The Chad Frye - Illustration GuyWith schools finishing for the year and the temperatures rising, the swim season has begun! Hope you get some time to enjoy the lakes, rivers, oceans, ponds, pools, and puddles out there with fun and safety!
Here’s a little sketchbook doodle with a Dark Brown Prismacolor pencil portraying some summer time well spent…
When I open a blank page in my sketchbook, often I don’t know what will fill that page until the pencil hits the paper. In a way, it’s a bit like improv – free association thinking once the first line is drawn. Thus was the case with today’s piece.
This sketch started with some eyes, then the idea of making it an elephant came along, then the idea that he should be dressed in a tweed jacket and bowtie, which led to the glasses, and finally the idea of putting the intellectual mouse on his shoulder.
– Franklin P. Jones (1908-1980)
Just a little something from my sketchbook today. And no, it is not a self-portrait.
Today is Star Wars day. May the Fourth be with you.
– Coco Chanel (1883-1971)
Sometimes when I do these Drawn & Quoted pieces, I find a quote and do a drawing based on it. This time the drawing came first (ink in my sketchbook), then the search for a matching quote came after, which is usually the tougher way to go about it. I saw this image as having possible business applications, and started looking at quotes with that in mind. I also thoroughly enjoy utter silliness, so when this quote surfaced (pun intended), it made me laugh in the context of the drawing.
Why? Because the quote probably was meant to inspire someone to greatness by having them not be afraid to try something. However, it seemed to fit perfectly the goals and achievements of these two characters as they both attempted their goals in tandem. The bear achieved success at the price of the fish’s failure. Funny, right? Pain is often funny.
I finished up a sketchbook the other day with a page full of dragons. Sure hope they are housebroken.
After three caricature posts in a row, perhaps it is time to return to the animal world. How about this Respectable Reptile?
A little over a week ago I saw the original 1960s Doctor Dolittle on the big screen (Rex Harrison was the star – not Eddie Murphy), and came away with animals on the brain. This dapper fella is a hand-inked specimen that came forth in my sketchbook, then colored in Photoshop.
By the way, if you ever wondered what John Hammond from Jurassic Park looked like singing and dancing, do yourself a favor and check out that 50-year-old version of Doctor Dolittle. He’s the circus ringmaster. You’re welcome.
One of the highlights of the screening I went to was that the author of the screenplay and writer of the songs for the movie, the legendary Leslie Bricusse, was there for a Q&A along with Samantha Eggar, one of the stars of the film. It was so great to hear their tales from this film they spent a year making oh so long ago. Below is my favorite photo of the two of them that I took that day. What a treat!
