Sunday, December 30, 2007

A photo

I didn't get any drawing done yesterday, so here's a new photo instead.

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Two more Tommys and a gray consort for the gray goddess

These two go together: a little sequence:





This is the gray consort for the gray goddess of my previous post:

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

I was busy on Christmas Eve

These are all done with pastel crayons. This one will likely end up being given to the kids:



A pastel version of a horse I first did on the Wacom:



A goddess:



The goddess needs a temple:

Monday, December 24, 2007

Three more

The latest from the Tommy Plans:



This is based on the Christmas card of one of my oldest friends: her son and their dog. I'll give this sketch to her.



When we hit the Romantic Poets in high school, all the girls fell in love with Keats. One of my friends liked to imagine Keats standing on board the ship, looking up at the "bright star" as he composed the sonnet. Then, when she discovered that he was only 5 feet tall, she figured he could barely see over the rail. Hence this cartoon:

Sunday, December 23, 2007

A scattering

This will probably be a Christmas gift for a music lover.



Another War and Peace illustration.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

I was a sketching fool

I was a sketching fool yesterday, with two more Tommys coming along and two sketches to give to the kids for Christmas.

This first Tommy panel belongs near the beginning of the series, reflecting the choices parents had to make:



Food is getting low in the bunker:



This one is for two great-nephews (brothers):



And this for three great-nieces (sisters):

Friday, December 21, 2007

Two panels

First, the latest in the Tommy series.



And this one is another illustration for War and Peace. Both this and the Tommy panel are pastels.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Two more Tommy Plans panels

Coach lets Tommy and "me" out of the bunker one night.



During the talent show, one of the boys reveals a previously unknown interest.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Two looks at the past

This is, of course, an imaginary past of a Cold War invasion of the US.



And this is just some Pharaoh-ish kind of thing.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

One more Tommy Plans panel, plus two other drawings

Oh, my. Has pathos entered the Tommy Plans?



This is a little Wacom sketch for Alek and her family.



And this pastel was inspired by sitting in Panera Bread drinking tea.

Monday, December 17, 2007

More from The Tommy Plans

Is The Tommy Plans developing into a strange graphic novel? Maybe. (Anybody know any agents for graphic novels?)

These two panels deal with the kids' trying for entertainment after the "Commies" have taken over the television stations. Remember that it's roughly 1962 or so in these panels.



Sunday, December 16, 2007

The Tommy Plans: 3 more panels

Tommy and "I" have realized that, if the attack comes during school hours, we won't be able to escape to our oil field hideways and we will have to provide for hundreds of other kids. Including girls.



Coach Allen will make sure we boys stay in shape.



It was bound to happen: a revolt, staged when Coach Allen is in the girls' area helping them.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Two pastels and one mixed media

The Tommy Plans may become a series. This would be the "prequel", a look at what could have inspired the two characters to begin designing nuclear attack shelters. (Pastel crayons and gel pens)



This is just a weird fictional portrait.



And this is yet another version of The Reader or The Reader's Hand. Why does this particular "pose" keep drawing me back? It's nothing but me with a copy of Rings of Saturn by W.G. Sebald in my lap.

Friday, December 14, 2007

100th post

Based on the image I did a week or two ago of one of my great-nephews. This is a photo of a pastel.



I don't know if the print is legible at this resolution or not. This is a self-portrait seen from the best possible and least identifiable angle, with thumbs in pockets.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

One pastel; one Wacom

Adam and Eve Leaving the Battle of Salamanca



Another Eve

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Mixed media

First I drew a lot of tiny details--soldiers, buildings, etc.--in pencil, as well as the lay of the land and the window which frames the scene. Then I used the pastel crayons and reheightened some of the pencil work.



Inspired by something a buddy and I used to do in 3rd grade while sitting quietly in the auditorium at L.O. Donald Elementary during Auditorium Class. First pencil; then fine-tip marker; then a bit of pastel crayon.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Three scenes

All of these are photos of 11x14 (or 14x11) pastel crayon drawings, rather than Wacom works.

This first is, of course, a variation on Woman Leaving Kitchen which I posted a few days ago.



And this is another scene from Titus Alone by Mervyn Peake, a snip of which is quoted on the drawing itself.



And this one is a sort of variant of Green:Man from yesterday. I should have added a toe-tag, though.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Titus Alone and Green:Man

Inspired by Mervyn Peake's novel. I don't much like this one.



I had intended to post a third sketch, a variation on this one, but I think I want to work on it a little more first.

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Woman Leaving Kitchen and a revised nude



Despite what the statue looks like, I can't make the pose seem workable in pastel. Hmmm.

Friday, December 7, 2007

Barcelona

Those of you who followed my Travel Log or have looked at Blixenbloxen with any regularity might remember the statue this is based upon. This is a photo of another 11x14 sketch in pastel crayons. I have previously come at this with the Wacom tablet.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

A face and a scene

I like this drawing as drawing, but it simply doesn't capture my great-niece. I worked and worked on it. (Maybe that was the problem. Or maybe she's just too individual to be captured by a drawing.)



This is a photo of the 11x14 pastel crayon rendering of the locker room scene.