This drawing of U2's front man was done last year during my "down" period. I basically got into a funk, didn't draw much, & when I did, it usually sucked. 90% of my illustrations were unfocused and the line work was very weak. However, the "Bono" drawing, based on a Getty Images photo taken during a performance at Fordham University, worked out well. The two earlier attempts @ this were completely unrecognizable & the line drawing here is somewhat shaky, but its an acceptable likeness. What really makes this work is the color; I'm particularly happy with the beard stubble (fleshed out last year while at a local Starbuck's). Some brown was added to his hair yesterday & gold filled out the earring. The word balloon was done this past Sunday. The scratchy quality to its color was intentional as it jives with the overall look of the drawing. Eric Kay is responsible for the background photograph which was originally used in a World Book Encyclopedia from the seventies.
As for getting out of my funk, I tried experimenting with different techniques & subject matter. Some things worked: different color applications led to a new approach when coloring the Jimi Hendrix illustration posted last week (3/9/2010) and the Johnny Depp/Mad Hatter drawing a few days prior to that. Other things weren't so successful: inkblots created for a post tying into the release of Watchmen (a terrible film), sketches done with a heavy point marker of people walking along the street (total shit), a rapidly drawn illustration of a Gundam robot (I did a better one when I was 14), St. Patrick's Day '09 drawings of a McDonald's employee & customer (I deserved a break that day), a study of a cheetah that looked like it had been hit over the head with a frying pan, an abandoned picture of Bumblebee from Transformers 2 . . . the list went on. The situation improved gradually: drawing at one of my regular stops, Rockabilly Barbers (Huntington N.Y.) helped. The folks there are always accommodating when I show up to draw them. However, things really clicked back into place when I started putting together my Halloween blogs of last year. I was driven to do them & they had to be finished before the end of October. You've got to have drive. The new approaches I was using weren't working because I wasn't focused. I settled back into my artwork when I stopped letting stupid shit, & shit-heads, bring my head down. That's true of any predicament you find yourself in: to hell with the morons, focus on your goals, & get back to what you're good at: what makes you and other people happy.
As for getting out of my funk, I tried experimenting with different techniques & subject matter. Some things worked: different color applications led to a new approach when coloring the Jimi Hendrix illustration posted last week (3/9/2010) and the Johnny Depp/Mad Hatter drawing a few days prior to that. Other things weren't so successful: inkblots created for a post tying into the release of Watchmen (a terrible film), sketches done with a heavy point marker of people walking along the street (total shit), a rapidly drawn illustration of a Gundam robot (I did a better one when I was 14), St. Patrick's Day '09 drawings of a McDonald's employee & customer (I deserved a break that day), a study of a cheetah that looked like it had been hit over the head with a frying pan, an abandoned picture of Bumblebee from Transformers 2 . . . the list went on. The situation improved gradually: drawing at one of my regular stops, Rockabilly Barbers (Huntington N.Y.) helped. The folks there are always accommodating when I show up to draw them. However, things really clicked back into place when I started putting together my Halloween blogs of last year. I was driven to do them & they had to be finished before the end of October. You've got to have drive. The new approaches I was using weren't working because I wasn't focused. I settled back into my artwork when I stopped letting stupid shit, & shit-heads, bring my head down. That's true of any predicament you find yourself in: to hell with the morons, focus on your goals, & get back to what you're good at: what makes you and other people happy.
I hope everybody has a enjoyable & safe holiday. Happy St. Patty's Day me boyos!
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