Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Sketchbook Peeks

It's been a while since I've posted any sketchbook sneak peeks and I know that I always dig catching glances at other artists' roughs, so lets remedy that, stat!

First off, I realized just the other night that I've really gone through quite the sketchbook evolution. I remember back in college I used big 8.5x11" books or larger (I should pull some of those out for you guys to see--god awful drawings in those beasts). And then I got addicted to smaller books, probably because the pressure was off to completely cover a blank page in mindless drawings.

And now, I've discovered the wonders of the panoramic/landscape sketchbook. I'm in heaven. I like that the pages aren't so small that I have to constantly worry about space issues and yet aren't so large as to make me feel like I need to use the entire page. And because the pages are in a long format, I can get some lovely compositions--sometimes without really meaning to do so. I highly recommend picking one up the next time you see one at the art supply store.
Button mushrooms a'plenty... Sea anemones are so beautiful...yet just a hair creepy. All those wiggling arms....luring little fish in... And a life-size anemone? Yeah. I'm not so certain I'd like to encounter *THAT*. A tranquil octopus maiden...Giant beetles...

Good day, my friends! I hope it's filled with creativity and merriment!

9 comments:

Rachel said...

Michelle... you're a darling, and you know I love your work.... but a BEETLE? *shudders* I can handle a lot of creepy crawlies, and spiders don't bug me much, but I have a visceral hatred of beetles. nasty creatures...

I love the octopus maiden. She's both beautiful and creepy. I always thought Medusa should look like that - beautiful but somehow wrong. :)

Eggman Studios said...

I'm borrowing this *beautiful* book of beetles from the library (I may buy a copy--it's gorgeous) and was inspired to do some beetle studies. Seriously--the color combos on a lot of tropical beetles are so surreal you wouldn't believe. Nature is pretty awesome. :)

Rachel said...

they're still beetles. I went to this cool butterfly/bug house in Singapore, and they had an amazing collection of bugs. I will admit that the metallic blue-green beetle's color was beautiful. But it's still a beetle. giant pincers and they *crunch* if you step on them. blech. okay, i'll shut up about the beetles now. :D

Eggman Studios said...

Haha! Maybe I'll hide the recent beetle painting from you then *cough*. :) I know everyone has their creepy crawly...mine, weirdly enough, is the common flea. I can't even look at one without doing the heeby-jeeby dance. :)

Rachel said...

heeby-jeebies! That's it exactly! There was this massive beetle outside the music building at CWU, and I scuttled inside and past that disgusting thing so fast I don't even remember doing it. YUCK.

Karlyn said...

Haha...I remember that! It's so totally spiders though. Too many legs. Michelle, I love the anemones! I've always thought anemones looked like they were dancing.

FoundVintageStyle said...

for me it's spiders as well! it's a very primal thing... no matter how hard I try to be a grown up about it I freak when I see one!

so nice to see your sketchbook drawings, tracing overlays... the tactile, hands on method of working up an image... beautiful!

Anonymous said...

have you ever seen the SpongeBob episode where his pet snail, Gary, catches him watching an anemone on tv? He quickly switches the channel to football. It's hilarious, let me tell you. So there is a place in my heart for anemones because apparently they are naughty.

Eggman Studios said...

Haha! Dawn, that is *way* too funny. :)