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.

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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.

NOT A DOODLE: Coffee!

A detail from a piece I just finished for a digital article on the In Touch website. Goes live in January 2018.

NOT A DOODLE:’Nother Portrait, or Perfect Imperfections

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not implying my painting is perfect. In fact, I think that part of the joy of painting is knowing you will NEVER be perfect, but pursuing perfection anyway.

No, the title of this post refers to the beauty of watercolor washes. No crisp, clean lines. No smooth, solid fields of color. There are always blemishes. Always unpredictable interactions with the paper. Always imperfections.

And that makes it perfect.

(By the way, this one is for the March-April 2017 issue of In Touch magazine.)

Illustration is copyrighted ©In Touch Ministries. Used with permission.

DOODLE PROJECT: What?- Page 8

NOT DOODLES: Last portraits… I promise… for this year, at least.

My latest set of contributor portraits for the magazine. The lady in the middle is also a co-worker, so I felt added pressure to nail it for fear she would ambush me ninja-style in the break room if I got it wrong.

All images copyright ©In Touch Ministries.

Business Monkey Monkey Business

We live in a sad, sad world when even innocent paycheck envelopes aren’t immune to doodlization!

Of Mascots and Melees

Awhile back, I was contacted by a guy who said he was interested in having me redesign the mascot for a sports talk radio show. I haven’t heard back from him, so I guess they lost interest. It reminded me of my early days when I did a lot of college mascot work for merchandising companies and universities, though, and how much I enjoyed that kind of work.

It wasn’t the sports aspect (I’m not exactly what you’d call a huge fan of any team or sport), but the fun things I got to draw the characters doing. Lots of action and cartoon violence kinda stuff. You know, the kind where anvils, being tied to train tracks, and things marked “ACME” come into play quite often.

So- now that my doodling pen is fired up for some sports mascot action but has been put on standby- what’s a guy to do????