Finished Dino

Finished it up...and corrected a hideous anatomical error with the back arm..

Dino Sketch

The sketch that preceded the colored pencil one I'm working on...

IF:Prehistoric

Close to being finished and pooptastic lighting conditions for the picture...but white death is descending on my little corner of the world and it is almost midnight so we're going with it for now...

Attendance Award?!?!?

Our school does a weekly attendance award and this year they even got a 6 foot tall trophy to pass around. Each class that wins it puts a little something something to make their mark...automotive put a spark plug...criminal justice their shoulder patch...Physical therapy wrapped one of the columns like a broken leg...architecture engineering design did some sort of plastic spiral thing around a column...so what did we do?

I did a dragon carrying off a maiden and sheep...it is very symbolic...but I haven't divulged the meaning yet...my students are trying to guess...so far they have that they are the sheep...now the question is if it will get past the no-fun police that sometimes pop up as being too 'outlandish'...you know...should've just put a paintbrush or pencil on there...but that top area was begging for a dragon...

Dino Update

This one is really slow going but it has to be. Too quick and I'll mess up because it gets mindless after a while. I've been adding in the background and then will work on the water. After that I will have to go over the entire item a final time to get values adjusted. Between the off and on of this I've got about three other projects I'm hitting...a hand puppet maquette I'm 75% finished with...a t-shirt for a guy at school that I just started...and plans for some more Illustrator work to help hone my skills as I try to (still) switch from Freehand...which again makes me want to strangle Adobe for not incorporating the tools that are BETTER from Freehand or at least selling off Freehand so that someone else can let it live...

IF:Sneaky

The worst monster of all...one that steals candy from a babies...

IF: Eat your peas and then afterwards...

It doesn't matter what the 'afterwards' is...parents know this...that's why you always get the most of the worst...you can't do it..."You didn't finish em all this time...maybe next time you'll get that pet unicorn/dragon/giant robot."...if a parent feels like doing something they don't care if you eat anything for a month...there...I'm a whistle blower...kids know the truth...

Hog Hand Puppet Process

We are about a week into the process for the hand puppet this year. I did the complete process myself to try and give examples of what expectations were/are.


Because I knew there were a set number of thumbnails to do I gridded the page off for the format. And because I knew that all the puppets had to fit a hand I started of sketching the hand shape in each box. This enabled me to have a starting foundation and to help ensure some consistency. As I always try to say... a little work in the beginning and smart planning now saves a lot of heartache later.


The next step was quickly filling in details. The point of thumbnails is to try different things and to visually problem solve. They should be clear enough to see what is going on but they aren't hanging in a gallery. Some things work...some things don't...but variation is the key. I keep trying to reach them with the fact there needs to be variation and attempts at drawing things with different styles. Sometimes they get locked in with "there are only so many ways to draw something" after 3 or 4 thumbnails...but this is never true. There are endless ways to draw anything without losing the character of the starting animal...look at how many different ways people have drawn rabbits and ducks.


After they get a thumbnail approved they move on to the rough stage...if their thumbnails are weak and more development needs done we will do mini-roughs...bigger than thumbnails (usually 1/4th of a page) but not as big as the finished product. This was the last of the three roughs that I did and probably my favorite...once again proving the general law that your first isn't usually your best.


This was my second rough.

This was the first...at first I really liked it...but now not as much...

The next step will be doing the maquette this weekend and next week we will be doing a final in colored pencil.

IF: Spent

My initial drawing was going to be of a trillion dollar bill after having been taken from the working class and having had to walk to Washington,DC...and he was going to say..."Shewww...I'm spent."Because that is waht politicians like to do...But I didn't get to it...and we had meetings all day...which made me spent...so it was a drawapoolooza...and I started by using the term spent for a possum that had been run over...and it just blossomed from there like a beautiful rose...

New Hand Puppet Rough 1

It's that time of year again...last year I did an armadillo hand puppet to show students how to use blue pencils to sketch with instead of doing a tracing paper transfer. Since last year's item was more of a hard surface with regards to form I wanted to do something a bit hairier to work without a lot of burnishing. It also helped students in dealing with the creative process...

This is the second major process drawing the students are doing because we have been focusing on observation drawing the first 9 weeks. Students are through the brainstorming stage and dealing again with thumbnails. They vast majority of problems tends to be a lack of pushing through thumbnails and using it as a tool to help come up with creative solutions.I call it drawing with intent vs. drawing to fulfill an obligation. So instead of drawing, say a rabbit, 20 different ways with variations on eyes, ears, nose, muzzle, head, etc...I will get 20 rabbits drawn exactly the same with a hat thrown on...

Once they get through the thumbnails we move on to 3 or 4 mini-roughs to get a good solid idea followed by a full-scale rough. Then the final product...

Dragon Dump

My net buddy and fellow artist Steve always does sketchbook dumps...now that I put dragon dump down I have come to a realization that will always make me look at that in a different context...

Rules for the dragons...15-20 minutes per sketch...one a day until work catches up with me...and since it is political season...I refuse to endorse the quality of any of the sketches...

IF: Racing

"Every time they drive by it sends my heart racing...but I'm not sure for which reason..."

How To Train Your Dragon contest... : (

Whilst watching Cartoon Network the other night they released a promo for How To Train Your Dragon DVD release...and announced there would be a contest to create your own dragon...the winner will be chosen and have their dragon used in cartoon...

#1. How To Train Your Dragon was probably the best movie I saw all summer of the 5 or so I went to...

#2. The contest is limited to those between the ages of 4 and 12...which makes me sad...I may not artistically have had a shot before but I'm definitely not passing for a 12 year old. So if you have a kid that hits that area have at it...

#3. They reserve the right to change and adapt the dragon created for their specifications and purposes because 'animation is tough'...I've seen some contests with that type of disclaimer before and the artist's original work is completely dismantled...so imagine Billy or Suzie getting picked and watching the episode and waiting for their dragon to appear...only to find out they saw their dragon but it didn't look anything like what they designed...

#4. James Gurney talked about doing a poster contest at the age of 13 and he was disqualified because they didn't believe he did it...so if you have a superstar artist is that a pitfall?

#5. I decided to do some dragons anyway...I received a new sketchbook from CCAD during their presentation so I'm going to fill it up with dragons...which means I have 4 sketchbooks going in different directions...and then there is the one I lost...at the park...when someone took it while I was playing with my kids...sketchy come home...so I'm going to do a dragon a day...until I get bored...

#6. Professional development for my job means that I get to actually do some stuff with this...sculpy...and Illustrator...and Photoshop...once I get it approved by our "Committee"...

IF: Spooky

I usually hate for work to pull a double duty...being the elitist I am and all...but with four million meetings and a lot of grading I had to bow to the pressure. I got tired (again) of seeing the kids have all the fun in class...we were working on an assignment involving making maquettes and I wanted to play too. So I did. I'm hopefully going to get a chance to photograph the student work and will include a link to it too...many turned out very well for only the second attempt at sculpy and I'm excited to see how things progress for them.

I had only worked in sculpy once before myself while making a very rough item to do some light work. I enjoyed the problem solving that went along with working in a pretty new medium...Our next stab will be making another head and then a fully body detailed maquette.

IF: What Lies Beneath? Claws

I actually kind of like this one...I'm going to change the snake to a stuffed one and slap it in Freehand or Illustrator and see what happens...of course I still have to finish the turtle and fish from way back when...

IF:Old Fashioned

"Gawd...my parents are SOOO old fashioned...they only let my boyfriend Billy sleep over on weekends...they're afraid I'll be too tired for school if he stays over on weeknights..."

IF: When Acrobats Get Demoted...

"So...how do you feel about getting shot out of a cannon..."

Self-Portrait III

Couldn't leave out Sonics...they have great sweet tea...and awesome ice...but too often they get a little heavy on the ice and after three drinks...done...

I used to appreciate their foam cups until my daughter tried to steal my tea out of my hand...my reaction was 'squeeze hard as someone is trying to swipe the tea'...the result was my thumb going through the bottom of the cup and all my tea pouring into my lap...

As for my bowling shirt...RIP...it was the best $2.35 silk shirt I ever bought...unfortunately I ripped the armpits out of it while stretching one day...

IF: Dessert

"I hope you're coming to tell me he was playing in the brownie mix..."

Rat Crow vs. Chicken Lizard Final

I decided to fill in the sky to add some depth to the final work. I added some gradation to give it a bit of depth and a sense of 'clouds'...I also filled in the rest of the posters/pictures for the backdrop...just a little something to add some visual interest. I'm not sure if it blows up large enough to tell but put me in dressed as a farmer...the overall piece is pretty and it always feels good to complete something...but then there is that bit of 'depression' that tends to come as I try to figure out what to do next...other than work on my styraco...which I have officially started adding in the background!!!

Rat Crow vs. Chicken Lizard VI

I added grain to the boards...For a poster in the background (not put in yet on this snapshot) I located some KY county fair posters and loosely based the sketch.

One note about the expression of the girl. I threw that in because I usually get that slight look of disgust multiple times on 'the drive'...usually after one of my spectacular songs I create discussing my admiration for my children's very large feet or how they got freckles...(you wouldn't believe it if I told you the true origin)...I thought it fit in well with this pic. The young lady is 12 and is kind of in that 'Dad, you are such a dork' phase...I did take a reference shot for the pose but the expression wasn't there...it just came out as I was drawing it....

Next post will be the finished work...I said that last time but this time I mean it...

IF:Atmosphere

"Crab keeps inviting me to the beach for a 50's theme party...but you know I just don't like that atmosphere."

You may have to think about that one for a second...

Rat Crow vs. Chicken Lizard V

To help add some detail without being overwhelming I decided to have an unfinished inside shack type of look. I thought with originally doing 'chipboard' between the boards but figured it wouldn't pop very well...back in the day (maybe still now) I remember going into some old building and between the framing they had a dark 'tar paper' that had a brownish black coloration. It was probably originally black but time had caused the brown to seep in. I decided to put this between the planks and to not burnish it, but rather to allow the texture of the paper to show through...I also planned on putting some stuff here and there on the walls to break it up a bit more but not to 'overwhelm' and draw attention away from the characters.

The next big decision came with the window. I debated between keeping the background color and giving it an 'evening' type look or adding a sky effect...I could picture it working either way but really like the pop of the direction I decided to go...up next...the finished item...

New Profile Pic

Back to work in just a few more days...in celebration a new profile pic is in order...

IF:Public Ed...Stargazer

Dedicated to all those that graduated...and have to pull off their shoes or use a calculator to figure out 8+7...

Rat Crow vs. Chicken Lizard IV

Instead of going with the gas pump idea I decided to throw my daughter in looking through a window. This played off the repetition of the squares of the crates and eventually would help to have some more depth.

Rat Crow vs. Chicken Lizard III

At this point I started working on the foreground and developing the 'story' that was occurring a bit more. There was about a month or two break between where I was at in the last post and what I have here. I changed the theme a bit and decided to have the story occurring in a shed and to put a girl in the window watching. I sketched it all in...To avoid the characters being in the foreground I put two bowls to hold captured chess pieces. I also changed the table to a crate and added two different types of crates to start adding some depth. Because of the difference in color schemes between the two critters I knew I would have to use different crate colors so that items didn't 'blend'.

One major problem I noticed at this point was the wax leeching out of the drawing. I have really never had an issue with this because I typically get the item sprayed before this happens...and at least one other colored pencil project took longer than this without and issues. So I was surprised when I lifted off the protective covering and the wax leech was happening. There was a fine film of wax 'ash' that was dulling all of the colors. I can only figure that the high humidity after the AC was turned off had a lot to do with the leeching being accelerated. I carefully took a slightly damp paper towel and wiped off the wax. I had to do this several times over a couple of days before it all stopped. Either it leeched as far as it was going to go or the humidity conditions changed enough for it to stop.

Rat Crow vs. Chicken Lizard II

After I had a pic in my head of what I wanted and had done the sketches I went out and bought a piece of Canson toned paper. I saw this color and it fit in nicely with what I initially had in mind. I used white prisma color to sketch out the two main characters. Sometimes I will draw everything out and use tracing paper to make a transfer but not when using colored paper...just doing a colored pencil sketch with a lighter color works out fine and blends in nicely when slapping in the color.







Because I like to do detail work I usually don't 'fill-in' the background. I have a pretty good literal picture in my head of what direction and general composition I want so I don't get too panicky. Even though the background did change drastically from my original plan the composition didn't. I first thought I was going to have the two playing at a gas station and have an old time fuel pump in the center and oil cans on the sides.

Rat Crow Vs. Chicken Lizard I

Another meeting sketch. I started out drawing a crow but thought the feathers on the body reminded me of fur...so I threw a rat tail on it...that's where all the trouble began...Initially I was going to just do a 'scientific journal' type of illustration with watercolor and micron...about the highly intelligent rat crow...I was going to have it grasping a chess piece for symbolism...but then I thought there had to be an opponent...one that was at the opposite end of the spectrum...


That brought about the chicken lizard...so then I was looking at a two-page spread...but that little voice in the back of my head started going on about "When was the last time you did a drawing with a background?" So I went out and bought a big piece of toned paper...and readied the prismacolor...

Head Sketches

This guy is getting prepped for colored pencil treatment...I sketched out the head and have the overall general idea for what I am going to do...(hint...turtle in the mouth)...I am in the middle of a large scale color pencil drawing right now but will need something to keep me active as I start tackling the pointillism Styraco again...I have less than two weeks left before school starts so I should finish the Colored pencil drawing tomorrow...then it will be a hard week on getting Styraco done...by working slow I keep getting ideas which has generally paid of in the long run for me...


Earlier in the year I purchased James Gurney's book Imaginative Realism...(and if you haven't grabbed it you should...as well as checking out his blog)...I've been planning on trying his painting technique with oils so I think this guy might be a good candidate for my stepping back into that game in September...not too difficult a subject but with some opportunities to learn and still have some detail work.


If all goes well then I have a scene to paint involving this guy...a little dragonish critter...He also looks like a good candidate for a sculpy playdate! I have tools ordered and have been formulating some of the 'know-how' the last little bit...