Moly X-42: Jenn's "Favorite Animal" Moly

Finally finished Jenn's moly, and now it will be returning to her. I worked up the preliminary sketch back on January 3rd. A delicate inquiry on the MolyX-42 site was just the prodding I needed to finish up. I promised I'd get it done this weekend. Sometimes deadlines are good things.

A shot of the work in progress:



Link to the preliminary sketch where you can find all the proper photo credits: Vive le roi!

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The iPad

The tweentool for curating your cloud.

Announced this a.m., and it's been the talk o' the twitterverse since.

Some linkies to the more interesting bits:

First Apple

Pentagram's Five Ways the iPad Will Change Magazine Design

Louie del Carmen ...but can you draw on it. My own $.02 on this subject: If Adobe is paying attention, you might be able to draw on it very well.

An Engadget cost analysis here: iPad vs. iPhone

Bikehugger chimes in

Sleeping Betty—Beautiful Short

via Fish Hook Studio

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Not His First Time

This fella has appeared here before. This time he wanted to pose in profile.

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Dragon

This drawing is based on a Tony Law photo that appeared in the article "Made in China", National Geographic Magazine, June 2009.

The dragon's head is the top of a stopper—such wonderful detail on such a small object... love it!

I took some WIP snaps, but they were all terribly blurry. I'm still getting used to my "new" camera. Of course, when you see the photo preview on the tiny screen, it doesn't look half bad, and then you upload it and the ugly truth is revealed. I should have known something was up because the flash didn't flash, and this was taken in pretty low light.

The only photo that turn out half way decent was the one of the finished drawing (at least as finished as it's going to get).



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Illo Friday: Wilderness

Like me, these two need to get out a bit more and experience the real thing!

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Oh Well...

We had a good run of consecutive posts. I'm still determined to post (nearly) every day.

This weekend was the Chicago Boat Show. Somebody left it in the dryer too long because it has shrunk! This was the first time in a rather long time that I'd attended the show, but I was really surprised at how much smaller its become. There were a few really wonderful displays...a collection of classic wooden runabouts that could be viewed from above via a raised walkway. The love and attention put into restoring these boats was described on a placard next to each.

I spent quite a bit of time watching the waterdogs compete too. They were a scream! There were some owner/dog combos who were fit and trim for the competition and they put on a good show of proper commands, potential energy converting in a fuzzy explosion to kinetic energy, floating through the air stretched to reached the coveted toy, and culminating in a crowd pleasing splash and retrieval. I believe the winner jumped 24.5 feet!

And then there was the dachshund that thought it was a golden retriever. This little competitor quivered with all of the energy of the big dogs, ran the length of the platform with verve... and then slammed on the breaks before launching itself 4.5 feet out from the end of the platform to fetch its toy... too cute!

In between the boat show and a family dinner that evening, I had a bit of time to kill, so I found myself a cushy chair in the lounge area outside the Mix bar at the McCormick Hyatt and drew a bit. Here's a bit of the decor:





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Dive! Dive! Diver!

Not a lot of time to monkey around today, but I did this based on this photo posted on Flickr by Shaire Productions.

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Things That Are Beautiful

Bertelli Biciclette Assemblate, NYC

(via Coudal Partners)

Busy, Busy, Busy

With a nod and a wink to Tom Richmond's Dreaded Deadline Demon.

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Birdie

I'm happy with the birdie's head, but as I worked lower, the drawing went to caca. From this Flickr photo.

Crazy deadlines over the next two days for work, so I'm posting later than usual today. Keep your fingers crossed for me.


The Birds
by William Blake

He. Where thou dwellest, in what grove,
Tell me Fair One, tell me Love;
Where thou thy charming nest dost build,
O thou pride of every field!

She. Yonder stands a lonely tree,
There I live and mourn for thee;
Morning drinks my silent tear,
And evening winds my sorrow bear.

He. O thou summer's harmony,
I have liv'd and mourn'd for thee;
Each day I mourn along the wood,
And night hath heard my sorrows loud.

She. Dost thou truly long for me?
And am I thus sweet to thee?
Sorrow now is at an end,
O my Lover and my Friend!

He. Come, on wings of joy we'll fly
To where my bower hangs on high;
Come, and make thy calm retreat
Among green leaves and blossoms sweet.



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Illo Friday: Confined

For a person with small feet, mine sure are wide. I've never met a pair of sneakers that could confine my pinky toe for the duration of their use.

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A Special Birthday Wish

The usual cute puppies and kittens and heartfelt flowery cards just don't work for Erin. This is much more her style.

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Assisi Sketch

Saint Francis of Asssisi from Léon Benouville's "Saint Francis of Assisi, Carried Dying to Santa Maria degli Angelo, Blesses the City (1226)," 1853.

I recently acquired a coffee table book called The Musée D'Orsay by Alexandra Bonfante-Warren, Metro Books, NY 2008 Ed. Can't help but crack open a page or two and admire what I find there.

We are always learning, and sketching a piece like this is a particularly absorbing and wonderful lesson.

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Micronic Fan Doodle

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Awesome Video!

parkour motion reel from saggyarmpit on Vimeo.

Concept & Illustration: Serene Teh (a.k.a. saggyarmpit)

Post-Production: Noel Lee

Cheetah for Uncle Bobby

As promised...here's a cheetah. I drew this in my moleskine, so a close inspection will reveal the rules going right through. The photo I was drawing from was cropped to the back paws, so the tail should actually extend quite a bit farther. Le sigh...

It was a fun little drawing to do. I like the beasties :-D

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Micronic Liberty Doodle

Tip o' the hat to Sergio Aragones and his Mad Marginals. Those marginals were reason enough to pick up a copy of Mad Magazine.

A wee Micron doodle in the corner of my moly. They can't all be well executed...I'm just sayin'.

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MSP for January

For the Monthly Sketch Project based on the photo by Jennifer Rose which you can eyeball here.

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Illo Friday: Renewal

The first thing that popped into my mind—my renewed right to keep my little slice of Kenosha, WI for another year.

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Vive le roi!

After ruminating for a LONG time, and drawing a veritable menagerie of animals, I've finally centered my attention on the king of beasts for Jenn's "Favorite Animal" moleskine for MolyX-42. Focusing my attention on just one animal was tough, cuz I like them all! But the photo really inspired me on this one.

I'm working from a photo by Beverly Joubert that appeared on the conservation page in the January 2010 issue of National Geographic magazine. You can view the original photo here.

More information about the Big Cats Initiative.

Posting the rough might let the cat out of the bag (sorry... you know I just had to), but there are some compositional foibles here, and the final will have a bit more going on—I think... or maybe not... hmmmmm.

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What a Mess!

Let this be a lesson to you, girls and boys, watercolors, pencil, and wine do not mix well. In truth, I started with the watercolors instead of a sketch, and it went horribly wrong. The pencil was introduced to mend the damage, but it was too late. So why am I posting it, you wonder? Because it's all a part of the process... aaaaaaand, I'm going to attempt to post something every day in 2010.

BBC News was reporting the theft of Degas' "Les Choristes" New Year's Eve night, and since I was not looking forward to doing yet another sketch of a champagne glass to mark the new year, I opted for current events. My eighth grade social studies teacher might be proud...or not.

On a side note, or as an addendum to an earlier post, or as a bit of follow-up, or whatever, my first round of Christmas cards came back to me marked "No Such Recipient". Bummer. And the bigger bummer... this only happened after I'd sent another batch. I expect the return of the second batch any day now. D'oh!

Back on the topic of things I'd like to achieve/return to/experience/resolve: I'm determined to get back into cycling this year. Yep, that's all I've got. Hey something is better than nothing, right? Have you made any resolutions for 2010? Leave a comment... I'm looking for good ideas!

Anyhoo, I hope your 2010 is off to a good start!

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Happy...