Searching For Your Message

I'm loving drawing Preston Blair kids. They're just so full of life and expression! I'm trying to incorporate different individual drawings into one to make a whole scene. It helps challenge me to try different perspectives. Wish I had more time to draw today, for that matter wish I could just draw faster. Well, practice makes perfect or so I've heard.

Ever since I came across Dr. Seuss Goes to War at Borders a few weeks ago I've had his drawings on my mind. Thus today, subject to your approval, I present to you Dr. Gilligan.



Wanted to try something new, so I started a semi post apocalyptic concept, in the vein of 9 and Fallout. Didn't have time to fully flesh it out today, but I like the idea behind it.



I mentioned how much I loved King's Quest a few days ago, and how I came across John Shroades. What I didn't mention was that, just on a whim, I emailed him to tell him how much I admired his work, and today to my surprise he emailed me back! What a great guy. He did mention one thing in his email to me that has stuck with me all day. "Keep drawing and searching for the message you want to tell the world with your work." I've thought about using drawings and art to tell a story, but I will definitely have to keep drawing and searching for what the message I'm supposed to tell is. Thanks John.

Such a Lovely Day!

I really enjoyed studying Preston Blair's kid drawings today. They reminded me a lot of the Golden Books I used to read and watching School House Rock!I still have a hard time drawing some of the limbs as simplistic as he does. Anyway, I hope I did them justice.

Gilligan Wars!


Claude and his turtle


Went out for a walk with my puppy and Rhys. It was such a lovely day. If you haven't spent some time outside lately it really is refreshing. Look at all the different colors in nature, they're so unique.

I stumbled across Joanna Davidovich's Blog this morning. Wow what a talent! I've never heard of her before or seen her work, but after today I'm hooked. Her expressions and style are adorable. If you get a chance watch her Monkey Rag animation sequence. It's beautiful!

And how do you know she is a witch?

Having trouble maintaining a good schedule, and I think it's cutting into my drawing. Worked on some more Preston Blair witches. I really like his expressions. Struggled a bit with some of the hands, adding over dramatic skinny and boney fingers looks cool, but it's hard to keep anatomically correct.

Gilligan's adventures of the day.




I was really in the mood to play with my puppy, but still wanted to get the rest of my drawings done. Thus Claude and his turtle got to spend some time together. On both the Gilligan and Claude drawings I draw them with a 5h mechanical pencil as apposed to my Preston Blair studies which I do with a 2H and then repencil with a 5H. I originally only used a 2H and was hesitant with the 5H cause it's so dark and there's a smaller margin for error. Now I find myself really liking the look and feel of the 5H, and having a hard time staying with the 2H. I'm still far away from being comfortable drawing with a Sharpie.

My family got our first IBM computer when I was around 9. A few months before, my grandparent's got a PC and there's came with King's Quest VI. I would love to go over there and play it. I was completely enthralled with the characters, the environments, the style, the music, everything about it. For my next birthday, my parent's got me a copy. It was love at first install. To this day the art of that game still inspires me. So much so that I did a little research and found one of the game's artists. John Shroades is still working as an illustrator and his drawings are just as captivating as the stuff I loved as a kid. Check out some of his outrageous fantasy characters! They are so original and full of life.


A whimsical adventurer reminiscent of King Graham.

Double Double Turtle and Trouble!

I've been having a great time designing my own characters. It's just so much fun. Worked on some more sketches of Claude and his turtle.

I've received a few name suggestions for Claude's turtle. So far the nominees are Simon, Tinker, and Cuthbert. I'll have to set up a poll. If you have any ideas for a good name for him please comment!

Finished with gnomes and elves, at least for the time being. I've now moved on to Preston Blair's Witches. I like how dynamic he makes the hands, at the same time he seems to be exaggerating their anatomy a bit too much (ie he drew them with only 4 fingers and at times they look more like claws human hands). That is of course in my, hope to be professional someday, personal opinion. I tried to find a happy medium of keeping an over-exaggerated gesture and a somewhat realistic anatomy. I also have noticed lately that I tend to not stick to what I start off drawing. I'm having a hard time staying with a set size for my drawings. Also if I draw a great arm or hip or foot that may not be exactly true the pose I'll change the pose rather than redraw the limb or feature. I need to learn to stick with what I started out to draw.


Gilligan the The Giraffe's adventures for the day.


Today's inspiration is Charles Schulz. Ever since I was a little boy I've loved his style. In third grade I did a report on the famous creator of the Peanuts. His drawings are so simplistic, and yet capture perfectly real feelings and emotions that bring true heart to his stories. Take a minute today and watch Schulz's Peanuts Dance. They have so much energy and life to them!



With even more passion than the real men of genius, here's to you Charles Schulz.

Dwarf Bowling!

(click image to enlarge)

Spent most of my free time today drawing this image. It turned out better than I had hoped. I learned a few things from it too, I still need to work on my perspectives, I have a hard time drawing on the edge of the paper, and lastly I'm getting faster at re-penciling!!

Gilligan the Giraffe's daily adventure.


Made up this little guy while watching a promo for the movie Kick Ass. I can't wait for it. It's based on a graphic novel which I've heard really good things about. I've got to pick that up pretty soon. Anyways, I named him Claude Cavalier and his pet turtle. Which I've yet to name. If you have any ideas for what his name should be leave a comment!



Today's inspiration comes from a book I got yesterday, Walt Disney Animation Studios The Archive Series: Story. I've only been able to leaf through it, but so far it looks amazing. The drawings are simply captivating.



Until tomorrow, keep on drawing!

Running of the Elves

Had a blast drawing today. I woke up with a really bad hand cramp, and drew through it. It was still bugging me all through work today, hopefully it doesn't persist. It's seemed to have subsided for the moment though. Woo Hoo! If anyone knows of any good exercises or best practices to avoid getting hand cramps please let me know!

Worked on some more Preston Blair Elves. They were a bit difficult. If only because of how small I had to render them, while still trying to give them personalities, and keep the perspectives, positions and anatomy correct. Well, as correct as elf anatomy can be. The image really didn't even come together until I re-penciled it darker. Now I like it.

My friend Pelch is starting a new blog. It sounds like it's gonna be great. Anyways, he asked me yesterday, if I could draw a T Rex reading. Here's what I came up with. He seemed to like it too!



When his blog is up and ready I'll be sure to let everyone know.

Yesterday, I mentioned "Avoiding the Tangent." I read about this in Walt Stanchfield's book Drawn to Life Vol 1. I found it really helpful, it has popped up in my mind in almost every drawing I've done since. He explains it eloquently, but I hope I can give you at least an idea of what it means. First of all what is a tangent. Basically for us it means, a line that you make somewhere on the page that flows into another line.

Let's take a look at this duck's beak (again see Drawn to Life Vol 1).


In the first picture it looks like the head is flowing into the beak. The line doesn't seem to really break even though there is a corner of a beak drawn. Now the second image takes that same idea but instead of the line of the head and the line of the beak being on the same curve or tangent it's been moved down and over. Thus you get a more accurate representation of the image you want to display. It adds more weight, depth, perspective and definition.


Here's another example. Just by adding a few clothing wrinkles that break the line flow the image seems to pop quite a bit more.

On a final note, S. Manor, who commented on the site a few days ago, started a new sketchblog. You can check it out at http://smanorsketchblog.blogspot.com/. Her sketches look great! Hope to see a bunch more great drawings from her! Best of Luck!

Oh, and here's a few more Gilligan the Giraffe sketches from earlier today!



Happy Drawing!

Elves and Giraffes

That title makes me think of Elves riding Giraffes. Which makes me think of this unique cartoon(Dino Riders). I don't think I ever even watched the show, but I had one of the toys. It was either one of those or these farm animals that had bazookas and grenades strapped to them. Getting back on track, I spent a bit of time work on a bit more Preston Blair study. I'm struggling trying to mimic his style without changing it to fit my personal tastes, although it's nice to see I'm developing more of my own style.

I actually got a decent amount of feedback, through facebook, about people liking Gilligan the Giraffe. So here's a little more of that crazy little camelopardalis.

Thanks for all the nice comments everyone! Hope you like the new pictures!

Today's Inspiration comes from The Disney Family Album. I could watch these special's for hours on end. I just eat them up! If you don't know what they are, click the link already! No really, click. Watch. Come back. I'll wait. Okay, now that you've watched it aren't they just amazing. For those of you who didn't spend all day watching everyone, The Disney Family Album is basically a documentary on the Nine Old Men. They include interviews, cameos, videos of them just telling stories, or drawing. It's incredible. They're incredible. If you ever need inspiration watch one of them.

Well, it's another late night tonight. I've been meaning to talk about avoiding tangent's for a few days now. I guess it can wait for tomorrow. Until then, in the spirit of Dory, Just Keep Drawing!