Back to school Bird

Had to make a college bird because I’m overwhelmed with the get-my-child-to-college-and-not-forget-anything preparations.  Oh my, lots goes into getting these young people set up especially if they are going away to school.



It is fun when I get to pick the color of her tee.



I’d like to find a backpack with this design!   Haha



Keira……the college freshman.  It’s her first day of classes and she thought she’d get lost on campus, but she surprised herself and made it to each class on time.  She even met some other nice students.  She is loving this new freedom.  She has to fight the urge to facebook friend request everyone she meets.  Otherwise, she won’t get any studying done…..we can only hope!

So much is going on with this age group isn’t there?  They’re learning how to be independent, manage money, and listening to lectures in some classrooms with over a 100 students.  Easy to feel invisible.  But they’ll probably learn more about themselves and people in these 4 years than ever before. 

I approached my daughter last week and asked her to take that Myers-Briggs personality test so that I can figure her out better (yeah….right!).  But she couldn’t be bothered.    If you’re interested here’s the free on-line test, it’s only about 70 questions, took me less than 5 minutes to take.  I came out as an INTJ.  I think this stuff is fun.  Have you taken this type of test and what are your thoughts?

A sketch showing some potential….part 4

The shading is done mainly with my lighter H pencils and my tortillon.  I think that’s the key, use that little stump for the light areas.  It already has a lot of graphite on it from previous shading jobs.



See how dark that tortillon gets at the tip.



Gotta give credit to Sande for her knowledge about gray fine-line markers and directing me toward these.  Thank you!!

I purchased the .05 and the 0.1 of the Copic multiliner in gray.  This is the first chance I’ve gotten to use them.  I think I’m going to like them



I may have gotten ahead of myself, cuz I outlined the suit and the top of the thighs with the Copic marker already.  Highly unusual, I usually do it at the end.  Can’t go back and fix any line problems in the suit now!  Hopefully, I’ll be ok with that.

I still need to:

• Fix the nose
  
• Thicken the visor and shorten the sunglasses
  
• Shade more on the upper arm
  
• And much more….

A sketch beginning to take shape….part 3

Had to pull up the image in the computer and ENLARGE to see the details in the face.



At the top of the arm you’ll see two lines….yep…tweaking going on!



These are my favorite shots…..feels like I’m looking over someone’s shoulder.  Keeping those pencils real sharp helps immensely.



I am trying REALLY HARD to not overdo my graphite gradients.  Have to do a lot more dabbing this way.

More to come

A sketch with No SeNsE of PrOpOrTiOn….part 1

There is no Fan-fare with sketching…..none….at least for me.  Sketching doesn’t appeal to the masses like true art does….IMHO (in my humble opinion).  UNLESS, you sketch something for someone.  You know, draw a picture of a family (or member) for them to display; at the top of the stairs, along the staircase, in the foyer, above the fireplace.  This is when the real profiteers can hone their talent with the task.

But for me…..

I just like sketching.  Don’t know why, possibly it’s cuz I get to copy.  And tweak toward perfection. 



With my birthday next month, I think I know what I want.  Look at my pencil stash, there’s 7 light green pencils, 4 dark green pencils, 2 blue and 1 black.  Different brands that I picked up over time, shopping at various art stores.  THIS DRIVES ME CRAZY.  What would work better for me when I sketch would be to have all my H pencils (2H, 4H, 6H, 8H) in one color, my B pencils ( 2B, 4B, 6B….) in a different exterior color and my blends (HB, F, H, B ) in a third color.  This would help my poor little brain …..do you see how tiny the identifying lead numbers are on these pencils? 

I must be due for a new sketch, it’s been almost 2 months since I completed Yanina.



Since I gotta start somewhere, I chose to start at the bottom of the figure on the paddleboard.



As I continued, it was all about erasing….you see…I have no sense of proportion, especially early on.  The foot-to-knee took up more than half of the leg.  Anyone know any tricks to help in the beginner stages to keep things in line better?

Here’s Gnick, the other Gnome

Gnick only resembles Gnoah because they both have beards.



He got the red hat!!  Lucky guy!



Just a simple little gnome.



Had to hold back and not make his little hat all girly-like!



Gnick the Gnome…..He really doesn’t mind living underground, and he doesn’t mind being stationed on garden-patrol.  But what really bugs him, is when people try to catch him just so he’ll grant their wish!  He’s not a leprechaun you know :)



As fun as these little gnomes were to draw, what I really missed was just plain doodling!!

Gnoah Gnadinger I’d like you to meet….

When I asked you guys what to name my gnome, Baronessnz immediately
chimed in with Noah!  What a perfect name for my first little gnome.  And like JP said, we gotta keep up the tradition of Gn (with a silent G) dontchathink?  So Noah became Gnoah!



Gnoah the Gnome…..he has been told he resembles Doc of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”.  He is pleased with the comparison. 

A blue hat was requested, so that’s what Gnoah got.  I felt a little constricted in my doodling space.  Not a whole lotta space to doodle in, and I didn’t want to make him dorky!  I’m kinda fond of his Adidas sneakers!



I put my friend’s name on the gnome photo print.  Name done in photoshop.  Just clipped some of my art over the top of a standard font. 



Here’s my moleskine next to the 4x6 photo print.  He shrank a bit.



Gnoah will have to wait another day to meet his brother Gnick.   They do things a little backwards in this family!

A Gnome With No Gname

 

This title is a total play on the song “A Horse With No Name” from the late 70’s.  And since I like alliteration statements I cheated and added the G to “name”!!  How in the world did our language develop to having a G in front of an N and have that pronounced as an N-sound??  Why even fool with the G??  Beats me!



A few weeks ago a friend at work asked me if I could draw her a gnome.   I said I’d try, and off I went to research and see what exactly they look like.   Lots of different ones out there and all quite cute.  I liked this guy the most.

I stood up to snap a picture of the Gnome at this stage and the next thing I knew…. I was still standing there organizing my markers.  First, I had to grab all my available sharpie fine-point markers, then my Faber Castell pens…..and of course…. the colors had to be lined up “just so”.  Can anyone say O.C.D.??  Ah well, even so, it sure helps to make a prettier picture.  LOL!!



So….if any of you Smart People out there have a suggestion for a Gnaming my Gnome, I’d love to hear it!

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??