Zelda Zany on Duty

Every now and then a Bird Drawing just screams to be brought to life.  That’s what happened here.



Armed with my handy-dandy moleskine, my black pen and a ruler…..I straightened things up a bit.  I would’ve drawn more birds, if I had the room.  For the coloring book print of this.  Click here and download.



Here’s Zelda in all her zentangle glory.



Good thing she uses an umbrella, didn’t know where else I’d bring in those rainbow colors.



This was a fun one to color in.



Macro detail.  That black line was bugging me, cuz I couldn’t pull off the black-stripe-on-the-bottom-of-the-lane-look.  Photoshoped it out in the final version.



Zelda Zany…..she was so excited when she landed her first job.  There was a certain status to being a lifeguard.  Some of the younger birds liked to get her wet which broke up the monotony.  What surprised her most was how utterly bored she was while working.  To help keep the boredom at bay she would imagine “worst-case” scenarios as she watched the kids.  In them she’d be needed to help or save a life.  As she clocked out, she had to smile because she saved 3-4 lives that day (even though they were all in her head).

Have a safe and fun summer!  Hopefully there’s a Zelda watching you at the pool!  LOL!

Zander I. Zany

I think you’ll like Zander I. Zany.  What does the “I” stand for you ask??? Intellectual, intelligent, inquisitive, incoming……



I think it’s fitting that this guy is in a wing-back chair, reading in his library.



I don’t think he even noticed that his favorite chair is covered in a floral print.



Personally, I really like that chair.



I wanted to avoid drawing in All.Those.Books, but I couldn’t figure out a way around it.



Zander I. Zany……being the Patriarch of the family, he has earned his right to his own room and his own time.  He’s always been one to keep to himself, he is a very curious sort.  He remembers everything he reads (and almost everything he hears).  He’s won many bets and would do very well at Jeopardy.   But game shows don’t interest him much.

A dancing Zany Bird

These Zany birds are addictive, what can I say?  I just had to draw another one.



I seem to like to draw ballerinas.  I get to add another one to my collection.



This is a better look at her pose.  Decided against drawing ballet slippers, after all those little bird feet need to breathe.



It starts to get busy fast once I start coloring in the background. In the picture below, I wanted to show the birds reflection in the mirror behind her.  Would’ve been easier in photoshop.



I’d like to introduce Zamora Zany……She’s had butterflies all day due to anticipating the Try-Outs.  But once the music starts the butterfiles leave her alone.  It’s just her, the music and the dance.  She loves losing herself this way.  It’s just plain fun to move!

A bird named Zack Zany

I’ve been uninspired to draw any birds lately, which made me sad.  Cuz I like these little guys.  As I was looking thru my Sketchbook project drawings, I spotted this picture, which I am extremely fond of.  Then it hit me!!  I’ll  draw a bird sketching a person.



Anytime I draw a Zen bird, it is rewarding!!  Seriously…..look at all the doodling possibilities.  Endless!



This guy is very similar to Leo, seen in this post.



Having found my subject, I got to play with the background.  What better way to play than with all that color?



Zack-the-Zany Bird……. He seems to draw attention to himself just by going out!  He’s gotten used to it by now, but he would prefer it if birds got to know him a little better before they judged him (either good or bad). 

Kind of hard for this guy to blend in, don’t ya think?  But then again, we weren’t made to blend in we were made to Stand Out.  Zack was just plain F.U.N. to draw!  Love him!  Possibly a whole Zany family is in the making, who knows?

Yanina Wickmayer….part 5

Spotted this picture of a tennis player when I did a google search looking for something to draw.
It passed a few checkpoints:

1. Not a lot of Hair
2. Body drawing (not a lot of clothes….LOL)
3. Interesting

Personally I think sketch drawings lead themselves more toward the body, the face, the un-adorned.  Possibly because we I can’t bring in color.  If I can’t bring in color then it’s all about dimension and texture.



As you can see from the eraser marks.  I was able to bring the bill of the hat higher and even the top of the hat itself.  I played around some with the nose.

I added the other earring.  BUT I wasn’t inspired to draw that necklace today.  Possibly I’ll try it on another day, but since I couldn’t stand wearing such bulk when I played I drew her my way.  Hahaha!



I must say…..she was a very good model!!  She held her pose for the entire week that it took to get the drawing this far and she never once complained!



Ok…this is where I need your help.  Should I continue outlining the sketch drawings with my Black XS Faber-Castell Pitt pen…..or not?  Sometimes it bugs me that the lighter portions when outlined make such a rigid line!  I’m talking about the top of the right shoulder.  May go buy a gray XS pen (if I can find one).  That may help.

Another Backhand Sketch…part 4

Yes, I’m sketch-saturated so here I am….posting away.  This is much easier!  LOL!



Would you believe that when I initially drew the contour lines for her head, the line that represents the top of her hat is where I thought the bill of her hat would be…..really!



A picture is worth a thousand words, as is a picture of a picture.  After I drew this I brought her mouth up some, closer to her nose. 



I’m finding it challenging to match that determined expression on her mouth.  But I’m not ready to quit yet.

What I see I need to do is:

1. Elongate the top of the hat
2. Shorten the nose
3. Tilt the head
4. And if I’m feeling real motivated…..slenderize her torso.

Or I can just make do….and work on the other earring, and the necklace.  See what I mean about faces??

Backhand Sketch….part 3

I needed a sketch break, so I thought I’d do another post…..who said I had to limit sketch post series to 3 anyway?  Just one of my internal rules I’ve been following!  Boy, have I got a lot of little internal guidelines….don’t we all?  I guess it’s the only way I know how to function, haha.

I ended up bringing her neck in more on both sides.  And adjusting her right sleeve narrower.  Yep, I’m getting real good at erasing. 



What surprises me about this drawing, is how easy it is to shade in the folds on her top.  It just doesn’t require a lot of thought.



Of the items that I really wanted to exclude (you know, the necklace, earrings, and emblem), I attempted the easiest one first.  That’s all you have to do….just draw something easy….then move on to the stuff you avoid.  I think that builds confidence.  At least it’s a trick that’s working with me.

And guess what?  I moved that left shoulder in MORE.  I guess when I think of muscles, I think HUGE!

Backhand Sketch….part 2

It looks like the arm is done….but trust me….it’s not!



Shaded in the opposite arm and the neck area!  That neck is going to be tricky!



I’ve moved the top V-neck about three times so far.



It’s during times like this, when I can see the original and my drawing side by side as a jpg, that I can really see the problems.



Again, it was the shoulder that still needed to be brought in more.  I’m beginning to like erasing as much as sketching. LOL!



I’m debating with myself about the writing and the emblem on the shirt….do I try or don’t I?  That is the Question!

The debate is on with the necklace and earrings as well!!  Oh….if you could listen to the chatter!!

A backhanded Sketch….part 1

We’ve been watching a lot of tennis with the French Open tournament going on.  Love tennis!!  Love it!!   I’ve never drawn a tennis player before so I thought I’d take up the challenge.



I’m a bit out of sketch practice since I haven’t sketched since my Diver girl in April.  Dimensions are all out of proportion here.  She looks a bit like a HE here. 



She still isn’t as lady-like as I’d like her to be.  Had to bring in a bunch of lines as seen here by the red arrows.  I was getting a bit frustrated with myself, and almost stashed this attempt.  But, I have to confess, if I get a sketch right….those are my proudest moments.  So….I….continued.



I’ve got my work cut out for me here, not only is there a face (Yikes!!) which I have to make resemble the player, but the body is closer up than I’m used to.  Not as much room for error…..and I prefer lots of room when I error!



Now, she’s showing more composure and the sketch is coming together a bit better.  I still need to work on that front arm, the contour is off at the elbow.   I’m happier with the shoulder shape finally.

More to follow.