Art: Deggi.

Deggi (watercolor on watercolor paper, 9x6"). From a live model. I painted with a minimal palette, using only the three primary colors: red (cadmium red light), blue (ultramarine), and yellow (cadmium yellow light).

Art: May Miscellany.

Some recent and random study work....



The painting on top of the corkboard is oil -- the rest are pencil and watercolor.

Yes, that is a Debbie Gibson trading card above the metal clip. And no, I will not sell it to you.

Art: Cecilia.

Cecilia [cropped] (Conte pencil on newsprint. 14x20"). Drawing from live model.



From a likeness perspective, one of my best drawings. However, my shading technique is rougher than I would like.

Art: After Frazetta.

With respect to art, a great method to develop your understanding and improve your technique is to try and reproduce the artwork of artists you admire. When I was younger, I rabidly consumed Conan comics and books. This act exposed me to the magnificent artwork of Frank Frazetta. Ergo....

Dancer From Atlantis, After Frazetta (Gouache and acrylic on watercolor paper, 10x14").

Art: Teresa.

Teresa (Conte pencil on newsprint. 7x18"). Drawing from live model.



The model's head was tilted back slightly. While I was able to capture that angle in her eye placement and the planes of her nose (ironically, the toughest part), I wasn't able to get the rest of the head to follow suit. I think that her chin needed to come out more.

Art: Misty.

Misty (Conte pencil on newsprint. 12x18"). Drawing from live model.

Art: Haley.

Haley (Conte pencil on newsprint. 18x24"). Drawing from live model.

Art: Meegin and Tori.

Meegin (Conte pencil on newsprint. 12x12"). Drawing from live model.



Tori (Conte pencil on newsprint. 12x12"). Drawing from live model.

Art: Lisa Leaning.

Lisa Leaning (Pen on paper, 8x7").

Art: Presidio.

Presidio, San Diego (pen and ink on watercolor paper, 10x9").

Art: Jury Duty.

Jury Duty (pencil on paper, 5x8"). Quick sketches done while waiting in the San Diego Hall of Justice jury lounge. The top three figures are potential jurors. The bottom two drawings were done from ads in the San Diego Reader.

Art: Nikki Standing.

Nikki Standing (Conte pencil on newsprint, 4x11"). Five minute quick sketch from live model.

Art: Sketch.

Sketch based on Re:vive Salon & Spa ad in San Diego Reader (graphite on paper, 4x6").

A Sunday Morning In San Diego.

After stringing together too many homebody weekends, Juliana and I decided to kick-start our Sunday morning by waking up at 8am and heading straight for Mission Beach. After that, the options were open.

All pictures were taken on Sunday, February 10, from 9am to noon.

The Sunday morning weather was absolutely spectacular. The temperature was perfect and the skies clear.

We started at Mission Beach. We parked at the southern-most tip and walked along the beach to the rollercoaster and back.

(halfway along our walk)


(me looking introspective in front of the lifeguard tower I had drawn a few years earlier)




We wanted coffee. I have a few favorite coffee shops in the area, but they get crazy busy on Sunday mornings. So instead, we headed to the less crowded Living Room coffee shop in Point Loma. It was fifteen minutes away, but it was a beautiful day and would make for a good drive. We put the windows down, slid back the sun-roof, and headed over. We had tasty coffee and breakfast as we ate it on the coffee shop's outside porch. Afterwards we talked about where to head. Since we were so close to the Point Loma vantage point, we continued on to get a view of the city.



We took the picture from the grounds of the serene and solumn Rosecrans Cemetery.



We headed down to Sunset Cliffs -- my first time there. It's a popular and challenging local surf spot.



(jules down the trail)


(block dots are surfers)




(Sunset Cliffs park)



(showed some people to give scale to the cliff size)


(railing that leads down to the rocky ledge base)


(other view of the descending staircase)


(surfer launching into the water)


While in France, we had an amazing mussel dish. We've been able to figure out the recipe. Since we were close to the Point Loma Seafood Company, we decided to stop by and pick up some mussels for dinner.



I love San Diego.