Head from a new sketchbook

I broke open a brand new sketchbook tonight. This is the first page:

Head from a sketchbook, 2012, Pitt artist pen on paper, 7" x 7".

More doubles from the Souls sketchbook

Here are some more 2-page spreads from the Souls sketchbook. This seems to have become the format for the book, for now at least. This sketchbook also parallels the collaboration with Tim Lowly, The Book of Souls. I'm not sure how they interact, or even if they should. In some ways they are similar, in others rather different. I think I'm using the sketchbook to explore some of my wilder ideas, whereas the "book" (which is a virtual book at the moment, but may become a book about the virtual book) with Tim is a more formal work. However, that is not entirely true, as some of the ideas & images from the sketchbook may bleed over to The Book of Souls. When the dust has finally settled, I'll be able to see all of this more clearly. Anyway, here are the double-page images:


Pages 51-52. I feel my spirits fly.


Pages 53-54. The Art of Discourse.


Pages 55-56. merge.


Pages 57-58. a mortal coil.


Pages 59-60. The Shadow of Your Soul.

Clicking on the images will take you to substantially larger versions. You'll have to use your browser's "back" button to return to this page.

I realize that the capitalization of the titles is a bit quirky...these are the original titles I gave the pieces. The lowercase titles are somehow different & less formal than the capitalized ones...

More images to be posted. I don't know if the entire sketchbook will consist of the double-page images...time will tell, as always. Stay tuned.

Sketchbook of Souls

This is a new sketchbook I've just started working on, to somehow complement a project I'm working on with Tim Lowly, the Book of Souls. I'm not sure whether this sketchbook will have anything at all to do with that project...

Here are some of the pages I've completed so far:


Above: page 1.


Page 3.


Page 9.


Page 12.


Page 17.


Page 31.


Page 32.

And the cover:



More to follow.

The Silent One

Small new painting loosely based on one of the Hell sketchbook images:



Acrylic on board, 2007, 14" x 11".

The original sketch:



Brush & ink on paper, 2007, 11" x 8" approx.

Hell -- Learning to Fly

I'm continuing to work on the Hell sketchbook. There are now around 90 images -- I think the finished book will have around 150. One plan is to select the best 100 & publish them as a book of "100 Visions of Hell", possibly combining the sketches with other drawings on a similar theme from other periods -- I've occasionally done other pieces on the Hell theme. Here's a new drawing:



Clicking on the above yields a larger image, of course.

Brush & ink on recycled paper, 11" x 8" approx. I'm now experimenting with filling the page with figues & other elements, which is a bit Bosch-like, but I don't care at this point. It also references Redon, Ensor, & so on. Might as well throw everything in there...

Sketchbook Cover Update

I've just re-scanned the Hell sketchbook cover:



It's filling in quicker than I expected. Oh well, there's always the back cover.

Hell Sketchbook Cover

Here's the cover of the new sketchbook:



Sketchbook is of recycled paper, 11" x 8" or so. WalMart's finest. My idea is to gradually cover the cover with images derived from the interior, of writhing, insectoid, demonic, etc, etc...I'll update this blog with newer images of the cover, probably, as time goes by.

Sentinel By The Gate (Hell sketchbook)

The Hell sketchbook continues apace. That's not a word you hear every day, "apace".



Brush & ink on paper, 2007, 11" x 8" approx. I'm developing a slightly different, looser, more expressionistic style for this series. Reminds me a bit of Ensor & Felicien Rops, who are influences of mine.

Just Another Day In Hell

Another Hell sketchbook image:



Brush & ink on paper, 2007, 11" x 8". I am starting to get a handle on the look & feel of Hell.

Insect Demon (sketch)

From the new "Hell" sketchbook:



Brush & ink on paper, 2007, 11" x 8" approx. I bought the recycled paper sketchbook from WalMart, which seems somehow vaguely appropriate...