A change in style

Whenever I do a picture, I do a messy sort of pencil sketch, then go over in ink, rub out the pencil lines and paint it. However, I've been looking at some beautiful illustrations by Armin Greder and Freya Blackwood and notice that you can still see the pencil lines (Armin Greder mostly works in pastels, I think). So I had a quick go at just leaving the rough pencil sketch without the ink, then painting it. I really like the look of it. There seems to be more expression or something.

More pictures for the book

Teaching a grandson and arriving at the farm - not chronological, of course.

Holiday

They don't really look like us but these ones are based on photos from our Daintree holiday.

Grandchildren

I finally painted another picture for the grandparents' book. Most of the pictures are drawn, I just need to paint them.

Finally bought some new paper so I can get back into this.

Illustration Friday: Rejection

So many possibilities for this theme. I was going to draw a dog looking sadly on as its owners fussed over their new baby but it hit a little too close to home, so I changed to this idea.

It's a bit hard to explain but this is how I feel sometimes. I'll do a proper painted version sometime soon.

Another birthday

Happy Birthday, Michael. This is the image I have of you in Melbourne, for some reason.

Happy Birthday, Cath

A picture for your birthday, Cath. I didn't mean it to really have any relevance to your birthday, to the passing of time, the drifting of days. It just worked out that way. I know I shouldn't blame my tools and materials but the paper I used wasn't my favourite, didn't hold the colour as well, so the result probably isn't as good as it could have been. Just imagine what it could have been!

Illustration Friday: SIGNS

This is my 5oth post, which is an average of about one a week since I started this thing. I guess that's a healthy figure.

The Pursuit

Illustration Friday: NEIGHBOUR

I haven't painted for a while but I finally dusted off the watercolours and had a go. I like this one. I'm trying to make my pictures just a little more vibrant I guess, stronger colours, not too washed out.

Illustration Friday (Saturday for me - I'm in the southern hemisphere): REMEMBER

Other ideas I had: somebody sitting by a gravestone or a cross, like a small boy or a dog; somebody looking into a glass of wine, smiling; somebody digging out an old mandolin from a dusty box. Come to think of it, I like those ideas better than the one I ended up with, especially the mandolin one.

This is a picture of my mate Lex. I don't know whether to call it "Lex" or "The Groundsman". The latter sounds a bit more like a portrait name, like "The Sicilian" by that fellow, can't remember, it's in the Queensland Art Gallery I think. This one's graphite pencil on paper. I'm entering it into the art section of the local show. The prize money for first place is three dollars, though you'll probably get run out of town if you try to claim it.

You'll just have to wait

Heartbeat

Another hero in pencil

I think this is one of those portraits that just doesn't quite make sense. Some of it is right but there only needs to be a few things amiss for the whole thing to look odd. I don't despise it as much as I did when I drew it.

Illustration Friday: WIRED

Thanks very much for all the comments on the last few posts. Keeps me motivated.

Illustration Friday: HIDE

IF: Communication

The lost art of letter writing.

IF gravity

A pair of hearts

Some heroes in pencil

George Harrison


Tom Waits


Joan Baez


Bob Dylan

Napkin?

I wrote "Box of tissues" below this picture but it's actually a box of serviettes. Fascinating, hey?

Pepper, anyone?

I've been away from my computer and scanner for weeks now so not much has happened on Scribbly Pete, though I bought a sketchbook and pencil today and found myself a scanner.