Illustration Friday - Pioneer

This pen drawing is roughly based on a photograph of Charles Darwin by Julia Margaret Cameron. The photograph is here. I was enchanted by the texture of his beard. I didn't use any pencil; I drew directly with pen and took my chances. Blue .05 Micron pen in a Canson Field Sketch book.

Both Darwin and Cameron were pioneers. I assume everyone knows of Darwin. Cameron (1815-1879) was a British aristocrat who took up photography the last 11 years of her life. She did portraits of many luminaries of her day, and her pictures influenced modern photography.

It's Snowing in Dallas!

Miracle of miracles. It is snowing in Dallas on December 24th. And it is starting to stick. We are hoping for a white Christmas. Here are some pictures of our house. OK, so this is nothing compared to what you get in more northerly climates, but for Dallas folks, it is a big deal. Kids are ecstatic, and grown ups feel like kids again. Happy holidays!

Illustration Friday - Undone

She's coming undone.

.05 Micron pen on Bienfang Graphics 360 100% Rag Translucent Marker Paper, with a touch of pink Prismacolor pencil. I love the paper--there is absolutely no bleeding.

Illustration Friday - Hatch

A new crop of babies arrives in the cabbage patch. Here is a close up of the baby:

Book Review: Sketch Book

Just finished reading Sketch Book: Conceptual Drawings from the World's Most Influential Designers by Timothy O'Donnell. The book profiles a number of different designers and shows pages from their sketch books. The focus is on graphic design, not illustration or fine art. The book is interesting in that the subjects use their sketch books as a thinking tool, not as objects of art. No pretty pictures here. I got the book from the library. I wouldn't buy it, but it is worth checking out from the library. It provides food for thought on how to make good use of a sketch book.