Spiky

Today’s piece is simple graphite on watercolor paper, but, man, was it fun to do.

Hope you like it. :)

Onwards to the day’s craziness.

Hooky

Today’s piece is watercolor and brown micron brushpen.

I think it was this guy’s first day with the hook…

Have a great weekend and don’t forget to check out the latest episode of the Ninja Mountain Podcast!

Moustache

This sketch was completed on the morning of ” Talk Like a Pirate Day”.

Our fine scallywag removes his tricorn in solemn salute.

Life and work got in the way of my posting, though my warm-up sketches continue unabated.

Today I am scanning my first Legend of the Five Rings card art for Alderac Entertainment Group. I think it came out well! It will show up here on the blog soon.

On the teaching front–

The last couple of days saw me compiling a sizable pdf about composition for my students.

It is interesting how much of what artists do is intuitive and yet adheres formally to elements of good composition. I am pleased to find it in my own work for the most part.

Being able to put so much of what I know into words and conducting more formal research on the fly has been informative.

The teacher learns as much as the student.

Here’s the thing when it comes to the hierarchy of student and teacher.

In my opinion–a teacher can be described as an “advanced student”.

Their responsibility is to raise the student to their level by giving them the tools necessary for the task.

It is a task I have grown to love .

Now I have a podcast that is waaaaay overdue for editing. I’ve just been too buried in my duties.

Time to roll up the sleeves. :)

Fiddlehead

This marks 5 days of uninterrupted daily warm-ups!

Hooray!

This fellow took 1 hour 30 minutes to complete.

Palette: Cerulean blue, ultramarine blue, thio violet, cadmium yellow light, lemon yellow.

It is good to be back in the saddle and riding hard toward a weekend of drawing and painting.

See you on the other side of Sunday. :)

Fafa

Today’s sketch features my lovely wife as depicted with sloppy washes of cerulean blue and cadmium orange. It is pretty cool the way the pigments will separate somewhat in the pools of color.

In this instance, I found my wife transfixed whilst playing “Patapon 2″ on her Playstation Portable ( aka. “PSP” or “Pisp” as my wife likes to call it…).

Funny how a silly game can create a classically serious expression.

By curious coincidence, a portrait of Fafa created by my young nephew, Cian, also arrived in the mail today after I completed today’s warm-up.

I think Cian did a better job of it. :)

Onto the trials of my work-a-day!

Buggy

Today’s sketch incorporates both watercolor and a smidgeon of sketchy watercolor pencil. Raw sienna, cerulean blue, and chinese white along with some cedar green pencil.

Today the illustration class and I will be discussing light, value, and pencil rendering.

We will also do a bit of critique. Should be a fun session.

In other news—-

I received word from friend and writer, Ron Fortier, that an anthology book I had the pleasure of working on with him has been released. Ron is a long time comics and pulps writer of tremendous talent and passion.

Check out the book!

Onwards to the labors of artist and teacher!

Curly

Today’s sketch was executed in one hour on cold-pressed watercolor paper.

Ultramarine blue and raw sienna.

It’s nice to be building some momentum once again on the daily sketches.

My friend, Ralph Horsley, has produced a nice new fantasy painting that marks a transition in his work. Well worth checking out!

Nosferatu

Today’s watercolor sketch is of everyone’s favorite bloodsucker.

Burnt umber, ultramarine blue, chinese white, 9×12 –140 lb cold press paper.

This was a tad over an hour I believe.

Onwards to the evening’s labor!

I seem to have regained control of my studio schedule and can now finally get back to work!

Today’s sketch took precisely one hour. I timed myself more carefully than normal.

Wednesday evening saw the first meeting of my illustration class at Southern New Hampshire University. It is a talented bunch of students and I foresee a great time ahead with them as we explore as many facets of the craft as we can cram into a weekly gathering.

Lots of work ahead for all of us, but it is going to be a great time.

If my students are reading this today—Get to work! You have sketches,  a one-page written assignment, and TWO line drawings!! That cracking sound behind you is the whip in my hand! MUSH! :)

Now I must prepare an in-depth presentation and discussion of light and shade along with pencil rendering. This will be coupled with numerous projects that are in various stages of development.

Onwards!