Space Portraits

Two studies from the past week.  Both in chalk and charcoal on 6x9 toned paper.

The self-portrait actually started out twice as REALLY crummy 5x7 oil studies that will NEVER see the light of day.  I actually told some of my students to stop looking at them the other day as it might make them worse...

Anywho, third time proved to be the charm, and it might also have had something to do with switching over to chalk and charcoal, where I could solely focus on value and form and not get so caught up with the color.  Have had a lot of fun with these two drawings, I've been working in a real fantasy/medieval vibe for a while now and I was really Jonesing to break out of it.  Digging through references for outer space also allowed me to indulge in one of the more rewarding sides of art - actually learning about what you're drawing.  I loved outer space and the universe as a little kid, and it's been all kinds of fun diving back into that material and relearning a lot of the stuff that was taught about the solar system et al back in gradeschool.  And the images, HOLY COW, the images.  How can you not be completely blown away by some of the stuff out there.  Well that's a lot of rambling, at least one more of these little studies is one its way for sometime around Tuesday - probably on Facebook and Drawn Today before here though - so until then...