Fallen Leaves and Fallen Rocks...

sketch1124, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

The only other nature drawing I got to do on this holiday trip to my parents' place. The weather was fine for being out and moving around, but not too hospitable for sitting in one place and drawing. C'est la vie...

...Here, There be Dead Things...

sketch1123, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

While at my parents' place over the Christmas holiday, a flock of at least one hundred vultures blew through on their way somewhere else. The first day we saw them, they circled in a nearly funnel cloud formation, and the noise they made was what might be referred to as "chilling." I ran after them with my camera and sketch pad down into the brush. Though quite large, they were very skittish, but I managed to keep still enough for a few to remain for a sketch. They sat perched atop a dead oak tree against a mottled in what could only be described as a "perfect" scene...as far as vultures go.

Quel Cauchemar...

sketch1121, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

This was inspired by a very beloved b-day gift...and that's all I care to explain.

It's the Truth...

sketch1120, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

This is actually a life drawing...there really was a girl in a feather headdress in the room....honest.

This is What I do at Parties These Days...

sketch1117, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

and by that, I mean draw...not sit in the corner as an elephant in military dress. The sad part is that the latter sounds more exciting...

...And the wind blew ink...

sketch1116, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

The last of the first series of nature drawings. I think I came quite a long way. Then it got too cold over the Christmas break to do many more...but I'll show you what I got soon enough...

...with...the Cosmos...

sketch1115, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

As I sketched this one, I sat on a shelf of rocks between a couple of big tufts of cattail-like grass. I must've really become one with nature because a rather large dear came up from behind within ten yards of me. The hilarious part was that when he noticed me, he gave the usual deer head bob, and then slowly turned and walked away. It was only when he reappeared further away from me that he gave me the noseblow and took off running...maybe he should've thought of that when I was close enough to hit him in the head with a rock...

Do You Hear the Loons.....?

sketch1114, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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.

Ahhh...Nature...

sketch1112, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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.)

The thought for today....

sketch1111, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

Lines, lines....lines....

sketch1110, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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...

The Line...

sketch1109, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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.

Flora AND Fauna...

sketch1108, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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.

Mas Canilla...

sketch1107, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

Another quick quill sketch...mit nacktheit...

At Long Last...Forced Visual Psychotherapy...

(From the write up I wrote previously for the Ab5trax blog....)
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...

sketch1106, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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...

A Model Citizen.

sketch1104, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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.

Hatches against the Void...

sketch1103, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

(is the pretentious name of this entry...) A quick figure study with the quill.

skritch...skritch...skritch...redux encore...

sketch1102, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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...

Sun Wukong...

sketch1100, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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.

...All that lives...

sketch1099, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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....

Arrows...

sketch1098, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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...

..."Can I interest you in a Maltese Falcon?"

sketch1097, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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.

...hits just like a drug...

sketch1095, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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...

What the Baron holds in his hat...

sketch1094, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

I'm guessing it's not pigeons...or coupons for Sizzler...but who am I to say for sure?

..."Gee, Charlie...The one right there!"...

sketch1093, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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...

...Off....On...Off...On...Off...

sketch1091, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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?

...Sell Your Pistols...

sketch1090, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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.

.....Caaaaaaaandygram.....

sketch1089, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

In keeping with the Halloween spirit....meet your new coworker...(I need refills for my parallel pen!)

...said the Scorpion to the Mouse...

sketch1088, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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.

In the Pits...

sketch1087, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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.

Scully's...Catch of the Day...

sketch1086, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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.

...said to the Fly...

sketch1085, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

"The Gent with the Tusks requests a Duel..."

sketch1084, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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)

Belle de ce Jour

sketch1083, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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...

Distinguished....

sketch1082, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

I'm not sure what it is...but it crawled out of my pen...

It's the Horns, Isn't It...?

sketch1081, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

Più Violenza...

sketch1079, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

No...no...I haven't been sketching from the ER...

Inherent Violence.

sketch1078, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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.

The Kat & The Lemur were born on this day...

For dear Kata Leena's b-day the other night, my good friend (and fantastic artist) Jason Shawn Alexander (see more of his work here: http://bloodandwhisky.blogspot.com/ ) celebrated the evening by sitting around drawing b-day cards for her. Aren't we good friends? (Or...perhaps more appropriately...ain't we stinkers?) To hammer that point home, I decided to make this post to be able to give her digital copies for her on this her actual b-day.

Presented in chronological order...

Jason Shawn Alexander

Jason Shawn Alexander

Ryan J. Ebelt

Jason Shawn Alexander

Ryan J. Ebelt

All Elena's fault...

sketch1077, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

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.

This Hooligan for President...

sketch1076, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

Have one on me...

sketch1075, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

Neat or Rocks? Chaser?