Contest Winner!

WE'VE GOT A WINNER!
Shane "Seven" Sowell was the first to respond correctly to the challenge that I posted on last Friday's blog. As promised, I'll get crackin' on that fancy new original sketch for ya!
Shane's got some really fantastic work on his blog. Check it out here!

Marcus Cutler was the second person to weigh in with the correct answer to the challenge. The bragging rights go to Shane but I just can't bear to leave you hanging, Marcus. I'll work up a mighty fun original sketch for you too.
You've gotta check out Marcus' blog as well. Dynamite!

Thank you both for jumping in! I've already sent emails to both of you to work out the shipping details for the original sketches.

Larkshop Secrets... To create this colored version of the Frankenstein sketch I first scanned the sketch. After that I imported the scanned jpeg into Adobe Illustrator and vectorized the line work (using the "Detailed Illustration" setting). Once that was finished I simply selected a color for the lines, dropped in an orange background and added the word balloon and text.

Frankenstein - Win an original sketch!

Well as I've mentioned before, my excitement for the Halloween season has sparked my inspiration to dive right into all sorts of fun drawings. Here's the latest installment. I knocked this out in about 2 hours I think. I had a blast! When I was done with this drawing, Lauren said: "Great job, honey. How come he's dropping a flower?"
Which leads me to the contest...

Win an original sketch! Here's how!
Be the first person to leave a comment correctly identifying the significance of the flower. That's all you gotta do! So get out there and bone up on your Frankenstein history and win yourself an original drawing (I'll even pay for the postage). Have fun!

Larkshop Secrets... I sketched the original on 11"x14" smooth finish Strathmore Bristol Board with a Sanford Uni-Ball Micro pen. It sounds fancy but you can find it at an office supply store. I picked mine up at Staples. I just figured I'd be specific in case anyone would like to give this pen a try. I'm a big fan of it. Nice, even ink flow with a consistently thin line. It's great for working fast and loose.

Tools of the trade

I had a fun idea today. I'm going to start posting a little info at the end of my blogs about the tools I'm using in my work. I always find it very inspiring and helpful when other artists write about their process. I think most creative folks are interested in knowing exactly how a piece was accomplished. We love learning from each other!

So with that in mind, look for Larkshop Secrets at the end of my blog posts to read about how I accomplish each creation!

Larkshop Secrets...
I took the above photo with my digital camera. In Adobe Photoshop I cut out the background and added this flat charcoal gray. It was fun selecting items from my supply closet to include in the shot. The hardest part was editing my choices because I wanted to photograph everything! I'm like a kid in a candy store when it comes to art supplies.

Coffee Shop Extravaganza

Here are some more sketches from a few recent coffee shop visits. I get such a kick out of creating these. I hope you enjoy!

Self Doubt and the force that powers it...

I once heard the metaphor that when you squeeze an orange, the only thing that comes out is orange juice. It doesn't matter what tool is being used to do the squeezing or apply the pressure because the only thing inside the orange... is orange juice.

The same is true for us, as people. It does not matter what forces in our lives are applying the pressure to us. What matters is what we keep inside of us. When that pressure is applied to you, what comes out? Anger? Frustration? Resentment? Motivation? Peace? Love? What we keep inside of us will determine the answer, and that is a responsibility that we must each carry alone.

So maybe it's a boss, a spouse, money, a broken down car, a person who disrespects you, that nagging voice of self doubt. Whatever it is the only thing that matters is what we make an effort to keep inside of us. Because that is what will come out of us when life applies the pressure.

As a person with a long history of self doubt I have been a willing recipient of all things negative. But I can certainly tell you from personal experience that my life is exponentially better when I let go of that and keep positivity in my heart. That's not always easy and I often feel as though I'm fighting against my nature. But it's always worth it.

Do the whole world a favor and love yourself. We love you too and need you at your best!

"Caution" - for Illustration Friday

Here is my latest submission for www.illustrationfriday.com
The topic this week is "Caution".

"Hey bartender, who's that fox over there in the pink?"
Nothing about this illustration is autobiographical. I SWEAR! So please don't ask.

I had several ideas cooking for this week's topic when this one popped into my head. I loved it immediately and bounded with childlike glee toward the drawing table. I feel like this situation epitomizes the word 'caution'. Although, admitting that probably reveals more about me than you needed to know!

Anyhoo, here's the original sketch and the colored version which I completed in Photoshop.

P.S.
www.illustrationfriday.com is a website that posts topics each week for artists from around the world to interpret, illustrate and post.

Nocturnal Buddies

As I mentioned in my blog last Thursday (the mummy illustration) I've got quite the hankerin' to create some Halloween themed drawings. I know it's early but I simply can't help myself.

So here's 13 bats. When I got the bright idea and inspiration to do a collection of 13 bats I whipped out the first 5 or 6 at lightning speed. All of a sudden I hit a wall. I mean after all, how many new and different poses can you really imagine for a bat? Looking at these all finished now the solutions seem so obvious. At the time though I was sweatin'!

I hope you dig it!

100 Sketches for 100 Posts!

This is my 100th blog post!
I thought it would be fun to celebrate the occasion by doing a special drawing in keeping with the "100" theme. So last night I took my sketching supplies to a local coffee shop and created this piece.

Here are 100 sketches! These are all done on a single sheet of 9x12 paper. I sketched in ink and did touch ups with colored pencil, marker and brush pen. this was all done in one sitting and took about 2 hours and 20 minutes for an average of 1.4 minutes per sketch.

As I look back I realize that I began with a fixed idea about what this would be but it completely transformed on me as I got into it. For example, I was about 55 sketches into it when I realized that I didn't have to stick to only drawing what I saw. That's when I let loose and started doodling from my imagination as well. Also, I began to notice and draw more details like hands, ears, objects, etc.

If you're an artist reading this and you haven't given something like this a try, go for it! It really focuses your observations and forces you to draw continuously without over-thinking or constantly editing yourself. It's a great exercise and lots of fun.

I hope you dig it!

"Wrapped" - for Illustration Friday... and the REMIX!

Here is my latest submission for www.illustrationfriday.com
The topic this week is "Wrapped".

With autumn fast approaching I just couldn't help myself. This week's topic was just begging for me to indulge my eager and anxious enthusiasm for Halloween.
Now of course, Pandora's box is wide open and I've got a super duper hankering to draw all sorts of Halloween goodies. I'll definitely be posting those up as I knock 'em out. In the meantime, enjoy this creepy little mummy! I sketched him directly in ink (no pencil preliminary drawing) using a Sanford Uni-Ball Micro pen. I buy them by the dozen from any office supply store. I love 'em.

I'm also posting the remix! I scanned my ink drawing and punched it up in Photoshop.
Hope you dig it!

P.S.
www.illustrationfriday.com is a website that posts topics each week for artists from around the world to interpret, illustrate and post.

My greatest unsolved dilemma

Here's a sketch from the ol' archive. I did this one back in January while I was at a Chinese festival. I definitely see some errors in this with the scale of the figures in relationship to their distance from the viewer. But alas, it was a fun sketch and I enjoyed making it.

Here's my dilemma though. My attendance at this festival was much like my experience in many social outings. As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, I am compulsive about observing things and wanting to sketch them. As a result I have this never ending internal battle between an intense need to draw and artistically record my life and a desire to put down the pen and get more involved in it.

Being an artist and observer unfortunately carries with it a certain amount of detachment. If I'm going to draw or paint a scene, I can't be in it, living it. Yet, I really want to be. So I have to choose. On the one hand I don't want to miss an opportunity to capture this fleeting life with the talents that I am fortunate enough to possess. On the other hand I feel that I am missing a lot by watching and drawing versus getting involved and living.

I keep remembering the commentary of George Carlin (my favorite comedian). He made the blistering point that people running around constantly recording their experiences with cameras and all other manner of technology are missing the whole point: to actually be there, experience it and take it in! Maybe the fact that I'm creating something makes me a little more involved. Still, I can't help but feel that while I'm creating the drawings and paintings of my life, I am simultaneously missing it.

It's a riddle I have yet to solve.

Compulsive

If you're an artist you know this feeling well.
You're hanging out at any sort of social gathering but you can't get your brain to stop observing your environment and thinking of ways to sketch it. This happens to me often. I'm constantly drawing subjects that go completely unnoticed by non-artists. Light poles, fire hydrants, mail boxes, etc. I love to record these things because it serves as great reference and retroactive practice when these things come up in illustrations later.

Also (and here's the thing about me that is so deeply and unshakably true), I see so much beauty in the things all around me. I can stare for hours at the most mundane things because I see so much in them. I see shapes and structure, shadow and light. I see clues for new and interesting ways to mix color. I see how I would exaggerate it, push it and pull the beauty out of it and onto paper or canvas in a way that would make everyone else see the same beauty that I see.

Many times I have looked down a litter strewn, densely urban alley and marveled at it. The layers and composition entrance me. I see the fire escape, the dumpster, the garbage, the puddle, the brick, the concrete, the wires, the grease. I see it all, place my hands up to frame it and then imagine a watercolor painting with the same color intensity of a John Singer Sargent. It's beautiful and I want to draw it all.

Well here are a few of these types of sketches. I was hanging out at a social gathering and all I could focus on was the view of the "mundane" through the window. I excused myself and did what any self respecting artist must do...

Summertime Sketching

Here are some sketches from a few evening trips to a coffee shop. Summer is such a great time to go sketching in public. People are out and about every night of the week!

Shark week continues...

As Shark Week on The Discovery channel nears it's end here is the final color version of my first Hammerhead Shark sketch. My favorite part of working on this one was the background elements with the silhouettes of the little fish. I think it added a nice touch and helps establish a environment for the Hammerhead.

Lunch and kisses with Elmo

I had lunch today with my good buddy Brian and his son, Oliver. I was feeling inspired to sketch a little something on a napkin. I asked Oliver what I should draw. Oliver delivered a classic, silent, childlike stare which pretty much told me I was on my own figuring that one out.
Brian said "He loves Elmo." It turns out Oliver had some of his Elmo trinkets with him so I didn't have to try too hard to remember what the furry little fella looked like.

I whipped up this fun little sketch and gave it to Brian who presented it to his son. That's when the most delightfully unexpected thing happened. Oliver began to kiss the drawing! Brian told me that he kisses Elmo whenever he sees him. Then Brian set the napkin on the table and Oliver bent down to deliver another smooch! It was adorable!

I took a few shots of Oliver givin' Elmo some love (I'll pretend that it was a compliment to my art). What a nice treat and a lovingly sweet glimpse back into childhood.

Shark Week - Day 3!

Here's yesterday's Hammerhead Shark sketch all polished up and colored in Adobe Illustrator. This was a lot of fun and I had a great time creating a stylized background for it.

Hey Dominique - "Bite, Bite, Arr, Arr!" - my deepest apologies for sharing this inside joke on such a public forum but I know my brother will appreciate it!

It's almost midnight so I'm swimming off to bed now. Gotta dream up more cool sharks to illustrate.
'night!

Shark Week - Day 2!

Shark Week continues on The Discovery Channel and here's more fun with Hammerheads!

The ocean has plenty of cool lookin' species of sharks roaming around in it but I just can't resist another sketch of this exotic fella here. The Hammerhead is so completely unique and I wanted to draw a view of it that we don't often see. So here he is, dead on, coming straight at ya!

Shark Week!

Oooooh yesss! Shark week kicks off today on the Discovery Channel. A full week of wall to wall shark focused television shows.

C'mon now. If you've got a pulse then you have to agree that this is quite possibly one of the coolest things that TV has to offer. If I had to make one argument to stay indoors during the summer, this would be it. Don't even try to tell me that whenever you visit an aquarium you're not secretly or (not so secretly) giddy, excited and anxious as a kid on Christmas Eve to see the sharks. Sharks are cool. They're just plain cool. In fact, I think I want to send a message out to all people with any measure of insecurity in their bones. Be like a shark. Just find a way. Because therein lies the path to coolness.

Here's a fun little Hammerhead sketch to kick of Shark Week. I'll be coloring it and finishing it up in Adobe Illustrator. I'll post that up as soon as it's ready!
Enjoy!

Most Sincerely Yours,
Hammerhead Lark