Last year, I worked on this illustration for a regional magazine which I was really happy with. Unfortunately, as often happens in the magazine world, the story got held and the art never ran.
I recently got the OK to use the art for my promo purposes since it was languishing in editorial limbo for so long, so I though I’d pub this step-by-step slideshow that I put together while working on the piece, but never posted.
My process has changed a bit since I did this piece (I now use a lightbox to transfer the sketch to real paper rather than vellum), but I still think it’s a good peek into my process. I’ll try to document some more of these in the future, as I loved reading Step-by-Step Graphics magazine, and I think the simple tutorial can by one of the great ways to learn.
You can see the full pictures here and see a nice large version of the art on my site here.

A drawings that came out of the sketchbook and then was digitally reworked of various sculptures at MOMA and Rockefeller University, including ‘The River’ by Aristide Maillol and Herbert Ferber’s ‘Homage to Piranesi’ among others. Click here or on the image to see a larger version.

More sketching done on the New York subway – the ever fruitful place to draw people who are staring down or sleeping. Click here or on the image to see a larger version.

Drawings in the sketchbook made over a few days riding various subway lines.

My moon globe on a wooden pedestal and yet another back-of-the-head drawing.

Drawn in the sketchbook while there was still light.

Well, it is the 4th of July, and one of my favorite things about America is the National Park Service. Utah has an unfair amount of natural physical beauty, and Canyonlands National Park spills over with majestic scenery at every turn.
I did this tiny thumbnail landscape in the Needles District of the park on a spectacular day last October. If you haven’t taken advantage of the U.S. National Park system, you should, for it truly is one of the greatest gifts the government has given its people.

Here are a few doodles from my current s-l-o-w-l-y progressing sketchbook. I worked up the values in photoshop…
I find that drawing in low light can really help make for a more interesting drawing. Often if I’m drawing while watching TV, the lights in the room are pretty dim, and it keeps the sketching loose and very fast. It can be a nice exercise to help disengage your brain when you are thinking about things too much. The guy in the lower left hand corner could be Darth Maul’s pudgy, out-of-shape, underachieving older brother.

chirp. chirp. here’s my illustration friday “twist.”
as previously mentioned, i am taking an off-loom fibers class. last week we were shown netting. i decided to draw the loops and knots and what i remembered of the demonstration, and somehow the drawing turned into twisty, funny looking birds. (note: i then used the “live paint” feature of illustrator. if you’ve never used live paint before, you should try it. it’s fun to use and much easier than the traditional way of coloring up art in illustrator. it was a new feature introduced in cs2.)
also, if you want to make your own net, check out this page.

Doodling in my sketchbook…