Sunday, April 27, 2014


Redditor in full makeup before the hair down reveal, 2014, graphite, 5.5 x 4.5.

A pretty quick sketch in pencil. For some reason, the reference photo reminded me of the old drawing books by Andrew Loomis and Jack Hamm. Of the two masters, I prefer Jack Hamm whose books I highly recommend. Reference: My roommate did my hair & makeup for a formal. This was before she let my hair down. Care to draw me?

Redditor with head cover, 2014, graphite, 4.5 x 6.

Super quick sketch in graphite (aka pencil). Reference photo comes from I'd love to have a picture drawn of me! :)

Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard, 2014, graphite, 5 x 4.

This my rendition of Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the starship Enterprise in "Star Trek: The Next Generation".

Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi, 2014, graphite, 6.5 x 5.

This my (poor) rendition of Counselor Deanna Troi of the starship Enterprise in "Star Trek: The Next Generation". As usual, getting the likeness was tough. It helps to step back, scan the drawing, examine the glaring problems and go back to the drawing to attempt to fix them. To me, it's a bit of a "rinse and repeat" process but I am sure I am not the only one. We, humans, have difficulty evaluating relative sizes, which is big problem when doing portraits where a likeness is absolutely necessary to obtain.

Saturday, April 26, 2014


Redditor gives the old thumb up, 2014, pen and ink, 7 x 6.

Not really pen and ink as I used an erasable pen, but close enough. Here's the reference photo: Will someone please draw me?

Brent Spiner as Lieutenant Commander Data, 2014, graphite, 6.5 x 5.5.

This is my rendition of Lieutenant Commander Data of the starship Enterprise in "Star Trek: The Next Generation". This is just a sketch but I have spent quite a bit of time fixing things here and there until I was somewhat satisfied. There is definitely a likeness but it's still a bit lopsided. Sometimes, I wish I would trace, eheh.

Redditor with no makeup, 2014, graphite, 5 x 5.5.

Kinda struggled with one. Every time the drawing was scanned for posteriy, there was something wrong with the likeness. Ended up scanning 4 or 5 times before giving up. Here's where the reference photo comes from: I thought it would be cool to see some no makeup drawings, I always think its a much harder look to draw.

Reditor looking cool, 2014, graphite, 6 x 5.

Another quickly done sketch in pencil.

Redditor with weird facial expression, 2014, graphite, 6 x 5.5.

Quick loose sketch in pencil (graphite). I like doing those. Probably easier to do them for men because of the more angular facial features.

Clark Kent look-alike, 2014, graphite, 6 x 5.

I am not sure the guy in the drawing actually looked like Clark Kent but that kind of thing can happen when you're drawing.

Redditor lost in the shadows, 2014, pen and ink, 7.5 x 6.

I think I went a bit overboard with the pen and the scribbles. I used whiteout to correct something and, of course, you can't go over whiteout with ink. This drawing sat in my binder for a while until today where I used my trusted Pilot Frixion pen to go over area that had whiteout. Of course, the Pilot Frixion has a slight blue tinge to it, so it's quite visible, eheh.

Redditor with serious gaze, 2014, pen and ink, 6 x 5.

Rather nice portrait (I think) of an unknown redditor in slight three-quarter pose.

Redditor either yelling or singing, 2014, pen and ink, 6.5 x 5.

Pen and ink on drawing paper. The face was kinda cut in half by the harsh shadows.

Long-haired lady with a smile, 2014, pen and ink, 6 x 5.5.

Pen and ink portrait on drawing paper full of scribbles.

Redditor looking particularly disappointed, 2014, pen and ink, 6.5 x 6.

I used the Pilot Frixion pen to do this, so it's not quite pen and ink, but pen and ink definitely sounds better as a medium in fine arts. Here's the reference photo where this drawing originates from: Could anyone draw my girlfriend's reaction after I told her we weren't going to the aquarium? :D

Sunday, April 20, 2014


Redditor with elegant mustache, 2014, pen and ink, 5.5 x 5.

This was made in the middle of my scribble and hatch period. Hatching to render the hair and scribble for anything else.

Redditor with braided hair, 2014, pen and ink, 6 x 5.

A scribble and hatching combo for this sketch. It's something I do often.

A quite glamorous redditor, 2014, graphite, 6 x 5.5.

Sketch done in a hurry with not much tonal work.

Redditor with large hat, 2014, pen and ink, 7 x 6.

The nose looks a bit on the strong side for a lady, eheh. That's my mistake.

Redditor with flight helmet and glorious mustache, 2014, pen and ink, 6.5 x 6.

If I remember correctly, he's an helicopter pilot. In any case, his mustache commands respect.

Redditor with round face, 2014, graphite, 6 x 5.5.

Another redditor that asked for his/her portrait and I very much obliged.

Jonathan Frakes as Will Riker, 2014, graphite, 6 x 5.5.

This is my rendition of Commander William Riker of the starship Enterprise. In the inaugural season of "Star Trek: The Next Generation", Commander Riker had zero facial hair but, in season two, he started sporting a rather glorious beard.

Redditor with cool jacket, 2014, pen and ink, 5.5 x 4.5.

Actually, it's not really pen and ink, it's made with a pen called Pilot Frixion and it's awesome because you can erase just like with a pencil. It's probably not lightfast at all but who cares? Here's where the reference photo comes from: Anybody down to draw me? It would make me so happy.

Redditor with super mushroom hat and sunglasses, 2014, graphite, 5.5 x 6.

Cool hat, cool shades and cool smile. Here's where the reference photo comes from: My best friend's smile is infectious. One of the test shots I took turned out to be my favourite. He loves anime and comics, would love to see what you can do!

Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher, 2014, graphite, 5 x 4.

This is my rendition of Ensign Wesley Crusher, a beloved character of the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" series.

Saturday, April 19, 2014


Redditor with a piercing gaze, 2014, graphite, 7 x 5.

Not sure what possessed me to do the upper lip like that. I think she must be tilting her head forward, otherwise the proportions are a bit off. Yeah, that must be it.

Lady with really long hair, 2013, graphite, 7 x 6.

Kinda tight sketch. Looks like I took my time on this one.

Smiling lady, 2013, graphite, 7 x 5.5.

I really went gungho on those nasolabial lines, the lines that start from the nose wings and kinda go around the corners of the mouth. They are commonly known as the smile lines, for good reason.

Pensive redditor with hand around her neck, 2013, pen and ink, 7 x 6.

Kinda went overboard with shading on this one but I like it when it's on the darker side.

Redditor with long curly blond hair, 2013, pen and ink, 6.5 x 5.5.

Proportions are a tad off on this one, no doubt. That's what happens when you think you can do without eyeballing measurements.

Redditor with patriotic hair, 2013, pen and ink and marker, 7.5 x 6.5.

The tonal work is quite minimal on this one. Also, I might have gone a bit long on the nose.

Redditor with clasped hands under chin, 2013, pend and ink and marker, 6 x 5.5.

It's a bit of a gimmick but I kinda like the sketch with an accent in some random color, here, red.

Happy redditor, 2013, pen and ink, 6.5 x 5.

Loose sketch made in a hurry, apparently.

Redditor staring intensely, 2013, pen and ink, 6 x 5.

Another quickie in pen and ink. No safety net here. If you mess up, well, there's always the trash can.

Redditor looking up to her hair, 2014, graphite, 7.5 x 6.

This is graphite on drawing paper. I kinda went extra dark here. The reference photo comes from I feel awkward asking to get drawn, but I really enjoyed how crazy the rain made my hair today.

Redditor with hat, 2013, graphite, 7 x 8.

Graphite (or pencil as it is commonly referred by most people outside the art world) is cool although it has a tendency to get smudged if you're not too careful where you put your hands. Unlike charcoal, you don't really have to fix graphite but some people do (I have been know to fix graphite for posterity but it's too much hassle especially in winter when you need to go outside to spray the thing.)

Redditor in full profile and really dark hair, 2013, pen and ink, 6.5 x 5.5.

I don't usually hatch and cross hatch but here, I might have gone overboard. I am no Albrecht Dürer (obviously) but that was a pretty good effort, I think. A lot of ink was used in this drawing, no doubt.

Redditor in slight three-quarter view smiling, 2013, graphite, 8 x 9.

Must have been in a big hurry when this sketch was made as it's a bit rough around the edges, to say the least. It is however better to under work something that over work it (I think.) It kinda looks like there's a hand in her hair, eheh.

Redditor with cool smile and cool cheeks, 2013, graphite, 5.5 x 6.

Could have done better with the rendering of the hair but there's no time for regrets or second thoughts once a sketch is done and dusted.

Redditor with blue eyes and blue scarf, graphite and marker, 4 x 10.5.

Couldn't help having a go with the blue marker on this one. The hair is bit reminiscent of one of the three stooges and I am sorry for that.

Redditor with strand of hair covering her eye and nose ring, 2013, pen and ink, 6 x 5.

You can tell I was a little bit more careful with my line work in this sketch. I think she definitely had a nose ring even though it's badly rendered.

A reddit couple, 2013, pen and ink, 6.5 x 7.

Nothing better than pen and ink except perhaps charcoal to make sketches. It's liberating.

Father and son, 2013, pen and ink, 8 x 6.

Another multi-subject portrait, a rare occurrence. Pen and ink is a rather unforgiving medium although you can always cheat a little by using "white-out" to fix up blaring mistakes, here and there.

Steampunk couple, 2013, pen and ink, 6 x 7.5.

Loose scribbles turned into a sketch. It's rare that I do portraits with more than one subject but once in a while it does happen.

Sunday, April 13, 2014


Redditor with head tilted back, 2013, pen and ink, 6 x 5.

Quick loose scribbly sketch made with my trusted fountain pen.

Redditor, 2013, pen and ink, 6 x 5.

This is one of those quick 5 minute sketches I like to do with my fountain pen and without over thinking it.

Nathan Fillion as Malcolm "Mac" Reynolds, 2014, graphite, 6 x 5.

Drawing of the captain of the firefly-class spaceship "Serenity", Malcolm "Mac" Reynolds. This was done on Stonehenge paper, a paper I kinda use for everything, from graphite to watercolor. It is a really good paper for colored pencil.

Redditor with blue hair, 2013, graphite and Crayola crayons, 5.5 x 4.

Proportions are a bit off on this one but let's just say the model was tilting his forehead forward. Sometime, I really wish I would take a moment to check the proportions before committing too much.

Female redditor with blue hair and blue eyes, 2013, graphite and Crayola crayons, 7 x 5.5.

I've used a mighty crayola crayon to do the blue accents. I kinda like the idea of using the crayola crayons although they are impossible to erase, which could be a problem.

Redditor looking to the side, 2013, graphite, 6 x 5.

Another pencil sketch from a reference photo submitted to RedditGetsDrawn. Can't say I put too much effort rendering the hair or that the effort was well spent.