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.