sketches-n-doodles

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Went a little more traditional with my pumpkin this year.

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UNTITLED SELF PORTRAIT

Charcoal, Graphite, Conte, & Ink on Paper.

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Halloween 2011, Pac Man Style.

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A self portrait I started a couple years back.  Been meaning to go in and do more detail and touch up work on the face for a long while.  

Acrylic on Panel

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Where the Wild Things Are cardboard standup I recently painted for a childrens book theme display at Botanica Garden's childrens garden in Wichita, KS.  Kids can put their head through the cutout and get their picture taken as Max.

The news that Maurice Sendak died came a few days after I started working on this, so I thought it was a fitting tribute.

3.5 x 5.5ft Ink and Gouache on mounted poster board.

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Getting in the Halloween mood.  My pumpkin from last year inspired by an old pulp horror magazine.  Wish I had a sharper pic of it.  Wondering what I will carve this year.

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Another one of my favorite contemporary artists, Henning Kles.

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Jenny Saville is the only painter I know of that can paint of pound of flesh, and literally make it feel like it weighs as much.

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A few paintings from my favorite pin-up artist Gil Elvgren.

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Hi, I was really impressed by the sketches that I saw. I recently did a figure drawing class, and I was really inspired by your drawings. How long have you been drawing?

Thanks, glad I was able to inspire you.

There isn't a time I can remember when I wasn't drawing.  My parents used to let me draw on my walls when I was little, and my Dad still has elaborate drawings of Ninja Turtle battles that I would draw in his office before he dropped me off at school in first grade.  I'm 27 now so I've had a lot of time since then to hone my skills, though most of these drawings are from when I was about 18-22.  I will hopefully find time later this week to start scanning and uploading newer pieces.

As far as figure drawing goes, I started concentrating on drawing portraits and doing figural studies in middle school, mostly from photos or redrawing other artists works.  However I didn't get serious about it until college.  I really believe if you want to learn how to draw figure drawing or just drawing from life in general is the best way.

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Go on failing. Go on. Only next time, try to fail better.

-Samuel Beckett

My motto when I think about the process of drawing and painting.

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Various works by one of my favorite artists, Zak Smith.

SEE MORE OF HIS ART HERE...

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Drawn while my girlfriend, now wife, was sleeping.  Circa 2003.

Graphite and Charcoal

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Charcoal and Conte on Butcher paper

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Charcoal and Conte on Butcher paper

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Charcoal and Conte on Butcher paper

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Charcoal and Conte on Newsprint.  approx 4.5 by 3 ft