Category Archives: sketches

New Listings from the Fungus Architect

Nine More from the Renowned Fungus Architect
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners (one with Prismacolor pencils)

For those who want to know the names of these stylish abodes, row one: Mr. Big Feet’s House, The One with the Walkup, Sunflower House. Row 2: Home of the Newlywed Astronomers, The Quiet Place, The Red Bench. Row three: Pixie’s Place (Prismacolor pencils), Double-Wide with Rooftop Isolation Chamber, Threesome.

So many new ATCs, mostly due to the ATC (Artist Trading Card) art-athon over at illustratedatcs.com last weekend. Lots of art and lots of trading is a fine way to spend a weekend. (Making art at breakneck speeds does not allow much slowdown for progress shots, but there are a few.)

Thanks for dropping in! Hello to Paint Party Friday! The posting has been sporadic. I notice the same with other folks!

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Cat Girls and Strange Color Schemes, Copics

(Left to right) Fern, Katja Blue, Anise, Fara
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

A couple people asked where these specific color themes were coming from, and the answer is a swap called “Build-a-Girl” with three columns of suggestions in these categories: Physical attributes (like wings, antlers, animal ears, warts, claws), Props (feathers, flowers, gears, elaborate jewelry, cigarette, books) and specific color schemes chosen by the swap organizer.

The above colors schemes are Pink/Orange/Green, Monochromatic Blue, Sepias, and Black/White/Red/Pink. Some of these color combinations I never use – like green with pink or orange! But it’s a great opportunity to do things outside your comfort zone.

Thanks for dropping in! Hello once again to Paint Party Friday!

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Colorful Accessorizing in Pen and Ink

So these are my four latest art card maidens:

Four More Art Cards, March 2015
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, gel pen

Left to right: Jade, Brea, Gwennis, Violet. I should add that for most of these recent cards, I’ve been limited to a list of specific palettes that I don’t normally use. Which is an interesting parameter to work with!

I thought it would be neat to compare these most recent four to the first four maidens, made for the theme “Celestial Maidens” way in back in July of 2012 when I thought I should try to start drawing people. The features and details are a bit more refined in the current batch.

Celestial Maidens, July 2012

Thanks for dropping in!

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Four Girls on Various Themes, Copic Markers

Four Girls on Various Themes (click to enlarge)
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″, pen and ink

(Left to right: Celestus (with cat), Tamara, Francine and Skye)

Fine people of the blogosphere, I bring you my continuing tale of illness and the American healthcare system. No, not really. But I did go to the doctor three times in two months, and only on the third visit did I get some antibiotics, which I hope will help. But if it’s viral, they won’t help. But maybe I have more than one issue, who knows?!

The first doctor thought I would be over an upper respiratory infection soon and told me to wait it out. The second doctor, a month later, said I probably had adult onset allergies. And finally two days later, maybe bronchitis-maybe pneumonia, let’s try antibiotics. And if that doesn’t work, next is a chest X-ray. Yeesh.

Enough about that! Above you will find some new art cards, three on a Build-Girl-Theme with various attribute and color choices, and one more beehive-haired steampunk lass, Francine, at the bottom left. I’ve started a new Flickr album with all the fancy gals from 2015 to date.

Thanks for dropping in! More Found Poetry next time, perhaps! [And hopefully no more griping about being sick. Arrrgh!]

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Fancy Hair, Fancy Gadgets, Fancy Overload

Jasmine, Tika, Ooni (click to enlarge)
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, gel pen

I kid. Of course it’s not possible to get fancy overload. These are the three most recent art cards with the big hair-fancy clothes themes. Which I apparently cannot get enough of. Maybe this is why I like Project Runway (despite the fact that most of the clothes produced on that show are dreadful – mainly because of stupidly short “challenge” timelines).

Also! Because I told someone recently I would be putting new things in my shop soon (after many months of neglect), I have finally done so! A whole bunch of newer art cards including Tika, in the center above.

Lots of progress pics! Thanks for stopping in! I have yet another big hair woman in the works. :)

And hello to Paint Party Friday! It’s been a while.

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Fancy Geisha Sketch, 29 Faces Challenge

Fancy Geisha sketch, 2.5″ x 3.5″

Several sketching steps for this one. I should probably re-trace this (but I won’t). SO MUCH erasing. If you click through the slideshow (particularly between the last two slides and her completely new face!) you will see a pretty dramatic transformation. I think.

Have you come from 29 Faces? If not, go see!

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Flapper Girls in Pen and Ink

Betty Lou, Virginia
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

Hey look, more pretty girls! Flapper girls, in particular, made for a Great Gatsby theme. I really like them. But it would be nice if I could draw an arm or a whole body! I am hoping to work on some anatomy this year.

Geraldine, Phyllis
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

Thanks for visiting! I can’t believe it’s the end of January!

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Big Eye Monsters, Pen and Ink

It started during this past weekend’s drawing marathon over at illustratedatcs.com, with this fellow. His name is Dag.

Dag
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, gel pen

My new favorite art card was described as a “cute monster on a birthday napkin” – which he totally is, and a “prehistoric my little pony” – which he also totally is. (Both comments from my Facebook page. Which is where I post lots of art. Just sayin.)

And then I went on a cute monster bender, as follows:

Reg and Oji
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, gel pen

Joon and Diz
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, gel pen

Thanks for stopping by! I hope to get back to acrylics but I like to think that as long as I’m drawing new things I’m on the right track. :)

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Girl with Small Elephant. On Her Head. Colored Pencils.

Shelly & Elly
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, pen, colored pencil

Ah, finally finished something! She was darker skinned but I seem to like using a lot of white pencil at the end. I’m also a bit scared of darker colors over worry that problems would be harder to correct. There should probably be darker shadows here but I’ll work on that for the next one.

I’ve started this 5″ x 7″ Basset hound. I don’t know why I keep going over the eyes so much in pencil when it’s supposed to get color over it. And then sometimes I think I should do a pencil drawing as a finished product. Currently undecided!

Bassett in progress
5″ x 7″ pencil

Reference photo: Basset.

Thanks for dropping in! Hello to Paint Party Friday, which I have not joined in ages!

Also, is anyone doing 30 Paintings in 30 Days in January? I was a little skeptical about the more involved sign-ups, but it looks like you will still add your own link each day in addition to your photo. I couldn’t manage it during September, but last January I did it, and it was a terrific experience that I highly recommend. Maybe I’ll dig out some of those January 2014 images for my next post. :)

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Legend of the Sleeping Kitten

Legend of the Sleeping Kitten
4″ x 6″ pen and ink, Copic markers

This was actually the first of the secret santa bunch, which includes the sleeping tiger and sleeping dragon previously posted. The Legend of the Sleeping Kitten turned into a sort of universal foundation tale with slightly different details in different parts of the world. Hence: a kitten, a tiger, a dragon. It is my intention to write a book in 2015. Perhaps their stories will be in it!

Here are a couple sketches done using my new fancy Luxo magnifying light.

Steampunk Hornbill and Elvish Snow Queen, in progress
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ pencil, ink

Thanks for dropping in! I’ve had some blog issues recently so am slow to post. The holidays are always a strange time, aren’t they?

Also, you MUST WATCH THIS cute and hilarious (and short!) thing. I would not steer you wrong.

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