Sketchbook Update: Duck Dynasty

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Duck Dynstay "Si Robertson" sketch by Cedric Hohnstadt

Lately I’ve been enjoying A&E’s hit show Duck Dynasty. We “cut the cord” and dropped cable a couple of years ago but I recently caught some episodes in a hotel room and watched a few more on the show’s website. I think I’m hooked, and might have to pick up a season on DVD.

Normally I’m not much of a fan of “reality” TV shows but this one is different. I recently read an article that described Duck Dynasty as a reality show that feels almost like a sitcom, and I have to agree. There are colorful characters, sitcom-y storylines, and lots of funny zingers, all wrapped up in a wholesome family-friendly package. The main difference is that the characters appear to be real people more or less playing themselves. Despite their scruffy beards and redneck ways, for the most part you laugh with them rather than at them.

I know that “reality” TV is often an illusion, with lots of writers and producers orchestrating things behind the scenes. This is the first time, at least that I’ve noticed, that the two formulas of “reality TV” and “sitcom” have been blended so successfully.

The most popular character seems to be the eccentric, cranky-but-loveable Uncle Si. He never goes anywhere without his plastic tea glass, which was given to him by his mother when he left to serve in Vietnam. He is constantly saying “Hey!” and calling everybody Jack. How can you resist drawing a guy like that?

I’ve noticed Si is one of those people who “talks with his hands”, but often while keeping his elbows in. So I tried to incorporate that into the pose.

Sketchbook Update 4-19-12

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Col Potter Sketch

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 products, it feels good to go back to my fine art roots every once in a while.

The photo I was sketching can be found here. Total working time: Two hours.

Sketchbook Update 4-13-12

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Sketchcard - Superkid

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 out halfway decently I’ll mail it to a client or potential client with a personal note as a way to (I hope) stand out from all the other illustrators who’s work is flooding their desks. If I can time it with their birthday, bonus!

Last night while crunching on a deadline I had to force-restart my computer. While I waited for everything to boot back up I worked up this doodle. I really liked how it turned out, and since Tim’s birthday was this month I’ll be sending it to him as a way to say “Thanks” for turning me on to the idea.

Sketchbook Update: Lee Marvin

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Sketch of Lee Marvin from 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'

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 make them?

‘Valance’ is considered by many to be John Ford’s greatest western. There’s some big-name talent involved – it stars Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne, and it was Marvin’s breakout role. It’s also the movie where John Wayne started calling someone “Pilgrim”. It’s a decent flick with a powerful twist ending. Unfortunately the story is undermined by Marvin’s silly costume. He’d be a very threatening villain if he didn’t look like a prissy schoolboy playing cowboy dress-up. I kept expecting him to reach into his holster and pull out a lollipop. If you’re going to dress like that you’d better act tough. Still worth renting though.

I’m On USTREAM

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This rough sketch actually represents two new things for me: First, I’ve joined Ustream and have my own channel which I’m calling “SketchyCam Live!”. I started this drawing during tonight’s inaugural broadcast. I’m still experimenting with Ustream so it’s nothing fancy. Just me turning on the camera whenever the mood strikes, which hopefully will be at least once a week. There are still a lot of kinks to work out (audio problems for one) and I don’t have a formal schedule. But if you follow my studio on Facebook or Twitter you’ll see me announce whenever I’m flipping the camera on. Feel free to tune in and join the chat while I sketch.

Second, I thought I’d use this sketch to try a new coloring technique. Instead of going straight to color I painted the whole thing in grayscale and then laid some light color washes over the top. It’s an old painting technique that goes back hundreds of years but one that I haven’t dabbled in since college. One advantage of this method is that its much easier to figure out your value range (lights and darks) without color getting in the way. The danger is that either the colors will get muddy if you lay them in too lightly, or if you lay them in to opaquely they’ll completely obliterate the value scheme underneath. I’m sure there’s a way to avoid both problems in Photoshop which I just haven’t figured out yet. Either way its just refreshing to do something painterly for a change.

Sketchbook Month: Day 14

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Thought I’d try something a little different today for Sketchbook Month. I was thumbing through a drawing book by Andrew Loomis and was utterly amazed at what he was able to do with just a pencil and a little shading. I’ve also really enjoyed my friend Tim Hodge’s recent gorilla sketches. So I combined the two—I did a Google image search for “gorilla” and found this photo, and then tried to sketch it ala Loomis. Then I slapped in some color in Photoshop with a low-opacity brush to suggest a hint of watercolor. It made for a really fun break from the cartoony doodles I’ve been doing lately.