Nick and Steph Draw

Nick - bird, drawn 3/17/09

2009-03-18T21:04:00.000-07:00

Nick - flower, drawn 3/15/09

2009-03-17T21:25:00.000-07:00

Nick - leaves and things - drawn on 3/11

2009-03-12T21:30:00.001-07:00

Nick - Lawrence - drawn on 3/10

2009-03-12T21:28:00.000-07:00

He says this makes him look like a cartoon - as if that's bad??

My first effort at an actual person, so cut me some slack, dammit. At least I sort of got the shape of his head right, somewhat.

Nick - calendar bird 2 - drawn on 2/17

2009-03-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

I'm back! Things have been a bit hectic with full time work (for now) and school (finishing in December), so haven't been posting as often as I should. Not meant to be an excuse, though - as my favorite sister said, even 15 minutes a day is better than nothing. So here goes...

I drew this the day after the last bird - but just getting around to posting now.

Steph -- 3/12/09 -- At War comic critiquing sectarianism

2009-03-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

Steph -- 3/10/09 -- two versions of a shooting

2009-03-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Steph -- 3/7/09 -- four versions of face

2009-03-07T15:48:00.000-08:00

Excessively insane overly-crosshatched style, mini-crosshatching and squiggles style, shaded, and noir styles.

Steph -- 3/7/09 -- two versions of killer

2009-03-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 3/3/09 -- cartoon about krill

2009-03-03T18:24:00.000-08:00

This was inspired by a column that the brilliant Derrick Jensen is writing.

Steph -- 3/3/09 -- fixed cartoon

2009-03-03T18:22:00.000-08:00

This looks better now, thanks to the encouragement of Garrincha!

Steph -- 2/28/09 -- guys with clip board and marketing plans

2009-02-28T16:58:00.000-08:00

As part of my "daily" (ahem) drawings, I want to make one political cartoon a week. Since Minimum Security became a character-based strip, I haven't really been expressing the editorial cartoon side of my brain. When I try to fit it into MS, it doesn't work that well or fit with the narrative. So I'll go back to my old single-panel style that I used for a while years ago.

Steph -- 2/28/09 -- Mrs. Johnson knitting in color

2009-02-28T16:57:00.000-08:00

Here she is in a different pen, and in color.

Steph -- 2/28/09 -- Mrs. Johnson knitting in her house

2009-02-28T16:54:00.000-08:00

First I tried drawing Mrs. Johnson, a character for a children's book, with a brush pen. The line looked too thick to me.

Steph -- 2/27/09 -- Mrs. Johnson knitting

2009-02-27T16:43:00.000-08:00

January Summary

2009-02-22T19:39:00.000-08:00

Nick drew on 5 of 31 days. He owes Stephanie $26!!!

Stephanie drew on 7 of 31 days. She owes Nick $24!!

I'm not counting multiple drawings in a single day, but days during which drawing of any quantity occurred.

We're not doing so well! Let's get back on track, favorite brother of mine!

By the way, I love the newest ones, the bird and the road with the fence. Very pretty!

Nick - 2/15/09 - calendar bird

2009-02-16T21:46:00.000-08:00

Nick - 2/3/09 - copy of a photograph

2009-02-16T21:45:00.000-08:00

Nick - 1/19/09 - Plant in dining room

2009-02-16T21:44:00.000-08:00

Nick - 1/10/09 - Ceramic coin holder

2009-02-16T21:42:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 2/10/09 -- boy and frog conversation, part 2

2009-02-11T19:36:00.001-08:00

Steph -- 2/10/09 -- boy

2009-02-11T19:36:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 2/10/09 -- boy and frog conversation

2009-02-10T19:35:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 2/10/09 -- Bunnista, manga style

2009-02-10T19:33:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 2/10/09 -- monster reading poetry

2009-02-10T19:32:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 2/6/09 -- women, frog, birds, bugs, monsters

2009-02-06T19:30:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 1/30/09 -- building in France

2009-01-30T19:29:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 1/30/09 -- building in France

2009-01-30T19:21:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 1/30/09 -- weird couple

2009-01-30T19:20:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 1/14/09 -- frogs

2009-01-14T19:19:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 1/12/09 -- cows, carrots, kitty

2009-01-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 1/10/09 -- dog

2009-01-10T19:14:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 1/9/09 -- bears, loquats, squirrel, frog

2009-01-09T17:41:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 1/8/09 -- humans running, falling and dying plus tapir

2009-01-08T17:39:00.000-08:00

I've missed a couple of days already. Sigh.

Nick - Jan 7, 2009

2009-01-07T22:15:00.001-08:00

Nick - Maker's Mark, Jan. 6, 2009

2009-01-07T22:03:00.000-08:00

I can barely tell them apart.

Steph -- 1/6/09 -- mushrooms, bug and caterpillar

2009-01-06T17:37:00.000-08:00

Nick - 1/3/09

2009-01-04T14:50:00.000-08:00

Mmmmm.... wine..... sacralicious.......

Nick - 12/29/08 Plant

2009-01-04T14:49:00.000-08:00

A potted succulent in my dining room.

Nick - 12/28/08 elephant

2009-01-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

1st drawing after returning to my home in California. Switched to pencil.

Nick - 12/25/08

2009-01-04T14:40:00.000-08:00

OK, this day was completely frustrating. I was trying to do something a bit too complex for me at this point, and after 3 wadded up messes, took Stephanie's advice to focus on a small decorative detail in a wall.

Nick - 12/24/08

2009-01-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

Didn't know chairs had such wavy lines, did you?

A river? A path? Take your pick. But I sort of like the mountainy thing in the middle.

Smoking man (for incense).

Nick - 12/23/08

2009-01-04T14:35:00.001-08:00

Mom's backyard - 12/22/08

2009-01-04T13:48:00.000-08:00

Remnants of the brunch in my mom's backyard, where we hatched our idea (that was probably explained by the cup of coffee above, which may have been my 3rd or 4th cup). That explains a lot of things in my life.

These were all done in pen, which I use for plans, but not for drawings so much unless I'm tracing pencilwork. So don't have a lot of confidence using pen yet, and the lines are very 'sketchy'. I think I need to switch to pencil so I can correct as I go.

Backyard of our mom's house, on vacation during Christmas week.

palm frond

2009-01-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd start small, and focus on a palm frond waving about 10 feet away from where Stephanie and I were sitting. Sort of looks like a palm frond, no? Don't answer that.

I'm finally here!

2009-01-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late in getting started with this - there's a bit of trepidation on my part that once I start, there's a commitment to continue (duh) . Oh yeah, and the hesitation to display my crappy and pathetic attempts at drawing to the world (well, the world meaning the two or three people who might discover this along the way).

I'm a landscape architecture student who can draw a mean plan, but never had the ability to sketch with any authority. For about the last 2 years, I've been telling myself that I just need to do it - everyone starts somewhere, and if I just chip away at it a bit everyday and PRACTICE, I'll get better. With only one year to go before school's done for me and I start looking for jobs, it's a skill I need to have.

And what better way to practice than to make a pact with my favorite sister (MFS) to do a drawing every day? Any day we don't complete our assignment, we owe each other $1. So far, about 13 days after we thought about this, I think I owe her about $6. Hopefully, I'll finish the year with her owing me more than I owe her. Of course, if she owes me money, I won't make her pay it because that's the kind of wonderful, understanding sibling I am. I'm just saying. Hear that, Stephanie?

Please, be kind - no snarky comments. It's not news to me that my drawings suck at this point, so I don't need anyone to tell me that. But creating this blog allows MFS and I to practice in a way that forces us to show each other what we're doing - even if I hang my head in shame. Who knows? Maybe in a year, I'll be able to draw a landscape worthy of Chip Sullivan (look him up if you don't know - I have a text book filled with his excellent drawings).

So... on with it!

Steph -- 1/4/09 -- more character studies

2009-01-04T07:21:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 1/3/09 -- sea creatures

2009-01-03T07:19:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 1/2/09 -- character studies for possible project

2009-01-02T07:18:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 1/1/09 -- human people

2009-01-01T07:07:00.000-08:00

Yay, Nick is here!!!

Steph -- 12/31/08 -- a handgun

2008-12-31T19:38:00.000-08:00

Ohhhh Niiiiiiick.... where are your drawings?? I know it's New Year's Eve -- you're probably out having fun instead of being totally dedicated to your art (and let's not talk about what it says about my social life that I'm posting at 10:30 on NYE....ahem.)

Steph -- 12/30/08 -- a horsey, or is it horsie?

2008-12-30T19:37:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 12/29/08 -- riot cops

2008-12-29T19:36:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 12/28/08 -- a boat and a weird distorted boat

2008-12-28T19:33:00.000-08:00

I don't like boats. They're totally unappealing to me. I only went sailing once in my life (last year) and got sick. Bleh. But I thought I should learn how to draw them anyway.

On second thought, I do like kayaks and canoes. Airboats can be fun. Just not big boats.

Steph -- 12/27/08 -- a bowl and a cup

2008-12-27T15:44:00.000-08:00

The most wonderful thing I just learned in Photoshop is "actions." Oh my god, the time I'm going to save!

Steph -- 12/27/08 -- Bollywood film star

2008-12-27T15:43:00.000-08:00

This was from a photo of Madhuri Dixit.

Steph -- 12/26/08 -- government agents

2008-12-26T15:37:00.000-08:00

I was experimenting with character designs for a government agent (Department of Regulatory Conformity/DoRC), who will appear in Minimum Security in late January. I decided on glasses because I'd rather have him look blank and generic than mean. The Spy-vs-Spy reference was a miss. The one I ended up choosing is in the top left corner.

Steph -- 12/25/08 -- water, hand, hose, birds, lion-bird, guy

2008-12-25T15:03:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 12/25/08 -- corner of house

2008-12-25T15:02:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 12/24/08 -- tiki people and animals including bat, and plants

2008-12-24T15:00:00.000-08:00

This was inspired by the statues in the garden of the Mai-Kai, a Polynesian restaurant that my brother and mom and I went to the night before. I love drawing all kinds of shapes of heads and bodies.

Steph -- 12/24/08 -- a lamp on a table with window

2008-12-24T14:57:00.000-08:00

I messed up the legs of the table, and part of the trellis. But I like how the window panes and crank came out.

Steph -- 12/23/08 -- reading glasses

2008-12-23T14:55:00.000-08:00

This looked okay with the glasses vertical, but then I turned it sideways and realized one side is much smaller than the other.

Steph -- 12/23/08 -- woman with crab trap, shocked fish

2008-12-23T14:54:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 12/22/08 -- character sketches of Pierre

2008-12-22T14:52:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 12/22/08 -- I can't stop eating cake

2008-12-22T14:36:00.001-08:00

Steph -- 12/22/08 -- Orange Cat (OC)

2008-12-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 12/21/08 -- a branch with spiny leaves

2008-12-21T14:35:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 12/21/08 -- a palm tree

2008-12-21T14:33:00.000-08:00

Steph -- 12/21/08 -- palm fronds

2008-12-21T14:30:00.000-08:00

A tree in my mom's back yard.

Steph -- 12/21/08 -- horse, bull and mouse play poker

2008-12-21T14:19:00.000-08:00

I like the animals and their flexible arms. I forgot to make the cards for the mouse the same size instead of proportional. It would have been funnier if they were big.