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Sunday, December 31, 2017

2017 in Review

2017 Year end review in photographs. Beginning of the year was busy with work. That all tapered out in May. After dealing with some family health matters, I was able to enjoy more time outdoors with friends.
Building paper models again
Learning about origami

The Comic Strip

My first ever comic strip.


So here is the comic strip. All the artwork was scanned in at 75 dpi. (Not very big and without the added dimension by a directed light source.)

I found the drawing program GIMP was lacking. I used it to create the border around each individual image and then added a text layer. Then lined up each panel. I used Paint to add in free hand lines. It allowed me more control.

As for the drawings. The medium close-ups were more difficult. If I didn't get the angle of the baseball caps just right, the whole drawing would have to be scrapped.

Filters have very little affect on the scanned images. The drawings were already simplified little posters.

Although it's a free form creation, I find it more of a challenge to getting it right. I can't wait to try it on Star Trek and The X-Files, which I have also drawn in the past.

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Comic Strip Fan Art

When you are stuck for words as I sometimes am, I doodle. I looked into Remington Steele episode Second Base Steele for inspiration. With twentyish still frames, I am planning a comic strip.
  1. Well done, Mickey!
  2. You think so?
  3. Why don't you try and hit one next time, St. James?
  4. What? Deprive me a chance to steal first base?

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Small Sketchbook

My black coiled writing notebook lies underneath my small drawing pad. Both can go anywhere with me. So far, I am focused on portraits. Eventually, I would like to do landscapes.

Saturday, December 16, 2017

Next Chapter in Creativity

To think, I used to dread drawing hair. Now there is volume and texture. Could it turn into part time vocation? Perhaps towards retirement.

After two whole years on a single production, my mind is opening up with new ideas again. I am hoping they will keep on growing.

In case you haven't noticed it, I have been writing quite frequently. It hasn't been that busy at work. So. I am practicing for the CBC creative nonfiction contest. I am writing anything and everything I could to keep the words flowing. I even submitted an animated short story idea.

During the coming holiday week, when I will be off, I hope to make a paper automaton of a carousel. I've worked it out roughly. I just need to execute it.

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Fan Art for Covers

Steeke Reeling (Posterized and Framed)
Steele Here, To Keep You Warm
I also sketched cover art to go with the fan fiction I've been writing for Remington Steele. While I am mind-mapping, I often make doodles to help me visualize the story. My pocket sketchbook is used for much more than portraits or just Star Trek characters. (See my rendition of Dr. Crusher.)

When it looks flat, as is most often the case when using my pencil stubs, I put it through light and filters to see the drawing in a different perspective.

Since I am quite new to composition, the small size of the sketchbook is making it easy to plan the picture. Scale is one of the things I am trying to work on.

Monday, November 13, 2017

More Sketches


This is a sketch of actress Stephanie Zimbalist as Laura Holt. It was done before the drawing previous post. It's taken from a scene in the second season episode Hounded Steele. The hat framed the face very effectively. There was a lot of bright sunlight. It's also one of the times I went straight to HB pencil.

Friday, October 27, 2017

Latest Sketches


I have been drawing lately to exercise my right ("lazy") eye. It helps to keep it focused on something. I've been watching Remington Steele on DVD. I have a bit of blind spot on my right side. So. It's always a challenge starting a new drawing. As I did a few of these already, I began to notice that Stephanie Zimbalist's left eye seemed bigger than her right. It wasn't just in my drawings. If I have to choose, I prefer exterior scenes, that last more than five frames.

Because I haven't scanned these, I found the light cast on it added depth that wasn't in the original drawing.

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My aspiration is to be better at telling stories. I only need a pencil and paper.