Monday, December 28, 2009

Just Doodles



I've been forgetting to just sit down and "just draw anything". I guess that's what people used to talk about back in my early days before college. People had this cliche' that if you become a professional and take money for your work then you're selling out . I needed to make money !
So I'm selling out. At least I can draw and paint everyday. I don't have any important social statement to make that can't be said in plain English. But I do like to draw. Right now I'm just trying to save some of that energy to use on non- work related things.
The Shrek Book is almost finished but it's like the sprint before the end of the race. It always seems to be the hardest.
-Larry

Monday, December 21, 2009

coffee house sketches




Coffee houses were my favorite places to draw people. Cafeterias are good too. People tend to sit still for at least ten seconds. Since I don't drink coffee or eat in cafeterias much I don't do this very often anymore. Cafe Trieste in San Francisco's North Beach is a favorite even though I Live in L.A. I guess coffee houses are better than restaurants because there's no dinner plates to take up room. These were done in a Moleskine 4X6 sketchbook with my favorite "Fude no Pen" by Pentel. It's the short one that you stick in your pocket. I think these should display at actual size . maybe a little bigger.
-Larry

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Graphite in Sketchbook



I just adjusted my drawing table to be at a comfortable height. I've never found the perfect table but the old cast iron base table I have in the studio is classic and simple. Since it's an Iron pedestal you can scoot right up to the edge with out banging you knees into any table legs.
Norman Rockwell had this exact table base but he used it as a huge palette.
Although I do most of my professional work on the computer using photoshop 4 and some Painter 11 I still want to have traditional equipment in the studio. It can get crowded in here .
Oh yeah, the drawing . Fifteen minutes of graphite on hard Aquabee sketch book. I've been using aquabee for years now. Mainly because they are real sturdy and the paper can take a lot .
Maybe not the best for inking with brush but not bad either. It's cold press.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

15 minute painter



Another experiment using Painter 11. Just starting to get comfortable with Painter 11.
The pencil tool seems to be a little more versatile which is what most of the drawing is made up with. The Acrylic brush seems easier to control. I used it on some of the face. I don't know if it's just me getting used to the tool or if it's the painter upgrade. It does seem to respond better through out. Nothing exciting -just testing out the program again before I have to get to work on some advertising illustration then some book Illustration after that.
-Larry

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Holiday Card 2009


Well , I've been cranking away on that Shrek book at night and weekends and Advertising work most days. Work seems to bottle-neck close to the end of the year. I have to force myself to do more sketches!
In the meantime here's a higher resolution image of this year's Holiday Card at 150dpi for printing out.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah , Joyous Kwanzaa, cheery Boxing day , wonderful Winter solstice, Raucous Rose bowl Parade, and Happy Birthday Beethoven!
-Larry

Monday, December 7, 2009

Harajuku scribbles





I've been delinquent on the drawing every night. I spend too much time working.
So here are a couple of real quick sketches from the crowded streets of the Harajuku area in Tokyo. A camera gets it faster because everyone moves too quickly to get in more than a couple of lines. Of course this is from earlier this year. I have to find the pen I used on these because the ink is like india ink and I know it was a disposable pen . These aren't the most interesting people there but that was an extremely crowded time and there are enough costumed Japanese kids were whizzing about to make your head spin. It would be great to just set up a spot there and draw people all day long. 東京がだいすき!