Blog Archive

Tuesday, 19 May 2026

Fezians Versus Dinosaur

 This is another illustration based o my fantasy wargame campaign. The models for the illustration are toy soldiers and dinosaur.




Camping by the Creek


 

Saturday, 16 May 2026

Mick and Hoppa 'Reading material'

 

                           Can you get the subtle 'in joke' referencing a supposed author?

Dracos' Last Stand, Drawing From Wargames


 Something I am increasingly doing is drawing from my wargames and the toy soldiers I use. The figures I use mostly stand 54mm.

 The picture is made with fine-liners, gel pens, water color and acrylic.

'V' TV S.F. Series

 

I did something different by starting with a magazine cutout of a mouth. Anyway, I like old SF series and the ladies in this one made an impression.


Sunday, 10 May 2026

Sketchy Sketches of the Portrait Group

                                                                                                        
 


These are 15 minute 'sketchy sketches' using pencil instead of my usual pens. The first two were part of the same sketch. The colored one shows Rod and Klara chatting before they began sketching, Rod soon sat down so it was a very quick drawing of him.

Sunday, 3 May 2026

Colored Portraits of Rod and Jerry

 These drawing are from my portrait group. I had posted them in black and white but now they are colored.




Chloe, Sister of the Moon

 Chloe, the cat, is a ready model.




Tuesday, 21 April 2026

Vampire Love

 I am going to include this story in a zine compilation on a vampire theme.




NOTE on spelling. Civilization is the American spelling and civilisation the British. Australia mostly, but not always, follows British spelling and often both at once like with color/colour, although in the 1960s students were told we were now following the American version. Well, I don't feel TOO bad for using the American version.

Saturday, 18 April 2026

PLANET OF THE CATS

 

This was a a flow on idea from my Statue of Dogivity. I always loved the Planet of the Apes series of movies, the original more than the later. 

Half Moon Bay

 The dog was smaller but I liked it to be a big dog. I had to draw this fast as the people were at the water fountain only a couple of minutes. Also they were there at separate times.



Do you mind if I sit here?


 I thought it was a nice spot to sit as there were three empty seats but the lady didn't like the idea and went off in a huff. as far as I know I didn't run over her dog.

Sunday, 12 April 2026

Super Heroes From a Time Long Ago

 I found these drawing in a small sketch book from around twenty years ago. I scanned them today and added additional headings and text.






The Drakos Family Tragedy Part 1

 The characters derive from my decision to write a background to my recent wargame. I might change the writing to a computer font which will be neater.




Moo-lahs of Iran

 


My Portraits of Rod at the Portrait Group

 Rod has some strong features. The first image is done with pencil, The other two are done with a paint brush pen.




Friday, 10 April 2026

People on the Sandringham and Pakenham Lines April 2026

 I recently took a train trip to Melbourne and got out the sketch book - no surprises there.

The first three cartoon portraits are derived from the black and white sketch I did on the train. Artistic License is a great thing; The first woman I did a blonde and a brunette version of.



                                                                Here is the original drawing.

  I drew this next one on the way home. I used an economy of line but a more realistic look. I did slightly exaggerate the man's nose and paunch. I don't much worry about some geometric lines being wobbly as straight lines can be boring and the train jolts around a little, making really straight lines difficult.
  This young fellow was dozing so he was great for a study in forms. I don't know if the hand is too big but it was large. You might have noticed I have an obsession with clouds but they give a good contrast.
One of the joys of this exercise is scanning the pictures on to my laptop. I increase shadows and contrast and if they are color I usually intensify it.


  Drawing people is a bit of a balancing act. If they are not sleeping I try not to be too obvious as it could be unnerving having a person staring intently. For this reason and also because people might get off at a station I draw fast and partially from memory. In any case, I often am drawing the whole section of the carriage so not looking always at just one person. Fortunately most people are so intensely looking at mobile phones that they are oblivious to anything else.

Wednesday, 1 April 2026

The Vampire

 I'm presently experimenting on art work based on my fantasy wargames with 54mm figures. 

The painting is based on the vampire, Drakos, which the kingdom of Beerstein is trying to eradicate form the Island of Dread.


The bluish one is closest to my original and the others have different tints. Which one looks best?



                 





   Some of the style, and especially the evil Moon is influenced by the zines of 'Bill making Stuff' site to visit.

Monday, 30 March 2026

Sandringham Beach March 2026

 


Portrait Group, March 2026

    Here is yet another of my portrait group sketches. I lie to draw at least one group shot as the artists are as interesting as the model.


Gel pen and fine-liner with digital tint.