some more tiny studies

 this one is from barcelona - one of the churches (name escapes me) but it had geese in the main courtyard.  the courtyard reminded me a little of mission santa barbara.  i guess that shouldn't be too much of a surprise.

downtown SF.

where i work.  this was turning out kind of cool...until it didn't.  still mostly like it though:

also from our recent trip - a swan on the Ammersee as seen from Herrsching.  probably should have added some pure whites to get the sun glinting off the waves but frankly i was lazy...

Studies from Barcelona

barcelona was lovely...it was particularly lovely the few hours it was not rainy windy and cold!  some studies: some intersection in town (not the most beautiful buildings, but i liked the light); an anti-ship gun (i assume) from the castella de montjuic; and the office in the gaudi apartments.

something for the niece

it was hard to come up with something that she might like and that i might like to paint...i hope she actually likes it!

steampunk gal

for fun!  developed from a sketch i did from a steampunk cosutme workshop last year.  overall pretty happy, though there are bits i wish i had handled differently.  still, good start for the new year!

planes, trains, and...more trains...and coffee shops...and laundromats...

 Last few months i've been pretty diligent drawing from life at every opportunity.  I usually get these chances when I've escaped from my dungeon apartment to run some errand or some such thing, and find myself on MUNI.  Since everyone else is idly fondling their various smart phones or E-readers, I get out my sketchbook so that I also have something to do with my hands.  These pages are mostly from these little trips, with a couple other random things thrown in.

Many artists keep a much more organized and carefully composed sketchbook, and thus their works are much more presentable...I am not one of them, sad to say!  I have drawings facing every which way, not necessarily relating to anything else on the page.  One thing I have been trying to do though, is to pick out smaller compositions and fill out any blank space.  Makes for an interesting if sometimes hard to decipher overall impression.

Happy New Year!  Health, Happiness, and Good Fortune to all in 2012!

steampunk gent

for fun, finally getting around to painting some stuff from the steampunk costume workshop some time ago!  here's the first.  more to come (if they don't completely suck).

new(ish) figure drawings

these are from the workshop at the mission cultural center.  great models always!  not without flaws, but overall i'm happy with them.

jenny

terry whom i've drawn since my art school days.

chris who has such a sculpted physique, he is a walking
 anatomy lesson.  i've also drawn him many times.

interesting model - very pale hair and
eyebrows...interesting face.

this one i did some time ago at the gallery girls costume workshop..although i had a pretty good night, i felt a little hobbled by the drawing tool i had on hand.  lately i have been keen on the lyra water soluble 9B graphite stick for my drawing needs.  they are thick and soft so a great range of value can be easily reached, and large areas of paper are easily covered.  similar to charcoal really, but less brittle.  anyhow, on the eve of this workshop, i ran to the store and grabbed what i thought was just that.  however, it turns out what i grabbed a 'normal' 9B graphite, which was significantly harder.  as a result, i had to work much harder to get the value i was expecting, and my drawings turned out less than i had hoped for.  still, they are decent studies, and i have been working a couple of these into paintings.  i will post them later when i'm done and if they don't suck.