norfolk Drawing group 101

I was treated to another a new model to me. I can tell when it's one of those reasons or times that i need to go. This was one of those nights. Our model this evening was a slender Russian former ballerina. She easily fit the stereotypical thoughts of what you would think. Overall she was a great model, i just wish i had better drawing to reflect that.

Waiting (pic & sketch)

There are so many words i could say about my girlfriend, Cara. One of those words that i use to describe her sometimes is patient. She's very patient when it comes to not only dealing with a long distance relationship but with me as well. It isn't easy being on a long distance relationship. Especially when it comes to moments when you can't be emotionally available to build other up and be built up yourself. It's taxing and not everyone can deal with that.

reflections of my norfolk state days

i tell people sometimes that when i use to be a very bad artist.Yes i could draw a little but it wasn't great. In the process of cleaning up and preparing myself for moving soon i ran across an old huge sketch pad from college. This was my first semester in the art program after waiting until my senior year in elementary education to deciding to transfer to the art department. I remember my parents questioning my judgement if that was something wise to do. If i hadn't made that decision my life would be totally different.
So in an art class that challenged the way i drew and trained my to become a student of art more than a past time hobby. I find myself looking at these sketches sometimes glad to have gone through the process.

Gangsta Abby (pic & sketch)

This one is starts off a good joke. Abby is one of my good friends from the Drawing Group and as of lately we all have been giving each other the comedic roast. Sadly to say Devon gets most of the roasting but this Tuesday night after drawing it was Abby's turn. For some reason i can't quite recall at the moment but Abby thought she was cool or urban enough to attempt to do the hand gestures/gang sign for west side. She attempted to morph her fingers into the W but she failed and came up a little less than convincing. Tony and i both joked that we should do a drawing about this. I actually wanted to have this done in time to show the kids at an elementary school art exhibit but i was a little to late.

Norfolk Drawing Group 100: 99 drawings better than before

It's hard to believe that i've been going to 100 drawing sessions. Quietly as i kept that a mystery over the past 5 years it seems like a personal accomplishment. I've become a better artist. I won't admit it loudly but i can see growth in my work. I can also see that i've experimented and struggled in hopes of becoming a truly well rounded artist. I got out of work a little later than i would've liked to but this is one of 3 sketches that i did this night. For some reason it's not posted the others the way i want them to. Maybe i'll try again later

Why would you pick my picture

Why would you pick my picture?of all the people though?: was just one in a series of questions that i was asked. The truth isn't always as glamorous as we would like it to be. But i'll try my best to sum it all up. The logical reason would be that i chose her in that image because i liked the pose. Especially since i follow her posts that i would ask permission to use her image for a drawing/sketch.

The underlining reason why i drew her picture is a little deeper. I'm a firm believer in "everything happens for a reason." I get grief from my friends when i try to explain it's a greater power. Everyone has their own versions of what greater power it could be or if there's one at all. Still i believe things happen as they should. It's granted that i don't know her on a personal level outside of what she posts. Just maybe i draw her picture because she had been having a bad day, week or month? Maybe i drew Ashley to let her know even if she didn't think that she is cute, pretty or special someone else did? Maybe i just wanted to share my artwork with a stranger in hopes that she would do the same for someone else? Or maybe i just think to much?

Norfolk Drawing Group #99

This is one of those night when i got off of work and knew i needed to draw. I needed to do something to relieve some stress and attempt to do something creative. So I actually made it out early and got myself a got spot just one problem. There was no model, the model ended up getting into an accident and almost totally her car. It's always a good thing when you have a good stand in model like Abby. She did a very good job. I wish my sketches were a little better to reflect it.

Eloise (pic & sketch)

Eloise, is one of the girl's post that i fellow on Tumblr. I was drawing to the way that her hair swoops down directly over her face in this self photo. Oddly enough i wanted the image of her to fade in and out with the toned paper. Overall i used 4 color pencils to create this one. i didn't want to go to literal with this drawing, perhaps on my next one i will?!

Devon as "Panda Man"

this is one of those inside jokes that we had in the group. I wish i could explain it and even if i did would it be funny enough to make you laugh. I'm not sure so i'll save us both the effort.

Kimberly ( pic & sketch)

This is more of a tribute to one of my good friends that i use to work with. I have met plenty of good people at during my tour of work at Old Navy. I can't believe it's coming up on 10 years this September. Kimberly is one of those good friends that i encountered during my fun times opening up Old Navy's in Va/Nc. We shared drinks, laughs and always seemed to have a great time. That's something that i can never forget and i will be always enriched for.

Ultimately i liked the idea of the pose that she has. She is a women of strong faith and with that comes a journey of being challenged daily. Like all battles it's one that she wins and everyone can win as well. This was just a glimpse into one of those moments.

Black Girl Lost Series (pic & sketch)

It was one of those things where all the stars seemed to be aligned and come one point. This is one of my emotionally deeper post that i've done in a while. I was listening to the radio last week and the topic of the day was: Do you think the media plays a part in why light skin and dark skin African Americans feel about each other? Some calls pointed out yes while other callers pointed out that in most music videos and lyrics that every other race is identified but our own. I took stock of my own artwork for a moment. I have drawn few black females. There could be numerous reasons why, maybe the pose wasn't right or the body type wasn't right either or maybe it's something deeper? Just to add fuel to the fire a little i have been watching Malcolm X on tv this week. One of the movie channels has pulled this movie out it's film vault and been cycling through it repeatedly. His militant attitude and idea mindset spoke to that side that knew a change had to be made artistically.

Oddly enough before all this i had been thinking about a song by rapper NaS by the same title Black Girl Lost. In the song he talks about the African Americans women lost of self worth due to chasing material goals. Finally i liked the expressiveness of her facial features. It was clear to see that its an amateur photo with soul and grit into it that i was drawn to.

norfolk drawing group #98

My last sketch session spoke of the decline of good art work from me. this is a testment to just that. It was painting night and i haven't painting for a while outside of the painting that i done around the house i'm staying at. Therefor that translates to no painting for fun. Challenging myself i thought i would bring my paints out this evening. I should've practice first because it was all crap. The most disappointing part is that she was a beautiful model, therefor i missed a golden opportunity to create some good pieces.

the painting on the canvas paper started off well until i realized that i shrunk her head. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice shrunk her head.

finally i gave up and went back to using my color pencils and it still didn't reach it's full potential.

norfolk drawing group #97

It was another crappy night for me. Or should i say the decline of my recent high on completing good sketches. Overall i wasn't happy

female nude studies

this one was a quick 15 min. sketch. i timed myself to see how quickly i could do this.

Lady Gaga (pic & sketch)

Norfolk Drawing Group #96

so i had a bad night minus the 2nd sketch and the foot study in the last one but that's about it

the commission: revisited

I want to apologize for my delivery in the last post. I however do not apologize for how i feel. I got an interesting email from the commissionee last night. In the email he began to defend why the price that he paid for the pieces were higher than the quality of work. He closed with saying that our friendship was no more etc etc.

I also ask this question of my girlfriend whenever i talk to her about issues that she encounters. I ask her was the lesson that we were suppose to learn? If you generally don't learn the lesson you're doomed to do it all over again. I will take the opportunity to do the same thing to myself.

I learned

• friends and professionally never mix
• that no one will EVER value the time and energy you put into something if you don't
• email agreements aren't enough, handwritten confirmation and 1/2 of the money of up
• always have a sketch so that the individual knows what he/she is getting
• a person's true colors will always come out in the end

His email left me questioning my art levels. That's something that i shouldn't do but i find myself doing so. The rest of this week will be dedicated to a mental health week.

honor & respect,

tommy

the commission: part III

these are the finished products. I wish i could have taken a better picture but i was using a cellphone camera plus i was at work. Not the idea place for either one of those.

I did my job and give as best as i could a finished polished piece within the time frame. Ultimately creating an image that wasn't there and making one. That i can be proud of, outside of all the text messaging this is something i can hang my hat on. But what does bother me is people who don't respect art for what it is. It's a craft and a talent that i've cultured over the years. Something that was a hobby but became a passion. A gift that i went to college for and i have a degree for. All i want and i believe anyone else who does anything creative wants is respect.

Over the last 2 days i put a lot of time and energy into these 2 pieces. I wasn't asking for the world in return. All i did ask for was to be compensated for that effort.

the commission: part II

Sunday:

I had a lot going on that day. The house that i'm staying at was having an open house so i needed to have the place clean (actually it was the 2nd day in the row that had happened). I also was suppose to meet a friend for coffee later on that evening. Therefor I went out to draw at Panera again. This time i spent almost 4 hours there sketching and drawing. On the way home i got another text from a friend asking me to where i was at and when i thought i would be done. He had yet another request for me: could i add a border around the text? He the asked if i could be done by today so he could pick it up early. It could be done early but not a professional piece, a sketch probably so but not a finished drawing. I sighed heavily and agreed, because yet again it was for a friend. I began to feel the overbearing need that i was being micromanaged. He asked for another picture but due to the bad lighting at Panera i declined for the moment.

this is pictures that i sent him

The text that actually got to me was the one that asked for "another updated pictures so any last second changes could be made." I exhaled again and mentioned that the draws were to far along to be changed. I used that frustration and began working even harder. I found the font that he wanted and worked on the border for longer that i would've liked to but sometimes around midnight i was finished.

The commission: part I

Everyone drawing has a story and this is part one of this story. I won't spoil the ending because what's good story wouldn't be without a good ending.

A friend of mine approached me about doing a piece via text last Tuesday night. i'm always up for a challenge and this would seemed very easy and within my capability of completing. The job seemed simply draw 2 pieces and have them in by Monday. With one small catch, widen some eyes, create a smile on the ladies face, and write a phrase. What actually drove me to do it is that it was a remembrance piece. A young lady had lost her grandmother and a friend wanted to give her a gift of allow her legacy to live on. So as a favor i told him i would do these pieces for him. That's what friends do and not only would i do him this favor but i would also give him a price deduction.

On Friday, my friend and i came to terms and we both agreed to complete to begin working on these pieces. I have attempted to work with my friend on the past and really haven't charged him for any freelance sketches that i've done. I treated it as a challenge to see if i can do it and he's used the imagine. Saturday, i began these drawing and oddly enough i drove to 2 Panera's looking for a place to hide and draw. That seems to be the only place that i can think and concentrate. Within 2 hours i began to lay the framework for my sketch.

this is what i came up with

Later on that same day i began working on some more on the same sketch. I got a text from my friend asking for an update on the status. Along with the input he also had some suggestions/request. I admittedly was on in sketching phase trying to get a concrete defined drawing but i was argued to add detail. Within the hour i got another text asking if any of them would have color? Due to the limited price pencil and charcoal were the idea mediums to use. For the drawing above color pencil doesn't look good over pencil

Due to the color request that i answered i scrapped this drawing :(

Norfolk Drawing Group #95

Tonight was a special night for me because it was the first time i had a friend model for me/ the group. The motivating part for me is that this was on of her items on her bucket list. I generally go on and on about bucket list and things in life that i want to do. But this is an easy one that she did and crossed off rather quickly. Even after a long day of traveling up and down the road she still made it to the group this evening on time. She was a graceful and remained still more than i could have ever imagined for a 3 hours pose on painting night (of all nights). It does give me a good feeling to have friends that are driven and have goals because it keeps me motivated as well.

Norfolk Drawing Group #94

I generally don't have to many bad drawing nights but for some reason this one of them. i want to say it has to do with the fact that i have a semi chaotic day that nothing seems to flow just right. I was having a hard time focusing, but this is what i created that night. And sadly enough, the last drawing of the extreme close up i had to crop off the hands because they didn't flow with the piece.