Monday, June 28, 2010

Ship in Fog

Moleskine 5"x8" Large Sketchbook with 2B, HB, 2H, 4H Pencils

Just a quick sketch and playing with tones on my Moleskine. I have not use some of the pencils I bought and thought that I should let them spend some of their purpose-built led of different grades. It's the scene I saw of the movie "Shutter Island" which is right in the beginning before they show Leonardo DiCaprio puking ^^
Thanks again everyone for your comments and feedback! I greatly appreciate them all, and I am not sure what was the reaction of Uncle Lee, I need to visit them soon to find out. Other projects are still put on hold, I've got so much more to post but I just can't do that yet... =) Does anyone know how that feels like?

Friday, June 18, 2010

For Aunt Charlene

(Click to Enlarge)
Strathmore Bristol Vellum 9"x12" 100lb, 260g/m²
Shading the face on the right and detailing the hair on the left
Shading the face on the left
Initial sketch and outlines

Finally I've finished one of the "projects" and had it submitted to the publisher a couple of days ago, I just got a text today saying that it's a "GO" but still requires some minor and final touch-ups, I can't wait to have that chapter closed.
Right after submitting that "project", I started sketching one of the lovely pairs of my wife's aunts and uncles. I call them Uncle Lee and Aunt Charlene, and they've been nothing but kind and warm to me as the new family member. Aunt Charlene saw some of my sketches 2 years ago, and wanted to asked me to draw something for her and she had forgotten about it ever since. So finally I asked her to pick something, and she picked the picture of her and Uncle Lee taken during my wedding reception. She's so excited when I told her that I was going to commission the drawing on Tuesday after Tanna's grandpa's funeral. I finished it today, and gave it to her today, and I believe that made her day because I lost count of the times she said "I love it!" and "Perfect!" =) And I kept telling her, I was just playing with my sketchbook and pencils. She will try to have it framed and give it to Uncle Lee as Father's Day present from their little Yorkie dog, Bandit ^^ See why I couldn't resist it when she asked me to draw her something?

Thank you all for your comments, encouragements and support on the last drawing. Printing shop is still slow on my prints, but I'll keep pushing. I hope you enjoy the steps above too.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Spirit of the Gulf

Moleskine 5"x8" Large SketchBook (Click to enlarge)

This is my contribution to the Spirit of the Gulf Challenge, a little hermit crab. I haven't lived here long enough to appreciate The Gulf, but I know what kind of impact the recent crisis is causing to the marine life there. My wife had a hermit crab once named Coconut she bought from Gulf Shores. Eventhough small, but he has helped me to relate and appreciate what's wonderful and beautiful there.
Suzanne McDermott challenged "every artist who receives this invitation to make one drawing, painting, collage — or to use whatever medium you work in — to create a piece of beauty with love and gratitude to honor some scene or living being in the Gulf. Thank you to Dan Kent for inviting me to participate in this challenge, and thank you all for your kind comments in my previous post.
Just an update from my side, I went to Atlanta for a 4-day vacation with my wife and her friend Lindsay last week. I was fortunate to be able to visit the Georgia Aquarium, the Coca-Cola Factory, the CNN Studio, and the Museum of Natural History. That's why I couldn't find the time to day because I was overly distracted and was having too much fun ^^
I know it's been long due, the Printing shop in Breaux Bridge is still "working" on getting the postcard printed. At the same time they're probably printing something else that I've been working on too. I shall reveal them soon enough when the time is right. Remember that I haven't been posting not because I haven't been drawing ;)