2023, Ballpoint Pen on 5” x 8” (10” x 8” Double page spread) acid free Moleskine sketchbook paper, Adobe Photoshop. Based on a photo (by David Redfern/Getty Images) of the singer, songwriter and civil rights activist performing at the BBC Television Centre in London, January 1966. Last sketchbook piece for 2023. 2024 will be my last year on this platform - thank you all for appreciating and following my artistic progress.
I have been teaching myself stippling. This is a work in progress on a birch tree bark. I've always admired birches and have strong childhood connections with them. I am a keeper of some very fond memories of our summer house and three beautiful big birch trees in the yard. I could sit under them for hours: watching the delicate leaves dance in the summer breeze; watching them turn golden during autumn; feeling my way around on their uneven bark full of valleys and crevices.
This very small sketch/doodle, enlarged, inspired a six foot tall painting. The background on the painting is incomplete. I'm back at this work in progress based on this small image from a sketchsheet. This painting will appear at my solo show in Thunder Bay in a couple years.
Another progress photo for your viewing. Hopefully I'll have this finished soon, but I'm very much enjoying drawing this while listening to my records... (Feedback is very much welcome!)
Putting the painting of the newt aside for now.
It was not going as I hoped (see previous post)...I still have ideas but feel like I need to work on some things before progressing. Thinking it was the eyes, so decided to work on some studies. These creatures do have fascinating eyes!
I've been getting questions about how I create my art here, so I figured I would upload some progress pieces. Here's the first one! I was listening to the Westworld season 2 soundtrack which always makes me want to draw Harvey (for some reason). I wasn't really practicing anything in particular, just doodling. It was fun to just let my hand wander, though I think the sketch was much better than the inking I did.
Final Drawing. Progression drawing 7 of 7. This is an earlier drawing of a how-to video from Emmy Kalia. All credit to her. Link: https://youtu.be/80ewdDwAVk4
A quiet study of restraint at altitude. Framed through an aircraft window, the world below drifts by while the interior remains still—objects worn, familiar, and waiting. Subtle distortions in perspective and muted tones emphasize the tension between motion and pause, progress and endurance. This piece captures the discipline of waiting while suspended between departure and arrival, where patience is not passive, but practiced under pressure.
This is a scanned pencil sketch of a picture that I still want to work out. The whole thing is supposed to be a kind of fantasy landscape. The castle depicted does not have to be historically correct either. I will try to work it out in Procreate. It's a great programme, but unfortunately I'm not yet as proficient as I'd like to be ... As soon as there's any progress, I'll post it here!
Regards
Christian
Daily sketching is one of the best habits every artist should build.
The second important habit is sharing your work. It doesn't matter if it's a sketch, a work in progress, or finished artwork. Just share!
Meadhbh standing while clasping her forearm. Two drawing details along with two in-progress scans of my technique: red Bic pen layer first, then green layer and finally the yellow ink layer. Bic4 Ballpoint Pen on Archival 9” x 12” paper. Model: Meadhbh (Maeve).
This is a drawing I have been working on when I need to slow down and turn my brain off for a little while so it's taking quite a while to finish but I am always happy to see it progress that little bit further every time I sit down with it. This is from my A3 sketchbook, I used to stick to smaller A5 and A4 sizes but I am certainly appreciating the extra space with this drawing.
my first ever piece of art i sold was this piece, i think around 2012 when i started going into more illustrative based work. its great to look back and see the progression and level i have progressed. i remember thinking this was the best i could do but now if i did something on the same level i wouldnt be so happy. i got a lot of good feedback off this piece and do plan on recreating it one day :))...
Ink straight on Paper. Haven't drawn letters in a while, so there's more to come :) There's a short progress video on my Instagram if you are into stop motion magic fill ins haha