Some updated sketches (April 2012)

I just started doing more work in my sketchbook. Been too long since I did some sketches in just pen. It feels good man!

The first 2 pieces are of a strange venture into doing unusual fantasy/scifi/don't know what the hell to call it art.  Then it's a woman with short hair. Still not sure what to make of that one as well. Then the last piece is a random one just thrown in that I did of an actress, Felicia Day.

poor woman....she has a case of bad lip fillers

This guy again?

UPDATE: Here's the final illustration of the sketch below. I'm pleased with it considering it was an experiment in photoshop for me. I don't paint often in black and white so it was fun! I originally had a red burned graffiti on the back wall behind the person of the Russian Flag during WW2 (hammer and sickle) but it distracted too much from the main focus so I removed it.

So, I watched another film that this actor in it, albeit older (10-12 years older), and inspired again to sketch a portrait from that film.

It really is a great film called "The Inner Circle". Kind of offbeat, but a very good psychological look into the mindset of the Russian people during the reign of Joseph Stalin and WWII, through the eyes of Stalin's personal projectionist, Ivan Sanchin (original name was changed for the film) as he was accepted into the inner circle of Stalin's government. It's hard to find as a film but the characters are worth the watch.

I will be taking this sketch and painting it eventually. I am thinking of going much darker with it, with heavy lighting and bold contrast and a minimal color palette. I want it to be depressing. :p

First version without background:

Is it Christmas?!

I've lost all sense of time since I started working on this painting. I forgot it was Christmas Eve! I decided to go ahead and illustrate my sketch I did. I'm pleased with it for it being my first solid illustration in about six months. I know there are areas to be worked on but it's good to be drawing again!

Tom Hulce

After going on a Netflix binge for the last day, I was inspired to draw this actor who was a rising star in the 80's with a string of films including "Animal House", "Amadeus", "Parenthood", etc. I found his looks to be interesting and wanted to draw them. I settled on a photo of him during his "Animal House" days when he would have been around 25-27.

I may paint it out. I'm not sure yet.

Practice

I decided to take a few photos of myself to practice facial drawing.

This is the first one I've finished a sketch in. It's actually kind of fun to draw yourself as a model! :-p

                                                                   "Worried" Digital Sketch.

New Illustration Site!

I've officially registered and am in the process of building a professional illustration site that showcases my portfolio and current projects!

Check it out if you want! :)

http://jillianashley.squarespace.com/

Sketchie Update 1

Here's an updated version of my portrait piece I'm currently working on. So far, I've overlayed the sketch with a medium brown base color, that I've been subtracting in order to create the values of where it will be lighter and darker when I add the colors on top and keep building the layers up for the portrait.

It will be different. Hmm.