A Moment in Whimsy...

When It Rains...

So you may have noticed a lapse in posting...but that doesn't mean there was a lapse in drawing. Well, not so much drawing as a whole lot of painting...and there's a lot more painting to be done. Be patient with me...guilt and having to rush give me the wicked jeebies...

Final Remnant of Wonderland...

In the world of nonsense, the Rocking Horse Fly is second only to the Bread & Butterflies...

In Memoriam...

This post is for the special birdy who flew free...

By Poseidon's Trident, we set up Hippocamp for the night...

Call it leftovers from my recent phase of preparation for the Wonderland themed art show I did a drawing from. I was drawing this rather poorly looking horse when it was suggested I make him a seal. I did that.

This Moment in "Awww....."

sketch1141, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

I meant to post my Alice image as the capper to that series, but discovered that I forgot to scan the damnèd thing. So as this little fella (which I did for another blog...admittedly) came at the end of the Alice series while I was still playing with watercolor and ink. After all, it is the year of the tiger...and come on...ain't he cute?

"You'll Never Guess. I Couldn't."

sketch1140, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

The next Alice test got a little more elaborate. The trick was to lay down some watercolor and then ink over it without it bleeding like the proverbial stuck pig (since even the most diehard ink seems to run with enough water washed over the top of it). I was also trying several different watercolors I had and some gouache to see what combo worked best. Funny, looking at it now, it doesn't look like more than a few minutes rough drawing...Anyhow, the lion...from Through the Looking Glass...who figures into my final Alice drawing...

"You mean you can't take LESS..."

sketch1139, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

The next test for Alice...and yes, I returned to the March Hare. Those who find rabbits cute and cuddly, tend not to be familiar with their cousin the hare. I'm used to seeing the strangely googly-eyed beasts in south Texas, and have always found them interesting for some reason. The interesting question is whether the March Hare of Alice is meant to have a sexual connotation based on the expression his name is extracted from, or whether Carroll was using the words very literally. Either way, here was a quick portrait in watercolor and ink of the kooky beast.

Time to Run a Caucus Race...

sketch1138, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

Wonderland week continues with my 2nd bit of play time with Alice characters, The Dodo. I later gave him a watercolor tinting and made him into a card for my mother's b-day.

The Hatta and the Haigha

sketch1137, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

This was the first 'Alice' sketch I did while explaining to a friend that i was to be part of a Wonderland themed show. I knew that the Mad Tea Paty was likely to be a popular theme that night, and so I think I was trying to get them out of my system. I love the characters like so many do, but I didn't want to retread the material for my piece...

Collaborative...

sketch1136, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

There's a reason I often carry about a sketch book: In the event that I happen to be with a very important and lovely B., we might have space to bring together our creative ideas. This was perhaps second only to our fantastic exquisite corpse from the same night. I'd present it to you, but I have no idea which member of our party that evening ended up with it...

Everyone's most beloved Uncle...

sketch1135, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

From perhaps the best b-day photo ever...

Sentimental Sea-Life...

sketch1134, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

It was requested that I draw something from Neptune's depths in the midst of emotion...and all I can say is...that's one sad squid...

"We Believe it to Be the Work of Thieves..."

sketch1133, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

I continue to play with quills, and somehow I ended up drawing Peter Cook again. It's sort of appropriate, as Cook played the Hatter in a filmed version of Alice in Wonderland, and I'm preparing a piece for an Alice themed show. More on this as news occurs...

Solarizing...

sketch1132, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

it wasn't always just a quickie filter in your Photoshop menu. Anyhow, I felt like sketching Man Ray, and oddly enough, I did.

The Look of Love...

sketch1131, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

"Who's got the look?
I don't know the answer to that question.
Where's the look?
If I knew I would tell you.
What's the look?
Look for your information.
Yes there's one thing, the one thing that still holds true!!!
What's that?
That's the look, that's the look
The look of love"

--Thanks ABC...

The Mid-Week Pachyderm....

sketch1130, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

He's about to ask for someone to refill the coffee...

Came Up Through the Clearing...

sketch1129, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

A Thank You card of sorts for a very nice X-mas gift.

Wings of Doom...

sketch1128, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

The leathery flap of post-death...

The Welcome to 2010...

sketch1127, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

December 31, 2009 and the wee morning hours of January 1, 2010 were spent in a wild chase form floor to floor and room to room at the Standard in downtown LA. When the dust settled for a moment, I was paid $5 American for a quick portrait of a gent and his lass. They were very pleased. Moments later...the young lady pictured above...also requested one. No currency, mind you...but she wanted the picture. I knew she wouldn't like it...and she wouldn't sit still...kept shifting as though being photographed. This is how she came out. I'm fairly fond...and it's fairly accurate. The crowd that gathered quite liked it....

The New Year...Brought In...

sketch1126, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

I drew this handsome fella on New Years' Eve...Some have asked if it's a self-portrait...the answer would be no....but thanks for playing.

Carry on Carrion...

sketch1125, originally uploaded by ryanjebelt.

Forgive the horrible play on words...I just hope the vulture shows up on Blogger...

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?