Sketch Diary: Lounging Akita

I never sketch Baku, my Akita ball of fluff. I don't know why. He's the perfect practice model. He sleeps maybe half the day away so it's easy to get him at a moment where he won't be moving much for at least 30 minutes. But I have a hard time with anatomy, animal especially because it's more foreign. This sketch was a product of my new habit of leaving sketchbooks around the house so I don't have any excuse not to draw.

with love - M

Sketch Diary: TBT - Pink haired girl

Thought the odd proportions are becoming more glaring as time rolls on, I still really like this. I had (have?) no clue what I was doing with my watercolors. No training, no practice - this WAS the practice hah. This piece taught me a lot. Still feels soft and warm to me and I feel happy when I look at it. Isn't that the point?

with love - M

Sketch Diary: All necked up and no where to go

Hah. This neck. Love it. Love to hate it. Still like the over all sketch though. That little tuft of bangs in the front, the HUGE eyes. Whatever. At least I sketched hah.

with love - M

Sketch Diary: Metal wings

Another quick sketch between panels (or during panels) at Zenkaikon 2015.

with love - M

Sketch Diary: Zenkaikon 2015

So last year I bought a cute little hard back sketch book and took it with me to Zenkaikon 2015, an anime/game/all the things convention in Lancaster, PA. Scrawled this little ditty while waiting for one of the panels. That's me up top, Joel on the right, and Kyle hanging down below. The three of us did the Con again this year, 2016, and it was fabulous. Really, they did a great job. I've got grandiose  plans of doing my own panel next year and having a table at the artist alley... we'll see. I've always wanted to do these things, give something back to a community that has given me support, camaraderie, and inspiration over the years. Either way, I'll be back again next year for sure. Lancaster is such a cute town to have it in, too. Reasonably priced, close to home, win win.

with love - M

Sketch Diary: Lips, Deadpools, and a Finn

All the doodles. I don't usually do cartoony styled characters. They're hard... you can do 'anything' with the proportions and joints don't exists but... they have their own rules and I don't have a lot of practice with them. But still fun.

with love - M

Sketch Diary: TBT - Eyes in the flower bushes

Throwback to 2010. Noses are overrated.

with love - M

Sketch Diary: A face for your trouble

You know how sometimes you start sketching and eye, ya know, just for the sake of an eye. And before you know it, there's a whole oddly proportioned face is starting back at you?! Madness.

with love - M

Sketch Diary: Figure studies, walk and a swing

I started 'hiding' little mini sketch books around the house... because my house is too big... and I'm terribly lazy. SHHHHHHH my methods are working.  I feel less pressure whilst doodling when I can just grab the nearest paper product and scratch at it for a bit. The alternative is to keep carrying a single sketchbook around the house with me.

with love - M

Sketch Diary: Lady in waiting

Yeah! Keeping up with the sketch a day thing kinda! This was back in December when I first started loosening up my hand to prepare for a sketch a day mentality. I'm still not there yet but it's definitely more frequently which means I'm a much happier camper. Look how loose those lines are! SO LOOSE. What I was going for in this sketch... I couldn't begin to tell you. Let's just love it for what it is and move on.

with love - M

Sketch Diary: TBT - Portait of a Mormon girl

As some may know, I have always loved portraits. It's my 'go to' thing to draw. So when I was browsing a National Geographic and saw this beauty, I couldn't resist. It was an article about women and families in a Mormon community. And though the article itself was a bit dark (talked about very young -read illegal- brides, unhealthy relationships, children not receiving much education opportunities, etc) this photo really shined for me. Like this girl/woman was finding her own star, her own fire with which to guide herself and her family even if her situation was less than ideal. Her eyes just glowed with life and a will to persevere. I truly hope that she was able to find fulfillment in life.

Man... this sketch is super old. Still one of my absolute favorites. When was the last time I did an IRL sketch of a person? Or even just a  portrait of someone from a photo like this was? Gotta get on that.

with love - M