Work In Progress (WIP) Autumn Maples Finished!

Well, I finally finished this drawing that I had on the backburner from last summer. I've lost count of how many hours I put into it. Probably around 70 hours. I'll show the steps and the finished piece. It's stippled primarily with a 00 rapidograph, I also used a #2 sized one and a 3x0. F&W acrylic inks were used, as well as, some india ink.

Last of the sketches from the old moleskine sketchbook

People at the market, wetcanvas.com, watersoluble graphite.
Left: 42nd Street,NY, wetcanvas.com, watersoluble graphite/Right: Australian Landscape, wetcanvas.com, watersoluble graphite.
I wanted to upload this old sketchbook, and some other's that I will upload, because afterall, this is a sketchblog primarily. I'm thinking about restarting my habit of keeping a "journal", rather than just a sketchbook. I think that when you write about your ideas about art, life, and what inspires you, you get a more informed look at oneself and one's art. I used to do this regularly when I was in art classes at my arts highschool, but this practice fell by the wayside, as I had less time to do just the sketches that I was doing. I think it's important for artists to know how to talk about their art, even if only to be able to know where you're coming from for yourself. And I think that journaling aids in this practice.

sketches continued.....

Left: My partner in hospital waiting room-watersoluble graphite/ Right: My partner's leg on gurney, watersoluble graphite.
Left: My hand, from observation, watersoluble graphite/Right: Apple, from observation, watersoluble graphite.
Woman, from wetcanvas.com, watersoluble graphite.
Rainy Day, from wetcanvas.com, watersoluble graphite.
Traffic, from wetcanvas.com, watersoluble graphite.

sketches continued.....

Left: pen and ink-wetcanvas.com/Right: My partner sleeping, from observation, pen and ink.
Dancer on sofa, from wetcanvas.com, pen and ink.
Dancer by window, from wetcanvas.com, pen and ink.
Left: Dancer, pen and ink, wetcanvas.com, Right: Dancer, watersoluble graphite, wetcanvas.com.
Left: Woman, watersoluble graphite, wetcanvas.com/Right: Self-Portrait, from observation, watersoluble graphite.

sketches continued.....

Left: My hand from observation-Graphite/ Right: My partner sleeping from observation, pen and ink
Left: Macy Sleeping and Awake gestures, pen and ink, Right: "Disadvantage" After Illustrator Joseph Clement Coll from Illustration 1860-2000, pen and ink.
Left: My partner sleeping, caran d'ache watercolor crayons, Right: Blue Self-Portrait, pen and ink, caran d'ache watercolor crayons, prismacolor markers.

Katrina Boat Overturned from my photo, pen and ink.
Destruction Katrina as seen from car window, pen and ink, from my photo.

sketches continued.....

Colored Pencil-Wetcanvas.com
Left: Colored Pencil: Illustrators Reference-Faces/Right: Graphite wetcanvas.com
Left: Pen and Ink wetcanvas.com/Right: Graphite wetcanvas.com
Rose from my photo-Dallas Arboretum, pen and ink.
Waves, from a photo I found, source unknown, pen and ink.

More sketches

The first and second images are pen and ink from wetcanvas.com. The third image: Left-pen and ink from wetcanvas.com, Right-Colored Pencil from Illustrators Reference Book for Faces. Fourth image: Left and Right-Colored Pencil from Illustrators Reference Book for Faces. Fifth image: Colored Pencil from wetcanvas.com.

More sketches

The first image: Left-Pen and ink and Payne's Gray acrylic from wetcanvas.com. Right-Stippled Pen and Ink and line from North American Trees. Second:Left- Passengers on a Greyhound from observation. Right-Mississippi River-Algier's Ferry Side-New Orleans, from observation. Third: Top-Pen and ink and Payne's Gray acrylic from wetcanvas.com, Bottom- Watercolor from wetcanvas.com. Fourth: Left-Self-Portrait, Pen and ink and prismacolor markers. Right-Stippled Pen and ink of a toad from my photo-Dallas Arboretum. Fifth: Left-Crosshatched Pen and Ink from wetcanvas.com. Right-Pen and ink and Payne's Gray acrylic from wetcanvas.com.

New Sketches from Old Sketchbook

The next several sketches are from a 3.5 x 5" Moleskine sketchbook from last year. From May 30, 2006 to July 20, 2006. Most of them are based off photos from wetcanvas.com, some are from the illustrators reference guide to faces, others are from a Reader's Digest book about North American Trees, and others are from direct observation. There is some slight camera distortion of some of the pen and ink sketches because I am still learning my new camera. I will try to point out the medium, source, and distortion, if any, in the sketches that I post. I'm not sure of the source of the first pen and ink image. The second two images-the left pen and ink is from observation from my apartment window. The right is from North American Trees. The third image is also from North American Trees and is pen and ink and payne's gray acrylic. The fourth image is from wetcanvas.com and is pen and ink and payne's gray acrylic. The fifth image is my cat Macy sleeping and is from observation.

I know I've been promising more frequent updates......here are some.

I know, I know, I've been promising more frequent updates. It's not that I haven't been doing any artwork, truthfully, it's that I've been waiting until I could get a better camera. I didn't want to continue to put poor quality photos of my art on my blog. It doesn't do my own work justice, and it doesn't please those who view my blog. Now, I have a good camera......finally! So, I will be posting frequent updates. All of the photos except the piece of the eagle and Native American Chief Wolf Robe, are taken with the old camera. I wish I had time to re-photograph everything on here, but I don't. The eagle and Chief Wolf Robe is 9x12 inches on Bristol Smooth. 95% stippled with a 3x0 Rapidograph pen. The small paintings are acrylic on Bristol Smooth, no gessoed ground, no airbrush. Golden heavy body and Grumbacher Academy acrylics were used. They range in size from 4x6 inches to some odd size, I'm not sure of. Oh, I wanted to mention that the reference for the eagle came from wetcanvas.com and for the native american this great site www.firstpeople.us. The glass candle holder is from direct observation, and the apple is from wetcanvas.com.

More Airbrush Work-Fire and Trees

This is my first attempt at doing fire. I worked from a photo I took of fire. The photo wasn't that great because the flames were too white in the photos, and I had to invent some of the colors and values. I'm going to try again with a better reference. The forest scene is based off a Wetcanvas.com photo.

More Airbrush-More Animals

These are all 12x16 inches on Canson watercolor paper, cold press. Paasche V airbrush used along with transparent Golden Airbrush colors and FW acrylic inks. Combination of airbrush and paintbrush used for details. All images based off photos from the Wetcanvas.com reference image library.