Brushworks 6

I got so caught up in my design work for a client that I lost track of time and didn't post last night. So today's makeup post is another set of experiments with Kyle Webster's watercolor brushes. He's really done a good job with these wet edge brushes, but even with my own natural media, I never did go for these rounded dabs of color. I'm going down the line of 35+ brushes (I think that's the number) but to date I've only gotten to the first 16!

Brushworks 5

I'm having a hard time adjusting to the new brushes - they do different techniques from the ones I utilize when I paint watercolors, yet I can't deny they look better than the watercolor brushes I've been using. And there are so many of them! I've been getting by on just 2 or 3. Hopefully I'll find a stride - I want to be able to work, and not just stumble through...

The Gray 8

I've been retooling this quite a bit. I started out with a straight drawing, but now I'm adding separation techniques, and deciding how much detail to remove. The detail makes for a better drawing, but if I get it right, the graphic technique will make for a better piece. Aagh, dilemmas.

Although that said, this crop makes for a lovely piece by itself. I might have to add this as a possible final piece.

Ben's Hair

It's more like a squall (as David Downton once described Carmen Dell'orifice's mass of silver), this head of hair of Ben Wishaw's. I'd never really heard of him before, and I'm not quite sure how I came upon his photos, but anyone who's read my blog and noticed my obsession with masses of hipster hair would know I'd be drawn to him. Not quite the teased and sprayed coifs of the Prada Candy boys, but unwashed, somewhat oily, overly dense hipster hair. I wasn't exactly trying for a likeness but I suppose it's there a bit.

And this was a chance to play with the Kyle Webster watercolor brushes. I only got to try 5 or 6 before I decided I didn't want to go any further, as I liked the effects. I'm excited to get to know these brushes.

Charm 'Round

My niece asked me to make a logo for her Etsy page, but I think she really wanted a header.

Brushworks 4

Just bought and downloaded Kyle Webster's watercolor brushes, and I have to say his washes are pretty nifty! That said, this was a quick, maybe 5 minute trial seeing how his 'wamazing' multiply brush works. Next time I better draw some line art to work with before I start painting.

The Gray 7

Continuing my silver-haired former neighbor's portrait. I've been enjoying just drawing this, and while I've had feedback form a friend who likes the more detailed version with more classic rendering, I'm going for a bit more stylized, like the rest of the series. But since things are in layers, I can always decided later how much detail to remove.

Adventuring

I just thought up a rather ambitions project, the likes of which might never get done, so I decided to start it now. I have a good track record of eventually finishing up projects worth finishing. so hopefully these won't be so far fetched to even start. This is a rough layout.

Watered

A Bergdorf Goodman ad in yesterday's New York Times had the logo rendered in watercolor. I wanted to see if I could recreate the effect with Kyle's Wet & Wild Watercolor brush, and it seems I can to a degree. I pre-ordered the rest of his upcoming watercolor pack, and it seems I'll be having competition with digital watercolors soon. And here I thought I would corner the market. Ha!

Coy 2

I have trouble with Tomo's face - her features are very subtly connected, so it's all about the proper rations of space and soft edges.  Although when I walk away and come back expecting to find a problem, I find the likeness isn't as bad as I thought, until I set about working on it some more... and then it becomes a horror show of inadequacy. Aahh, the process.

Impression of an Acquaintance

I see this Italian guy at the menswear shows twice a year and I really like his look, but when pressed to draw what I like about his face, I can't figure it out. So I'll have to sketch him from a photo or real life someday.

The Gray 6

Continuing my portrait of my silver haired friend Michael. I'm trying to figure out how much linework to allow for this hair, and whether technique wins out over graphic intention, as this series is all about flat expanses of color (even if that color is white). I think adding noise to my brush should give it the combination of a hard edge yet still have some texture...

Zenaida 2014

I was too busy researching Wordpress themes that I forgot to post last night! So I quickly sketched out a Zenaida using the new watercolor brush. Not my best one of my Venus of the Rice, but the brush is looking quite good in some of those areas.

Binary 2

While at the gym tonight I got to thinking about what to draw for today (I do so mostly at night before I sleep) and I thought of just continuing the Binary portrait from yesterday, but adding inked lines. Or what passes for ink in my hands. And I rather liked the outcome, although it's more playing with what I started rather than going for what I thought of, which was going to have a more Chris Sprouse look to it. But I do like her randomly flaming face head.

There's a retro feeling to her facial type, but not too much, I think. Although I distinctly feel a little Vince Colletta is happening in her lips.

Binary

For some reason I thought of Carol Danvers' second code name/super identity, Binary. I think it was Chris Claremont's attempt to recapture some of the glory of Phoenix after she had died, ably assisted by Phoenix's own designer, Dave Cockrum. I thought of doing a reimagined version of her even if lately she's known as Captain Marvel (after stints as Warbird and Ms.Marvel) although after sketching the face I just didn't have the wherewithal to paint it properly. Maybe later.

The Gray 5

I feel like I really need to keep at this one, after all, it's mostly hair! But then again, it's the hair that needs to be done rather methodically, otherwise it could turn into mass of eugh that you might see in the bottom of a drain.

Jamie W.

Not really familiar with this model but while I was trying to remember the last name of one of my current faves (the ethereal Matthew Bell) I ran across Jamie Wise's photo and decided to do a quickie watercolor using Kyle W.'s brush. I liked it better before I tried to get a better likeness (while not really working that hard at it, hence my dissatisfaction with the result), as it was just a fun rendering, but I think I'm developing a feel for this brush now.

More Watercolor Experiments

... courtesy of Kyle Webster's watercolor brush. I like the face which came together nicely, without any references. But I think I need references for the hair – that... thing I came up with isn't the prettiest.

The Gray 4

Revisiting this piece so I can finish it and move on to the next one in the series!

Entwined

Entwined. And kind of slammed into each other. I had the idea after glancing at a photo and thinking I saw this image, when the actual photo was quite different. So technically, it's completely original. Now if I can only draw it to my satisfaction without dumping the idea before it's done.

Nouveau Coifs

Now that everyone's adopted the pseudo 50s fade-cum-80s-pomp (think Miley Cyrus, and that's exactly why we need something new), it's time for a newer hairstyle to indicate a hipper point of view. I'm not quite sure what that is, but I know a few that could be contenders. I've noticed some hip musician types have been wearing longer lengths for some time now, sans sideburns of any kind, in a fuller kind of retro 60s moptop. This one is based off of We Were Evergreen's lead singer, who looks very cute Euro.

In other news, I'm loving playing with harder edged brushes. I'm drawing like I've got an old school comics style with them.

Pink & Yellow

I just wanted to play with the ink brushes in Photoshop while talking with my friend Kevin on the phone. This is one of those phone doodles, but since it's with a brush I normally don't use, it was interesting to experiment.

Phoenix Descending

I turned the other day's wraith-like woman into Jean Grey's Phoenix. I always liked Phoenix, although I really dislike how Marvel has changed (tampered with, in my mind) the original idea Chris Claremont had. Ah well, everything changes.

My style is very different from how I normally draw comics... which, I suppose is the crux of it, since I no longer 'normally' draw comics. In fact, I'm out of touch with comic book styles. But a few comic artists' sites tout a more stylized approach, and hipper, edgier artists, and I think this pose is a definite (even if unwitting, at the time of its rendering) nod to them.

Brushworks 3

I love how this brush reacts and seems like a wet edge watercolor, but the shape just isn't how I paint. So this trial, while it may have its potential, does nothing for me.Oh, and it's late, a makeup sketch for yesterday when I was too bogged down with design work to notice the day had passed without so much as a pencil stroke!

Yellow Wraith

I just wanted to do a comic book style pinup pose (super hero variety, not cheesecake, although the differences are debatable) but I found myself trying to do something slightly awkward, as opposed to the standard hero stances you'd find in a comic book pin up (which doesn't mean scantily clad, but often can be).

Brushworks 2

Further explorations of the Kyle T Webster wet edge brush. For some reason I tend to work more 'traditionally' with this brush. It feels like daub-y watercolor styles I've seen in books... although not really to my taste.

Brushworks

Playing some more with Kyle Webster's watercolor brush. It's good for layering fields of color if you want a Stina Persson's effect, but I'm still trying to see if I can find a way to apply it to my digital watercolor fashion illustration style.

Kyle's New Brush

An artist I follow online, Kyle Webster, has been creating new brushes for sale. I've been waiting for him to create a watercolor brush, and now I found he has. It created such beautiful effects on a sample Kyle posted, and I want to see if I can use this for my won work. Will have to experiment more - I think this isn't going to work with the blending techniques I've developed.

btw, this drawing is late to post because I lost all track of time. What a crazy work day - I have like 5 projects all going on at once - and all due soon!

Holding Pattern

I've been working so much designing I have no real energy to draw. I'm in a holding pattern so to speak. Bad pun, I know, and the drawing's pretty bad too.

Splattery

Still sick with a cold but recuperating quickly enough, but not enough to be inspired to draw. I tried out a seldom-used (if at all) watercolor splatter brush, and while it didn't inspire me to do great new things. I did at least try something new-ish... also, the 20s style headdress and 'do came about because I kept thinking, I should just stop drawing and watch Downton Abbey...

Haider

I think he's the hottest new thing in the menswear scene right now, with his luxe yet slightly retro aesthetic. This sketch, however, does nothing for it. I blame this damn cold I've got...

Flap-Happy

From WooYoungMi's show earlier today.

Pfeh

My friend Joane asked me if I could do a sketch of her like these menswear sketches, so I complied.

Fuzzy, Again

Decided to redo the original style-setting sketch and model it more closely to the Iceberg outfit it was based on.

Graphic Situation

I think I should just draw like this for the rest of the season. This is a graphic sweater from McQueen's recent collection.

Rustic Patterning

I really like what the new designers at Valentino have done with the menswear - it's young and fresh, and interesting without being over the top. This season there is a ton of graphic pattern work in menswear, but I liked how oddly rustic the Valentino ones were. They looked like they should be blankets and throws in some otherworldly log cabin shoot by Bruce Weber.

I'm liking this intentionally rough style I'm working. I don't know who Im ripping off, but it seems familiar. Jean Phillippe Delhomme perhaps? Mmm, maybe not - it's a bit too sharp for his work... maybe this is actually my own? haha

Slopesided

It's all about a sloped and/or dropped shoulder, for shoulders shaped like a popsicle.

Fuzzy On The Details

The Milan menswear shows are showing fur. I may have to get a faux fur vest or something. Iceberg, in particular, was showing lots of mohair elements, so I decided to do a drawing (in a very naive, almost paper cut style) with one of their mohair dickies.

Wash Coat

Thought I'd practice a bit with actual watercolor again. I'm so used to faking it in a Photoshop that I need to make sure I actually know how to use the real medium! That said, my sketches are much more immediate because the decisions are made quickly. There's something to be said about more spontaneity. 

Hair Cuts

It's my friend Greg's birthday tomorrow and I'm giving him a set of free haircuts for the year, from our mutual fave hairstylist. So the 'gift' certificate will involve 'suggested' haircuts.

Haider Hair Also

The video for Haider Ackerman's SS14 show was so inspiring because I got to see the boys up close, moving. I mean, I can do that backstage at the shows I attend, but these looks are particularly interesting to me. There's a hint of 80s luxe (Romeo Gigli comes to mind) with shapes that would not be out of step with Damir Doma or even Rick Owens, but there's a romanticism akin to Dries. I'm keeping an eye on Ackerman. And also on my wallet...

Haider Hair

This is a makeup drawing because I got so tipsy on margaritas yesterday (in the middle of winter, no less!) that I completely forgot to draw at all. So, two for tonight. The first is a reaction to a model's hair from the SS1 Haider Ackerman menswear show which was amazingly cast and styled, not to mentioned the clothes were beautiful. They were current yet forward, without being TOO forward. I loved the way they combed one model's hair. This isn't that model, but this is his hair.

Fall For My Line

I had an idea for a homoerotic drawing of an online friend, done in a classic 70s/80s homoerotic style and pose. Rather than describe the pose I wanted to do for him, I just drew this quick sketch. I liked the line, although yes, it's NSFW.

The Gray 3

I'm just defaulting to this drawing, but it's easy to do when it's... well, easy to do.

The Gray, 2

This drawing is a little more enjoyable to do than I thought it would be. Or maybe it's the glass of wine I'm having.

The Gray

One of the pieces in my hair series is a man who I used to be neighbors with, and when last I ran into him on the street he had grown a beautiful squall of snowy hair and an even whiter beard. I shot him last August and glad to finally be starting his piece now.

Coy

My neighbor asked me if I as working on anything new and I replied I was holding off starting anything just yet, to give myself a breather. Sigh. I know I'm just procrastinating on things so I feel like I should get working on. So Coy it is.

edit: I uploaded the image exactly a month later! Ohh, I'm so late.

Look Behind You

I liked this pose I saw on one of the blogs I regularly follow, FuckingYoung.es, which features male model-oriented editorials and photos. Not for anything, I just like the pose and thought I'd draw it. Who knows, it may come in handy one day. It makes a fun croquis though. Oh, there, I said it, croquis. This post is gonna be found by fashion illustration students!

Me 2014

Thought I'd do a quickie self portrait to go with my 2014 cover photo for an FB update.

Plus Kiwis

I just think 2014 needs more kiwis.