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Do you hear the drums Fernando...?

Here is a guys face I did and liked it. I had no real clue about what type of character he would be until I did the glasses. Thats when it hit me that he looked like a 70's disco dancer. I think I will call him Fernando after the ABBA song.

What the #@$^% !!!

OK... So some times this stream of consciousness thing goes bad. I have no idea what this is about? But it makes me smile, so here you are. Hey, not everyone can be a winner.

Sketchy Bastard

Yet another anatomy sketch to go in the books. I have been a little lazy with the blogging for the last couple of days. But in my defense I have been working on some other things for my website redesign. Hopefully I can get that all squared away and off so there will be more time to draw and less of the prep work. I will see what I can do about getting back on track. But no promises.

Deep Sea-ted withdrawals

When I lived in SF and went to the Academy of Art the last place I lived was in the Sunset District. This was great for two reasons. One, I was near the SF Zoo. One of my favorite places to go take photos and be a lone. And two, was that it was near the beach. I think this connection with the ocean ran deeper than I had ever though of. In my recent drawings and illustration the water seems to be a common theme that runs throughout them. Much like this sketch you see here. Now I find this to be a little odd seeing as how I grew up in the AZ desert with no water in sight. In fact, I hate swimming. But for some reason I find that the ocean holds something for me. But what ever the case, I am trying not to do too many water related ills. I don't want to become anything like Wyland. That would be hell.

Self Incriminating

This one has a soft spot in my heart. Mostly because I remember riding the Muni in SF and seeing all the graffiti in the tunnels, and it always made me smile. I have to say that I always thought the artist had to have a pure love for what they did in order to risk getting arrested to do it. I find that in a lot of things we as a society just go with the current and don't try and mix things up much. We think that voicing our opinions are enough....but what good does that do with out action. You can have a peaceful protest with out making a scene and getting something beautiful out of it. Personally I think Graffiti has a great influence on those who are willing to be open to the imagery and message. So please, to all those who do what they do... Continue. For all of us.

Idling hands

So as promised here is a sample of my prep work when working on an illustration. I tend to do a practice series on things that are tougher for me to get. While I have drawn my far share of hands during my time in and out of school. I think they are something that you have to stay in practice with to do them convincingly. Hands pretty much make up who we are. As an artist I need them to live. And if I don't use them to create, then its over for me. Hence the blog name. But we rarely study the movement of the hand. That's why I needed to go back and do a series of them just to do one that would give me the action and the storytelling I needed for the illustration. Anyway hope you like the glimpse inside.

Bernini

Yet another back shot? This is actually a sketch of a sculpture done by my favorite sculpture, Bernini. Its no secret that my favorite of all art movements is the Baroque movement. And as sculpture I feel that Bernini far out does any of his predecessors. That includes Michelangelo. Now I love Michelangelo, but the detailing of the modeled figure in Bernini's pieces is just too superb. The way the figures are handled and the softness of the way the marble is handled is the best I have ever seen. The flesh is treated in such amazing detail that I almost expect to see the figure exhale at any moment. But as for why I did a sketch of an already established artist? I use the forms to work out issues I have in my own work. Its like a constant reference for the mind as to the way to turn the figure in space. I tend to revisit sculpture pieces and do a lot of sketches of them. It is a dramatic step up from the act of drawing from a ceramic bust in the class room. Just away for me to continue my art education.

Set and match

I dunno the story behing this one. I just try and work out my hands most the time I sketch. Its kind of my excersise for the hands. Calisthenics for the hands if you will. But I know that I only post more "finished" sketches so I will work on doing more prelims and screw ups for you all. More of what I do to work out as well as what I come up with. That way you can know whats on my mind as well as what is the end result. Hey, I guess this sketch makes sense after all. Huh, go figure.

Equal opportunistic

So I figured since I posted an image of the back side of a female, I might as well post one of a man too. But truthfully I miss the art classes at the Academy and being able to draw from a live model for 6-12 hours a week. I loved going to the workshops and seeing how the rest of the students were progressing. And a little competition never hurt anyone either. I have been mulling it over that I should take a non-credit class at the local community college. At least that way I would be able to draw with a group again. But the only thing slowing me down is when can I find the time. That special thing that there seems to be so much of, yet not enough.

At the hand of fate

I did this guy last week some time just to kill time. In the museum here in AZ there is a painting of a gladiator in an arena standing over a defeated foe and he is waiting for the thumbs up or down from a Caesar. That has always been a really important piece for me and I wish I could say why. I guess it just rounds up how we all feel in life some times. Defeated, tired,and unable to rise against our foes. And all we can do is lay there waiting for the finger of fate.

Opium chic

So I have done a few sketches now with people having tattoos. I myself have none. But I have nothing against them. On a subject they can be great. But my recent fascination with them has been strangely making its way in the sketches. But much like every time I have a need for them I soon get out of it and think it would have been a terrible idea. That's probably the reason I never could get one. That and I am so ADD that I couldn't sit there and think of one that I liked longer then 10 minutes. Hence the sketching and art in general. I might have a fear of commitment. Well... at least to ink.