Happy New Year (and Blonde Swan, Done)

Here's hoping there are good things in 2017, because 2016 may go down in history as a horror show of unfortunate losses! Full illustration coming after the celebrations!

Also, yesterday I posted a version of the "Blonde Swan" sketch that was an option (the eye makeup was completely redone, as were retouches to the nose, hair. etc. but almost imperceptible) but I then reverted to the original from the day before, because despite the newer version being a better drawing, the older one had more interesting character in the expression. So this is the final version that I put on Instagram, but with a color variation just to switch things up here.

Blonde Swan 5

I'm not quite sure if this is done. It's certainly the technique I'm trying for, but there are disparities with how to render the eyeshadow (do I just go whole airbrush?) versus how I want to finesse the hairstyle. So I've been working on three separate versions all with their own particular pros and cons. I'm an anal retentive Virgo, what can I say?

Blonde Swan 4

This drawing has taken a life of its own— I can barely see the original inspiration in my head anymore, as this drawing has taken over. And yet it's not quite there yet.

Blonde Swan 3

I've definitely been feeling a Nadja Auermann/Ornelia Muti vibe in my head about this sketch, and now I'm getting Debbie Harry.  I actually went in and looked for reference for Nadja's lips, because she had that half-open mouth that I have in my head.

Current Mood 11.13.16, part 4

I'm really holding off on finishing these, just doing a minor step at a time. It just doesn't seem to be coming together as much as I'd like, but I do feel the minor updates that I do. It feels like progress, no matter how slow. Maybe that's a metaphor in there for how to deal with our political climate!

Lip Service 2

My delayed reaction, late again by a minute. Arrgh.

Blonde Swan 2

The face I drew the other day was a particular type that I never thought was very attractive in the past, but as an artist drawing different faces, it was an interesting set of faial features. I tried cleaning them up to how I saw it improving, but I toggle back between the original and this and I'm not sure if it's an improvement...

Hmurry Kreezuhmas

Was too busy celebrating the holiday to draw but am uploading a sketch of my gift wrap ideas after the fact: went for a Matisse cutouts theme using felt inserts and rosin paper, a paper I have never seen before.

Blonde Swan

I had this image and technique pop into my head after watching a Kylie Minogue video, and a few days later it's still vivid, so methinks I'll give it a shot. Its all about that heavy, almost winged eye shadow, hence the Black Swan reference.

High (De)Light

This image for a piece— naughty as it is— kept popping into mind. So I'm laying it out to realize it (and eventually, fully).

Lip Service

Working on a new drawing project for a client, involving lips.

Towel Pose 4

Should I still call it 'towel pose' if I've nixed the towel? Not that you can see although  you've a glimpse of a bit of scrotum. I wanted to focus on the feet. I love drawing hands and feet, something that I think is considerably difficult for a lot of people. Not that I'm great at it, but I feel like I find rhythms in those parts that make them fun to draw.

Towel Pose 3

Gah, I forgot to post this on time yesterday/last night, even if I've been tinkering with it all day and night! Ah well.

Towel Pose 2

I'm thinking of taking off the towel, maybe it will still be terry cloth but a robe sliding off him. It's a very stereotypical pose but hey, I don't need to reinvent the wheel every drawing.

Towel Pose

A work project extended a lot longer today than I thought it would, so I just threw together a quick croquis, with towel.

Current Mood 11.10.16 part 3

It gets bleaker. Although I have to check how this lighting should be rendered.

Current Mood 11.11.16 part 5

I thought the mood was lifting but it's still there. So I might as well try and finish this series up soon...

Long Flair 3

The thing I love about digital work is being able to change things without losing other parts of an illustration. For instance, the colors. I might tinker more later with the brushes and how I did the swashes of color...

Long Flair 2

I reworked his face and hair.

Long Flair

I started with the Thick and Thin ink brush I'd been using all weekend, and thought it would be centered on the model's long hair (that I imagined I would be rendering). But I wasn't happy with the face and kept thinking throwaway drawing. Well, once I switched brushes and switched modes to, well, I don't care about this sketch anyway, let's play... well, then I liked the silhouette that happened. Of course, now I don't think the original head I drew lives up to the rest, haha! Ah well, WIP.

(Not So) Bright Ideas

I have a logo design client who insists on ideas that I'm not sure I can get behind. I'm giving it a try but they're not working so well.

That's 70s, Tho

I had a vision of a very deftly rendered pair of wide leg pants done in a textured, natural inks. I don't know if I've quite got it, but it's the idea. I dunno if the styling helps, as I was just drawing without planning. Making the rest of the details too 70s/early 80s (in the period looks when wide legs —elephant pants— ruled) makes it too retro. Well, it doesn't help tha I'm using the inky, high contrast style of the 70s illustrations either.

Retooling

The face on this piece always bothered me. IN fact, most of my faces from 7-9 years ago bothered me, I just didn't have the skill the render them properly. When I paint from memory, my lack of proper anatomy shows. I pulled out an old drawing and I hope to retool the face to —hopefully—something I like. So far, not yet.

Dancing— whut?

So, not able to draw right now! :) I was dancing the night away (a rarity these days!) at a friend's birthday party.

Edit: okay, I was, but it's days later so here's a makeup sketch of a dumbstruck gay boy.

Current Mood 11.13.16, part 3

I've been delaying on this, but I was developing the techniques I would use to finish this series. I think these layers are definitely a direction I will go on.

Claws And Effect

I just came in from another night of drinking (although not as much as last nights 5 cocktails in a row) so I was going to do a quick throwaway sketch. As such, I have no idea why his hands are claws, but it felt right to draw them that way. So there.

Choker

I can't believe I had 5 cocktails tonight and I'm lucid enough to draw and post. Well, barely. This quick sketch brought to you by inebriation.

Soul Diva

I was fed up with drawing guys all week so I had to get my drama on. She was a complete experiment that I love because it's so raw. I'm sure I'll want to make improvements later but as a doodle I'm quite pleased with it.

Drawing New York Meetup

Last night's menswear illustration meetup was my first attending one organized by Drawing New York, and I followed it up with a 3 hour afternoon session sketching a male nude today, actually one of the models from the menswear evening. He was quite fun to draw. The energy at these non-gay sessions intrigues me right now. I guess I'm just jaded because I've been to too many gay ones where the emphasis on sexuality is something I no longer need to get into. Anyhow, by the time I left the studio is was dark so these shots are not the best (already rough because I drew on old, yellowed newsprint) so maybe

I'll re-photograph to post tomorrow.

Menswear Meetup

I kept on vacillating whether or not to attend a free menswear fashion illustration meetup at the National Arts Center in Gramercy Park. I was glad I did although I came barely prepared— basically I just grabbed my drawing bag which I hadn't even touched since Wednesday's drawing session, save for a moment when I removed my sketchbooks to photograph them for this blog (and my IG feed)

Super 80s

Kyle Webster just came out with a whole new update to his Megapack,and the first brush I picked out at random was the super smooth "Supernatural' brush. Man, this thing was just begging to be made into a fashion illustration straight out of the 80s. SO, that's what I did.