./monroec

Over a decade later, I reunite with the Atlantic Ocean.

I opted for the 95 instead of the 93 for my trip to Phoenix. On the way, I spotted a canal that came out of nowhere. It shocked me enough to stop the car and take a pic.

I got a chance to cruise over to Huntington Beach after finishing up my wireless project in Buena Park, California.

I swam for a bit and walked up and down the boardwalk. Near Main street, there was a random group of people playing music. The tribal sound and its impromptu nature was awesome.

On a whim, I decided to go up Lone Mountain after sundown. My goal was to get a clear view of the strip and to snap a few photos.

Like before, I’m very much in need for a better camera. Also, I should have thought about taking some sort of tripod solution.

I’d like to share the following pictures:

I attended the Nellis Air Show today. Apparently, I know nothing about aircrafts:  everything was much bigger or smaller than I expected. By the time we hit up the C5 Galaxy, my mind was blown. I don’t care about the laws of physics, it makes no sense to see that thing fly. That thing is an assboat.

As expected, the Thunderbirds were the highlight of the of the show.

Had it not been for Dustin’s invitation, I wouldn’t have attended the event. Given his current military standing, I basically had my own tour guide. Kudos to you, dbarbour!

I don’t have a fancy camera or anything, so I took few pictures. Here’s some that stood out:

Why is it
that I stop doing
what I like?

Let’s take a look at a small sample of drawings from these last few months. My original goal was to explore different styles and mediums. In the past, my drawings all had the same feel to them -> 6H to 6B graphite on strathmore paper, realistic still life, and portraits.

The new goal was to veer away from this comfort zone and see what happens. This involved changing my shading technique, pencils, and lowering my focus to detail. The emphasis was on doing more with less.

4B Graphite:

(It’s Peter Murphy by the way….)

The shading is done with a mixture of cross hatching and traditional shading. Since I was limited to a single shade, I had to use the white background to my advantage. This is by far my favorite way to draw. I find it to be more expressive and a lot less messy. The lines and shades give hints of shape and form.

Pen:

This is a regular black ink pen on strathmore paper.

Pen ink forces you to cross hatch effectively. The distance between cross hatching lines creates the illusion of different shades. Overall, most ink drawings look the same and are just displays of patience. Reflections are rather easy to deal with though. Notice the sun glare.

6B Graphite:

6B is so soft that I went through an entire pencil during this drawing. Fine, detailed lines are almost impossible to achieve. Instead, the hand stroke and pressure on the pencil will dictate the look and feel. These two faces are more expressive than anything else I’ve drawn.

2H Graphite:

I find that a 2H is too hard for shading. In general, it is used to lay out the original shape and layout of a drawing since it’s easy to erase. In this case, repetitive lines and movements are what make the drawing come to life. I also find that curves don’t come as naturally. The result are the jagged edges that you will also find in modern cartoons.

Charcoal:

The problem with charcoal is the mess. It is extremely easy to get carried away and ruin a drawing. However, the benefit to charcoal is in the shading. The beard comes to life here with very minimal effort. For some reason, charcoal makes me want to draw a little more cartoony.

Conclusion:

And there you have it: My drawing style changes drasticaly with different mediums.