"It's a great meditation practice", I totally agree.

 

Thanks - Yes it is, but after this current book is finished, I want to try some loose watercolors and inks. After a while, this type of work begins to feel very rigid and stifling to me. I suppose balance is key!

 

Cmralphart, I feel your pain. I've been sketching for over 40 years (don't want to give up my age) and can only copy subjects on paper. Although I don't transfer images by tracing or with gadgets, the end product doesn't stray too far from the original. I am not artisticly talented so I don't know how to compose a drawing straight out of thin air. After many years, I accepted "it is what it is" and stop struggling. I am a hobbyist and not in any sense, an artist. You obviously is an artist just by looking at your creative pieces. Can't wait to see your watercolor and ink.

 

ALL professional and non-professional artists that I know, including myself, use reference materials of one kind or another. None of us just conjures it out of thin air. I'm 68 and have been illustrating in pen and ink for over 50 years, and I ALWAYS illustrate using some form of reference. So, please do not think you are any different from any other working artist. I'd love to see some of your work someday!
Take care!

 

Cmralphart, thanks for your encouragement. I posted the below graphite drawing on this forum when I first joined. I also included a color pencil one that I have not posted. I do human portrait drawings too but dogs don't object to me posting their face on the web.

 

Amazing work, very well rendered. Great job on both drawings! Is the dog in the black and white graphite drawing blind in the right eye? I ask because the dissimilar reflection and darkness of that eye pulls my attention to it. Your handling of the animal's fur texture is impeccable. This is really where pencil shines over pen, in my opinion, as the better medium in the rendering of fur and feathers. Often, I will mix graphite with my ink drawings in order to achieve a softer result - see attached closeup of a tiger's eye. The eye was done in graphite, with the rest being done in pen. - Also - a wonderful graphite artist I follow is Jono Dry - if you've not seen any of his posts on YouTube I highly recommend him.

 

Wow, beautiful artwork. The original one must be more impressive. Photo or scan usually don't do justice and this photo looks impressive though. I do know about Jono Dry and his artwork. His ultra realistic pieces are amazing and what he can do with just graphite and related material. About my graphite drawing of the dog. No, he's not blind but he has different color eyes being that the right one is lighter. He is a mixture of Australian Shepherd and other unknown breed. His owner told me people mistaken him as a coyote. Thank you for pointing that out. You have sharp eyes. I did a drawing of an Australian Shepherd and the owner wanted me to draw only her left side. The owner felt her left eye is more common to that breed and not the brown eye on her right. The one I posted in this email was a work in progress. The owner has the finished piece. Thank you Cmralphart for chatting with me.

 

That is an incredible rendering - so full of energy and liveliness, that fully captures that particular breed of dog. So well done. I admire your skill very much.

 

So wonderfully depeicted!

 

Thank you for your encouragement. Coming from you is a compliment. I will keep working on my hobby and look forward to your watercolor and ink artwork.

 

I don't know what "kljnad uyad" posted has anything to do with art or artist. Please enlighten me, anyone.