My drawing skills are improving ever so slowly, but surely. The Thor sketch I did for our weekly sketchbook challenge didn’t kill me. I think I might contribute another image to the “Something Norse” theme - maybe Hagar the Horrible.

The Shoxmon

Check out Andrew’s article, “So You Wake Up And You’re A Super-Hero.”

After all these years I’ve finally decided to do something about learning to draw properly in a disciplined manner. I’ve doodled over the years, but I never really focused on applying myself to developing some skills.

In my association with many very talented artists at Shox Studios, I’ve come to realize that I cannot sit on the sidelines any longer because I have a need to create. I also realized today, while drawing this week’s sketchbook challenge image, that the focus required in detailing an image forces me to slow down - I am a true child of the “everything now” syndrome. I now have to take the time to create what I visualize in my mind’s eye, and that takes patience.

To make a long story even longer - what does this have to do with Philip Tan? He’s a penciller extraordinare who contributed his considerable talents to Image Comics and their Spawn books and now is under exclusive contract with DC comics - FINAL CRISIS: REVELATIONS.

I was researching images for our recent Sketchbook Challenge, “Something Norse” when I came across Philip’s deviantART site.  His pages took my breath away.  I study his pages every day and try to mimic at least one small area on a specific page.  I especially love the way he draws hair and I’ve decided to become adept at doing hair among other things. 

I have chosen Philip’s work as a guide for some of the things I want to accomplish with my art.  Stay tuned.

Hi Folks,

Today’s OX page will be posted later today, so hang tight.  In the meantime, read some other stuff. 

M

I went to bed at about 3:00am this morning and maybe that’s the reason.  Normally I have dreams about flying here and there - usually very exciting and entertaining dreams.  However, I was so exhausted that I think my dreamtime was a bit wonky.  I dreamt of an apocalypse - not the 4 horsemen kind, but a visually cool but really terrifying kind.

It reminded me of the final sequence in the 1985 film The Quiet Earth where the lead character, Zac Hobson witnesses a spectacular celestial event.  In my case, it seemed like a couple of suns going super nova as well as asteroid plummeting to Earth.  Then immense sky-sized sheets of ice crashed down on us.

Me and my party survived.

I am going to figure out a way to draw it - it won’t be soon, but I will be doing it.

Check out the final sequence of The Quiet Earth.

I start art classes today at the Art Gallery of Ontario.  I’ll probably begin shading spheres and cubes.

Gotta crawl before you can walk or run I suppose.