Amy (pic & drawing)

I have been eager to draw some of the photos that i had stored for some time. I recently ran across a picture of Amy. Amy is a lady from California that was pretty and funny enough to hold her own on the Chelsea Lately Show. At first i wanted to do something more classic and simply have a pencil drawing which didn't turn out to well so i switched to charcoal which is simple but displays greater value of tones.

Norfolk Drawing Group XV (i had a fight w/ my pencil)

It was my normal outing at the Norfolk Drawing Group. I look at my final drawings and i see that my drawing could be a little tighter and a little more reformed when it comes to my line work and control. My shading isn't terrible but I'm not very happy with it at the same time. I attempted to draw one of my friends online and i was unable to because my shading was up to par. I tired to used a pencil because in the past that use to be my bread and butter but in the same breathe it shows that i haven't used or worked it the same way i use to in the past. I need to go back to the drawing board. :-(

"Dogg the Bounty Hunter & the N Word"(pic & drawing)

It's been a while since I've drawn/painted a piece that pushed the envelope just a little bit on what is normally my tame style of drawing. I like to venture to the edge even sometimes going over it to show that some things to show that there's a darker humor that few see. For those of you who aren't aware of it. Dog the Bounty Hunter from the A&E show was recorded on tape saying the "N-word" numerous times and ultimately lost his show because of it (shortly). I remembered watching his interview on Larry King Live and listening to him explain how he was working on correcting his language and behavior. Since seeing that show i wanted to make a piece related to his experience. Just recently i found a picture worth drawing of him and even more recently i decided the time was correct to do so. I won't get into my own theory and beliefs about the "n- word" but instead allow everyone to make up their own opinion.

Cara's dad

This is the 2nd part of the picture that originally started off as being a single commission drawing. The thing i like most about this drawing is the way the image radiates from the inside out. If you look at it the drawing the close it gets to the edges the more it fades into the background of the paper. The weird thing is that this drawing took less time to do than the first one. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that i was hyped up on caffeine pills.

Each Line does have Value

I'm not a master drawer or anything remotely close to it but i do enjoy drawing people. Each drawing has it's own challenges and problems that need some type of sorting out. I guess you can say i have a small sense of accomplishment when everything works out. It feels good to know that my artwork has enough value that people are willing to pay for. For the moment at least i'm on a roll. This will be my 2nd commission this month.

"She was the Shy One"

I ran across this picture when on a friends website from the drawing group. I'm drawn to pictures that show emotion. My take on this photo is that it's good to be shy sometimes. I am a very quiet and removed person overall. I fumbled around trying to figure out when or what materials i would use to draw it and it more or less simply happened.

Norfolk Drawing Group XIV

It's been a while since I've been to Norfolk Drawing Group. Two weeks go by pretty quickly and honestly i missed it and more importantly i missed the people. This was our model Ashley. I know way to many Ashley but she was an excellent model. I think overall it went rather well minus the middle picture. The drawing in the middle on the left didn't turn out to well. After drawing we normally go to a drinking spot but instead we made it to 2 drinking spots. All for the sake of keeping the group together. The very second highlight of the night was watching Boston win a championship for Paul Pieces, Ray Allen and Kevin Garrett. If any 3 NBA all stars deserved it was them.

"White Tiger"

I enjoy using charcoal because it allows me to work quickly and it require little or no real work at all. It may sound strange but this picture actually drew itself. All i did was add and subtract dark areas. That is one of the benefits of going to the Norfolk Drawing Group for teaching on to work quickly. This is a commission that i did for a lady i know for father's day. I need to be on the ball because i have 2 more pieces that i want to get start on and have done before the week is out.

Vacation Time is NOW O V E R

i haven't drawn with this type of pastels in a while but i found a picture of KG from the Boston Celtics that i couldn't help but to draw.

This is a sketch from a future drawing that i plan on doing from American Psycho
Without a doubt one of my favorite Victoria Secret models. Adriana Lima is in a class all of her own.
when you have plenty of time to kill in the airport a person like me mind tends to drift. On the left is a cartoon version of myself.


Vacations never seem to last as long as we all hope that they would. 5 days is never long enough of a break. I did something that i always wanted to do this past week. i went to Cedar Point in Ohio. For most people they have no clue what Cedar Point is but for people who are die hard roller coaster fans, it's the capital of the amusement park world. I conquered it because i said that was something i was going to do. The best part of all is that i did it with my best friends. How many times can people say that? It was a trip that have more stories than this blog could hold. Maybe one day it'll show up in my art work.

Why Tommy AD?

sketches of Dianna.
sketches of Crystle
sketches one Ashley & Meagan. it just goes to show that some sketches turn out better than others.

My "Shell of Former Me" blog was a very truthful and to the point. There were some things that i left out. The most important one being that i have a job. This job forces me to be someone other than myself. I am an artist that requires me to be expressive. I can't be as open or truthful with myself while at work. I can't tell a customer that they are getting on my nerves or tell the people i work with that they aren't thinking clearly. I'm unable to say any of that. Therefor i am a shell of my former self. That's the worst part about being a manager i am now "Corporate Thomas". i can't even really call myself Tommy in that aspect any more. Over the past months I've lost touch of friends and even made some enemies because i have yet to find the proper balance.

I also had someone ask me why i call myself, Tommy AD. It mostly was due to my past relationship that forced me to evolve. The person i was before then allowed a lot of things to happen that went without being questioned. I realized that it couldn't happen any more and i started to make changes that would allow me to be someone better than i was before. If anyone knows me i allows wear a ring on my left hand that reminds me that i can't be taken advantage of again.

With that being said i also found something very interesting. I found a poem that i was suppose to post a while ago. This poem is untitled but what i feel best describes my personal life as well as the energy i draw with.

Untitled

Can you see this void in my mahogany eyes?

My soul has been hit repeatedly this season by hurricanes swimming off the coast.

Back then i use to raise my glass to her high in a toast.

Now each night i light a candle on the mantle wishing the light will lead her home.

It's seems to have all been a one-way crush that she's out grown.

A gaping hole that extends to the depths of the core.

Believe it or not but to me she was my Rushmore.

"Rain Rain" & "Rays of Light" pic & drawings

The idea from "Ray of Light" came about because Dianna who i use to work with asked me to draw something that more or less embodied her. At first my impression was to do something more abstract with the colors of the summer and sun. My mind hasn't allowed me to break away from drawing people without falling closely to details as possible. Not to long ago i drew Melody playing off the fact that she has long curly flowing hair. I planned on doing something similar with Dianna with her simply having long hair but this is what turned out instead. I also placed 3 circles in the picture to represent the 3 children that she has. Of course the title is a Madonna song..lol

It's Tues morning and this marks day # 6 in a row working straight at Old Navy. Management is funny like that, you think most people would say hey you're going on a vacation take it easy before the trip or at least say that when you get back but not here. They work you, then they work you some more. That's a whole other story that will probably never grace this blog. Yesterday while waiting to go to the movies i finished these 2 pieces one of which I've kind of been struggling.




What else can i say about Ashley V expect i enjoy raiding her photo album?! I saw this picture originally and i wanted to make it close to being realistic as possible only using a black permanent marker. If anyone hasn't seen the movie Sin City. I'm a big fan of the artist's Frank Miller who created that movie style of drawing. I referenced his book to come up with a drawing style somewhat that is both his but more my own. What really took me so long was to decide who exactly i wanted to create the rain in the background because it's wasn't as easy as i would hope only using markers. The more i look at it the more i say it possibly could work even better in my next drawing. The title "Rain Rain" comes from the children's song most of us song while we were young 'rain rain go away come again another day"

Coy; Crystle ( pic and drawing)

There are things that i'm very proud about working at Old Navy and one of the biggest ones is working with wonderful people. I have meet friends there that i can't replace for the world. One of the most interesting women that i've been this past year has been Crystle Fonda. I just call her "Fonda". Some people you meet in life have a wonderful personality and a great sense of humor. Those things allow her to be very personal with customers. I really shouldn't say it's a funny thing but an amazing things is to watch other guys react to her. I wont' pretend that she isn't an attractive girl but the way guys walking by literally almost break their neck to get a glance at her is funny. Even the married ones with the kids and family there will still stretch and crane their necks to get a glance. It is a good thing or bad thing? i'm not sure because i have yet to ask Fonda how she feels about it. This picture i found why raiding her photos. I thought the picture embodied the idea of her personality.