Gone Sketchin'

As my blog states…Have Sketchbook. Will Travel. This one was just for me. So I used a looser approach and just tried to have fun with it.

Show of Hands

Hands can be a lot of fun to draw, but getting them just right can be maddening. After a recent session where I found myself drawing the same hand over and over, I decided it was high time for a new hand study. Here's the result.

Book Worm

I'll always prefer curling up with an actual book to reading novels on digital devices. It's just not the same without that old musty paper smell.

It's A Hard Corps Life

A bit of fanart for my favorite client, the San Diego Derby Dolls. Maybe it can be used as poster art for an upcoming bout. Either way, this one should be fun to color.

Future So Bright

This piece was inspired by the Sci-Fi movie, Solarbabies. So I used bright colors on the character to create a more futuristic look…at least, that was the intended goal.

No Steam, Just Punk

I really dig the whole Tank Girl vibe and aesthetic, so you can expect more sketches like this one in the future.

Future Sketch

Okay, so maybe I've seen the movie Solarbabies one too many times. But who can blame me? Planet Earth has essentially turned into one huge skatepark. How cool is that? If you ask me, that's a future worth sketching about!

Promotional Postcard

Here's my promotional postcard for this year's San Diego Comic-Con. I'll have copies of my children's book with me as well as original sketches for sale. Hope to see you there!

Another Round

Here's another look at my comic strip concept. The figures are a bit stiff, which I attribute to the stylized digital inking. I may have to try a looser drawn approach.

Birdland

These are character studies for a comic strip concept. For the moment I've dubbed the two birds Dimitri and Carl.

Just Ducky

As a way to brush up on my storytelling skills I gave myself a quick stand alone project…a comic strip. This also allows me to focus on digital inking without the need to go to color. This is my first attempt at what I hope will be many more comic strips to come.

It's Always Something

Once and a while I'll forget to include certain details in a sketch and have to make adjustments later. In this particular case it was an easy fix. See if you can spot the difference between sketch and final color.

Ride Sally Ride

A bit of Dr. Seuss inspired whimsy. Not sure if I'll have time to clean it up and go to color anytime soon. But I'll post it on my blog if and when I do.

King Me

For this piece I mixed things up by utilizing Photoshop brushes I was unfamiliar with rather than relying on my usual favorites. I think I found a few keepers in the bunch.

Quick Turnaround

Drawing turnarounds is a great exercise to strengthen consistency. Plus, once they're done, they can be used for future reference…and reference is always a good thing.

Sketch Du Jour

Here's a freshly brewed sketch to perk up your day! I've been drawing a lot of figures with tattoos, lately. They can add so much to a character's personality. Plus, they're simply fun to draw. 

Work In Progress

Here are some character designs for a side project I've started. If all goes well I'll post more images.

Jammer

I'm currently working on some new promo pieces for the San Diego Derby Dolls. I created this vector illustration for a recruitment flyer I'll be designing soon.

Stay Loose

There're are a lot of happy accidents that occur while working loosely that can add extra flourish to a final piece. So I'm always fighting against my own impulse to tighten up illustrations. Sometimes an earlier color study can wind up being the stronger piece of work.

Voice in the Wilderness

Most of the time I have a pretty clear picture in my head what I'm about to draw. But occasionally a drawing will come out of nowhere and surprise me. I'm not entirely sure where this little guy came from. But he's made himself heard.

El Gazapo!

Never Fear! El Gazapo Is Here! How much do I love that gazapo means both young rabbit and blunder in Spanish? I think it's the perfect name for my fuzzy long-eared luchador friend here.

…and the sketch.

Prehistoric - Part 2

I'm happier overall with the drawing on this one. But I've lost the zany quality of the previous sketch by reworking the proportions. I have a sneaky feeling this guy will be showing up in my sketchbook a lot more.

Prehistoric - Part 1

I always wanted a pet dinosaur…Who doesn't? So I imagined this one acting like a puppy, jumping at the sight of his own tail, etc. Of course, now I want to draw him chasing his tail or playing fetch with a big bone.

Jazz Hands!

When I'm having fun drawing I think it shows through in my sketches. At least, that's always the hope…and this one made me smile.

Face Time

My New Year's resolution is to practice, practice, practice…to get back to the point where I'm sketching nearly everyday. To that end, here are my first sketches of the new year.