WIP 2

Same picture as yesterday a little further along. I am not thrilled with the picture but I like doing this, might become a regular feature here. Thing about what I am going to write that I did actually helps me think more about what it is I'm going to do as I work.

Today I wanted to increase the contrast between the background and the hair so I darkened the background and added opposite crosshatching to the blouse again to create texture, give it the appearance of cloth weave. I also added some stippling to the face etc.

My advice to any artist is never point out your mistakes, people find them on thier own and if they don't all the better but as this is an exercise it seems proper. Theres probably plenty wrong with it but the necklace leaps out at me, no reason for it to lay that way and doesn't add the lack of 3d which I'm not happy with to start with. Sure there is more but that just off the top of my head. Anyone reading that has something to add feel free, go ahead, rip it apart.

I'll probably finish it up, see what I can do but wouldn't if it wasn't for starting this thing here.

Maybe documenting it all will help me improve, add to that thinking process I talked about.

Oh yeah, the light, someone with a good eye and pickly will no doubt say my lighting is uncertain. I had that thought but at the moment more concerned with the contrast then where the light is coming from but that does need change as well.

WIP, pen and ink

Still don't have anything really to post so thought I would show what I am doing right now and update as I finish it unless of course it hits the round file. This is all pen and ink with a lot of stippling, kind of an experiment to do the shading etc in stippling. I like the effect some get using stippling, of course the bad part the time consuming part of it. I use the stippling also in the background with gray over it to give some texture. I suppose right now a couple hours worth to answer the oft asked question.

C**mcast was here today, put two more tvs up at least and installed internet although I can't use it yet. I was afraid of that, because of where they installed it he couldn't or wouldn't run the wire to where my computer is two rooms away. They chose the location for the modem when they installed the phone and I should have objected then but it wasn't on my mind then. I ordered an ethernet cable and a router so by next week I should be able to do the hook up myself. I still end up paying the same outragous amount which was one of my complaints and even a few bucks more although I supposedly got the internet for freee but worth it not to go through the hassle of switching everything. I'm not thrilled with the company but I should say every technician they have ever sent out has been really nice and willing to take the time to make sure its all done right ( except for installing the wire today which I suppose he couldn't do)

Pen and Ink

Just a pen and ink that originally I wasn't going to post but for lack of anything better up it goes.
We had the grandsons birthday party here on Sunday. My daughter lives in an apartment and of course not enough room there. I still remember having like one birthday party when I was a kid and it was a cake and ice cream thing with some hats. My wife didn't want to cook so she had it catered from a local pizza etc restaurant, not pizza but beef and chicken and some italian noodle thing I forget. Two cakes, ( not sure why two) and of course the ice cream. Mostly adults at it, a few kids but more family and my daughters friends kid. I guess the grandson enjoyed it but things sure change.

FInished dealing with Com**ast ( don't want to use the name because it will end up alerting them like its a new beef) I ended up staying with them, not sure why as we were looking to save money and that didn't happen but they did add the internet for "free". Almost free anyway, they sure don't like to give up any of those bucks they have been getting out of you. Probably should have switched to another outfit but it seems like a hassle to do that and probably a new provider would be no less greedy then these guys. Anyway they are supposed to be here to set it up this afternoon so hopefully my next post will be faster upload which means I will ramble on like this less while I'm waiting for it.

Princess of ?, Pen, Ink and water stuff

Just finished this, haven't thought of an appropriate title yet but like it enough I have to give it one. I don't name most of them but when I finish something I like I have to give it an identity. It's ink and different waterbased media, neocolor II, watercolor pencil. 9x12, so we are in for a wait while it uploads.

I have promised myself to call comcast this week and get the high speed internet, either from them or someone else. They started us out sometime back with the "introductory rate" for phone and tv ( remember when tv was free? or when it cost a little but there was no commercials and now we have the large fee and commercials and it's going up every month.)

Anyway we started out paying around $100 a month for the phone and tv with a movie package and after the rate ended it started going up and up and now averages around $160 for the same stuff. I know someone that just got a three bundle from them for the same hundred a month and they threw in a free notebook computer. So I'm going to call and if they don't lower the rate and give me internet I'm thinking a switch to someone elses introductory rate. It's a hassle but I guess the thing to do is switch carriers every year.

Kids are back in school , got up today and had to go get my daughter and bring her hear so she could take a shower as they are working on her water and then take her to work, an hour later pick up the grandson and the other boy from the busstop and bring them here so that an hour later we could pick up the daughters boyfriend from work ( I let the wife do that). It's a good thing they don't pay us or we would have to get a taxi license. Man it's good to be retired and have nothing to do all day long.

Us

I mentioned we went to a wedding not long ago. One nice thing from it is that we got a family photo which we had not before. Seldom are we all together with a photographer ready and willing and they were doing it there . Always good to have a face to go with the words so I decided to share this with those that visit here. The scraggly old guy with the hat is yours truly and my wife, Kathy in front. To my right is our daughter Heather and her two children, Colin and April. To my far left is our son Rick and on his right his girlfriend Carrie. Missing is Ricks daughter who lives and goes to school in Kentucky. The cardboard cutout in the back is Hulk Hogan who is no realation but was hanging around that day for some reason.

The Dock

An admittedly rough drawing inspired by you guessed it, an old photo in my collection. No idea of the location but I have changed it quite a bit anyway. I think it would make a nice painting maybe if I could only light a fire under my lazy self to do so. Drawing can be an art form on its own no doubt, especially from someone a bit more skilled then myself but in my fantasy world I do see myself as a painter. I have done paintings in the past, quite a few but not much lately. It all boils down to laziness. drawing is easy to me, some paper and pens or pencils that I pretty much leave out and ready when the urge strikes. painting is a little more involved, have to get the materials out, mix the colors, protect it until it dries, clean the brushes.

When I was much younger I painted in oils. Oils take forever to dry and at the time we had both kids and animals in the house. There was always the danger of one or the other getting into the oil paints and creating thier own masterpiece. Probably should have arranged and let them go for it, might have made millions. Now I use only water based paints which dry much quicker and the clean up is much more easy. Maybe I'll get them out and see if I can do something with this.

Vintage Lady Pen and Ink

Another pen and ink. The woman is a combination of a couple of different old photos and the rest is out of my noggin.

I wasn't being truthful about the tomato plants, the dog doesn't really pee on them. Don't want anyone throwing up if I offer them some tomato or something with them in it. They are set back far enough and I promise we wash them real good. While I am on it though and again waiting for a large image to upload, does anyone have one of those hanging tomato plants they advertise every year. We bought one this year and I'm less then impressed. Not sure what it is but it seems like the bag doesn't hold enough water. The leaves are alwlays withered and dried up looking. We have other plants in big pots and they are doing ok but the hanging plant hasn't anything on it yet and although we haven't given up I don't think it's going to produce. So if anyone was thinking about buying one my reccomendation is save your money.

Faber broad tip

I used the Faber Castell broad tips for most of this,didn't start out to but ended that way. I like using them as it kind of makes me work looser. Sometimes I get anal about working over little details and trying to make it look right in the end making it all just awful. The broad brush tips are more like painting and it seems to kind of just flow. Anyway it seemed to here.

Hard to believe its the middle of August already. I'm still waiting for summer to start and it's almost over. My wife is happy being the family bill payer as the air conditioner has hardly been run at all this year. It was hot around here the last few but cooled last night and we turned it off again. I like to be comfortable but would rather sweat a bit then go a long time with the house all closed up. Get those windows open and a little fresh air inside. ( it could have something to do with the animals and my smoking I suppose.) Also a public service announcement while I'm waiting for this to upload. Last year we had to replace the air conditioner. The guy said it went bad due to our male dog constantly urinating into it, acidity burned something out. We now have a fence around it so when he lifts his leg it protects the air conditioner. Of course now that the fence is there he takes his business elsewhere, like the tomato plants or such. Anyone care for a nice BLT?

Pen and Ink Stret Scene

A pen and ink drawing, mostly fantasy although a couple of the figures are from my collection of vintage models as in the old photos I collect. All faber castell pens, my favorite drawing tool. Better to me then most ink pens as it is india ink and waterproof instead of "water resistant" like a lot of pens read in the fine print. They also make a wide variety of inks and nibs in thier ready to go pens.