Not A Doodle: Sketching the Sudan

Two thumbnails from a project I’m currently working on. The intent is to capture a travel journal feel by employing loose pencils and watercolor washes, with mood being more important than detail.

NOT A DOODLE: A Portrait of a Different Color… and Style

 

Was asked to take a different approach with this portrait. It’s going to be for an interview featured on the digital version of the In Touch magazine, and they wanted it to have a discernible technique difference from the portraits I do of the contributors for the printed version. So I thought “what the heck, have fun with it”.

Fun was indeed had. And they liked the end result. I was very pleased with the palette and the texture of the brushwork (hence the reason I included a detail of the finished piece). Hope to do some more in this style.

Images are copyright ©In Touch Ministries. Used with permission.

DOODLE: This Ain’t Your Mickey Mouse Mouse King

I was sitting in my car, waiting to pick up my daughter from rehearsal where her ballet company is preparing to present their annual performances of “The Nutcracker”. (They do an incredible, professional-level job of it- massive sets; beautiful, intricately-crafted costumes; and incredibly talented dancers.)

So, naturally, with some minutes to kill, I begin doodling. I doodled the Mouse King. A homicidal, rage-fueled maniac of a Mouse King.

I realize now why they’ve never asked me to design the costumes for their production.

 

NOT A DOODLE: Baby Elephant Bye-bye

 

A co-worker of mine is moving all the way across the stinkin’ country. She loves elephants, so I did this piece for her as our creative department’s way of saying ‘farewell’. I wanted to capture a field journal type of mood, so I kept the pencil work somewhat loose and the watercolor washes simple and monochromatic.

MEETING DOODLE: Punk Pig

Long morning meeting about next year’s corporate theme and strategy. It doesn’t involve a punk pig… but maybe it should. In fact, I think ALL corporate themes and strategies for next year should involve punk pigs.

Major international auto makers? Punk pig.

Political campaigns? Punk pig.

Local funeral home advertisements? That’s right. PUNK. PIG.

NOT A DOODLE: Let it bee.

One of my recent pieces for an online article on the In Touch Ministries website (with a closeup to enjoy all the lovely texture, of course).

Images are copyrighted ©In Touch Ministries. Used with permission.

EXPERIMENTAL DOODLE: My Right-Hand Man

You’ll have to excuse this particular doodle’s giddiness. You see, he’s a right-hand doodle, and long ago, due to an egregious clerical error, he was placed in the brain of a left-handed doodler. So, he’s been languishing in my brain for quite a long time, certain that he would never actually be doodled.

But, on this day, I chose to experiment by drawing with my right hand. Aaaaand… voila! So, understandably, he’s a little on the elated side this morning.

(On a side note, obviously my right hand can’t doodle proper footwear, so happy boy here will have to settle for wads of squiggles vaguely in the form of feet.)

NOT DOODLES: Portraits! Pointillism! Pens!

I realize I’ve been very lax about posting things here on my blog lately, so I’m going to try to remedy that. Here’s the latest portraits I did for the upcoming July 2018 issue of In Touch Magazine.

All images copyrighted © In Touch Ministries. Used with permission.

NAPKIN DOODLE: Dinnertime Animal Totem!

Trying to enjoy a good meal with my family, when this guy insists on crawling out of my pen onto my napkin.

NOT DOODLES: Any Questions?

 

Every month, I’ve been tasked with illustrating a question mark for an online article series entitled “The Ministry of Asking Questions”. It’s been a fun challenge approaching the same symbol from different angles each time.

All images are copyrighted ©In Touch Ministries. Used by permission.