Sigh. Next page is done except for cleanup and scanning, and I'm very proud of it. But I'm in grading Hell and don't want to take the two hours to run to MCAD and scan, so just to keep on posting schedule, here's the next week of Inktober. These will be old news to those who are with me on Facebook or Twitter, but I hope they give some pleasure anyway.
Day 15:
From the Surrealist Cowgirls, our old friend the floating whale mule Whalliam. I never get tired of drawing him, and this is iconic- the classic "HI" word balloon (he communicates by thinking one word at a time, always with a period, remember?), him floating on an abstract landscape, and the sun wearing shades, smiling down on him.
I miss the Cowgirls. It's been too long since I had a new story for them. Such a joy to create them!
Day 16:
A friend's labradoodle, from photo reference.
On this and the above drawing, I did minimal cleanup. I liked the energy of the pencil marks, and the paper texture showing through on the image. These were just shots from my phone, not scans. I like the immediacy, though I would not take them to print for any major project.
Day 17:
When I was a wee tad, there was a Beatles cartoon series. MY mother didn't trust the Beatles' music until this series made them seem more innocuous, so the cartoon was my road in to my lifelong love of the Fab Four.
TV Guide ran an article on the series, including full figure illustrations of each of the boys. I copied those like crazy! I got particularly good at George, but decided to revisit John for this round.
Another quick sketchbook work with minimal cleanup. Just revisiting a childhood drawing joy.
Day 18:
I seldom do anything remotely resembling technical SF drawing. I like some of it, but it's just not where my strength lies. But since Inktober is about pushing yourself, and I had been diving into a re-viewing of the Battlestar Galactica remake, I decided it was Cylon time.
Still quick, but I spent a little more time on this one. I love all the curvilinear aspects of the design. It's harsh and smooth at the same time. A bit more cleanup on this one too.
I sure got some mileage out of that small sketchbook this month!
Day 19:
I had a request to draw "a Seuss bird."
I spent some time enjoying vintage Seuss art and applied my own style to it.
Everything got curvy and soft in this one. Aside from a straightedge to draw the post, no mechanical tools at all. Another quick thing that was just fun to draw. I did a fair amount of cleanup on this one.
While my regular work is serious, bordering on grave, at times, I do get such joy from doing simple subjects.
Day 20:
Okay, very happy with this one!
I was getting irritated with me. I like the fast and loose drawings I'd been doing, but felt the need for something more... involved.
This is my interpretation of Jaeger from Carla Speed MacNeil's great work Finder.
Mostly a straight copy, but I did take a few small liberties to make it my own. More time on this one, with lots of cleanup and care.
Carla is doing a Patreon now, I guess. I just met her the one time, and found her vibrant and eager to share her work. When the funds are there, I will honor her Patreon and a couple others that are on my radar.
Day 21:
Another straight copy, this time the wonderful Neil the Horse from Katherine Collins!
Just cutting loose a bit. Pencils not removed.
As noted on the Rosa illustration previously posted, there's a misconception that funny animal books are somehow simple. Nothing could be less true. It takes a special technique to pull this stuff off, and Katherine is a master. I haven't talked with her for a couple years. Based on the Afterword in her Neil the Horse collection from Hermes Press (sadly, color covers not included), she went through a bit of a rough patch, but has endured.
Next: the new page, at last!
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