Title: El Piece of Crappo
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: Who cares?
Status: Fucked

Believe it or not, it looks better this way.

The drawing was pissing me off. The drawing was making me unhappy. I loathed to even pick up a pencil to work on it.  I cringed every single time. I hate working that way. I don’t like being done in by a drawing over and over. It sucks and I hate it.

Some folks won’t understand why I destroyed the drawing.  But look at it this way..As the creator of that particular universe, it was completely within my rights to destroy the universe. So I did.

And ya know, it felt freaking awesome.

I’m gonna paste it into my sketchbook.

Liberation takes many forms, my friends. Many.

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 9.5 Hours
Status: WIP

This piece is taking a long time. Longer than normal. I think I can attribute much of that to a general malaise I have been experiencing as of late. I think I am kinda blue. There’s no real reason for it - aside from regular really-real world stresses and bullshit. Just a small bout of depression, I guess.

The unfortunately side effect is that I don’t feel inclined to draw. It takes a lot to get the pencils out. And I don’t accomplish very much once I do. So my work is suffering because of it. Grr.

Hopefully I can shimmy out of this funk soon because its really starting to piss me off. Frustration is worse than depression sometimes. Especially for a control freak like yours truly.

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 5.5 Hours
Status: WIP

Wow, it feels like forever since I posted anything of substance. But truth be told, I have been utterly lame with the drawing the last couple of days. Utterly lame.

Regardless, I have an actual update! I reworked a lot of the initial line drawing. I re-drew pretty much everything except her (artist’s) right eye. Though, I suspect you probably can’t tell. I’m much, much happier with the drawing. Her eyes seem to be doing what I want them to, so this pleases me. Though, the photos above are a lot darker than the original.

Tonight’s the artist reception for the show (Hm, the Continuing Ed website seems to be broken) I am currently in. Meh. I wish I could be excited about it. In fact, I kinda forgot all about it until last night. Then I found myself kind of annoyed. I just have a lot of shit going on and no time (or no energy) to do any of it. I think I would much rather be at home tonight getting crap done around the apartment that needs to get done before our pending move*. I have lists, deadlines and everything! Though, these lists and deadlines seem to imply that I am doing something other than playing Everquest or watching the 11 hours of Heroes Season 2 straight.

Ahem.

But I know that once I am there, I will probably enjoy myself. My friends whose house we will likely be renting are coming out, so it will be awesome to see them.

Plus, art is swell.

*Yes, I know we are moving in October. But shit needs to get done now because sister is not waiting for the last week of October to pack 10 years worth of crap.

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 3.5 Hours
Status: WIP

It was a long weekend. And I only picked up a pencil on Tuesday at lunch.  So very lazy. Still, it was nice to take a couple days off. Even if I spent most of those days playing Everquest.

What? I’m a nerd. This is what we do.

Anyway, I started on her eyes last night.  So far, so good. They are still in the very preliminary stages, but I am pleased with the progress.  Though, I have to admit  this eyeliner stuff is kinda messing with me.  I mean, I love eyeliner as much as the next girl but to draw it kinda goes against a lot of what I was taught.

I was always taught that people do not consist of solid lines, so don’t draw solid lines.  So to deliberately outline something on a person’s face feels a bit unnatural for me.  I mean, its cool though and not difficult from a technical sense by any stretch of the imagination. It just feels… weird.  I’m sure I’ll get over it a lot quicker than I probably should.

In other news, the show started yesterday.  But apparently they cut the hours that the gallery will be open in half.  It won’t be open in the mornings - just afternoons and evenings if there is a performance going on. If I was a really-real artist who shows in really-real galleries, I would probably be super annoyed by that. But its a student show so the standards are a bit different, I would imagine.

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 1.5 Hours
Status: WIP

Here we go again. This is (hopefully) the first in a series of portraits I’m planning on doing (insert much knocking on wood here). I won’t bore you with the details of the series - mainly because I don’t want to jinx myself. I’d like to have a few portraits under my belt before I actually call it a series. Especially given my bouts of extreme flightiness. Heh.

But so far, so good. I think for a preliminary sketch, her proportions look pretty good. The eye shape is going to use a lot of work, but I think once I start laying down the shadows and skin texture, it’ll come.

As usual, I’m using a reference image for this one - borrowed from morgueFile.com. I’ll post a link to the image once I am finished the drawing.

And ya know, I think I have decided that next year, I’m going to try and take my own reference photos, instead of relying on other folks. It’s time. I need to start being more proactive with that kinda stuff. Plus, we’ll be in a bigger place so there will be more room for this kinda thing. But this also means that I should really start working with that online class and start figuring out where I can find models because I have no doubt that my friends and family would get sick of my model requests.

First of all, let me say this, if you are an artist and you need reference images, run - do not walk - your butt over to morgueFile.com. They have amazing royalty-free images that artists (or anyone really) can use without cost and, in most cases, without credit. Though, let’s face it, it would be kind of tactless to not provide credit. I’m all over giving credit for anything I use.

The photos are even available for commercial pursuits.

I posted a question on their forum (again, a fantastic resource!) regarding their terms and conditions and whether or not I could utilize photos in their archive for my portrait work (I really need to find some models, dudes). I found some really fantastic photos that I’d like to draw for a new portrait series I have been kicking around*.

Anyway, after mentioning in my post that I’d like to learn a bit more about photography so I can take my own reference images, one of the members pointed me in the direction of this online class. Dudes, this is completely perfect for me! It’s very basic and looks completely manageable from a time perspective. I could do it at my own pace - probably (if I do it right) squeezing in each lesson once a week.

I am particularly interested in the two studio lighting lessons. I really kinda love the DIY nature of it. Sister, loves a good DIY!

I guess the actual class is long since over, but many people still post their assignments for discussion in the forums. I think it would be kinda awesome. And not to mention helpful. Especially since I have been incredibly lame with my photographic pursuits as of late. Though, my lameness is kinda awesome because it just means that I have been drawing more, so I won’t complain too much. Still, I am consistently bemoaning my lack o’ mad skillz, so maybe this little bitty course can help with that.

It can’t hurt right?

Oh, I should have a really-real update tonight. I just started a new piece - I took a couple days off after finishing my previous piece. Hopefully, the first in the aforementioned portrait series.

*The steampunk thing and the circus freak thing have been put on hold indefinitely. See? I am fucking flighty! And no, I do not want to talk about it. Blah.

Title: Joker
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 47 Hours
Status: Complete

Done, done, done! I am done! Woo.  I am pleased. I think he turned out really well.  I accomplished pretty much everything I set out to accomplish with this piece.  My wee little homage to Heath’s absolute brilliance.

Are there parts that I would change? Probably. But I really am pleased with it.

I think it will look even better once it’s matted and in a frame. :)  And I really need to get it professionally scanned.  Yeesh, I need to get all my work professionally scanned, really.  These photos and scans of my stuff really don’t do them much justice.  At all.  It would be great to have a nice, perfect scan done of everything, ya know? Even just for record or archival purposes.

Still, I am tempted to open this photo up in Photoshop and play around with some coloured bits. Hee. It might be fun.

Next up? I might draw a girl.

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 39 Hours
Status: WIP

Despite the harsh introspection of yesterday’s post, I did manage to get some work done on my portrait. The hair, as mentioned previously, is coming along slowly. It actually looks a lot better today than it did yesterday. Stepping back for 5 hours always helps. And I find that my hair always looks like shit until the bitter end.

I loathed J’s hair on the portrait I did of him and S. But now, its like one of my favourite things. Hopefully I can generate this kinda pride with my latest one.

My goal is to get his hair finished this weekend. Once I do that, it should be a short hop to completely finishing the piece. I don’t think the background should give me very much trouble.

Oh, and rumour has it, the gentleman building my drafting table should have it done soon. Woop! And its only going to cost me $60ish! Dudes, that’s amazingly cheap for a custom-designed/built*, completely wood and rather on the large side drafting table. It’s about 36″ deep and 48″ wide. I think he’s only charging me for materials, which is rad. He’s the same person who built a custom bench for my living room and I love it. So I have complete faith in him. It will be awesome. I can’t wait! It’ll be nice to draw at a table instead of curled up on my couch. My circulation and my back will certainly thank me.

*We won’t talk about the fact that I apparently do not know how to measure for design drawings either. Hee. Granted, my drawing was supposed to just give him an idea. I’m no draftsperson! Luckily everything is fixable.

I’m battling one of those days. You know, one of those days in which you look at your body of work and just loathe everything. Hell, I even fought a desire to shove a pencil* through my Joker’s head.

I dunno what happened. I was surfing WetCanvas, checking out some amazing artists and I succumbed to self-doubt, low confidence and general moroseness. It’s weird. It wasn’t any one drawing or piece of artwork that brought up my esteem issues. I mean, to be honest, I’ve probably been battling this for a couple days - the hair is not going well - and it just came to a head this morning. Thankfully, I’m trying to be pretty analytical about the whole thing. Ya know, less emotional, more pragmatic. But it’s hard.

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 35 Hours
Status: WIP

See? I’m not an absolute slacker. Now that its been a few days since drawing it, I think I kinda love his shoulder. The shirt part, I mean. It looks pretty close to the original printed fabric. Yays.

The hair? Meh. I’m working on it. I mean, hair generally looks like shit for 90% of the process. It’s only in the last 10% that it even remotely starts to look good to me. Needless to say, we are not yet at the last 10%. But, almost. I had hoped to have this drawing finished by this week. But my absolute slackerness is preventing that. I think my goal is to have it done by the end of August.

What?

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 25 Hours
Status: WIP

First of all, holy crap, this image is a lot dark on this monitor than it is on the monitor at home. Wow. It’s kinda staggering. Its really not this dark in the really-real world.

Now, I won’t lie. I’ve been avoiding his hair. I hope to start working on today or tomorrow. And his clothes. Hm. Not sure. They have been pretty frustrating because I’m trying to get them to a place where you can’t see the pencil marks, but its difficult when you are - you know - using a pencil. Still, overall, the progress is good.

I hope to have him - finally - finished by next weekend.

I’ve also decided to distract myself a bit from my portraits and have started a small series of illustrations - figuratively and literally. Its a series - if you know me - that has been kicking around my head for a very, very long time. I am strangely drawn to circus freaks and sideshows. Always have been. I wanted to work on something a bit more whimsical than I normally do.

I want to colour it, but I’m not sure what medium to work in. I had started a different illustration using oil pastels, but I did not like the result at all. I might try watercolour pencils. Something with that watercolour feel but without relinquishing complete control to the water. And I might even a dabble a bit in digital colouring. Not sure.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 18 Hours
Status: WIP

Texture on fabric is hard. Just saying. But challenging in a good way, methinks. Though, I’m not completely satisfied how the fabric under his chin/lapel has turned out. It still looked very “drawn” and pencil-mark-ie. I think the contrasting highlights are probably too light. So I’ll probably do some more work on it.

And wow, that finger print on the second photo is classy.

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 14 Hours
Status: WIP

Until yesterday, I hadn’t even touched a pencil since last week. It was a nice little sojourn. I think work was trying to burn me out. But now I’m back at it and struggling with forehead creases. Yeesh. Overall, they aren’t bad, they just aren’t right, which is kind of frustrating. In particular, the right (artist right) side of his forehead. Its too flat or something. Not sure.

I might distract myself by working on his hair for a couple hours until I feel like going back to the forehead.

Lookit me, being smart. Who knew?

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 11.5 Hours
Status: WIP

This is actually an update from July 29th. I didn’t do anything last night, so I’m faking it.  I am much, much more pleased with the mouth. I added some additional shadowing so it doesn’t look as flat. It looks..well, lippy. Yays.

I also started working on his forehead creases and the left (artist left) side of his face.  Its so texture-ie! I love it. Probably because its not usually how I work. I rarely add texture to my portraits.  I was totally scared of it.  But now, I think I kinda love it. Bring on the senior citizens!

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 10 Hours
Status: WIP

I worked his mouth a bit. I’m not sure if I’m happy with it though. Something is off. I’m sure it will eventually come to me though.

I have to cop to having an awful work ethic lately. Well, sorta. I draw on my lunch break at work, but I do little to nothing at home. I have to force myself to even get an hour in. I am just so distracted by many other things. I’m sure its just a phase. But still, its kinda sad. I mean, I have all these other things I wanna do - namely my hand/feet project. And yet? Nada.

Oh, I am designing a drafting table! Mom knows some guys who work in a woodshop that would be able to build it for me. Woop! Custom wood drafting table. It’ll be awesome methinks. Having an actually place to work would be refreshing.

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 8 Hours
Status: WIP

I didn’t do as much work on this portrait as I would have liked over the weekend. But I still think I am progressing very well. His grease paint makeup is proving to be an interesting challenge. It makes the texture of his skin weird and fascinating. Tonight, the plan is to puzzle out most of his mouth.

I need to work on some more hand studies too. Oi.

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 5 Hours
Status: WIP

I’m plugging along. Work was asstastic yesterday (so busy!), so I didn’t get to put in as much as I would have liked. Plus, people keep hassling me at my desk when I am drawing. I mean, I understand it. Non-artists are very intrigued by artists - especially when they are working. But its kind of annoying.

Still, good progress overall. His grease paint has been tricky, but I dig it so far. The trick is not to make the whites WHITE, ya know? His face is pretty dirty. There’s a lot more gray in the image that one might think.

I also squeezed in a hand study which I am pretty happy with. It doesn’t look like sausage fingers! I borrowed a book from the library that will be of great assistance in my quest to become better at hands and feet, methinks. The book has many, many poses - static and dynamic - that I think I could replicate. Practice makes perfect and all that.

Eventually, I will know how to draw a hand, my friends!

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 4 Hours
Status: WIP

So far, so good. The eyes are completely working for me. I just wish I could take a decent update photo. This one makes it look a lot harsher than it actually is. Jesus. I need photography educmacation!

Title: Untitled
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 1 Hour
Status: WIP

Yup, new piece. And yeah, I guess you could call it fan art, which is something I haven’t done in years. Its a project I actually decided on last week - even before I saw the flick - probably after finishing Arkham Asylum. I wanted to try a different type of portrait. I’ve done so many “pretty portraits” that an unpretty one would be a nice change.

And, this one is going to be uber challenging. There’s a lot going on in that expression - on that face. The eyes alone. Jesus. The eyes are going to ruin me, I think. But besides that I need to get the likeness exact. There’s nothing more sad than a piss poor attempt at drawing an icon or celebrity. Bad fan art is so insipid! My ass literally goes up into itself when I look at bad fan art. Eef. Its just like reading bad fan fiction. It’s wrong and should be outlawed.

Despite that, I suspect this one will take me weeks to finished. it is going to be a long, long, slow ride, my friends. So you have my apologies in advance. But if it works out, I might take a stab (hee, I made a Joker pun, kinda - wow, I am lame) at the Caped Crusader as well. I mean, you can’t really have one without the other right? They are like boyfriends!

What?

Title: Scarf
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Vellum
Time: 20 hours
Status: Completed

I finished the current portrait tonight. I’m pleased. She turned out pretty good and she let me accomplish what I needed to - namely the challenge of her scarf. Yeah, there are some problems with her - but its probably just me being picky.  So I’m not gonna sweat the small stuff. She’s successful and that’s all that matters to me.

And I’m even ready to jump back into the fray. I already have a new portrait that I’d like to start tomorrow cuz right now, I am exhausted.  It was a freaking marathon session tonight to get it done. But yays.