Wow, a Post

Well over a month since my last post, a new "worst" record. I try to avoid making excuses but I had a birthday since my last post, number 60 which I find particularly depressing. Fifty slipped by easy as it marked the official retirement age for my former occupation but sixty is nothing to look forward to, just a "getting old" milemark. Oh well, I don't feel much different, some days I feel like sixty and some days I feel older or younger, all evens out. I still find myself wondering what I'm going to do when I grow up though and wondering if it's just me or if my dad or grandpa felt like that ( they always seemed grown up to me but then maybe I seem that way to my son and grandson and other "kids". It's been warming the last week anyway here in Chicagoland, 30's and maybe a low 40 a day or two, rained all last night, lot better then snow. We celebrated my step sons birthday today, not to be stuck on the age thing. He's forty one and still seems a lot like a kid to me so that must be the answear to my quandry, all depends on what spot your looking at it from.

The drawing is pen and ink, the gent in front from a cabinet card I bought and the rest just made up. I have been drawing this whole time but not finishing much, also a reason for not posting. That will happen, either uninspired or just frustrated at getting it down on paper. I'll try to make it more frequent, have to see what happens. Hope anyone reading had a good Christmas and the rest of the days as well.

One more time for Gramps

I put up another version of this scene last week and one way back when I first started the blog. What can I say, I like the idea and haven't got it down to where I'm satisfied. If I try it again it will be a painting instead of a drawing but this was good enough to show .

We just got two new kittens in our household which if your a cat person you know can be interesting. We had talked about it for awhile but my wifes dog was hazardous to kittens or other small animals. Unfortunately he had to be put down a few weeks ago, getting some kind of cancer that took him down pretty quickly at least. We loved him but he had bitten one person and the animal thing so it was kind of bittersweet seeing him go. The wifes family comes here Christmas eve, kids run around wild and I always worried he would nip someone. This year I will have to only worry about the kittens welfare.

Tree

Just a tree, no reference for this.something from the imagination. Hope all had a good Thangsgiving day. I stayed home and enjoyed peace and quiet while the wife went off to be with her family. No turkey on Thursday but did get myself a nice steak to enjoy with my solitude and the wife bought a turkey which we had today so was good all around.

Young Lady, head and shoulders

This girl is inspired from a photo I have on my hard drive, an auction I bid on but didn't win, someone wanted it more then I. I kept the image though, not that you can tell from my drawing ( I have changed her a lot) as the girl in the photo has a haunting beauty about her.

The drawing is Neocolor II, pen and ink and some watercolor pencil, not everything in my toolbox but spreading it around a little.

For anyone that checks the photo blog I haven't posted there for a good while and do intend to start up again but maybe focused more on the ads then photos, mix of both at least. I always feel like the photos don't mean much to most people as I lack information for many of them. Usually I buy them because I just like the image and the info was never there or sometimes I have carelessly lost it. Anyway if you like the old magazine ads check there in the next week or so and I will have something new up.

I wish all that read this a happy and safe Thangsgiving.

barn

House

Posting has become more infrequent I know, not that I have abandoned it but just haven't had anything much I wanted to share lately. I scanned a few drawings today that I have done lately and will likely post them in the next few days. This one is like so many, loosely based on a vintage picture of a house that I liked.

Farm

This started out to be an ink sketch I was going to add watercolor to but I got carried away with the ink so not sure now if I will try to add color. When you do too much inking it makes it harder to add color I suppose because the ink soaks in and fills the paper fiber and leaves little room for the pigment of the paint.. I have a couple other sketches in the wings that I didn't take too far and have some new watercolor I want to try out so will likely post them soon.

Ink

No doubt it would be easier to use ink with a brush but other then that to cover large areas the faber-castell big brush pens are nice. I think they only make them in the gray scale though.