Initially, I had no intention of letting the old blog sit here for so long unattended (it has a tendency to break the other kids toys and do its impression of a garden fountain if it doesn't get updated often enough); however, I had gone out of town and as I'm posting via flickr, I couldn't just leave it on auto-pilot. So here I am, back in time for New Year's Eve with a little more outdoorsy fun. I didn't get much drawing done over the holiday break due to inclement weather...so I guess it's lucky I still have a few of these left. Looking now, I do wish I'd had my quills for a more graceful line, but I think for roughing it, they turned out quite nicely.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Ahhh...Nature...
The first of several sketches I actually did of trees and what have you while sitting around outside. When I say first, I mean the first ever of these sort of sketches. Not that I never had nature to draw before...well, come on, it's something the masters did. Anyhow, I gave it a shot...here's what I came up with. (Click the picture as this idiotic template has probably nixed half of it.)
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Lines, lines....lines....
That's right....another Elephant. This one a sure sign that I've been watching too much Tex Avery. However, while I admire the hell out of good animation drawing, I've never been that good at getting that simple yet communicative. I will, however, keep working on it. Learning, people, learning...and practice...practicing, people, practicing...
Monday, December 07, 2009
The Line...
Many books on artists will talk about the artist's line....especially the older books on artists....newer books, to me, don't seem to put as much emphasis on technique. In any event, I'm not sure what to say about my "line"...probably not the greatest, but I'm working on it.
Friday, December 04, 2009
Flora AND Fauna...
I got out the quills...some reference...I had been looking at Dutch...hey...wait, know what...I don't have to explain myself to you. Enjoy.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
At Long Last...Forced Visual Psychotherapy...
We here at "the Strax", love surprises. This is why we've spent so much time in jail over the years on April 2nd. So we couldn't come back from our ThanksG break without something special for all of you. So, despite the fact that it almost got it's first birthday candle in post production, here is the amazing new short, Reluctance, by our very own Seaton Lin.
For months now, we've been telling you about Seaton's previous short, Civilian. Reluctance was originally conceived as its companion piece, but while Civilian was more cerebral in its execution, Reluctance has added on a new scope of dynamic action. Much in the same way we often plan to go out for a lunch with some chipotle mayo, and instead rescue the princess of a hidden city in a land of forgotten mystery all before afternoon meetings on a spot for cheese fries.
Fortunately for us, over the course of several projects we've been able to hone together a fine crew that's made each of these projects possible. So it would be inconsiderate of us to show you the final project without taking another opportunity to thank all of them for all the hard work involved. After watching and enjoying the piece, you too should go out of your way to thank them. (We recommend the purchase of spirits and/or party favors...)
So without a further ado, set your eyes, ears, and mind to stun at the latest Ab5 creation, Reluctance....
RELUCTANCE from c-10 on Vimeo.
Fast and Stylized...
Without intending to, this super-quick sketch took on a classic comic strip feel. I think Dave Sim's new book is unconsciously rubbing off on me...
Thursday, November 19, 2009
A Model Citizen.
Several who've seen this have commented that they know someone who looks like this guy...sort of a surprise to me. I admit I used photo reference, but I have no idea who he is or where it comes from. Perhaps, through some bizarre twist of fate, he's within six degrees of separation from me. Ah, quills.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Hatches against the Void...
(is the pretentious name of this entry...) A quick figure study with the quill.
Monday, November 16, 2009
skritch...skritch...skritch...redux encore...
Broke out the quills for a quick rendition. While I love all the new pens I've tapped into...I doubt I'll ever not like the feel of the quill scratching them paper fibers...
Friday, November 13, 2009
Sun Wukong...
A few days before painting myself up in his opera makeup, I penned out this rough drawing of the Monkey King. I suppose it would've been my dream to have attended Halloween with the full Chinese warrior get up, headband, staff, and fantastic monkey make-up. However, I was on a budget, so face paint it was. There's always next year.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
...All that lives...
Toting my book around with me...I usually start to draw any time I've had to sit in one place too long before moving on to somewhere else. So I worked as fast as I could in the few moments I had to render these dying flowers in a vase at a friends. Flora is one of those classical motifs I've often ignored, but I'm too focused on a well rounded education to pay attention to my prejudices on "likes and dislikes" all the time. So...flowers....
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Arrows...
So...the Neo-Classical Beast pounced on me once more...and hence...more centaur. Not as elegant as the other one, but perhaps a tinge more dramatic...
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
..."Can I interest you in a Maltese Falcon?"
A quick contour drawing of Peter Lorre from a great photograph of him I came across on-line. I was trying to keep the pen on the paper with a good solid line, and to use my wrist more than my fingers to draw. In all, I think it came out rather well, but I sort of which I had done the head last as I really seemed to get it together once I got to the coat and so on. Oh well, I can always try again later.
Monday, November 09, 2009
...hits just like a drug...
A very very quick life sketch I did at the Radio Freq! show a while back of lead singer Ben. I was pretty relaxed by the time they came on, and I was tearing through pages in the pad. Anyhow...though I don't think it's a particularly good representation...everyone who's seen it has recognized who it was quite quickly. That must mean something...
Friday, November 06, 2009
What the Baron holds in his hat...
I'm guessing it's not pigeons...or coupons for Sizzler...but who am I to say for sure?
Thursday, November 05, 2009
..."Gee, Charlie...The one right there!"...
I imagine that ignoring the elephant in the room gets even harder when he's shooting pool...just completed a killer bank shot...and is one ball away from the eight...
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
...Off....On...Off...On...Off...
I've still yet to figure out what pose this fine gent is in: Is he turning himself on in greeting, or is he turning himself off in goodbye?
Monday, November 02, 2009
...Sell Your Pistols...
You may not be able to tell from the rough hewn nature of this sketch...but that's Gianni Garko, star of the Sartana series. As the angel of Death, he put the kibosh on my last ink cartridge for this pen. So, it's brush pen and maybe some quills until I can order some more.
Friday, October 30, 2009
.....Caaaaaaaandygram.....
In keeping with the Halloween spirit....meet your new coworker...(I need refills for my parallel pen!)
Thursday, October 29, 2009
...said the Scorpion to the Mouse...
Perhaps this is an appropriate image for the approaching All Hallow's Eve. I did the original in JSA's sketchbook, and then was sort of upset with myself for not having done it in my own. While this, the reproduction, likely has more accurate scorpion bits (I had reference at home)...I think the original was the better image overall.
On a side note, while spiders probably have the worst rep of the arachnid family, with scorpions likely second...I'd just like to say, from personal experience, that ticks are far and away the most disturbing and disgusting. They are not, however, nearly as fun to draw.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
In the Pits...
With the handful of Elephant based cartoons I'd been drawing, I thought I ought to do a proper one. The tusks are a bit too mammoth (and well...lopsided), but I think it is recognizably elephantine. Also, oddly enough, there seems to be a buyer for this piece...kudos to you, my trunk-laden friend.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Scully's...Catch of the Day...
Is it wrong that the robot's wearing a tank top and no pants...? But I bet a Speed-o still would've been more awkward...Form and Function would've been at nightmarish odds.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
"The Gent with the Tusks requests a Duel..."
My second boxing elephant drawing...or would cartoon be more appropriate? Anyhow, it was Elena and Thursday night that were responsible for this. So it's likely only appropriate that he go back up on a Thursday. At this moment, I can't honestly say whether there won't ever be another one. (On loan from the J. Pina Collection)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Belle de ce Jour
I can't say that I definitely WAS thinking of something like Catherine Deneuve when I put pen to paper that day...but I also can't firmly say that I WASN'T either. Whichever one that isn't insulting to her will be my final answer...
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Inherent Violence.
Every now and again, I wish that I was doing this sort of thing during the heyday of pulp paperback covers and crazy adventure magazines. Then again, I also realize that all too often the cover would feature a bevy of beauties or something not even remotely tied to the story (ie. something designed to sell books). Still, there's something about that time and that style that no cover hastily thrown together in Illustrator and then dissected by a marketing team is ever going to match.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
The Kat & The Lemur were born on this day...
Presented in chronological order...
Jason Shawn Alexander
Jason Shawn Alexander
Ryan J. Ebelt
Jason Shawn Alexander
Ryan J. Ebelt
Monday, October 05, 2009
All Elena's fault...
During a Thursday night discussion, elephants came up...I was asked to draw something...I thought of elephants...I drew elephants. One escaped. This one remained.
Friday, October 02, 2009
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Back to Life...
This was my first life sketch in a while. A very very quicky of Marco briefly dozing. For those who might be concerned that he has some sort of malady forming on his forehead...that was my one stroke rendering of the third eye he had painted on.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
From What I Can Tell Here...
...having an unusually large neck...uh...makes you prone to taking beatings. Although, with both eyes still open...perhaps he did dispense some justice. Who can say?
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Just Shocking...
I'm not sure why, but my mind keeps drifting to a sort of pulpy style of violence whenever I set pen to paper. I can't be sure, but I suspect it's because I wish I had been a 50's paperback/magazine illustrator. However, I've read a fair few interviews with those guys...and while they had fun...the schedule for cranking that stuff out was brutal.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Here it comes...
I'm in love with a type of pen...I've always admired those that can make something beautiful out of a mess. I'm working on my own mess-making skills. If you're gonna sling the ink, sling it.