Ink study after Rembrandt

A short ink study I drew for practice the other week after a portrait by Rembrandt:

Portrait (after Rembrandt), ink 2011

From the Sketchbook - Start of a Frazetta study

Just drew this sketch as a start for another study of a painting by Frazetta. Tried to focus more on basic forms and less on details than usual (0.5 pen):

From the Sketchbook - Ink Drawing of A Hobbit (after Dixon)

A little study I drew with colored pens the other day (after Dixon):

From the Sketchbook - Frazetta master study

Yesterday I finished yet another study from a drawing by fantasy art grandmaster Frank Frazetta. It was another sketch for the Sketchstorm thread over at the ImagineFX forum.

(0.7 ink pen on standard office paper)

From the Sketchbook - Munch Master Study

The start of another master study I drew the other day for the Sketchstorm thread. The subject for Sketchstorm #77 was "Art movements - expressionism" and I decided to do a version of a painting by the Norwegian painter Edvard Munch (1863-1944), most famous for his painting "The scream".

I felt like trying colored pens for a change as I did my own take of his "The woodcutter":

My Sketchbook at ImagineFX Received Highest Rating!

I was both utterly surprised and very happy when I yesterday discovered that the Sketchbook I have at ImagineFX had received 5 stars (out of 5). Since it has now reached it's 19th page, it shows the entire process of learning and struggling with drawing since November last year. Hopefully it can inspire others to practice and explore this enriching hobby.

Just to give an idea of the journey so far, here is the very first and the very latest post in the thread. The first one was drawn with a mousepad (didn't have either a tablet or a scanner at the time) in Windows Paint and the second one with ink pen on paper.

Bear in mind though, that the first one was done entirely without reference, while the Iguazú waterfalls were drawn fram a photo.

I still think it's interesting to see that I have come so far during this year and yet... I haven't moved an inch. It's still trees, water and bold black lines.

Heartree (Digital sketch November 2008)

Iguazú Waterfalls (Ink pen sketch November 2009)

Sketch Of The Day - A Drum

Another Sketchstorm ink pen drawing. This time a little hand drum drawn from life:

Finished drawing - Pilgrimage: 2nd Step

Just finished drawing the 3rd step in my Pilgrimage series. Realized though, that I have only posted The 1st step so far. Here is the 2nd one, with the 3rd one soon to follow. This one was drawn with colored ink pens:

Pilgrimage: 2nd Step (2009)

Sketch of The Day - Wagon

Welcome to a new week here at Fantasytree. Yesterday it was Father's Day and my sons gave me the latest Dan Brown book, The lost symbol. Although not fantasy per se, his plots are usually imaginative and intricate. Really look forward to reading it.

Anyway, let's start this week the way most paintings are started, shall we? Today's sketch is another one for the Sketchstorm thread (do join in if you want to!) I'm running over at ImagineFX. This time the subject was a wagon. Here's an ink pen sketch from a painting by the illustrator Colbus.

Hope you'll all have a great week.

Sketch Of The Day - Gurney Master Study

Another sketch for the Sketchstorm thread. This time a master study of a detail from a painting by James Gurney. He is the great artist and teacher I mentioned recently. Drawn with an ink pen:

Sketch Of The Day - Real Life Gestures

Today's sketch is some real life gestures drawn for the Spartan Camp at ConceptArt.org. These are drawn with an ink pen.

As I explain in part 2 of my free drawing lessons, it's very good practice to draw quick sketches with a pen, since there is no way to erase mistakes. You also improve the confidence of your lines since you have to draw quick strokes. If not, unwanted "blobs" will immediately appear. I used to draw with a ballpoint pen, but have found that a pen with more flowing ink is more challenging to use (and therefore even better practice).

Looking for a challenging drawing subject? Draw children and animals from life. You're lucky if they keep the same pose for even a few seconds.

Sketch Of The Day - Great Wall of China

Another Sketchstorm drawing. This time it's an ink sketch of The Great Wall:

Would you like to improve your drawing the way I've improved mine? Make sure to check out the Free Fantasytree Drawing Lessons

Sketch Of The Day - Dream Theater Cover

Today's sketch is a quick one done with ink pen. It's from the cover to the Dream Theater album Train of Thought:

Sketch Of The Day - Animal anatomy

Some quick and simplified ink pen sketches of necks and heads of various animal skeletons. This is a practice that is suggested in the 5th part of the "Animal Anatomy" series by Marshall Vandruff that is currently running in the magazine ImagineFX. Part 5 of this 6-part series focuses on the anatomy of the neck and head. This series covers all aspects of animal anatomy and is much recommended for anyone interested in figurative drawing - that is drawing characters and creatures.

Sketch Of The Day - A Car In The Rain

Another inksketch for the Sketchstorm thread. This time a car in the rain, inspired by a scene in the movie "Jurassic Park" by Steven Spielberg:

A Car In The Rain (2009)

Sketch Of The Day - Gwyneth Paltrow

Another monday morning and a new week has arrived. Let's start it off with an ink sketch that I drew this weekend for the Sketchstorm thread at the ImagineFX site. It's the actress Gwyneth Paltrow, from the movie "Shakespeare in Love":

New Lesson Coming Up and Magic The Frazetta Way

First of all: Good News for all awaiting another free drawing lesson! I have now written a 3rd lesson AND drawn an additional basic step-by-step drawing exercise (first in a planned series) and have only some minor editing left before posting them. Hopefully the new free lesson will be available here already tomorrow. It will be an introduction for a new project: How to draw a fantasy beast or animal. Whatever you do, don't miss it as it among other things explains why future lessons are structured the way they are.

Apart from that, the latest Sketchstorm subject was "Magic". I decided to draw another Frazetta study, this time with an ink pen:

Sketch Of The Day - Catherine Zeta-Jones?

A pen sketch that was supposed to look like Catherine Zeta-Jones (from a scene in "Traffic") but that I managed to mess up along the way. Anyway, it was a fun challenge.

Sketch Of The Day - Sahara desert

Just another quick ballpoint sketch of a desert environment for the Sketchstorm thread over at the ImagineFX forum.

Sketch Of The Day - Geoff Taylor Castle Study

Starting off the new week with a ballpoint sketch from a marvellous Geoff Taylor book cover. I have seen and admired his art for a long time now, but not until today I found out who was the artist behind it. Can definitely recommend a visit to his website if you like jawdropping epic fantasy art - or wolves (not just the hunting ones, one of his paintings is actually of two cute, sleeping wolf cubs), another of Geoff's specialties. Equally impressive of course.

Anyway here's a study of a detail from one of his paintings: