Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Pencil!

On a sort of dare from Sweet Enemy, I did what is my first pencil picture in years. The pencil part wasn't the dare, I decided to do that on my own to challenge myself. As you can see, I'm still very tentative with the medium.

The subject matter was the dare. We had walked down to our neighbor's field while the turkey was cooking on Thursday and noticed the big mama goat. She's big and has horns with drilled golf balls stuck on the end of her horns (to protect folks form accidental and intentional impalement, we've been told). I suggested that SE draw a Queen Goat. She shot back that I should do my own. So I did.

I started searching through my old freshman year art history books looking for a clothing reference. I found a pic of a young Elizabeth I as a princess and liked it enough to use it as a reference.

I thought I'd give my goat princess a bit more of a personality and tried for a sly, knowing look. I also gave her a different name.

Here's Alexandra II as a Princess:





I may do an inked version. But, first I must draw some space pirates for this week's Happy Little Art Challenge!

Listening to while posting: "Human" by Killers on SomaFM

4 comments:

Sweet Enemy said...

Yes to pencil! Good luminosity overall.
I think your subtleties of expression come out best with the graphite.
Of course, I'd love to see you do this one up again to have more "specificity" in the background shading. Oh my.

Now, does this mean I can get you a full range of graphite for your Christmas stocking!?

Don Snabulus said...

I like the concept of goat pierced ears. Nice touch. The sly look worked well too.

My "stick man" critique is that the lower dress could use a few billows or at least undulate a bit.

Nonetheless, an impressive piece for a first-in-a-long-time.

Alan said...

Agree with Don about the lower dress billowing - it looks too formal as it is - the sly look is perfect.
You should do more faces!

Arkonbey said...

@SE: you're right about the specificity. But, since this was my first pencil work, it was a challenge to not get bored and rush it.

@Don/Alan: Glad you both like the face. It's the part I still like. The dress looks like it should have more billows but, I was going from a painting to get the drapery correct and that's what I saw ;)