INKvember #1!

INKvember #1: Gravity's Angel (redux)
9x12 technical pen on Stonehenge paper

Yeah, I know: 'INKvember' is sooo creative. But! - it's a continuation of INKtober, so why not?

I'm not after daily drawings this month; my goal is to create a handful of polished drawings. Subject matter will cover Brainsick, Legacy, KriMauTai, and more.

This is the look I need to continue developing. I love having pieces I can work on over the course of a few or several days. Something to unwind with after working retail!

For inspiration, I referred to Sergio Toppi's incomparable Sharaz-De: Tales from the Arabian Nights. I wanted to play with composition and negative space.

Original INKtober concepts.

Desk setup, plus Toppi's Sharaz-De.

Stippling: my former artsy arch-nemesis is now one of my greatest stress-reducers.

Original version followed by digitally-altered variations.

INKtober 2015, Day 31, Drawing 2!

INKtober 2015, Day 31 (2): Crimson Flare
5x7 Derwent Inktense and acrylic ink on watercolor paper

Derwent Inktense sketch compared to sketchbook page from last year.

Inktense lines with water added; acrylic ink for blood.

Drawn while listening to the following songs:

"After" - Moby
"Nothing's Impossible" - Depeche Mode
"Ode to the Bouncer" - Studio Killers (hahawhat)
"The Prisoner" - Tears For Fears
"Lost" - Haujobb
"The Dead of Night" - Depeche Mode
"Replicas" - Tubeway Army
"Lonely Soul" - UNKLE

Another experiment with Derwent Inktense and acrylic ink. The paper is made by Cottonwood Arts. I discovered the brand while browsing Muse Art & Design in inner SE Portland. I also picked up their D1 sketchbook; can't wait to begin working in it!

That's a wrap for INKtober 2015. But keep your eyes peeled; the ink won't stop here!

INktober 2015, Day 31, Drawing 1!

INktober 2015, Day 31 (1): Sire of Deception
5x7 acrylic ink on watercolor paper

Drawn while listening to "No Home Without Its Sire." and "Subway" by Peter Murphy, and "Self-Deception" by De/Vision.

I don't use 'sire' to misgender Anne. As my good friend Robert observed, "Anne has grasped male prerogatives because men are often admired for that behavior." She exudes aggressive power and confidence.

INKtober 2015, Day 30!

INKtober 2015, Day 30: With These Words I Can See
6x9 acrylic ink on watercolor paper

Sketchbook draft and first pass inks.

First pass completed with a dip pen (513EF nib). No pencil sketch.

First pass inks compared to sketch page drawn October 28, 2010.

Final version before I darkened Finch's eyes.

Title borrowed from Pink Floyd's "Wearing the Inside Out" - one of Finch's theme songs.

Finch has a coloboma in his left pupil; it's supposed to appear larger than the right. Although genetic, his probably worsened after an accident he survived as a teenager.

INKtober 2015, Day 28, Drawing 2!

INKtober 2015, Day 28 (2): Withdraw
5x8 Derwent Inktense on watercolor paper

I don't often draw Lily in the surreal, exaggerated humanoid poses I use for Paranoid. Time to fix that!

Finally used up an old pad of watercolor paper with my last few INKtober drawings.

INKtober 2015, Day 28, Drawing 1!

INKtober 2015, Day 28 (1): Lily in Marker and Brush Pen
5x8 Prismacolor marker and Pentel Color Brush on watercolor paper

A simple sketch of Lily. Too similar to one of last year's drawings, but I still like how it turned out.

INKtober 2015, Day 25!

INKtober 2015, Day 25: Fight Prep
5x8 Derwent Inktense on cold-pressed watercolor paper

Rough sketch compared to character studies from July.

I love drawing Kritchpaw. Now I need to catch up for poor Maubork and Tailscuff!

INKtober 2015, Day 23, Drawing 3!

INKtober 2015, Day 23 (3): Gravity's Angel
5x8 Derwent Inktense and acrylic ink on cold-pressed watercolor paper

Sketchbook studies made to improve composition.

A companion piece of sorts to "Cleansed in Silence." I want to remake it with tighter composition; I'm thinking something inspired by the late great Sergio Toppi, whose work I just recently discovered.

Another drawing with a fairly extensive playlist:

"Gravity Eyelids" - Porcupine Tree
"Into Dust" - Mazzy Star
"Black Celebration" - Depeche Mode
"Bring Me Back A Dog" - IAMX
"Province" - TV On The Radio
"No Maker Made Me" - IAMX
"Angel" - Massive Attack
"Roll Call" - Peter Murphy
"Shake Me" - Matthew Dear
"Cold Warning" - Gary Numan
"I'm With Stupid" - Pet Shop Boys

INKtober 2015, Day 23, Drawing 2!

INKtober 2015, Day 23 (2): Cleansed in Silence
5x8 Derwent Inktense and acrylic ink on cold-pressed watercolor paper

A rough sketch that turned into a decent finished piece. I adore Derwent Inktense pencils, but I don't use them nearly as much as I should. Inktense pencils are water soluble ink pencils. You can use them dry, but they yield stunning, vibrant colors when used with water.

I like this piece because I approached it the same way I approach sketches: perfection doesn't matter.

The playlist for this drawing is as follows:

"Cold" - VNV Nation*
"Cold" - Tears For Fears
"Rain Falls Down" - Assemblage 23
"Cars (Hybrid Version)" - Gary Numan
"Enjoy the Silence" - Depeche Mode
"Legion (Janus)" - VNV Nation
"Complacent" - Assemblage 23
"Psychobabble" - Frou Frou
"Sleep Together" - Porcupine Tree*
"Enjoy" - Bjork*

* How appropriate that some of Anne's themes popped up. VNV Nation's "Cold" is one of the most prominent among them: All I am and all you see / Is all I will and ever be.

INKtober 2015, Day 23, Drawing 1!

INKtober 2015, Day 23 (1): Lily in Ink and Waterbrush
5x8 acrylic ink on cold-pressed watercolor paper

Something a little different: I used a Niji waterbrush dipped in ink to create this portrait of Lily. With more practice, I think I could make some nice line art!

INKtober 2015, Day 20, Drawing 2!

INKtober 2015, Day 20 (2): Lily sketch
5x8 brush and ink on cold-pressed watercolor paper

Quick sketch of Lily. Meant as a warm-up along with Rant, but they were the only two drawings I made that night. 

INKtober 2015, Day 20, Drawing 1!

INKtober 2015, Day 20 (1): Rant sketch
8x5 brush and ink on cold-pressed watercolor paper

Just what it says: a quick sketch of Rant. I don't draw him nearly enough!