a lot. Well, here’s hoping anyway.

Lookit! An actual photo update! Please try not to fall over.

It doesn’t actually look like I did that much work, but I did. No, really. Just some fine tuning and shading.

His mouth is still wrong, but it’s getting better. I think the right (artist right) hand side is just.. wrong. It might be curving upward too much. It’s hard to tell because he’s actually pursing his lips in the photo. Hm. I might have to double-check it in a mirror to be sure. That always seems to help. His forehead has been troublesome as well. He has a forehead crease that is going to be interesting. I’m not used to drawing wrinkles (ha!). But it’s good practice, I suppose.

With any luck, I’ll have this done by my soft deadline of June 1st – especially with my upcoming two days off. That would be swell. Then I should probably work on my show submissions. I hate photographing my work. Loathe it. My light is always shit. I really need to get those lights I was yammering on about a while ago. But I’ll make do. The photos just need to show them the piece and potentially what it would look like hanging in a gallery. Easy, breezy.

Still, I’m taking tonight off. W and I are going to see Indiana Jones . Archaeologist fun always comes first, I’m afraid. And yes, I’m pretty excited!
W, it was a fluke that you waltzed back into my life. But it was kismet that you stayed this time.
I love you. Happy Anniversary.

Started work on a new portrait last night. Yup, it’s supposed to be JA and SMc. But I realize I am not quite there yet. They both have chin issues and S’ eyes are wonky. Plus, I need to re-examine my reference photo because JA has no lips in it. But as a preliminary sketch? None too shabby, methinks. I mean, I can identify who they are supposed to be at least.

The primary reason I am doing this one is because I have never ever done a portrait that consisted of two people before. Ok, thats a lie, I’ve done two previous but they completely sucked ass – so we don’t talk about it. I wanted to challenge myself a bit on this one. And I haven’t done any type of real project in a couple months. Besides, its a pretty awesome photo of JA and SM, I must say.

Speaking of SM, she was in town this weekend. A bunch of us got together for some buffet goodness. There were much joviality and Vegas discussion (everyone at breakfast are going to Vegas in a couple weeks). Very much good times. Vegas is gonna be rad. Can’t wait.

After breakfast, SMc dropped W and I off and then we set to task eliminating a small mouse problem we have been experiencing the last couple of weeks. We have cats, sure. But these little pesky critters were smart enough to stay underneath the kitchen sink, or scurry up on the kitchen counter (yeah, that was very thrilling). Places that Odin and Loki just do not go. But, we think we tracked down all the of points of entry that they could possibly be using and filled them with Great Stuff. And when I say fill, it’s kind of an understatement. W was having much too much fun with it. He just needs to trim it up a bit now because it looks like the Stuff is insidiously invading our apartment. I also set a few live capture* traps just in case.

I gotta say though, if the filler and the traps don’t work, then that’s it. We are totally dealing with Pinky and the Brain. ‘Nuff said.

*Yes, yes, they might be pests, but they probably have as much right to be there as we do. No way am I going to be karmically responsible for snapping some mouse’s back or busting up a leg or something. No, thank you.

I got back to basics last night and finally picked up a pencil. It was the first time in a week! Sad, I know. But I suppose I just needed to decompress a bit after finishing my last class. Normally, I go months without getting back into my routine.  So when you look at it, a week is nothing. 

I started sketching some hands last night. I used some reference images that I found on WetCanvas.  So far, so good. I mean, I only managed to squeeze in about fifteen minutes worth of sketching (sad, sad, sad!)  They are very basic. But I think I am off to a good start.  I’m pleased with how these sketches turned out.  And my thumb isn’t bad either.    They aren’t 100% accurate, but they are pretty good – better than I figured they would be.  I just have to keep at it, I guess – practice makes perfect and all that.

And, ya know, maybe I should stop playing FFXII so much. 

SMc sent me this yesterday. It really truly is brilliant!

And if you are wondering (oh and I know you are!), I think I end with Web-Designer. Heh. I’ve never attended a Renaissance Faire, otherwise, that might have been my route too! Very funny.

I took it easy last night – a small personal celebration of finishing my Certificate, if you will. There was hopes of playing some FFXII (Fran! Fran!), but W came home early and he won’t let me play it when he’s around because he’s worried about spoilers. Yeesh. So instead I opted to watch the special features on the Planet Terror and Death Proof DVDs.

Tonight, the plan is hands. My hope is to become waaaay more proficient at drawing hands (and feet). I think I’d like to devote a couple days a week to working on them – sketching them. Right now, they are certainly my weakest link. And they aren’t going to improve if I keep avoiding them (as I have been). So I figured I should just throw myself in.

ETA: Oh and I managed to clean my camera and get rid of that yucky spot. It always pays to read your manual. Just saying. But yay for no spendy camera cleaning business!

Dudes, it’s February. How did that happen? Crazy.

I went back to the bones last night. I finished off my first ribcage. I’m pleased with it. Though, in retrospect, I think it’s probably too narrow, but still, it let me analyze rib bone structure and organization, so I’m not going to complain too much. And ya know, I’m not entirely sure the book I am working from is beneficial or not because it’s a collection of sketches that someone else already did. So really, I’m just copying someone else’s anatomy studies. It has its benefits – especially since I don’t have a corpse to work from handy. But I think maybe I should be working from photographs? I’m not sure.

I think I’ll take a trip to the library today and see what kind anatomy references they have. Maybe pick up a copy of Gray’s.

I still haven’t determined how I am going to time manage my anatomy studies. It might end up being an ongoing project rather than a 2008 one. I think I’m ok with that. And I still need to squeeze in the other project that I’d like to start too. Ugh. My time management sucks.

But, tonight, eggs. Definitely. I finished mapping out my composition last night. I think I am drawing several hundred eggs!?! Our minimum was uhm, three. I’m nothing if not ambitious.