It has been months since I drew someone I saw out and about. My favorite subject is capturing a Moment in the life of……kind of thing. I could dedicate an entire blog to this as well. It would be the metaphorical love child of Garance Dore and the Satorialist.
I am a rogue Illustrator. I often madly take notes of each person I see using anything available at the time in my purse. I want to be able to capture them later. I have been known to surreptitiously snap shots with my IPhone to rememberwhat they are wearing. I really should carry my camera around with me and ask to take people’s photos. Like Lisa Warninger does in her blog Urban Weeds. Only mine would be illustrated Street Style. I could strike up a conversation with my subject and go from there. Then I might even be able to share a little bit about the people that catch my eye.
I came across this gal at Michael’s over the weekend. She was standing in line purchasing paint brushes and a sale pack of canvases. I wish I had talked to her, found out what she was creating. The site of her pink underlights and purple shoes laces was all it took. I finished my return, scribbled out the details and then went home to sketch her up.
Ha! I just renamed these posts Rogue Illustration. Here are my previous versions and there are more to come.
#7 To the Dogs, #6 Morning Prowl, #5 A Work in Progress, #4 My Morning Coffee, #3 Tatiana & #2 Knuckle Punch (Colored here), #1 Aarrghhhh (Colored/Pencil)
It must be that time of year. As the days begin to grow warmer the breeziness of spring in some way equates to stripes. Every blog I turn to seems to have them featured like Here and Here. Perhaps it is the youthfulness, the playful, carefree and chic promise they seem to make. Beckoning to an era past and promising adventures ahead.
So in that Vain here is my gal Ahoy Matey!
Don’t forget my other striped beauties Tatiana & Rockets Red Glare.
I am constantly striving to hone a method of illustrating that works best for me. I used to work with colored pencil. Then wanting a softer, blended look I began experimenting with watercolor. That just hasn’t seemed to work for me. My drawings became a hybrid-watercolor and pencil.
Then it all changed. This weekend I discovered markers. I know where have I been?……illustrating under a rock? To be more specific I discover Copic markers. After all Arturo Elena uses them. I think I am in heaven. I love color and they have plenty to choose from. This allows me all sorts of options for blending and shading.
With markers I found I could create the saturation I was after. It allowed me to be more precise in application and build up the color and create depth in shading. Now mind you I can often overwork a piece to death. I have not mastered subtly or the art of using negative/white space as Anna Kiper so perfectly illustrates in her book.
There is definitely more refining to do as I develop my technique further. I am still using a light flesh tone watercolor base for the skin and colored pencils with the blend tool for texture. I love the warm and cool grey tones and pale yellow for a touch of highlight.
Armed with my new find I revisited two of my early sketches Tatiana and Knuckle Punch bringing them color. I still have more practice to do on leather since negative space seems to be a key. Remember not my strong suit. But for a first go I am really pleased. I think I have finally found a medium to work in.
Images: DCT
DCTdesigns Creative Canvas 
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