The Doodle Bug

i will be posting quite frequently here the stuff i squish into my daily schedule: morning studies, random sketches, current work in progress and probably tonz more...

In Memory of Les Strong

- 7/29/2015 07:14:00 PM

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The Doodle Bug

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Anthony Hopkins (morning study)

- 1/06/2015 08:00:00 PM

This is an example of one of my morning studies, a portrait of Anthony Hopkins. This was somewhat more of a challenge as i had to work starting from a black background with the lighter shades. I could feel a different part of my brain struggling with the task, but I really enjoyed the different approach. Something akin to scratchboards and such.

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meditating robot sketch

- 5/26/2022 06:53:00 AM

meditating robot sketch (ballpoint pen) as i got back to my buddhist practice more recently this idea came to me. i thought, hey robots must really need to meditate, they think way too much! so this is my meditating robot. this image has a lot of buddhist symbolism (if you check my notes, you can see my thoughts on what i want to include in this painting). i was going to put him under the cherry blossom tree...where he could gain enlightenment...but looking at this sketch now...maybe this is a cooler layout...i don't know. maybe he hasn't gained enlightenment yet and so he wouldn't be under the bodhi tree...(hmmm). the painting will be more vertical in the end, and i'm thinking of adding floating lanterns around him to give a cool lighting effect. the candle he's holding in his left hand will also throw some warm light under his face, so we will be drawn to it. oh and of course a big ol' moon behind that tree (can you make it out in the sketch?) lots of stars. m

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sketchbook challenge: day 4 (the samurai lion)

- 5/16/2022 07:05:00 AM

"the samurai lion" (pencil sketch, 8x5in) i made a sculpture of this samurai lion, my spirit animal. he's situated in a place on my drawing table where i can look at him frequently when i am thinking. he's a very calm presence in the studio, and that's exactly why i created him. why a lion? i love cats, and the bigger the better. why a samurai? cause they are disciplined, contemplative, strong of spirit, and fierce when they need to be, like a lion. i thought it perfectly fitting that this should be my spirit animal...

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morning study: steve hogarth

- 5/09/2022 05:04:00 PM

a 3 hr. morning study of steve hogarth, the lead singer from marillion. i always wanted to draw or paint his portrait, such character in that face of his!

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mammal studies

- 5/25/2022 11:21:00 AM

mammal studies (pencil) couldn't resist sharing some animals today, and so i chose some mammals. love them all, but you know i dig big cats, so i suppose i most enjoyed drawing the lions. as a dear friend once explained to me: "all animals are cool to me". and i concur. enjoy this day guys...it's fantastic outside and the studio windows are wide open! be well...

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dragon studies

- 5/18/2022 07:38:00 AM

dragon studies (pencil) as you probably know, i love dragons. a dragon study is always pertinent, and time well spent so this is one of mine. i should have written down which dragon belongs to what artist...but i guess i'll just have to do that next time! i don't think i recall what these studies were for...a painting, a finished drawing, or just for the simple pleasure of doing it...who knows? i don't think a real reason is ever required for some good ol' dragon mayhem...

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sketchbook challenge: day 3 (funky robot)

- 5/13/2022 08:48:00 AM

i was just messing around trying to figure out what a hyperlapse video might look like so i recorded myself sketching this lil mechanical dude. i actually liked that way the doodle came out, so i taped it to a page in the sketchbook that i'm using for this challenge. ( finder's keepers )

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sketchbook challenge: day 1 (flower)

- 5/10/2022 09:33:00 AM

[prompt: flower] i just started my sketchbook challenge to finish a small sketchbook in one month with a daily prompt. this image was based on a picture pam took of a flower in our park yesterday. she discovered later that it looked like there was a tiny face in the middle of the flower, so i thought that would be a perfect thing to draw for the first day of the challenge.

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simon the brain tumor gets the eviction notice (concept art)

- 5/30/2022 07:39:00 AM

“simon the brain tumor gets the eviction notice” concept sketches (4/15/22) lol, if you guys ever really read my notes you truly know i cannot spell…and i’m ok with that, at least in my sketchbooks. some of you know where this idea spawned from, and for those of you who don’t, well that will just have to be a tale for another time… (oh, the suspense!) this is me trying to attain accountability here from all of you. i am going to give inktober another go this fall. i’m gonna do it! follow through, follow through! but this time, i’m more determined than ever. here is the plan…i am going to make “simon the brain tumor” into a comic strip…not sure how long or any of those things. i know nothing about any of the comic strip technical terms. but have been studying “calvin and hobbes” and other great strips to learn more about all of this. cause its magic right now. the first strip (or whatever it’s called) will be about simon getting a surprising letter in the mail, an eviction notice…(snick

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sketchbook challenge: day 6 (the Dalai lama)

- 5/23/2022 08:43:00 AM

"the dalai lama" (pencil, 5x8") continuing on with these sketchbook challenge portraits. being a buddhist, the dalai lama was an obvious choice for me. the dalai lama was on my list and for some reason i instantly wanted him to be next one. not sure how i know what's next, but it's apparently clear to me at decision time. the dalai lama portrait took me a while. over two or three days. i had many distractions during the process and i kept wanting to get back to it when i had other things that just had to be done. it was simply killing me! (ugh, attachments) but sometimes that's just the way it is. it probably took like 2 or 3 hours all said and done. this is becoming a common time for me when doing these portraits. a great practice. (see what i did there? buddhist pun). i know who is next, but i'll keep that a secret for now...i'm planning on taking a more whimsical, caricature approach. i have a few reasons for this upcoming style change and i'

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