Circus Strongman

It's amazing that I have never drawn the stereotypical strongman before. I love drawing the big cartoony guys with of course the mustache. This guy originally was bald but he just didn't look quite right so I gave him just a bit of hair.

Elephant

Here is the elephant I was looking for yesterday. He is just chilling out and enjoying the sun. Something I wish I could do.

Giraffe Doodle

I was doodling around in photoshop trying to find an elephant. Well, I didn't find an elephant, but I did find part of this giraffe.

Hi-Fi

Yup another abstract. It's fun to create these and not worry about all the little details like you do when drawing characters.

Cool Daddy O

Just a little photoshop doodle. I liked the way this guy turned out, kind of a stray cat kinda guy.

Organ Grinder

I never understood what these organ grinder's were all about, but for some reason I felt compelled to draw one. I guess it is hard to resist a guy with a mustache and a monkey.

Burrow

Another Abstract. I am really just having fun experimenting with colors and shapes. It is like putting a puzzle together, only you have to make all the pieces.

Happy Hour

Quick little doodle done in brushpen and splashed with colored ink.

Surveillance

Edit: I toned down the color a bit, it was a bit too bright before. -Thanks Ole ;)
Still not sure about this color combo, it is messing with my mind!

It must be strange to come to my blog. It seems that every other week I am trying something different. IF you scroll down the page there are a dozen different styles going on. Maybe someday all these experiments I am doing will merge together into one happy style...

Abstracts

Space Pods - gouache, colored pencil, brushpen

Colony - digital painting

Here are a couple of abstract paintings I did last week. The abstract called "Space Pods" was done in gouache, colored pencil and brushpen in a moleskine watercolor sketch book. I had done a really tiny thumbnail of the design for Space Pods on a napkin at work. The other abstract is called "Colony" and it was done all digital with my wacom and photohsop. I had this exact image in my head and painted this in just a few minutes. I really like the design of this painting and I hope to do some more of these in the future.

Bow Legged Bill

Yee Haw! Give ole Bow Legged Bill a pint of whisky and a guitar and he is happy as a clam.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone! Out with the old and in with the new, even though I prefer the old.

I know this drawing has nothing to do with New Year's but just to keep the posts rolling here is a sketch from my moleskine that I did in November. I drew with a fountain pen and then colored with scarlet colored ink wash.

Charmer

I have my eye on a vintage set of childrens playing cards from the 50's. The illustrations on these cards are just fantastic. I have found them twice now on eBay and lost the bid both times. That last second bidding stuff is just too much. Anyway, I took one of my favorite images from that set of cards and decided to paint my own, until I can get my hands on an actual set.

This was done in watercolor, marker, and a bit of white acrylic.

Mr. Peabody & Sherman

These are two of my favorite cartoon characters of all time. I did this with a brushpen, watercolor, and some colored ink on watercolor paper.

Gooberz

I am not sure what this is exactly. It was just a doodle in brushpen and colored ink. In my mind I think these guys are kind of like the Gremlins, always causing mischief.

Sketchbook Doodles

I have had a Moleskine watercolor sketchbook for quite awhile now. I have been very intimidated to actually use it. The Moleskine watercolor book is really great with the brushpen. The paper has a great texture to it, and I really love that. Here is a doodle page I did lastnight with brushpen and colored pencil.

Fly Fishing with the Wrong Fly

I used to be a pretty avid fly fisherman, but for the last few years the game of golf has sort of taken over my free time.

I remember many early evenings in June when I used to sit on the banks of the Kinnikinnic River and watch the brown trout frantically leap from the river gorging themselves on everything they could, except of course the fly on the end of my line. Brown trout are very picky and sometimes when you think you have the right fly on and they just won't touch it. Many evenings there is so much activity in the river you would think that surely one trout would take my fly by accident.

This drawing was done in pen and colored ink. No sketch was made first, I just sort of doodled my way through it.

Jason Seiler Caricature Contest

Jason Seiler, caricaturist extraordinaire is holding a contest in conjunction with ChiuStream. The contest is simple. Draw a caricature of Jason and the one with the most votes gets an original caricature of themselves done by Jason Seiler. I don't think I really have a chance because my style is so oldschool and all the kids now are doing some incredible digital paintings, but I never do these kinds of things so why not give it a shot.

Here are the photo reference photos I worked from -->Jason Seiler Reference

If you are not familiar with Jason's work check out his blog --> It's Funny Because It's True

Christmas Card

This is our Christmas Card this year. I think it is the first digital illustration I have done in 6 years. I thought I knew Photoshop, but I was wrong. I am gradually getting the hang of working digitally, and I have to say the "Undo" is really nice. I also want to say that although I was happy with the way this card came out, it was not as satisfying as when I complete something with traditional media. I really don't like the fact that there is nothing tangible to hold on to when you are done. You have to stare at the computer screen or print it out. With all that being said, it was really fun to do.

Turkey Day

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

My apologies to all the vegetarians out there..(sorry sis)

Einstein - Red Bull

I wonder how much more Einstein could have accomplished if Red Bull had been around.

More Safari Sam

Here are a couple more Safari Sam sketches.

I have tried to come up with a side-kick for Safari Sam. I don't think I captured his side-kick exactly how I want him. I will probably do some more sketches. I also need a name for him, any suggestions are welcome. I have temporarily been calling him "Jeffy" but I don't really like that and want to come up with something better.

Newsprint Sketches

Safari Sam (above)

Walter & his cat - look at the reference photo it is hilarious

I think I have said it before but I'll say it again, I love drawing on smooth newsprint with a Design Ebony Pencil or black Prismacolor. I wish I could experience the same kind of freedom by drawing in my sketchbook but I can't. When I am drawing on newsprint, I have the most fun.

Here are a couple of sketches I did last night. The first one is Safari Sam. His image just popped in my head and this is my first drawing of him. I was very pleased with the way it turned out and I have some ideas on doing something further with this guy.

The second image is called "Walter & his cat". I was on Flickr drawing animals, and I did a search for cats. When I saw this image I couldn't believe it. You absolutely have to go and look at the reference picture that I drew this from, it is hilarious.

the ROCK

Caricature of the Rock (Dwayne Johnson). Ebony design pencil on newsprint.

Chump

Just experimenting. This guy was a doodle in my sketchbook.

-ink, brushpen, colored pencil, white-out

Drawing Digital?

My first drawing done completely digital

I have had my tablet for about a week now, and have been trying out different software to draw in. I got Corel Painter - Sketch Pad and Autodesk Sketchbook Express with my Intuos. I really like Corel Sketch Pad it does a fantastic job of rendering realistic mediums especially the pencil. I don't like Autodesk Sketchbook Express, it is a very boring and I just dont like the lines. I also have been drawing in Flash MX. Flash is fun to draw in because of the cool manipulations you can do with the lines, and you are drawing vector which is nice. So last night I found the ultimate program. Manga Studio 4 EX. Manga Studio is really fantastic. I love the way it lays down a line, sketching in it felt as close to sketching on paper as you can get, the brushes and inking is just fantastic! It really feels wonderful. The interface was also very easy to use and intuitive. I installed it and just started drawing and was able to figure out everything pretty quickly. I really can't say enough good things about this program and I have only scratched the surface with it.

It is funny because just a month ago I was still very dead set against going digital, but I am glad I finally realized what everyone else has been saying to me: "It is just another tool". It is just another tool, and a really fun one at that.

The drawing above was done in Manga Studio. It is my first all digital drawing. I realize that most people have been drawing digitally for years and are not impressed. You shouldn't be impressed it is not a great drawing, but I am posting it as a personal "landmark", kind of like a new business that saves the first dollar bill that it makes.

Sherm

I was doodling in my sketchbook last night and this character popped out. Let me just say that I really really like drawing guys with mustaches and beards. I just love all the different shapes you can play with. Adding a beard or mustache really seems to add so much more personality to the character. Anyway I imagine this guy's name is Sherm, and he probably drives a little tiny Fiat.

Oh and I didn't finish his left hand, because I didn't want to. As an after thought I think his left hand is going to be made of wood, like Chubbs from Happy Gilmore.

Sketchbook doodles

Here are a couple of sketchbook doodles. The drawings of the "happy-sad monsters" were designed to be happy on one side and if you look at them upside down they look angry or sad.

The punk rock guy is a doodle that really kind of reflects how I felt yesterday.

Wacom Intuos4

So I finally broke down and decided I needed to start experimenting with some digital mediums. I bought a Wacom Intuos4 medium sized tablet a couple days ago. I haven't had alot of time to really play around with it, but have done some sketching with it. I am not completley foreign to the Wacom tablet, as I had a PenPartner in the late 90's. I didn't use it alot but enough so that I knew what to expect with the Intuos4. Well the Intuos4 is one hell of a nice graphics tablet that is for sure. The pressure sensitivity is insane. After about an hour or two of sketching it almost started to feel natural. I love the fact that the tablet can pick up the tilt angle of the grip pen. That is huge for me because I really enjoy using the side of a pencil for shading and defining shapes. The Intuos along with Corel Painter Sketch Pad program (it was included) is really pretty advanced. The feel is quite nice, the tablet has a more textured feel to it, similar to paper. It also comes with like 10 nibs, some felt, some hard plastic, and a nib that is supposed to simulate a brush stroke.

I am not so worried about getting used to the tablet as much as I am all the software that goes along with it. I am looking for any sort of advice or links on tutorials on how to digital paint, some cool brushes, how to digitally ink etc. Anything you could share with me would be much appreciated. I am familiar with Photoshop, but I don't know any of the in's and out's related to brushes, pressure sensitivity, etc. Also I would like to hear from any of you who like Adobe Illustrator for inking. I have also heard good things about Manga Studio.

Considering I was so adament about sticking with traditional mediums, there is just so much cool artwork out there created digitally (either in part or whole) that I am finally excited to accept the digital tablet as just another tool.

PS- This was my 100th post! I am kinda of proud of that, because it means I have stuck with this blog for almost a whole year now, which I guess is really longer then I thought I would.
Thanks to everyone who comes by to check out what I am up to.

Yoda with red converse

Here is a Yoda doodle in brushpen and watercolor. Yoda always seemed like he would be a red converse wearing kind of Jedi Master.

Sketchbook Doodle Page and Jack Black

Sasquatch & Friends

A Sinister - Jack Black

Here is a caricature of Jack Black, and a page that I liked out of my sketchbook. I did the Jack Black with a fountain pen, brushpen, and marker. The sketchbook doodle page is brushpen and watercolor.

Drunken Pirate

I was trying to draw a cowboy but it just wasn't working so I doodled out this pirate instead.