Day 1 of Artist Challenge – Portraits/Characters: My First Love

Self-portrait study – 1994

Self-caricature sketch – 1994

As I move forward to rework my portfolio, I am looking at the art I naturally enjoy doing. I ask the question, “What naturally comes out of me?”

I look back on the sketches I enjoyed doing back in college and a favorite subject to draw was people. I drew my friends, my teachers, myself.

Portraits – drawing people – was where I started. I drew my first self portrait when I was in Elementary School. I took my sketchbook to museum visits and LOVED the attention I received from others when they saw me, stating, “Oh, look at the cute little artist!”

No wonder, then… I look at the illustrations I enjoy doing most, and it all has to do with CHARACTER. I love developing a character on the page. And portraits/caricatures are the purest exploration of character. I love the challenge of visually expressing personality on the page.

And this passion has not only limited itself to art for me. I was heavily into acting in high school, and when I write I have a strong character focus (I love writing dialog!).

Attaching a few character studies from my college days, here! Enjoy!

Professor Cintron at CIA – portrait class sitting

Chris, my roommate – study

John Laporte

Rich Sandy

Teachers from CIA – doodles

Min Koo

Tony Schmidt

FIRST”Mini” Assignment for Lilla Rogers “Make Art That Sells (MAPS)” E-Course

I’m participating in Lilla Rogers MAPS Assignment Bootcamp this year and am VERY excited about it! This week began the 6-month journey I’ll be taking to create fresh art for my portfolio. Here are my sketches for the first day of the “Mini” assignment. Next week I’ll be doing something with these sketches – but Lilla is keeping it a mystery from her students until then.

I really got carried away with this one, but I couldn’t help it. Started out as a butterfly, and ended up as a Fairy Queen!

Our Mini assignment was to draw Edwardian Brooches. I kinda got carried away with some of my sketching. I don’t know what we’ll be doing with these sketches, so I’m letting myself get carried away with them. I normally don’t get detailed with my sketches, so this was a stretch for me… and I must say, the process of drawing inspirations based on this topic was becoming meditative (like mandala drawing).

Had fun with this one as well – a seahorse. I might go in and rework the “crown”, but thought I’d just go with where my pencil was taking me.

My first page of sketches.

Second page of sketches. And decided to try a big one, nearly filling up the page.

Third page of sketches. Had to try a cross, and then started to get a bit goofy with some of the sketches.

Trying a mandala-like design, and focusing in on some real detail.