Drawing date with Tanya

Ninja January 4th, 2009

I’ve been sick the past two days, and my dear sister was kind enough to keep me company, make me a mean bowl of ramen, and watch chick flicks with me while I recuperated. In this photo, she’s sporting the piggy slippers and naturally, I’m in the penguin pjs with the panda slippers.

Well, today, I’m feeling almost 100%, and I finally got around to finishing Tanya’s birthday present! And just in time for our drawing date.

Much thanks to Kimmy for her TLC and to Tanya for giving me the honor of drawing her!

Happy Halloween

Ninja October 31st, 2008

Occasionally, I get some drawing in during my lunch breaks. Happy Halloween!

Female skull

Male skull

Love and treats,
Ninja

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Tags: Graphite

I’m nuts about you!

Ninja August 13th, 2008

It’s been a while since I’ve done a personal process post, and what better motivation than my very own Penguin! Penguin was having a crummy day, so I thought I’d make him a cheesy painting to cheer him up.

Materials used
+ sheet of letter-sized laser printer paper
+ 9 x 12 inch pine panel
+ HB mechanical pencil, 2B, 6B pencils
+ white gesso
+ Payne’s Grey acrylic paint
+ Raphaël Kolinsky Red Sable Extra Pointed Round, Series 8408, no. 3
+ 150 grit sandpaper

I start off with a very rough sketch on some scrap paper to get the basic form down.

I then flip the sheet of scrap paper over, and rub a 6B pencil on the back.

I place the paper onto my pine panel, sketch side up, and trace the form with my mechanical pencil. This will transfer the sketch onto my wood panel.

It’s pretty faint, but good enough to get started.

With my 2B pencil, I add detail to my little squirrel.

Then I add some gesso to brighten the highlights and give the surface area some tooth.

Another layer of gesso and a little more 2B pencil work.

Repeat. Add more gesso and more 2B pencil.

I got so into it, that I forgot to step back and take a look at it. Bleh, there’s too much grey and the tail looks all muddied and overworked. The texture gets lost. Time to simplify.

Besides adding a great one-off pattern, another nice thing about working with wood is the ability to sand off your mistakes.

I felt that I needed to distance myself from using the pencil for mark-making. It was a little too easy and fast. I didn’t want to overdo it again, so I switched to my brush and did the fur with acrylic paint (Payne’s Grey blends very well with the pencil line work). I also added some fur highlights with the gesso.

I went back with my 6B pencil to add specs of shadow in the fur and write the cheestastic line at the bottom. I know the position of the type is a bit off, but I like the weight and flow of the script as it is. I’m afraid that if I sand it off, I would not be able to duplicate my efforts.

Happy drawing and happy hump day,
Ninja ~__^

Illustration , Posts by Ninja , Process , Tutorials
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Taiwan-bound. Be back 7-20-2008!

Ninja July 3rd, 2008

I’m taking a break from NvP + I’ll be back on the 20th!

Kit Kat Chunky photo from Wikimedia

I’ve been feeling so scatterbrained lately.

I’m going to be traveling to Taiwan to teach English. So in the past couple weeks, I’ve been trying to cram 2.5 weeks worth of work in, in addition to my regular work load. Bleh. I also managed to stuff 2.5 weeks worth of clothes (plus toiletries + 2 spare pairs of shoes) into a 22″ suitcase, so really anything is possible.

Before I say farewell, here’s a sneak peek at a painting I’m working on. It’s a detail of antlers from the underdrawing. Since then, the drawing has grown + has a fresh coat of gesso on it.

See you soon!

Cheers,
Ninja

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Tags: Break, Graphite, Process, Taiwan

Posts by Ninja , Process , Thoughts
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Dream 4: Blue in Green

Ninja June 20th, 2008

My dream started off with me hitting a few simple notes on the piano. Then I realized that I was playing Gershwin’s Sleepless Night. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. Amazing!

After I finished playing that piece, the room got darker and sank. I started to feel this glowing warmth in my chest, and it spread through my veins to the rest of my body. I felt like I was floating. My fingers effortlessly found their way back to the keys. I felt a strange tingling sensation in my back. Small lumps were forming and growing larger with each breath. And then I sprouted extra arms!! @___@ What’s a girl to do?! Play Blue in Green, of course!

Yawn, sweet dreams,

Ninja

Illustration , Posts by Ninja , Process
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Dream 3: The wood nymph

Ninja June 6th, 2008

Right about now, you might be wondering where is this wood nymph that the title suggests. Is she invisible? Is she hiding? Nope, I just didn’t draw her yet (it took a long time to even get this far in my drawing process). But imagine if you will, a small wood nymph sitting on that large mushroom’s edge watering the buttercups.

Oy, this whole drawing one dream a week isn’t really working out. =/ But I’m going to still try to stick it through! In the meantime, enjoy this detail of fungi growing on a tree.

A bit of a let down, I know.

Humble apologies & sweet dreams,
Ninja

Dream 1: Myxomatosis

Ninja May 23rd, 2008

This dream occurred years ago, but it left a lasting impression. I don’t remember what events that could have happened to inspire this bunny-man dream. Maybe I had a bad day at work. Perhaps I read the Philip Larkin poem before heading off to bed.

In my dream, there was a young bunny. He was so cute, bright-eyed, and bushy-tailed. During his trip home, he somehow transformed into an adult bunny sporting a business suit complete with a classic Windsor-knotted tie. Once he arrived at his tiny hole of a home, he realized that he had grown far too large to enter. He clawed at the dirt and snow in vain.

Then he screamed and cried.

There are a few transition panels missing. There should be a panel of his bunny hole and then some more panels of his furry hands digging.

I hope you liked my little dream! Next week, I will either add the panels or showcase a new dream. It really depends on my workload and if I get the opportunity to draw.

Until next Friday, sweet dreams!
– Ninja