Sunday, December 25, 2011

Drawing Out of a Rut... (or trying to!)

..

Today i just HAD to draw something... (sometimes my only way to relax on a day off is to draw or doodle)...



i tried some roughs of some faces... but it just feels like the same old stuff i always do.



so drifted towards some fashion roughs too.. still the same.

i wanted to look different then i usually do.  Cleaner.   Less 'illustrative' and more 'design-y'... whatever that means..  I love a famous fashion illustrator from the 50s named Rene Gruau. He has a clean classic look, and really has impressive illustration chops.

But on the other hand, i another part of my personality loves  modern 'grungy' alternative fashion illustrators like Julie Verhoeven. You may or may not dig her stuff, but i'm inspired by all sorts of non-pretty stuff, though my fashion stuff doesn't seem to show that much.

I'll never look like ether of these two, and i don't want too -just looking for some a creative jump start!


... but FIRST, i need some paper to draw on.  . . .found a batch of t old maxx posters in my closet during the move - almost throw out.



now i'm glad i didn't - they backs of these posters will make a nice shiny surface to doodle on,



partly i hope the slick texture will make me think different and maybe use different tools..



secondly because drawing on the back of something, even a poster... takes the pressure off.



i can just toss these afterwords if i don't like em...



but this is already starting to look to pretty and slick,



i wanted it  a LOT messier.. here's a big old brush i found somewhere.. might do the trick..




her hair's getting a little big, huh? yikes - almost 'bride of frankenstein-ish'.  well, i said i didn't want it to be too prefect, didn't i ?  * sigh *



here's a good example what coated surfaces can do, you can rub or scratch out paint textures with rags or  razors easily... i did this on some of the Raven illustrations for the Edger Allen Poe book, with mixed success.



But i need to shake myself up, get out of this damned rut.

Okay, CRAP - - still looks pretty much... just like ME still, eh?



Damn. okay, let's try again...

The other one took too long, i think going faster may pop something out... or maybe not,



but let's try this on in about 1 minutes, just to see what blurts out.



remember the point is *against* trying to be too finished, more like a impression or gesture drawing, only in color.



her jacket or sweater is starting to be the only interesting thing about her, huh?



the spiky hair sorta gives her the Punk-ish or gothy look -



again, didn't intend  it, just seeing where the brush leads us.. this is the old splatter bit every one knows.

Now... just think about this photo above... both hands busy, so how did i take this? (yeah, i have a self timer, but i forgot to USE it).  so,like an idiot the only way that occurred to me was lay the camera on my desk and push the camera button with my nose. pretty pathetic eh?

the only thing that's worse is.. i am telling everybody. yeah, that's worse.



so, where were we? okay, i give UP on sucker!  time to move on.



these still don't really seem as radical as i was hoping they'd be.. time for another poster.. (they made some of that julie's eye page too)...




i'm pretty surprised these colored pen-brushes don't bleed through the paper. i'm not even going to pencil this one, ( so lower your expectations) ..



i was late on the other and it took 30 seconds longer than one minute,



so let's try to see if i can whip this one out in 30 second flat - just to see if anything an adrenaline boots pumps SOMETHING different out this time!

okay, this one's done, 20 seconds is too fast. i did the face but forgot to take a pic of that, but i'll take one at the bottom do you can see her face.



ONE more... only let's take out time and do better.. say 45 seconds this time..


wow, forgot to pick up the camera this time - sorry.



it just sort of seemed to finish itself. (for better or worse..)

a while back i did a hulk and timed myself to go fast, people seemed impressed, but remember it's not a race. I obviously sacrifice detail when i fly through these... but i wanted to shake off some dust and wake myself up a little.


Grrr - OKAY-  so, maybe it's NOT possible for me to to avoid looking like my usual style, but hey.. it's worth trying. push myself out of whatever comfort zone i may be wallowing in.

now it's time to rest and relax.

have a good rest of your Christmas day.
- sam