"Robot Manflower." 8x8 ink and watercolor. New discovery: Noodlers 54th Massachusetts Ink (watered down) works incredibly well for painting shadows/value before the watercolor. Watercolor does not disturb that ink! Drawn with a Pilot Custom 743 EF with De Atramentis Document Ink Black.
I never imagined I could capture so much emotion in an eye—especially on just my second attempt. This piece came to life through intuition more than technique. The values, the shadows, the highlights… they felt like they found their place on their own. Maybe emotion, light, and shadow have always spoken to me—I just finally listened.
Against the weight of a storm-dark sky, tender stems lean forward—some bending, some breaking, some still reaching.
They hold their fire at the tips, waiting to bloom, waiting to burn, waiting to belong to light.
Perhaps this is all of us:
stretching through shadows,
searching for the thin, golden line that divides earth from eternity.
Crosshatching was used to build up the shadows. It's probably my favourite drawing technique. Works best with pen and ink. This is the cover image for one of my children's picture books.
Definitely doodling---This is my first mandela and it ranged from great fun to great frustration. It ended up a little "waby swaby," but I suppose that's in keeping. It's 12 inches across with 32 points. Drawn with a micron pen, then colored in markers (in whatever colors I happened to have) and has colored pencil shadows. I scanned it into PhotoShop and played with altering colors. Made a green one for my green-crazy friend and a subdued desaturated one for myself. It's quite printable on my oversized color laser printer---so ill be a fun "social distancing" poster gift for my friends. Each one with a personal color range.
In this captivating cross-hatched pencil shading, a tranquil village scene comes to life. The intricate strokes create a harmonious blend of light and shadow, showcasing the serene beauty of rural life. Thatched roofs, winding pathways, and towering trees are meticulously detailed, inviting viewers to step into the peaceful simplicity of village existence. The gentle interplay of shades and textures evokes a sense of nostalgia and calm, capturing the essence of a timeless village story.
"Monochrome Serenity: Candles, Blooms, and Foliage" is an exquisite black and white charcoal artwork that captures the tranquil essence of its subjects. The subtle interplay of shadows and highlights accentuates the delicate beauty of flickering candles, graceful flowers, and lush plant life. This piece evokes a sense of calm and harmony, allowing the viewer to find peace in its serene simplicity.
Pipe Wrench — 16×20, graphite & acrylic accents
The next addition to my growing Tool Series. # 6
A classic pipe wrench rendered with tight line work, layered shading, and subtle grit that brings out every ridge and tooth. I leaned into the industrial personality of the tool—solid, heavy, built for work—and let the shadows do the storytelling. It’s a tribute to the objects that shaped my childhood and still live on in my shop today.
So I wanted to play with lights and shadows with this piece. (sorry I literally could not figure out how to set post it straight and I tried all I could think of, it didn's work out. Please if you have the same problem and you know how to solve it tell me, thank you).
Wanted to try out something different with art styles and experimenting with utilizing light and shadows.
If you guys have any tips or suggestions on practicing lighting and shadows, please let me know.
Trying to make sharp shadows without having everything blend toghether. My goal is to convey the warm, pinkish sunlight on the first day of spring, and light is not something i have given enough care to earlier. Removing colors from a photography is an effective way to get an idea of how sharp shadows actually are!
To help pass time and keep my creativity at the front of my brain, I keep a half sheet handy and challenge myself to fill the page with lines, shapes and shadows before the shift is over. Never a theme planned I let the pen take me on its own adventure. I’m just a passenger.
The Tool Bench marks my 50th canvas—completed exactly one year to the day after I finished my very first one. This piece is a tribute to work, memory, and the quiet corners where both creativity and responsibility live.
Drawn entirely freehand, it’s built like a snapshot of a lived-in workspace: mismatched tools, worn wood, scribbled reminders, and the little personal things that actually make a place yours. The clipboard holds a “Honey-Do” list that never seems to end. The Polaroid-style sketch of my wife sits taped to the wall like a reminder of why the work matters. The shadows on the back wall match the tools lying on the bench—suggesting a moment in progress, a task paused, life happening between motions.
