Thursday, July 27, 2006

It's been a 2-4-1 Day: part 2

(Darn posted the 2 parts in the wrong order, oops)
All these drawings are from exercises in Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Dr Betty Edwards

Portrait Exercise:
Drawn upside down
11x14
Pencil on paper

Chair Exercise;
Negative space
11x14
Pencil on paper

Composite Skill excersize
Also Drawn upside down and using negative space
11x14
pencil on paper




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It's Been a 2-4-1 Day!

Welcome World Bloggers! My Art Blog just received the Canadian spot on A World of Bloggers. Thanks Reeholio! And to top it off, my blog Foxxfyrre’s Honk’n’Holl’r received Bestest Blog of the Day! award. Thanks Bobby! With any award recipient, now comes the long winded thanks, but I’ll do mine with drawings. If a picture is worth 1000 words, 6 pictures are worth 6000. I think that should be long winded enough.
I never would have started drawing if I hadn’t met my friend Jason. King, He is a really talented artist. Most of his work is in the fantasy genre. Forgotten Realms and Dungeons and Dragons style of art done mostly in pen or graphite, or both. The first three drawings are Jason’s that he scanned for me few years ago. It’s quite fitting to add his pictures on this post, because he now lives a world away in Australia.
Second thanks goes to Dr. Betty Edwards, because of her book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, I don’t think my drawing would have ever progressed. I’ve included 3 picture (very early ones) that I drew as exercises from Betty’s Book that illustrate what I mean by my artwork progressing.
Ready, Boys
black ink and Graphite
scanned original size unkown
Artist: Jason King

Resting at the Portal
Graphite
size unkown
Artist: Jason King

Warrior
Ink and Graphite
Size unkown
Artist: Jason King

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Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Revenge for an Ex-spouse

A couple of years back, a co-worker approached me with two pictures cut out from magazines. One was from Cosmopolitan magazine, but I don't know what magazine the other picture was from, for it didn't have info anywhere on the page. She had seen some of my figure drawings and really wanted me to draw these for her. I asked why, and she told my she was recently divorced, and her ex was being a little bit of a dead beat, and she was having trouble with him. She wanted me to draw these, because she was going to frame them and hang them up in her living room. She was going to tell her ex that she had these drawings made of her new boyfriend. She wanted to rattle his cage a little. I guess you could say these were my first commissioned drawings. I didn't want payment or anything, but she did buy me a bottle of Grande Marnier for my troubles..Cheers

Boxer


11x14
Pencil on paper
drawn from a Cosmo article

Getting Ready


11x14
Pencil on paper
Drawn from an underwear add magazine unknown


Thanks for stopping in
Frank Sirianni aka Foxxfyrre
TTFN
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Tuesday, July 25, 2006

I've been Duped!

I've just recently been back online from a long absence-almost two years (long story). But when I got back online a couple of months back, I figured I'd do some searching for new art ideas. Using Google, I found what I think is a colourized copy of my drawing Midnight Swim. The only place I've had it posted (proir to this blog) is on my website. After doing some more searching, I found my drawing on two poster sites. When I tried to get to the featured page to see who the artist was, a sold-out banner appeared on each of these sites (yeah! for me, er umm him/her). The only thing I could get from the site is a cropped thumb nail (enlarged, below).
Don't get me wrong, I'm not upset about this, acutally I'm quite pleased. I never thought my art would ever be good enough to copy, let alone someone redo it, and market it. I haven't been drawing long enough to even think it would happen. Of any of the drawings I've done, I'm glad they chose this one. It is the one drawing that when I completed it I felt like, yes I really can do this. I liked it so much that it inspired another drawing, Reflections of Guilt, which I have posted earlier on this blog. The reflection in the water (which my scanner cropped off) was the trigger for Reflections of Guilt.
I guess that brings me to why I'm building this blog (other than my art being directly copied):
1. Since I've been drawing, a lot of people who have seen my work personally, have said things like-I wish I could draw, or I can't even draw a stick man, or something like that. Just a few years ago, I was one of those people. It was my best friend, who is an artist, that got me started. We were having coffee and he had brought his art with him. I really do like his art and I said something like the above. He threw me a pencil and a page from his sketch book and said, "Show me that line you say you can't draw." From then on, and many coffees with him, I started to draw 'recognizable' images, really. So, I'm hoping that someone may see this blog and pick up a pencil too. That's why I'm providing links and references to sites and books that I have used to learn and improve my drawing. My web page is too time consuming to update to do this. (Eventually I want to port the whole thing here, because updating here is as easy as email)
2. I'm "mentally" at the stage with my art that I'm willing to openly post it for criticism and critique, in an effort to improve my art. Maybe even suggestions for new drawings.
3. Hopefully, link exchange with beginning, and professional artists to increase the effectiveness of this site for the one person who may pick up a pencil. Even if I do only reach the one it's worth it.

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Sunday, July 23, 2006

One more for the day

I did this drawing quite a while ago. It is another I drew from a William Bourguereau painting. I have downloaded many of his paintings, along with many other classic artists. I really like the way William painted the figure. In this drawing I really tried to focus on cross-hatching. I don't do enough or practise cross-hatching as much as I should. Lack of hatching practise really shows up in the face and hair of this drawing. Ink can be so unforgiving

Butterflies are Free
11x14
Ink on Paper
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Just some fun stuff

I had a story idea a while back, so I drew this so that it would nag back at me to get working on it. I've kinda started, but with main characters firmly implanted in my mind I think I could put pen to paper. Well, eventually.

My Heros
11x14
pencil on paper

The next drawing was nudged out of me by a co-worker. He kept hinting at me to draw a dragon, any kind of dragon. He had seen almost all of my art, and until this I had not drawn any dragons. And, I like fantasy art. I'm glad he kept at me.


Ablaze
11x14
Pencil on Paper
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Saturday, July 22, 2006

Recent drawings

Now that I have my scanner up now, I'm going through my sketch books and scanning everything new, or hasn't been scanned yet. These three drawings are about the most recent.

Portrait of an Elderly Man
9x11
Pencel on Paper
From an picture in Jack Hamm's, Drawing the head and figure. Another good learning text that I recommend.


Sick In Bed Collage
11x14
Ink on Paper
I really was sick when I drew this, and drove my wife nuts doing it. I started drawing the kleenex box, and when that was done, I'd ask my wife to find something for me. I didn't tell her I was drawing the item, I just simply ask her to throw it on the bed. And when I finished drawing that, I'd call her and ask for something else. It was fun for me at the time, but I know she was getting a little annoyed, especially when she'd say something like "What the hell do you need my egg timer for?". I ended up framing the picture and giving it to her as a present.

Assention
11x14
Ink and Pencil, and Graphite stick on Paper
This drawing was inspired by Mell Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ



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Some of my daughter's work

Just thought I'd include some of my daughter's art. She has been drawing for a few of years now. She used to sit and watch me draw, and finally started to draw on her own. She now has a goal of becoming a graphic artist to design cd covers and such (proud father smile). These are drawn from her cd covers. All are pencil and graphite stick on paper.

I thought I'd also include a link to a neat program called Drawing of a Woman that a friend emailed to me. It's really quite neat to watch. It's very short in length, and I think it's just a small flash program.

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Friday, July 21, 2006

Fun with new toys

Or should I have titled this post 'All About Me'? After buying my new printer/scanner yesturday, I figured I'd try using the photo editing/drawing programs that came with the printer. So after I installed everything, I figured I'd get my graphics tablet out and start drawing. But then I discovered that the stylus pen that came with it was missing. Damn I hate moving!! Now I have to go buy a whole new set, but I figured it could wait. Still wanting to draw, but pissed about my tablet, I figured I'd need a distraction for a while so I stopped off at The Bestest Blog Of All Time. There I saw a challenge on todays best blog of the day, but realized that I don't have a digital camera or any current photos to scan. So I thought a digital self portrait will do just fine. I've never done a self portrait, and using the mouse to draw instead of the grapic stylus was quite a challenge. After playing for a couple of hours, I realized that it's as close as I'm going to get (above drawing)...and...yes....it does... sort of....look like me..., a little. Got the nose right, but the eyes are funny. Still playing with the graphics program I decided to play with some of the effects. And yeah, the software produced a better likeness (below) than I did. This was a fun excersise for me (propping up a mirror near the computer, using that clumsy mouse, and staring at myself for a couple of hours, sent me into fits of giggles at times--my wife thought I was going nuts), but now I really do want to try a graphite or pencil drawn self portrait to see how it turns out. Then maybe I'll filter that drawing, then we'll see how good the software does! Posted by Picasa

Thursday, July 20, 2006

New Art Scans



Woman with feathered hat


11x14
Black Ballpoint pen on paper
Drawn from a picture I found in American Artist Magazine

Curiosity


11x14
Pencil on Paper
Also drawn from a picture in American Artist Magazine

Eruption


11x14
Black ink on paper
This picture was my first attempt at pointilation drawing. It seemed to take forever to draw, but was quite pleased with the results. 

Toiling Hands


11x14
Blue Ball point on Paper
From a lesson in Burne Hogarth's "Dynamic Figure Drawing"
You can find the book in my Art Resources Page above or just click on my Amazon link below


Post update June 10, 2014

I'm currently going through the blog and updating posts that feature my drawings in them. When I started the blog, I wanted to post my drawings to get feedback on my artwork, and maybe a critique that may help improve my drawing.

When I drew the above pictures, I had only been drawing for about eight years. I started drawing when I was 37 years old. I did have an artist friend that got me interested and taught me a few techniques to get started. After those tutorials from my friend, I went on the hunt to find resources to learn more about drawing. I found several very good books that focused on drawing which I worked through. I still refer to these books when I want to draw, especially when I'm trying something new.

So now, I've decided to go through this blog and update it with a new purpose of making available all the resources that I used to learn to draw and continue finding new resources that could help people learn. I started to draw as an adult, and when I started I thought I couldn't draw anything. The books that I found, and some internet websites really changed that for me. Check out my Art Resources Page to find texts that I used while learning.

Thanks for stopping in!
Frank Sirianni aka Foxxfyrre
TTFN

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Wednesday, July 19, 2006

For lack of a better title: More Drawings


Classic Angels


Ink on Paper
9x11
From a classic painting from artist William Bourguereau that was posted in usenet newgroups a.b.p.fineart

Shy


Ink on Paper
9x11
Drawn from a photo in usenet newsgroups a.b.p.nude-art.moderated
Photographer unknown

Reclining Man


Pencil on Paper
11x14
From a lesson in Burne Hogarth's book Dynamic Figure Drawing.



Bored at work


Ink on Paper
9x11
I really was bored at work, and then I remembered that in Betty's book there was an exercise where you were supposed to draw your hand. I had done that exercise, so I grabbed my sketch pad (I bring my art everwhere with me--even work), got comfortable, looked down from the desk and saw my feet--so I drew them.

Tired Out


Pencil on Paper
9x11
Drawn from a lesson from Burne Hogarth's Dynamic Figure Drawing



If you have an interest in drawing I really recommend Betty Edwards' Book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, and Burne Hogarth's, Dynamic Figure Drawing. I've only been drawing for a relatively short time, and these books were invaluable to me as I hope you find them. You can find them in my Art Resources page above, or the Amazon links below.


Thanks for stopping by,
Frank Sirianni aka Foxxfyrre
TTFN
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Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Some Favorite Early Fantasy drawings


Portal
11x14
Pencil on Paper












Centaurs at Play
8.5x11
Marker on Paper
The paper I used here was a restaurant children's menu from work (underside). I just happened to have a marker with me, and was quite bored at the time.







Fright Night
11x14
Pencil on Paper

















Raven Talisman
11x14
Pencil on Paper
This is one of my personal favorites. Many hours and many coffees with my best friend (a very good artist) to get the worn stone raven faces just right. This one hangs in my office just above my desk. Thanks J.K. for your input in drawing this.
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Portraits


A Few Portrait Drawings


These are a few portraits I drew from the texts "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Dr. Betty Edwards, and "Dynamic Figure Drawing" by Burne Hogarth. Both books I highly recommend if you want to learn to draw on your own.


Computer Portrait
 


Drawn with a Graphics Tablet using the GIMP art program. 
Text: Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

Fisherman


Pencil and charcoal on paper. 
9 by 11 inches. Drawn from an exercise in Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

Planning My Move



Pencil on Paper, 
9 by 11 inches, Drawn from an image in Dynamic Figure Drawing

Pouting


Pencil on paper,
11 by 16 inches,
Drawn from a sample image in Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

Thanks for checking out my drawings. If you are interested in the books I used to learn from, click on the following Amazon Links

    

or you can check my Art Resources page

TTFN
Frank Sirianni aka Foxxfyrre
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