dilophosaurus

Dilophosaurus!

You know what's fun to draw? Dinosaurs.

And not just because I spent the majority of my childhood drawing them. 

It's because they're just cool. You can quote me on that one.

I'll have you know these are not toys, they're articulated visual reference models.

djehutynahkt

Dancing mummy sketch because I couldn't think of anything good to draw and I was on a sugar-high from eating too many kit kats.

On Halloween I went to the "Secrets of Tomb 10A" exhibit at the MFA. Because creepy crumbling mummies and Halloween kind of go hand-in-hand. Here are a few pics..

The amazing hieroglyphs painted on the coffin. This one reads "eye owl vase legs gosling feather seated person upside down bowl vulture." Couldn't have put it better myself.

Before leaving, I had to stop by and visit what my brother and I call the 'Harry Potter portrait hall'.

Oh, and p.s.: It's pronounced "je-hooty-knocked."

barbarian

Oh, she's a toughie alright.

Eager to finish it up then get to coloring. I'm thinkin' grizzly or black bearskin. Polar bear was so last year.

swimwear

I'd hurry up and put in your order for Summer 2010 before all the sizes are picked over.

ex libris

Part of a drawing for my web banner. I kinda switched things up and gave him a big bear-type nose and smooshed his head proportions to look more solid/compact. I like how it's turning out.

Have I ever told you how much I love libraries? Man, they are tops.

Last night I spent the evening working on some drawings at the awesome Brookline Public Library. The historic building and recent renovations make it a great destination to hunker down and get some work done. In the lower level there are a row of pod-like study carrels that protrude from the outer wall of the building. These are great but I've never had success getting anything done in them, mostly because I felt like I was being punished in a time-out corner or about to be jettisoned into space. This visit, I chose the spacious reference room in the back of the library. Filled with fat, classically-bound books abutting study tables and framed by oil portraits of stuffy old men and stoic civil war generals, this room was much more my style. I plunked down at a table, spread out my stuff, and was able to 'enter the zone' for a solid two hours. Bliss.

Lately I've been having a bit of a hard time avoiding distractions, disruptions, and staying focused when I'm working. I love my studio apartment, but sometimes it is downright horrible for working when you're surrounded by potential distractions like books, action figures, internet, food, you name it. It doesn't exactly say "workspace" so much as "hey sit on this comfy corduroy couch and read that new book and maybe while you're up be a doll and get me an ice cream sandwich". Hence my predicament.

I expect to be visiting the reference room at the library regularly now. Because I can only equate drawing 'in the zone' to a bizarre combination of clarity, hypnosis, and whatever it is that cats feel when they tango with catnip.

wossname

I don't know, you tell me.

Maybe it's a sirrush. Maybe I'm just a big nerd.

the science of 8 limbs

On Tuesday I attended a free screening of Ong Bak 2 at the dashing Somerville Theater.

Little did I know I would discover a newfound love of martial arts movies. Not that I didn't like them before, but it's almost as if I wasn't ready for them. I cite animation as my major influence in drawing and you really can't get more animated than the choreographic tangle of limbs and flying fists showcased in these types of movies. The fights are both elegant and brutal, humorous and cringeworthy. Granted, another great source to look at for pose and gesture is ballet. However, I find ballet sorely lacking in rooftop chases, rope darts, and stuntwork involving elephants. I'm picky like that.

Hungry for a knuckle sandwich.

Sweep and recover.

Thumbnails done on the T.

Um, this one wasn't in the movie.

buggy

Quick sketch before the workday pulls me into the void. I need to get my hands on some Legos again.

In the meantime, I'll continue to haunt The Brothers Brick.

dive dive

Thoroughly impractical and purely ornamental dive suit sketch.

I love how some of the early diving suits seemed to be fashioned more from suit of armor aesthetics than scientific ones. I guess that's why steampunk is so visually pleasing.

quickie

Quick little sketch of atomic robo while I wait for my coffee to kick in this morning.

Pardon the neglect that has fallen upon the blog. I feel like I forgot to feed the goldfish or somethin'. I'm working away on making things for the new website, so it won't be long now! Eventually, I'll be switching to a new blog there, leaving this one for digiarcheologists to find in the year 3020. 

In the meantime, please don't go belly up on me.