Grant, of Ink and Leather, tattooed himself with My drawing of Colby! How awesome is that? That's pretty damn Awesome! He'd written to Colby and I a while back to make sure it was okay with both of us. We both said "Go for it, baby!"*
Here is another drawing of one of the Boylesque T.O. fellas. This time it's Mahogany Storm. Hotness!
And Dew Lily! Remember that name because Dew is gonna explode in the Burlesque scene. He's already a favourite in T.O. The mere mention of his name drives the crowd into a frenzy.
I'll be drawing the boys as I go through my photos from the weekend! I've got to draw Mahogany Storm and Wrong Note Rusty! Two more of Toronto's favourite Boylesquers!
Here in all it's raw glory is another fantastic coloring job by Michael Wiggam! When I opened the e-mail I nearly overheated! Hot sizzling color bursts from the screen.
May Botticelli forgive me -- this is inspired by superstar Colby Keller's recent trip to a waterpark and the adorable (and wet) photos posted on his blog.
Not the prettiest profile in the world but it was all done on the fly, so to speak. I worked on a lightbox over my marker drawing from the session with Peter. And speaking of peter, this is probably one of the only "finished" drawings of mine you'll see with one. :)
Above was drawn from a photo found online. This guy has an absolutely stunning backside to which I tried to do justice.
After the session with He-Man and Skeletor it occurred to me that I might never be able to draw a "normal" model again! Happily this is not the case. I received an e-mail the other day from a model at the local community center letting me know he'd be posing and that he hoped I'd be able to make it out to draw. I've drawn Peter once before and know what a great physique he has -- naturally I had to attend.
A few weeks ago I bought Dave McKean's book of postcard ink drawings and was absolutely blown away by his technique. His drawings are solid but maintain a loose fluidity that just mesmerizes me. I've been trying to loosen up when I ink with my brush. This life drawing session allowed me to let go a little and be free with my marker (I draw these with Tombow brush-tip colored markers). It's a lot of fun and I generally like the results.
I especially like how this one turned out. I exaggerated Peter's musculature, expanding his back and narrowing his waist (trust me, he doesn't need me to give him a good physique -- I'm just "cartooning" what's already there). I only wish I were better with color or I would have attempted a little skin tone. Peter has a great tan line so his white butt contrasted beautifully with the shadows shaping his tanned torso!
My local chapter of the magnificent Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School recently had a HE-MAN™ theme night! Organizers Brett Despotovich and Katherine Piro did an amazing job putting this together! He-Man's sword was incredible! (not a euphamism) and SKELETOR™ was jaw-dropping! I sketched like a madman trying to get all the energy the models were bringing to the poses. It was like a dream come true! :)
j.
This commission piece was drawn as a birthday gift -- I had to wait until after the dude's birthday before I could post it so as not to spoil the surprise. You might recognize the guy from an older post. He's grown in a full beard since the last time I drew him and looks more delicious than ever.
I sketched this guy from a vintage photo. There was just something so sweet and innocent about the guy -- but also teasingly sexy with his spread legs and tattoo. When I get some time I want to finish this one in ink. I'm trying something new in my drawing by adding color to the original art. Just starting simple with one color. I'll post the results after I've played around with the idea a little.
If you live in the Toronto-ish area check out the newest issue of SPRINGPLAY! I drew the cover image and a four page comic. This issue celebrates all things Geek. On the cover I needed to show the various "interests" which can find one labeled a "Geek" -- sci-fi (my own personal geekness), fantasy, comic books and manga/anime specifically. The characters are all loosely caricatures of members of the magazine's staff.
Act now! Act Fast! I drew this Wolverine last summer, which was fabulously inked by the amazing Darwyn Cooke! It is now being auctioned, and I quote Shuster's organizer Kevin Boyd - "All profits from the sale of this original artwork goes towards the operating costs for the JOE SHUSTER CANADIAN COMIC BOOK CREATOR AWARDS. The 6th annual Joe Shuster Awards will be presented on SATURDAY, JUNE 5th, 2010 in TORONTO, CANADA at the University of Toronto's INNIS TOWN HALL starting at 8PM. " 
This is the original you'll be bidding on if you choose to go for it!
I'm a chest man. I could wax poetic about chests -- I just don't want to WAX the chest! :) Happily the natural look is back (along with some horrible, horrible 80's fashions but such is the toll of fashion). Men are keeping their chests natural and it's nearly always the first thing I'll notice about a man.
This guy is actually someone I met at a recent comic-con who, it turns out, I actually went to high school with. We graduated the very same year. Man, oh man! That's all I have to say about that! :)
This past weekend I watched my first ever Rugby match. Two matches, actually. Though not full games it gave me a great appreciation for the game and the players! It was the players who drew me to watch from the sidelines -- rugged, manly, sweaty and showing no fear whether it came to running the throwing themselves into a dogpile, hoisting a teammate for a line-out or leaping on a sprinter and dragging him to the ground. All with very little, to no padding. It was awesome to behold!
I'm a member of the RetroMen Yahoo Group and lately I've been going through my picture files, sketching as I go. I may just as well confess it -- I've saved a lot of leatherman images.
j.
Summer is nearly here and I am THRILLED! Granted we here in Toronto have had an easy winter compared to, say, Washington DC and much of the Northern United States. With all of this warm weather, and my work being more or less complete, I've been spending a lot of time outdoors.
The guy above is Toronto leatherman Sean Cribbin. I've drawn him, and his boyfriend, before when I saw them laughing and hanging out at the bar. Sean's got a heavier beard and I wanted to get that chin extension. He looks mean in the head-shot, but I assure you he's never been anything but smiling when I've seen him out.
This page is an attempt at the guy I introduced myself to. It's still not exactly right -- there was something about his strong jaw that I'm not getting in my drawing. The other two guys are Woody's bartenders. Adorable, hot and friendly! Am I out at the bar too often? Perhaps! But who can blame me when surrounded by such delightful man-folk!
And this disembodied torso is something I'm working. It's a paper-cut out doll. No. Not Roger Rodgers. It's someone I've never drawn before and will be revealed in due time.
When I'm out at the bar and I've forgotten or not wanted to carry along a sketchbook, and I see someone who's face I'd really like to draw I have very few options! At a bar, at least, there are always napkins. I've drawn on a lot of napkins. I've learned the lighter, more delicate touch required when drawing on flimsy, absorbent paper with a felt tip marker. How to cross-hatch just enough to get a dark area but not so much that I soak through the layers of paper and tear a giant hole through my drawing. And I've done all of this while nicely sauced on double-short rum and cokes!
For those of you keeping track of my growing bold/adventurous nature I will tell you that I spoke to "Anthony", introducing myself and telling him that I thought he was quite handsome.
Going through my old pictures the other day I found some really nice shots I'd taken of Josh (nearly a year ago now). This one in particular was something I'd always wanted to get down on paper. I've only had time so far to do this rough but I like how his profile turned out.
From the same producers who brought us Xena: Warrior Princess (and Hercules) comes a new sword and sandal epic -- SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND. I, for one, can't wait! The trailer has been online for a while now and I keep watching it just to catch tid-bits of what looks to be some terrific action. The creative team has smartly dressed the show to look like a continuation of (or at least in the same vein as) 300! Which is a feast for the eyes.
This scene reminded me of something from a Frank Frazetta painting. Fur clad barbarian battling it out with our hero!
Hawkman is one of those characters I've always wanted to draw in a comic book story but have yet to get the chance. I think he must be a tough character to get a grasp on...so tied up is he with his past life/next life history. I thought it'd be fun to draw a story with his great, great, great ancestor back in the days of Egyptian pharaohs when animal headed Gods ruled!
Speaking of animal heads...this guy I drew after a night hanging out at Woody's! For those of you who've never been there, Woody's has a rhino head mounted in the main stage area of the bar. An artificial rhino, mind you. He's kinda the mascot of the place. There is also a wall/showcase full of rhinoceros knick-knacks. So I wanted to draw a cartoon hunk of rhinoceros beefcake who I might one day pitch to Woody's management for use in advertising or something. He would, of course, be named Woody!
