These are 2 Pen and Marker drawings of a man, created in an abstract art style. They were sketched from life during a figure drawing session in 2003, and are 5″x3″. The pen lines were sketched first, very loosely to provide some basic points of reference for the faces and body. The dark black pen keeps those important parts of the drawings visible amidst the colorful markers. Shades of black and gray were added to the background to pop out the profile of the subject, and bright orange lines were sketched in with marker. The final compositions stay loose, abstract, and focus more on the relationships between thin and thick lines and large areas of dark and light color.

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This abstract art painting entitled “Highway” was created in 1998. The artwork utilizes cut canvas and acrylic paint to create a layered effect that adds a unique element of physical depth. The black and white stripes evoke a sense of confinement, while the familiar black bands with fragmented yellow lines are reminiscent of highway roads. The abstract art was built and painted organically, one layer at time, from back to front. Some areas of canvas are even painted from behind, so coloring is consistent on the layers that fold back on themselves to reveal the other side of the canvas. Similar to massive highway systems in metro areas, the roads and lines twist and turn into an unforgiving maze of paths.

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This is a pen drawing of a girl with a hat, created in 2002. The portrait was first sketched with pen, starting with the simple eyes, nose, and mouth. A few wisps of hair and light lines denoting the shape of the hat were added after that. A brush loaded with water was then used to blur some of the crisp lines and add shading under the hat. Almost all the shadows were kept under the top 1/3 of the drawing, in order to accentuate the size of the hat. This tactic used in conjunction with the girl’s vacant stare help to reinforce both the physical shadowing of one’s face while wearing a hat, and becomes symbolic of a psychological weight as well.

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This is an abstract drawing of a face, created with a variety of mediums. The drawing started by using silver and gold paint pens to scribble down lines. The drawing was kept very loose, and simple twists of silver and gold were used to shape eyes, wrinkles, and abstract patterns around the paper. Once that dried, some deep purple and red watercolor paint was applied to the paper. The silver and gold paint repelled the water, so those lines continue to shine even after numerous layers of watercolor paint were applied. A yellow paint pen was used to brighten up the right side, and a white paint marker was used to add highlights to the face. Lastly some sky blue was added to the eyes, which delicately contrast with the somber tone of the facial expression and warm colors.

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These are two portrait drawings of two different women, which were created with Pen and Ink in 2002. The first woman’s portrait was drawn with very few lines, just enough to get critical facial features. The eyes, nose, mouth, and a few wisps of hair were used to define location, while the viewer’s imagination makes up the rest of the image. The well defined eyes with their piercing, yet somewhat vacant, stare create tension with the fragility of the pen and ink lines.

The second pen and ink portrait drawing started off in a similar fashion, but eventually a definitive outline was used around the jaw and hair. So the rest of the portrait was drawn in more detail, and a wash of water was used to soften some of the crisp pen lines and add shading around the woman’s face.

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These four drawings of lions were created with charcoal in 2002. Each lion is roaring fiercely, in a depiction of their natural inclination to hunt and strike for food. They represent a struggle for survival through raw power, not to be confused with perhaps the more anthropomorphizing emotions of anger or rage. That is the symbolism intended for each piece of art.

To see more lions in a variety of artistic styles, view the Animal Drawings and Paintings art gallery, or more drawings of lions and lions drawn with pen and paint pens in the Art Blog.

Each lion drawing was uniquely constructed, starting with thick black lines of dark charcoal. Layers of white chalk and pastel colors were endlessly drawn over one another to create textures and the energetic patterns of their tussled manes. Heavy black charcoal was used around the eyes to draw focus, and the mouth has contrasting stark teeth with a dark interior to help them stand out. Color palettes consist of warm and cool colors, or harmonious and contrasting palettes. But each mix of colors adds something unique to each drawing amidst the similar compositions of the lion’s face.

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This bald eagle watercolor drawing / painting was created in 1998 with a mix of watercolors and salt. The eagle was drawn in first with some light pencil marks. Then various washes of brown and yellow colors were dabbed in to create feathers, eyes, and the beak. For the sunlit background, a wash of water was first applied to the canvas. Color was then added to the page in concentric circles around a large puddle of yellow, and the water blurred and blended the colors together. While the paint was still wet, salt was thrown on the background, which gives the painting texture and a unique crystallized look. This helps to separate the background from the painting of the eagle.

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These two marker drawings of females were created with varying shades of grey markers and pens. The women’s faces were initially sketched with pen, and a subtle wash of water was used to soften the lines in some areas of the art. Light shades of grey markers were then used to build up the shape and form around each female’s face. Darker shades of gray and black were used to draw the hair and the deep shadows in each of the sketches. Both portraits are bold and striking, utilizing thin and thick lines to push certain elements of the faces forward or backward in space. For example, in the second portrait sketch, dark shadows under the woman’s chin push the neck back, and the light areas of the chin pop forward. Variations in light and dark patterns, also known as chiaroscuro, create the illusion of depth in each drawing.

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