I watched a lot of cartoons and movies. I draw incessantly and carry a sketchbook everywhere. I work in animation and self-publish my books. There are monsters in the streets, don't wear red. Mad bulls and monsters hate that color. I still watch cartoons.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Sketchtravel: My page in progress


The finished pencil page. Color will be added.

Backstage. Deadlines are great motivators. I had the one weekend to finish and that was it. Things will get busier, what with the Italy and Paris trip just around the corner. And I'm wary that the idea I had might just turn into mud as I try to realize it. The window of two days got whittled into one day, then into an afternoon. Actually a handful of hours.


Marker study on a pad of Muji newsprint from Japan

Start already! I had a thumbnail I worked up weeks ago, even before Enrico had the Sketchtravel book. I like it, it should work. Next was to do a rough on tracing paper to work out the composition.




That rough done, it seemed that it could hold together. The meter is running. Oops, we gotta run! We're due at Pixar to welcome our close friends to a Ratatouille screening in the best screening theater in the east bay. The sound in the Pixar theater is just truly amazing. You are forever spoiled for any other theater experience. Well, after leaving our guests there I really should be getting back to my drawing. But, well, you gotta have coffee, right? Off to Peets on Piedmont Avenue.



I used a coffee press for the composition but this coffee urn had so much character, so in it goes

They have a collection of antique percolators and coffee urns. I've taken many photos of these over the years but I don't have time to hunt through my un-tagged photos in my computer. I took a snap of one that catches my eye. Then I was thinking, hey, I'm a little sore from working out last week, when was the last time I had a good steam? We schedule a steam in the early evening--just to relax the anxious drawing brain.



I also collect these large wood block letters, likely used for headlines, and I thought it looked neat and complimented the urn. Seemed like fun, so in it goes.

Back to work. Oh, look at the time. I trace the drawing onto the page. I can't see the page too well, I should go outside to the back patio to draw. Natural light. Okay, now I can draw it for real. Pencils, HB, 4B, 6B. I'm careful not to smudge the page with my hand. Oh, fudge, look at the time. Honey, we gotta go. Time for the steam!




Ahhh, that made me sleepy. It's an hour later. Man, I gotta hustle. The light is dying in the backyard. I watercolor the coffee urn with a round sable and let the colors puddle and dry on their own. Takes time. I run inside to finish coloring.

Then it's a lot of staring at it.



After a great deal of squinting I grab the pastels to unify the whole thing. The focus of the piece is pulling to the left. It has to be all about Nina. That's what the pastels do. I do a lot of retouching the pencils and chase down some smudge I made of touching wet color. It seems to be holding together, but I do the diligence of touching it up here and there. By the time it's time for bed I will have resolved to wait till daylight again next day to truly judge it.

The finished piece in color to be posted tomorrow.





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7 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

Very exciting. I love seeing the progression

9:25 PM

 
Blogger Amelia Lorenz said...

I knew I recognized that stamp...from the Fragments book!

Wonderful to hear your thought-process and the piece looks beautiful. It's great to see Nina again! And I agree with the quality of Pixar's theater's sound system. Your are definitely treated well there! :)

10:30 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah…. Finally a picture that you can click on and it gets bigger. My eyes get teary-eyed… my smile grows longer… my mind is getting excited… can this be? Did Ronnie post a bigger picture so that we can see his talent in detail…? Yes, Yes he did… wow this is amazing. Wait a minute; am I on the right Blog? I quickly check to see if I am dreaming… I click back to see…It is the Ronnie’s Blog…it is… Here’s hoping you post more of those bigger, amazing pictures. Thanks for sharing. Cheers.

5:47 AM

 
Blogger Bill Robinson said...

Nice drawings, Ronnie. It's always interesting to see other artists processes. And seeing the drawings for this Sketchtravel book is great because they are real drawings done with pencil...on real paper! (As opposed to the large amounts of digital drawing/painting that everyone seems to do nowadays.) Thanks for sharing, can't wait to see the colored version.

8:59 AM

 
Blogger Benjamin Hall said...

Very, very cool!

9:23 AM

 
Blogger monkeyfeather said...

Looks great Ronnie. Can't wait to see the final piece. I like that your process explanation is intermingled with a story.

9:39 AM

 
Blogger Unknown said...

Dear Ronnie

Lovely as always....
Look forward to see the colourpiece.

Wish I had the time and could have meet you in Paris..well another time...

Best,
Teddy

11:49 AM

 

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