Blind Date

A pen and ink from a month or so ago. It was in a different sketchbook and I forgot all about it until I was doing my semi-annual house cleaning yesterday, and it rose to the surface of the rubble. I enjoy using toned paper so much that it feels like a cheat. Expect to see more sepia pen and inks as my new Canson sketchbook won't accept ink for crap!

Flash

The Flash knows the importance of a good stretch. Apologies to Carmine Infantino.

Toads

Sketches while waiting out a Pokemon tournament.

Bathing Beauties

A few weeks ago at my son's swimming lesson, I tried not to sweat on the page. The pool is usually filled with various noodle-bobbing fitness classes that are too slow moving to do much about the sour old man drawing them from the bank. Times have certainly changed, my son has to dodge water aerobics classes while learning to swim in a pool. I learned in a lake, fending off swimmer's ear, bluegills, hepatitis, snapping towels and "buddy checks" (shudder).

Thanks to my good friend Dave for the hot Photoshop tip on darkening timid drawings.

More Amazing, etc.

A random sketchbook page recording my gentle drift into an all-too-familiar slump.

A Girl, A Sword, Etc.

Cover rough for a new title I think has legs -snicker-. Well it's a comic I would've bought in my day. Of course, in my day, they didn't have personal computers, the internet, or cable TV, so I would've bought just about anything. ( Does anyone remember "Skull- the Slayer" no. 1?)
I couldn't decide which way to go with the boots.... and, I know, the helmet is completely impractical for combat.

Blower

The world's most dedicated lot cleaner from my "Brazil" post earlier this Spring, as he appears now. As you can see from my many preliminary outlines, I had trouble capturing his impressive girth. Which begs the question: how many calories do you have to consume to maintain that fighting weight? I mean, this guy doesn't dally. He blows through these lots like he's got 30 to do before noon!
I'm secretly jealous of his job.

More Guns

Another all-too-light (sorry) machine gun sketch. I eventually got a version on bristol that I could live with and as soon as I'm talented enough to ink yards of ammo, I'll post it.

After Sargent

After a long, humiliating and degrading day at work, I sometimes unwind with a bottle of ink and a scratchy li'l pen I keep on a shelf a few feet from the kitchen table. This particular evening was dedicated to the back cover of a great book about John Singer Sargent (J.S.S. The Sensualist). The gas mask and the wonky perspective on the incense burner was my only addition.

Underwear and Ammo

A couple of awkward renderings as I try to figure out how someone would hold a heavy machine gun in their underwear. Yes, I'm ashamed of myself for posting such filth right after posting such a lovely portrait of an infant. No, that doesn't mean I'll improve the maturity level of these postings.

A Gift

A gift I did at my wife's urging for a family friend on the event of her daughter's baptism. I have to admit, I was a little nervous since I was working from 3 blurry facebook photos and I had a sharp deadline. Giving people artwork is always risky. All's well that ends well, as I received a call this morning from the mother saying how thrilled they were for the gift.

A Pencilled Armory

Random sketches of armored robot thingys. I'm addressing a bit of a slump (again) and I fight it by letting the pencil run with a minimum of direction. A step up from doodling, obviously, since I'm a trained professional, but you get the idea. The helmet in the foreground has eye sockets stolen from some Jack Kirby panel, probably from Thor.

Pirate Girl

I know, it's been a week since I posted, sorry. The truth is, I thought my last post was so super-awesome that I didn't want to steal any thunder from it by posting again too soon. This is the next free-wheeling pen and ink I did during that period. No formal plan or composition planned, just a desire to place a female in a nautical hat appropriately. The drawing was finished for days, until I decided to add her right arm with pistol.