Go Figure! Sketch Night at Rainy Day Art Supply

 This past Saturday was live model sketch night at Rainy Day Art Supply in Grosse Pointe Woods, MI. Darian Wolfe as Death from the movie Puss In Boots 2. She did a great job, for sure! This time I took the fountain pen approach instead of the colored pencils that I've been using. 

All done in my sketchbook.

A Portrait of an Artist and His Wife

9x12

ink on bristol board

Here is the last of the commissions from the Sh!tshow Kickstarter campaign. The client wanted a portrait of me and my significant other. Why? I have no idea, but I took it as a challenge to have a bit of fun. Well, as it turns out, I had a lot of fun with this one. I incorporated elements of surrealism (think more of Dali than say, Tanguey) and symbolism and went to town. The background design is the facade of the Italian church that we were married in. And, of course, I had a little help from Sandro Botticelli. 

 

Frida and Diego

 

I just sold this watercolor yesterday through the River's Edge Gallery in Wyandotte, MI. Glad to see this painting of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera from 2019 finally found a home. I will have more available with them soon. 

Ruby Thursday

 

6x9

ink on bristol board

This here is a commission from the Sh!tshow Kickstarter that I had at the end of last year. You may have heard about it. This enchanting young lady is Ruby Thursday, the Marvel Comics character that appeared in The Defenders comic book among other titles. An obscure, but interesting character.

David Bowie

 

6x9

ink on bristol bobard

This Substack Reward commission had me doing TheThinWhiteZiggyAladdinHeroes guy. I wasn't sure if the client would like the combination of phases, but she did. Therefore, I'm happy. 

Tin Tin

 

6x9

ink on bristol board

Here is a recent Substack Reward commission done of Tin Tin (and Snowy) done in the style I used for the Sh!tshow book. He's a little portly here, wouldn't you say? Still, no less adventurous! 

Peter Navarro

Martha Stewart went to jail with more grace than this clown. 

To celebrate Navarro's moving to his new digs, here's a page from my Sh!tshow book. Book signing coming soon!

 

Geert Wilders

6x9

ink on bristol board

This guy here with the wild hair is the Dutch politician Geert Wilders. He might get votes on his hair alone. This commission  was done as a Substack Reward, as I'm calling them, for those who have contributed to the cause. I appreciate you all.

You can always check out and subscribe to my newsletter for free here. 

 

Gene Wilder

6x9

ink on bristol board

Here is another commission done for the Sh!tshow Kickstarter tier. This time, Gene Wilder as Dr. Frederick FrankenSTEEN from Young Frankenstein.  

 

Ultraman Series Two Artist proof Sketch Cards

 

Ok, here we go... These are my Artist Proof sketch cards from the Ultraman, Series Two set released by RR Parks Cards last year. These sets are always a lot of fun to do and will be commencing work on Series 4 very soon. There will be a Kickstarter for Series 3, so stay tuned for that. 

Anyways, below are the eBay links for each card:

Yuriko Oka    Ultraman Jack    Alien Zoole    Zanika

Kodaigon    Nokogilin    Twintail    Gudon

Joey Ramone

 

6x9

ink on bristol board

The next commission in the line-up is none other than Joey Ramone. 

Black Panther

 

6x9

ink on bristol board

For this commission of one of the best comic book characters of all time, I couldn't resist taking a Jack Kirby approach, although I originally did want to use the more modern look, whilst keeping that Kirbyesque feel to it. So, as you can plainly see, no modernity to this at all. 

The Black Knight

 

6x9

ink on bristol board 

The Black Knight is the next commission from from the Kickstarter that I ran at the end of last year. I wasn't going to be that strict with what I offered and allowed any character to be requested, not just politicians. But, I did and am drawing them in that style. And it made for more fun for me.

So, this version of the Black Knight (also known as Sir Percy of Scandia) is not the same as the Marvel Comics version. This guy was an ancestor of the later Marvel character and this Black Knight, although created by Stan Lee and Joe Maneely, made his first appearance for Atlas Comics, which was a precursor of Marvel. I used the Joe Maneely design as requested. It was  lotsa fun using all that ink!  

Hammerhead Woodblock Print

 

10x13

print w/sumi ink

A couple of weeks ago, I finished up a three week course in Japanese Woodblock Engraving with instructor Nobuko Yamasaki. This here print above is my inaugural woodblock print. A hammerhead (of course!) for this week's open-themed #SundayFishSketch.

TBT: Shells

 

8.5x11

from sketchbook

I'm currently reading a book about spaces, imagination, homes, etc and there is a chapter that philosophizes about shells and I recalled that I did this sketch long, long ago (1991) that hinted as to what I'm reading now. So, I had to go looking for it. Look at that crosshatching! Look at that Frank Frazetta ripoff signature! I believe that I did most of this sketch while I was supposed to be working, making mattresses. I had priorities.

Norman Rockwell

 

9x6

ink on bristol board

This here drawing by Norman Rockwell is the next commission in the pipeline. This one done for a Substack reward for generously donating to the cause (a new newsletter is in the works, too. This one focusing on linocuts). 

I believe that Mr. Rockwell painted from a glass mounted palette and for the discerning eye, the palette that he is holding is from one of his paintings, complete with number and shapes of the globs (technical term) of paint. The tilted head is just because I liked the tilt of his head in his self-portrait of him painting him. You know the one. A nod, you might say.

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Go Figure! Sketch Night at Rainy Day

 

This past Saturday evening was another round of live model drawing at Rainy Day Art Supply in Grosse Pointe Woods, with our model, Madison. Don't ask me who she was dressed as, probably some anime character, but she did a great job! 

"Beavis" And "Butthead"

 

9x12

ink on bristol board

This here is a recent commission for my Substack Rewards, as I'm calling them for the moment. This one goes along with the Sh!tshow theme, as it portrays Matt Gaetz and Jim Jordan as Beavis and Butthead. Personally, I think that B n B were far more productive and useful. 

A Thresher Shark Sketch

 

5x8

ink in sketchbook 

Today's #SundayFishSketch theme are fish that have unique, odd, fascinating tails. And my unique tail selection is that of a thresher shark. A tail like no other... unless you're another thresher shark, that is.

Nick Cave

 

6x9

ink on bristol board

So, some fine folks have generously contributed to my Substack newsletter and since I don't really know just how to navigate the 'for paid subscriber' material, I am treating these contributors as someone would a Patreon Page. And that is by providing them with an original piece of art. I decided to do them in the same manner as my Sh!tshow book, since I am having fun, for the moment, in doing so.

The first of these, a Nick Cave (sans The Bad Seeds) portrait, was to a fine young man from Detroit, who then gave this to his wonderful wife as a Christmas present. This was a fun one to do and am glad that it was received well. Always is.