These characters are a few from a past class visit. These were perfect for Halloween and the fall season. Funny but not very scary.
Sketching Birds with simple shapes
Just a short tutorial of the type of work I bring into the classroom. Visiting the K-5 level classes I try to encourage a quick sketch technique based on using simple shapes and line. I always start with a warm up session before we begin. In these examples I am using Manga Studio and a calligraphy pen tool for thick and think lines. In class I will use a broad tip marker, or a brush pen, on newsprint . For the under drawing I use a prismacolor blue pencil or any soft lead.
The hardest concept to convey seems to be the rough experimentation. I want the kids to fill the page with gestures, eyes or feather studies. Often this is the hardest part, as they like to darken lines, erase and get detailed a little to soon. I try to encourage small studies on a single page. Often I will draw lightly and messy, just to show how I am playing with options before picking what I like and going back to darken the lines. They really seem surprised to see me scribble over a drawing or draw an "x" over parts. Then they see how the under drawing really disappears as the marker comes out and the dark lines become dominant.
Have fun and keep sketching....
Simple studies on details.
Break down the key elements of the character and practice a variety of options.
Often your first idea can be improved upon and even simplified for a better effect.
Just play with shapes and see where is leads. Have fun.
Monsters born tonight
For Inktober, here are 3 new monsters born just a few days ago. They are all good friends and would be happy to have you see their birth process, from early ideation to blue line drawings to inking. They may even grow up, and mature into color some day. Please subscribe if you like or give comments, questions or suggestions.
Drawing faces with simple shapes
When visiting classrooms I like to focus on simple shapes. Drawing faces and expressions using variations of circles or ellipses. Students in K-5 classes like to see how quickly and effectively they can capture emotion and expression. Start off with some quick warm up exercises like drawing circles or parallel lines. The shape of the head can vary from circles to boxes to boxes with a pointy edge. Eyes are easy as circles with a simple addition of eyebrows. The mouth can be a minimal curved line, or a big open mouth smile. Lastly, the hair can give a great deal of character and diversity. I like to encourage experimentation with the class, showing a number of different ways to experiment. Most importantly they need to relax and draw with their shoulder for loose flowing lines...(the mouse sketches below are from a previous handout used in class)
Viking Inktober
A quick Inktober Viking sketch before bed....Thinking about creating a sketchbook - ebook of this type of content, maybe a coloring book? We will see....
Inktober 2016 ...When you realize you are in over your head..
This was done in Manga studio with a custom ink pen...details below. It really gives a nice felt tip, thick and thin. I was very happy with this quick sketch....still struggling with quick color techniques. I found many nice tutorials on color schemes and made my own adjustable wheel for insert onto my canvas as a color picker. Look for more color to follow....
Not sure if I am happy with the color. I tried restricting color to an analogous color scheme. Setting off the foreground was more difficult I could not get the values working well. I liked the muted dragon in the background. I looked up a few Creature Box references to get inspiration....
#dragon, #Inktober, # fantasy
Inktober Selfi...
Well you probably don't look as fresh and lively as I do...but...
When and where do you do your most creative work?
Draw a selfi for Inktober and share...
#Inktober, #sketching, #Cintiq, #wacom
Scary Clowns
I just heard on the news today about Scary Clowns invading cities across the US... Then I get an email from school followed by a robo call on the same subject. I guess I just felt bad for all the hard working honest clowns out there...actually it is just past midnight so technically I missed my Oct 5th Inktober posting...and adding color isn't really ink only...well I did my best ....time for bed...
Feel the Bern...
Inktober:
I guess I was sketching with the debates on my mind. Actually I support Hillary, but thought it would be funny to hear Robin as the voice of the Mellennials ...I promise not to get political (on this site) after this....(Natalie wants to know who "Mellennial" is...how sweet)
Animal Mix Up
My 4th grader had a fun assignment for school. She needed to draw animals that had adapted to their environment. Her creative dad misinterpreted this obvious science project as a freestyle art assignment based on creativity. Oh how confused her science teacher must have been to see her father's twisted view of evolution...
First bike ride
Remembering the early days and his first bike ride...Actually Natalie rode first and he came along a few weeks later.
Gesture sketches
A few sketches with a brush pen...
Natalie in a Dress
Not that my girl would wear a dress but, here is a little sketch on a Sunday afternoon.
Life with Maple
Been on a sabbatical for the summer as work in the office picked up and my wife was out with eye surgery ...hope to resume with more posting soon
With a new dog comes some interesting challenges....we recently added a new member to the family. Maple the Black and Tan coonhound. She was a rescue dog, but very well behaved. Great around the house, but she is a hunting dog with a strong prey instinct. When she get the scent of something she is interested in ....well she does just what you would expect. We are working on getting a little more control without ruining her fun. It is what she is bred to do...but some days....
Camping Full Page
All the pieces together...I have been showing the progression of this page over the past few weeks. Here is the finished page. Can't wait to go camping again this summer.
Maple's "Real World" Advice
We picked out Maple 4 months ago from the rescue. Like my nephew Steven, Maple is also a summer Graduate and would like to share what she has learned over his many hours of higher education.
Airport Sketches
Recently I was at the airport passing the time drawing people at the gate. This seems simple, but I can never get over the fear of being noticed. Will I be asked what am I doing? Am I judged whether my sketches are good? It is a little silly to think anyone might be that interested. Still it seems to be a block for me at times.
Where do you draw?
Do you have a suggestion for drawing in public?
Do you have a technique for dealing with questions? Comments? Interest?
But if you can find a good spot to sit and people watch, from a safe distance:) Listen with your eyes to the different visual stories happening around you, it can be very rewarding.
Brainstorming and Listening
To often sessions designed to generate ideas are dysfunctional. Participants seldom taking notes, no one listening to others, leaving with a different idea of what was discussed, what was agreed upon.
Listening seems to be a skill worthy of development and focus in our teams and schools.
Taking notes is the proof. It requires listening with enough attention to actually make an effort to jot down someone else's idea. Maybe it's not the idea but just what was said, often in review, this leads to great insight.
All to often participants seem to think or act as if their sole responsibility is to provide ideas, not build conversation adding to what was said.
I can't count how often someone has an "original" idea, that was mentioned by someone else 15 min before.
Often members seem happy that the meeting even happened. They are not critical about content, participation or follow through as if that is someone else's responsibility.
Innovation stems from good conversation, good conversation means good listening. A lost art form.
In a world of "cut and paste" and digital searches, manual tactile writing engages you brain in a similar way as doodling. We need to teach listening to our children if they are to solve the big complex problems we intend to leave for them.
Let me know your thoughts...
Guilty Faces
Last panel of the page...
The end of the day, just remember to save some hot dogs and marshmallows for mom and dad. Especially if we are getting the tent ready for bed. The best camping spots for us are up towards the bridge in upper Michigan. We went to Porcupine Mountains last year, much farther north. Very beautiful but to many bugs. Camping next to the big lakes, a little away from the larger campers, in a "walk to" spot seems best.
Capturing a few of these moments in sketches, gives me something to look back on. Also good storytelling practice. Even if I embellish a little. A dad can do this....
Hot Dogs and Stars
My favorite part of camping. Eating outside under the stars. Warm fire and yes, franks and beans. Two items I usually don't eat at home. But for some reason, they seem to be perfect for camping out. Afterward, we usually go for some marshmallows and chocolate. A lot of nights spent watching the fire. The kids are young enough to not object yet. I am sure this will be "boring" soon enough. But until then....
