Category: art

Video: Time lapse of “Cat”

This was fun to paint!

I used leaf green Holbein Artists’ gouache supplied in the November 2019 Sketchbox and a black ink 0.05 mm Graphik line maker from Derwent.

40-second time-lapse of my hand painting a black cat sitting at the center of a spot of light.

This was part of a Moebius series I did. See the other four.

Video: Time lapse of “Firecamp”

My first gouache painting and I absolutely loved doing it, and how it came out!

I used only 4 colors (of the five Holbein Artists’ gouache tubes supplied in the November 2019 Sketchbox): burnt sienna, yellow ochre, ivory black and prussian blue.

22-second timelapse of my hand painting with gouache a night desert scene where a group of people sit in a circle around a fire at the foot of a large dune, next to a camp of tents with a few camels.

This was part of a Moebius series I did. See the other four.

Drawvember 2019 Days 16-20

This five-day series is a tribute to illustrator extraordinaire Jean Giraud, aka Gir, or Moebius, who I discovered thanks to Virginie G. a few years ago when she convinced me to meet up with her in Toulon to see an exhibition of his work. Instant love!

Supersonic

Black ink drawing of a man flying, his arms straight alongside him, looking up. There are parallel straight and dotted lines at his waist down to indicate speed.

Lots of line work, using a ruler, for this soaring character.

Incantation

Black ink drawing of a plump robed character wearing a toque. He's standing up next to two very high-legged wingless birds with big eyes. His arm is raised and finger pointer.

I loved the mood of this comics strip. A chubby priest of sort casting a spell maybe, in a funny hat, with a couple long-legged chickens at his side. All of them somewhere in space perhaps, in a glass corridor? I used a black ink 0.05 mm Graphik line maker from Derwent, and black ink Pentel Brushpen for the large black areas.

Major (Fatal)

Black ink drawing of a tall thin man seen from the side, wearing a pointy helmet and carrying a leather back. His back is to the light and long parallel line stem from his feet and run throughout the artbook page and carry forward to the page opposite.

Another very recognisable character from Moebius, with his characteristic pointed hat, long slim figure and bag. I used a black ink 0.05 mm Graphik line maker from Derwent, and a ruler.

Firecamp

Gouache painting of a night desert scene where a group of people sit in circle around a fire at the foot of a large dune, next to tents and camels.

My first gouache painting and I absolutely loved doing it, and how it came out! I used some of the five Holbein Artists’ gouache tubes supplied in the November Sketchbox: burnt sienna, yellow ochre, ivory black and prussian blue.

(Watch the 22-second time lapse)

Cat

Black ink and gouache painting of a cat sitting at the center of a circle of light.

Mix of black ink 0.05 mm Graphik line maker from Derwent and leaf green Holbein Artists’ gouache tube supplied in the November Sketchbox.

(Watch the 40-second time lapse)

Drawvember 2019 Days 11-15

This series focuses on Japanese men warriors.

Sugegasa

Warm grey ink drawing of a man seen from the side. He wears a Sugegasa (conical straw hat) and holds a sword at his side with both hands.

Sugegasa (conical straw hat).

I used a few warm grey PITT artist brush pens from Faber-Castell, and my black ink Pentel Brushpen.

Zen

Thick black strokes to draw a young man in cross-legged position, arms folded, head bent and his sword propped between his shoulder and arms. There is a large black rectangle as background.

Young man in cross-legged position, arms folded, head bent and his sword propped between his shoulder and arms.

I used a black ink Pentel Brushpen without drawing a sketch first.

Sword

Thick broad black strokes create movement around a young man with long black hair wielding a sword.

I didn’t like how this one turned out 🙁

I painted directly black ink strokes with a coarse brush to create movement, and then added detail with a black ink Pentel Brushpen.

Duel

Think black lines depicting two dueling samurais seen from above. One wears a Sugegasa (conical straw hat) and has his sword in front of him, while the other is about to unsheath his.

Dueling samurais seen from above.

I used a black ink 0.05 mm Graphik line maker from Derwent.

I’m not very good at hatching and cross-hatching, but if I ignore that aspect, I like how this one came out.

Musashi vs. Denshichirō at the Rengeōin

Black and grey ink drawing of a two samurai fighting with swords on the railing of a wooden deck by a temple near vegetation. One just missed the other who jumped high above the railing and whose sword is ready to strike.

This is how I imagine the duel between Musashi and Denshichirō at the Rengeōin (from the Eiji Yoshikawa novels). I really enjoyed doing this piece and love love love how it turned out.

I used black ink 0.05 mm Graphik line maker from Derwent, a grey ink brush pen from Kuretake, and black ink Pentel Brushpen.