Tag Archives: drawing

My Nephew Goes Wading

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The week after our wedding, we hiked to Sabino Dam with the family that remained in town. It’s kind of a long walk for little kids, but I promised them they’d like it when we got there, and they did. It’s only a very small amount of water spilling over, at least most of the year, but it forms a lovely wading pool, and there are even little patches of white sand here and there among the rocks, so you can pretend it’s actually the beach.

My nephlings were delighted. The baby went pantsless, the middle child rolled his cuffs all the way up and walked carefully, but the big one just jumped in wearing jeans. To me, that would have been very unpleasant (and walking back in wet jeans? Ug!) but he was deliriously happy up until they told him it was time to leave. I love the attitude captured in this drawing. He is so enraptured, and he is so uninterested in anything besides his own joy.

noah

It’s a rough little image, but I guess he’s a rough little guy.

I like learning about the interplay of light and shadow, as well as the anatomy I pick up as I go. Wonder what other people think of this. Does it need more detail or does this picture tell the whole story?

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Dragon Comics 10

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You keep on using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

You keep on using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Good news! I was able to complete 3 comics over the weekend, so I’m going to try to update 3 times a week for the foreseeable future, with an end goal of eventually having the ability to deliver dailies. This is dependent on whether I can deliver dailies and make progress on the graphic novel. Time will tell. But I’m pretty confident that I can stick to this schedule, and actually get far enough ahead that I don’t miss any days if I have an off week or go on vacation someplace without electricity. Plus, I’m really happy that my hand lettering is improving. I know I could just type the text, but I love hand lettering and would rather do it myself, even though it’s less than perfect.

In further good news, I had dinner with the real life Fox and Otter and made sure that they knew how much I really love them both. Fox said, “In all the years you’ve known me (about 8) I’ve never had a boyfriend.” I said, “I’m fine with you having a boyfriend. I’d just like you to have a boyfriend somewhere in the vicinity of where I am.”

What else? This comic is based on a real life conversation I had with the Man. I can never tell if he’s serious, but apparently he felt left out because his comic persona was not invited to the fictional comic drawing party. Well, now you can all suffer through enjoy a week’s worth of the Man. Because he spends the most time with Dragon.

3-Dimensional Dragons

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If Cox took all the energy they direct into trying to sell me cable and long distance for 2 devices I don’t even own and devoted it to maintaining the network that renders the device I do own fully functional, this post would not be so late.

For your Friday pleasure, please browse an assortment of 3D dragons, I models with my own little hands.

Dragon number 1 sprung forth into existence some 2 or 3 years ago when a game-maker friend mentioned that 4 little lumps of clay were reserved for the construction of a dragon figurine to be used in a game she had created. I took control of the project and came up with this handsome fellow, Perhaps his details are a little rough, but he’s only 1 inch high, and my hands aren’t that small.

Screen Shot 2014-09-05 at 12.46.30 AM

It took 4 shots to encompass all his adorable qualities.

It took 4 shots to encompass all his adorable qualities.

Next on our list we have a rather old dragon. In 1993, student teaching at a private elementary school for hippie children with rich grandparents, I came across a lump of dried clay, in which I couldn’t help but see the whorls and angles of a dragon’s face. The principal told me that I was wasting my time, that the lump would crumble, that it was too thick to ever be fired. I ignored him and coaxed this friendly face into the world.

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A rather serene dragon, with only a little chip missing from his horn.

Finally, completing our triumvirate of dragons, a dragon pendant I made in 2006 while playing with my ex-boyfriend’s daughter.

Of course, the fuchsia fellow on the right is actually a cat, not a dragon, but he came into existence at the same time as the dragon, and they are the best of friends and go everywhere together.

Of course, the fuchsia fellow on the right is actually a cat, not a dragon, but he came into existence at the same time as the dragon, and they are the best of friends and go everywhere together.

Wait, what’s that you say? You want a hardworking bubblegum punk mandala before you go. BAM. Enjoy.

Pentagram mandala is in the house!

Pentagram mandala is in the house!

In case you wondered what Dragon is up to, Dragon is doing well, thanks! I already have one comic for next week, and if I finish a second one this weekend, maybe I’ll try to create them on a M-W-F schedule.

Dragon Comics 9

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I apologize in advance to any splendid otters who may just randomly stumble upon this comic strip, and also potentially any foxes even though obviously any similarity of these characters to any people/animals/mythical creatures, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Clearly, drawing a comic that is really only a thinly veiled depiction of ones friends and family could be a very dangerous pastime, unless all of ones friends and family have a really great sense of humor. Which, of course, mine do. But still. Purely coincidental.

I drew that otter around 1 a.m., looked at it, and then laughed for about 10 minutes straight.

I drew that otter around 1 a.m., looked at it, and then laughed for about 10 minutes straight.

I definitely do not know any large, muscular, barrel-chested otters. That would be utterly ridiculous.

Dragon Comics 7

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Three cheers for insomnia! Weirding up my world since 1977. This is the comic that Dragon deserves, but not the one that Dragon needs. 

Is this a webcomic? Everything is confusing when your brain forgets to power down once in a while.

Is this a webcomic? Everything is confusing when your brain forgets to power down once in a while.

Truthfully, silencing my demons is a full time job. This comic is OK. The lettering is influenced by my lack of sleep. Sorry about that first word bubble. Too tired to see straight. If only someone would buy some T-shirts, I might have more time to write better comics. 

Painting with Thick Pixels

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Quite a few digital artists whose work I admire post drawings in this sort of hasty style, comprised of thick brushstrokes, almost a modern kind of impressionism. At the Grand Canyon, I couldn’t help but think it might be easier to render all those strata of rock using a technique like this, but even with all the shortcuts I took, the Grand Canyon is not an easy thing to capture. 

Sorry I couldn't do you justice, majestic view. You're kind of close to being something like what I meant to draw.

Sorry I couldn’t do you justice, majestic view. You’re kind of close to being something like what I meant to draw.

I worked on this one for about three hours or so, then realized it was after midnight and I needed to upload it regardless, then realized that at some point in the process, I had completely ruined the bottom part of the sky, which I had been pretty pleased with to start. So then I tried to draw over it and fix it. Needless to say, the results were not as good. Ah, well.

Overall, it’s not a bad drawing. The Grand Canyon just has so many colors. Not to mention all the layers. And rocks. And trees. Perhaps I will attempt this technique with a less complicated image. 

 

Dragon Comics 6

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And I am only escaped to bring thee this webcomic.

From now until eternity, everyone who enters that cave will enjoy the gift of glitter.

From now until eternity, everyone who enters that cave will enjoy the gift of glitter.

The persistence of glitter and dragon’s identity issues notwithstanding, how much more magical could it get? This comic seemed to take a very long time to draw. I don’t know if it’s because I tried a few new things, or because I drew  it while coming out of stomach bug and finished it after a night of insomnia. Per usual, I’m pretty satisfied, although I of course still see a bunch of things that could be improved. But I can get better with practice.

OK, I Lied

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I didn’t anticipate that my Dragon Comics would get so much positive feedback, so now it feels like I ought to keep drawing them, even if I can’t do dailies. Two a week should be possible, maybe on a Tuesday/Thursday schedule. There are already a half dozen ideas floating around my brain, so all I really need is the time each week to draw them. Anyway, I went to a party last night, and almost everyone there had read at least one, and they all seemed to love them, and my 9-year-old stepdaughter read them and said they were funny, and she doesn’t lie.

So, in the spirit of whatever it is that I do, I took one of the panels and turned it into a T-shirt (phone case, notecard, pillow, tote bag, etc.). If people are interested, I can do more. Obviously, I need to draw more Dragon Comics first. But here is a T-shirt featuring a hilarious panel that will really confuse people.

 

If this doesn't provide you with hipster cred, I don't know what will. You can proudly state that you liked Dragon before anyone else.

If this doesn’t provide you with hipster cred, I don’t know what will. You can proudly state that you liked Dragon before anyone else.

If you’re coming in late, we’ve got a dragon, roasting a chicken, by hand, while murdering a snake, with fire. “I can get better with practice,” the dragon says. The dragon is talking about killing snakes. It’s all very philosophical, I promise you. Anyway, go on and buy a T-shirt if the mood strikes you.

Here’s a better view of the image, which may very well turn you off to the whole thing, but that’s life. In the words of Gahan Wilson, “I paint what I see.”

As good as it gets, really.

As good as it gets, really.

We can all get better with practice, amirite?

What are you doing, Dragon? Part 3

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Just to set the record straight, nobody bullies me about art. I am a grownup with an MFA in creative writing. If someone steps to me, I eviscerate them with my razor sharp intellect and sesquipedalian vocabulary. Trolls don’t know what hit them. The snake represents my own crippling sense of self-doubt.

Set up, conflict, resolution. That's what it's all about, kids.

Set up, conflict, resolution, denouement. That’s what it’s all about, kids.

There’s at least 2 more of these, maybe more. But I’ll still post a mandala this week just in case anyone’s here for mandalas.