Sketchbook (The Unfunny Stuff)

Every once in a while I sit down and doodle up a few sketch cards. I buy the blank cards at my local art supply store, then get out some colored pencils and markers and have fun. No pressure. I just draw whatever I feel like. Some turn out, some don't. The ones that do I send to past clients...

To wind down after a busy day of work I started sketching one of my favorite TV characters, Colonel Potter from M*A*S*H. I liked how the sketch was turning out so I started adding in some grayscale washes. Before I knew it I was painting up a detailed value study. Although I still prefer to sketch cartoon characters and children's...

Lately I've been experimenting with a new self-promotion idea based on advice from two people: my friend and fellow artist Tim Hodge, and Marcia Hoeck, the consultant I hired last year. I bought some blank greeting cards at the art store and sometimes instead of sketching in my sketchbook I'll doodle something on one of the cards. If it turns...

Yesterday's warm-up sketch was a pseudo-caricature of the villainous Lee Marvin in the classic western "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". I decided to add some b&w washes and pretty soon I was experimenting with several painting techniques in Photoshop. The result is a bit overworked and contrasty, but if you can't make mistakes in your sketchbook where can you...

Last year I declared March to be "Sketchbook Month" and started an informal little blog challenge: a sketch every weekday for the entire month. Several other artists joined in and pretty soon we had a pretty good party going. With the new baby things are just too crazy for me to attempt it again this year, but I'm hoping next...