Thumbs Up

Another image from "On the Bottom." I realize why I love these photographs--for the most part there is no background, it's all white haze*. After I finished this one, I told myself that if I had to do it again, it would be better to try and compose the elements in a separate drawing first, or as an underdrawing. So much is left to the imagination, in the murkiness of the old photo, it makes it a little too easy to just improvise your way through it. But with complex scenes like this, one doesn't have the visual imagination and visual memory to pull it off with technical finesse. Better to think like you're recreating the scene anew, rebuilding it from the foundation, than trying to slip one past.

*This makes me think that for any image with a complicated background I encounter from now on, I should plan to separate the background and foreground into separate drawings. I have the technical skill to composite them together afterwards, so why not take advantage of this to make my tasks manageable. Working in layers is always a good idea.

RAF Hudson

I'm psyching myself up for a vehicle drawing that I'm going to do in a few minutes. I drew this to get in the technical mind-set. On wartime planes, I love camouflage logic: showing a sky grey color on the bottom, and broken ground colors on the top, all jiggy jaggy, with necessary flags and emblems that stand out. Then during peacetime they repaint everything to geometric and simple.

The helicopter I'm going to draw in a few minutes is a sketch for an adaptation of Frederik Pohl's novel Jem. It's about rival factions on earth that each put several colonists in competing camps on a new planet. Because they're not technically at war at the beginning of the story, it will make for an interesting hybrid of civilian and military deco for the helicopter.

I'm also realizing that I haven't found my sweet spot with vehicles. On various projects I've sketched plenty of them, but I haven't found what it takes to put the finish on them. Figure drawings have an elegant way of drawing me back in, engaging my interest so that I can leave it at a good point. I look forward to slaying this dragon today.

Commander Ellsberg

It's grey and rainy in Chicago today. But I should be okay, because I started off with another cool image from the book (On the Bottom, by Commander Edward Ellsworth). I love the pose--I think I'll be drawing from this book for awhile. It would be cool to adapt it into a graphic novel or game.

Chief Torpedoman with Ellsworth Torch

It's been awhile since I've posted. And a good bit since I've drawn. I have spent the last few days playing silly computer games. They are hopelessly addicting to me. They fire off some neurons that have no other outlet currently. And my eyes are killing me. It's really stupid.

I just made myself sit down and draw something. I realize that if I am to be serious about having professional draughtmanship skills, I must let my passion match my drive. Yes, art, design, games and books are work that require dedication. But they are also something to be passionate about. So I need to draw things that stimulate me, and be satisfied as much with doing a good job as doing something interesting to myself. I guess others may have this connection in their brain, but I needed to manufacture it.

So for now, what could be a cooler subject for a drawing than a diving bell suit? I botched the proportions and it's really not much of anything, but it comes from a good place. My reference was an old book about a submarine salvage operation, with really cool photographs. My wife found this treasure when out on a thrift store run this week.

Vagabond Garb

Some quick studies of clothing for the character art project.

from: The Family of Man

Drew these while enjoying a Chai outside our local supermarket.