When most people see the term "digital art," they assume that the artist uses Photoshop or some similar software to create the works. But, no photography was involved. These works were all drawn freehand, stylus between my fingers, with no image loads. In traditional media, the artist starts with a blank canvas or blank sheet of paper. In this case, I start with a blank touchscreen. I move the stylus across the screen just as I would move a pencil on a sheet of paper. The only difference: the work is digital rather than "analog," for lack of a better term. Yes, I save the finished piece, upload it to Photos on my Mac, and can then print it. But, no photography was involved. In a way, you can think of this process as another printmaking medium. You could call it digital lithography perhaps. All these works were created on my iPad. I began with an iPad 2, moved up to an iPad Air 2, and I currently work on an iPad Pro. The app used: Sketch Club, available on the Apple App Store.
Subjects include portraits, still life and landscapes. Scroll down for examples of each.
Subjects include portraits, still life and landscapes. Scroll down for examples of each.
Waiting expectantly Sunhat
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Jeremy, from life
Sassy Candice, from life
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Sunflower, from life Sunflower, from life
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Dreaming, from life Self-portrait, from life
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Self-portrait, from life Red Hair
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Rick and his coffee Rick and Hank the Tank
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Sunny Day Rick in sunglasses
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Brittany, from life, in the studio.
Brittany again, from life, in the studio.
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Dara, from life
Archie, from life Little Red Riding Hood
Zach, from life and, to the right, Jessica, from life |
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Prayer
Rudbeckia, from life Four Petals, from life
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Magnolia Blossom, from life |
Neon Daisy, from life |
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Out Of The Silence Is Me
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I much prefer working with the living, breathing human being in front of me, or the true, solid object. However, sometimes, I have no choice. I knew Kimberly her entire life. She had autism. She passed away about a year ago, at the age of 30. I worked on this piece while she was alive, but her autism was such that she almost continuously turned her head, back and forth, so posing was simply not realistic. Instead, I worked from a personal photograph. To me, she always had a truly haunting beauty, which I tried to capture in this sketch. The title is also the title of a book of poetry she wrote, which you can find on Etsy.com, along with prints of her artwork. Her Etsy store is kimsgifts, and her mother still maintains it. Take a look! |
Broken Rose, from life
The Ballerina
This ballerina sketch actually began as a dashed off drawing from life, using charcoal on printer paper. I scanned the initial drawing, loaded it into the Sketch Club app, and took it from there. I like the loose, gestural quality of her tutu and the general expressiveness of the sketch.
Yellow Poppies, from life
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Violinist, from life
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View of the Island of Lanai, done on site
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Kaanapali Beach, done on site
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Eye of an Adventurous Young Gentleman
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Three petals, from life
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Emma lost in thought, from life Bridgette, from life
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Floating island, no reference, entirely from my imagination
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Dreaming, begun from life, continued from my imagination
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Bronze Horse Head, done at Museum
Bronze Horse Head, Classical Greece, 6 feet tall! I had the privilege of working on this sketch while seeing the sculpture in an exhibit at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, Italy. |
Angel, done on site
This angel, an early work by Michelangelo, is part of the Reliquary of San Domenico, in the Church of San Domenico, in Bologna, Italy. I worked on this sketch while standing in front of the actual sculpture |
Bighorn Sheep Skull, from "life" (but a skull is not alive, of course!)
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A single green light, from my imagination
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At the Beach, begun from life Lili, begun from life
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cinco de mayo
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whirling dervish
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Below, two quick sketches from life
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More Portraits, from life
brittany
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constance
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cassandra
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ashley
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lilianne
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Jorge
Every time I draw Jorge, he ends up looking like Jesus. Or St. Francis of Assisi. It just happens!
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vincent
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drea
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liliane
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michelle
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STILL LIFE
A SELECTION
asparagus
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portobello
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vase with lily
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autumn leaf
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tomatoes
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red pepper
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LANDSCAPE
A SELECTION
The river Arno at night
We recently returned from Florence, Italy. I did a bit of sketching. The river Arno at night is quite beautiful. The Florentines call the area along the Arno the Lungarno. I might have worked on this sketch about 45 minutes or so.
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The Duomo
View of the Duomo from the Bardini Gardens. I probably spent about a half hour on this sketch.
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the sky I saw tonite
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santa monica
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FANTASY
A SELECTION
Bia dell'Anime
This sketch was done for a challenge to do an anime portrait. I'm not an anime artist, but it was a fun sketch to do. I based it on Bronzino's fabulous portrait of the child, Bia de' Medici. I hope he isn't spinning in his grave, but finds it amusing, instead.
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Miss Scarlett Black
This sketch came out of a Dr. Sketchy session. What is Dr. Sketchy, you ask? A national movement. Artists get together at a bar or similar venue, with a costumed model, often a burlesque performer. For more info on Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School: http://www.drsketchy.com/ |
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Princess Atta (after Bronzino)
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Tonite
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robot in a pink hat
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octopus garden
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King Henry the Fly
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blue Jiminy
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If you could be anyone in the world for one hour...
I would be pope for an hour. Not for any theological or historic reason, but, simply, so I could spend an hour in the Sistine Chapel, all by myself!!!!
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Design a supervillain
The title has a double meaning. Does she munch on people, or is she styled a bit after some of Edvard Munch's more disturbing images of women? At least in terms of hairdo! As are many supervillains, she is conflicted about her acts, hence the tears.
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