More Thumbnails!

Working on a piece for a client.
It really helps to put an idea through its paces. The 1" size makes sure the drawing is too small to get carried away with fussy detail. It's just right - work the idea without too much time and energy investment - just enough to see how it works. Then try a variation, change something, move something, and work it in a variety of ways. The end result is that I can see which ideas work, and which ideas don't. I can also see which parts of the ideas work, and try combining them. 

03/29/14
Caricature 1"' thumbnails

03/29/14
Caricature 1" thumbnails.

I was looking for interviews on YouTube to listen to as I draw, and I stumbled across this photo of an alien skull (or something) on Pinterest...
Which got me to thinking... So, of course, since I was thinking, it was a good time to start thumbnailing...

03/29/14
Skulls - 1" thumbails

Fun with thumbnails!

03/27/14
Horses - thumbnails 3x2"

It's amazing how much fun you can have with a few sheets of 1" squares.

03/27/14
Misc. 1" thumbnails

03/27/14
Fishes 1" thumbnails

03/27/14
Dogs & Rodents 1" thumbnails

Add 03/27/14
Misc. 1" thumbnails

03/27/14
Horses 1" thumbnails

03/27/14
Birds1" thumbnails

One thing inevitably leads to another
03/27/14
Animal Sketches
Pen & Marker, ~10 x 4"

SKULLEY2 in Gouache

I picked up a set of gouache at the art supply store a couple weeks ago, and today I finally had a chance to give it a go. First things first: a study of my pal Skulley2 in black and white to get used to the medium. I mixed a 5-step value scale to begin with:1 being just slightly off-white, and 5 being just slightly off-black. Of course, I was unable to resist getting into more value gradations, but it was good to start with.
This is the first work I have done in gouache since college. I really enjoyed it, and I look forward to exploring the medium and really getting a handle on it.

03/25/14
Skulley2
Gouache on watercolor
paper, 5x7"

More sketches

03/23/14
Sculpture Sketch
Pen, 8x10"

03/23/14
Faces and Creatures
Pen, 8x10"

03/23/14
More Faces, Creatures, and ...?
Pen, 8x10"

03/23/14
Some DJ Guy on YouTube
Pen, 8x10"

A Couple Productive - and FUN - days of sketching.

Animals, warriors, sorcerers, spaceships, dragons, and more....
The last couple days I have generated dozens of pages of thumbnails and sketches.
It has definitely been productive - and fun!
Here are a few select pages from my sketchbooks:

03/22/14
Gladiator Sketches (Pen)
Quite possibly my favorite
sketch of the day!

03/22/14
Sketches (Pen)

03/22/14
Warrior/Paladin Sketches (Pen)

03/22/14
Warrior/Paladin Sketches (Pen)

03/22/14
Warrior/Paladin Sketch

03/22/14
Thumbnail Sketch (Pen)

03/22/14
Thumbnail Sketches (Pen_

03/22/14
Thumbnail Skteches (Pen)

03/22/14
Thumbnail Sketches

03/22/14
Skethces

03/22/14
Enchanter Sketches

03/22/14
Enchanter Sketch

03/22/14
Enchanter Sketch

03/22/14
...oh, and more sorcerer thumbnails...

03/22/14
Hovercraft/ Spaceship Sketches
Black Fine Point Pen & Marker

03/22/14
Thumbnail Aviator Sketch
Black Fine Point Pen & Marker

03/22/14
Planes and stuff
Black Fine Point Pen & Marker

03/22/14
 Thumbnail Aviation sketches
Black Fine Point Pen & Marker

03/20/14
Facial constructions

03/20/14
Dragon Sketch
Black Pen & Marker

03/20/13
Faces and Gorilla

Fantasy Photo Shoot_Castlewood Canyon

Beautiful park.

Today's photo shoot at sceninc Castlewood Canyon was amazing!

I have been looking forward to this for quite some time
There were a lot of lessons to learn - mainly logistics: about the size and layout of the park, about the legal boundaries and private property limits, about the ill-tempered off-duty sheriff, about organizing and coordinating all the parties involved... And personally I have a lot to learn about photography, especially when it comes to location shooting.

So for all that, I was glad we had a small – but awesome – group (myself, Michael, Sarah, and Carolyn.) It was a good scouting trip, and we did not even scratch the surface of all the good spots to shoot... especially once the sun dipped over the edge of the canyon and we were in the shadows, with the temperature dropping rapidly.

Yes, it was cold. The snow made for a great winter shoot.

My long johns, you ask? Oh yes, I laid them out neatly yesterday. Where I laid them, I still have not been able to determine. Yup, they are officially missing in action. LOL But I bundled myself up as best I could, and we made it through just fine.

This tree was phenomenal.

Michael was awesome as usual. Carolyn wore her “Merida” costume with poise and panache. That wig was unbelievable, and she was getting 'epic' hair at every turn.

The Dam was awesome.

The Dam was an epic spot for photos, and the tree was catching the light in the most astonishing way.

My photos came out good – I am sure Sarah's came out even better. I can hardly wait to use these, there are so many awesome ideas brewing already. I'm certain they will turn into several great drawings and one epic painting at the very least.

It will take me a while to process all the photos. Here are a few outtakes from the shoot. Hope you enjoy them.

Michael gives Carolyn
some archery pointers.

There were more than a few
epic hero shots to be had.

I added some punctuation
to the sign

.

Sarah got some great
close-up portrait shots.

She is a little more
brave than I am

Carolyn is checking out
the spot where Mikey will
fall on his ass
in about 90 seconds
LOL

The sun is going away, and it made
the scene even more beautiful...