Meet Me in St. Louis!

Love that musical.

Anyway, I'm now officially located in St. Louis, and after some issues with the bed, breaking out in hives from stress, going to the hospital and such, I have finally managed to take pictures of my room! (yes, it has been that kind of change)

But fear not, because I actually have pictures of my room! I would also have pictures of my little art room next to my room, but right now it is under construction, and when I start painting, you'll see fifty million pictures of it anyway from me updating.

SO, here is pictures of my wonderful new room in my apartment!

Here's my new bed... its a click clack futon. I decked it out to make it look fancy... and its in sofa form!

I have a giant window. I love windows. But, if you want proof that I live in the city now, there's a giant brick wall where the next house is that I swear, if I opened my window, I could reach out and touch it. At least the window next to my window is stained glass, so its kind of pretty.

This is my night stand. I kind of like earthy things, but because Autumn is my favorite season, I went a little overboard with leaves EVERYWHERE..... The lamp that sits on the table was actually a school project from two semesters ago. Its like a collage/painting/sculpture. I also like the fact that its super functional. Oh, and I burn incense a lot, so there's an incense burner.

These were my favorite drawings I did in figure drawing class last semester. The two to the right I drew on paper bags (because its free paper!). I'll take better pictures of them later, but they really match my room.

This was a painting that I did for a class that I haven't had a chance to take a good picture of. There are a lot of paintings that need to be taken care of...

 More paper bag drawings on another wall over my dresser. The bear's name is Quincy!

Those are two Asian themed scroll drawings that I didn't make, two posters from high school plays I was in, and a painting that I did make, and will have better pictures of soon.

This is a beautiful cheap rug that I love that I got a long time ago... its one of my favorite things in my room.

Oh... that's just me being silly.

Keep checking in for new artwork!

Much Needed Update!

Hey, I know that I have been a bit occupied with life for the two years I've neglected this blog! In the recent change of events, I'm moving to St. Louis in a week, I have updated my website to a different domain name (www.ryanportraits.com) and I have started taking commissions for portraits, caricature gigs, and studio caricatures. In other words, I've become a very busy man.

But, if you're looking to commission me, I'm not too busy!

So, I'm going to show you how busy I've become with new artwork. I also have a complete sketchbook that I have finished and, if you follow me on facebook, you have seen it already. But if you haven't, fear not, for I will be posting them off and on in the next few weeks because of being busy with the move. But, I promise you, this blog will be updated regularly. I want everyone to know what I'm doing and when I am doing it at all times.

And there will be no more yearly pauses between posts. Enjoy!

A portrait I painted for Sarah and Tiara.

A self portrait I painted for a class (I even added crocheting and buttons. I honestly think it wouldn't have been entirely me without them!).

A portrait I painted inspired by Caterina Cavalari, an opera singer of the Victorian era.

A doodle that became an actual wallpaper for my computer.

So, as you can see, from my previous post, my artwork is much more refined than before. I really did need an update. 'Till next time!

Finally its Summer!

Omg, so I am so glad this semester's over. I started the caricature season and I am loving it! I have no camera, so it won't be for a while until I can post some caricatures up here, and I still haven't got pictures of my artwork from this semester, but I will soon! But for now, I do have some sketches that I have done. There are only five, but considering the were all done in a matter of two weeks after the semester was over, I'm really sketching because I have a chance to!

An owl... it goes "Who?" I saw a poster of an owl in the hallway after a final and said, "Why not?"

I really just wanted to draw fish one evening. I love how they form a circle. There's tons of rhythm involved in that drawing... I'm thinking about painting it maybe...

Just a sketch page... Run boy or that mean, one armed, anorexic woman will take your teddy bear!

This was a combination of sketches over time. I first drew the Afro guy (while watching soul train haha) and wrote "Throwback" next to him. Then that night, I drew the pissed off cat. And after that, I drew the pegasus that morning, which by the way is NOT a unicorn. I refuse to draw a unicorn without money involved. Then that night I went on to draw the cute little creepy doll girl who looks like she's going to kill someone with cuteness. Then after that the ballerina that next morning, then the girl, then the random frog. It took three days.... scratch that, four days. I forgot about the day I decided to color it all yellow.I thought it was a nice contrast, plus I never really use that colored pencil for some odd reason...

And this would be my first taste of fan art, but just for fun. You see, a friend of mine, Marietta Delene, has made this wonderful story called "A World Once Was." This is my interpretation of one of her characters, Oriella. I had fun, and I thought it weird that I don't draw many blonds.

Whelp, see ya!

...And The World Keeps On Spinnin'....

So, I've been so busy. Work is....alright. School is wonderful and stressful at the same time, and I cannot wait until May, when I go back to the simple caricature life. But for now I've been sketching, and doing art projects for school. Just as soon as I can get good pictures of them, I will show you them! Instead, I'll show you my sketches, and one commission.

This was a commission for a friend. I liked the style I decided to do on this one. The next few are sketches I did in the hallway of school waiting for class to start. 

Okay, so this next one was just because I felt like drawing a monkey... but I didn't realise how big it was going to be, so thats why the random head is on top of it.

And this is just a sketch that I decided to color...

Whelp, that's about it! Until next time, see ya!

This just may hurt your eyes.....

Whelp, I've been working alot lately, and drawing some too... mostly in Psychology class. But to prove that I'm paying attention, I got an A on my first test in that class, and I didn't know about the test until four hours before I took it, so I feel I'm doing pretty good!

On that note, here are a couple of people in my class...

The guy on the right is that guy in classes that usually just answers questions with answers that make no sense but sound important. I still haven't figured out how he does it. But the girl on the left is the one who is fully prepared for anything and thinks she knows it all. Somehow, I believe she's been in this class before. I love her boots though. For some reason I positioned them on the page like they're related somehow when they're actually total opposites and very much not related.

 

These are people I saw at work (by the way, did I tell you that I have been currently working at the Target Cafe' in a local Target Superstore for three months now?... well I do!). The girl to the left was extremely rude and upset because the person that was clocking out gave her the wrong type of pretzel. When I gave her the right kind, she replied, "Thank you, finally someone knows how to get things right!" Even though it was a compliment to me, it still felt like an insult.

And the guy, who's head is not even on the page. Yeah, this guy was tall! I mean really tall! I'm so use to being the tall guy that he even made me feel tiny! He even had to bend over to even get anything from the counter! So, I asked him how tall he was, and he told me he was 6 foot 11. He was almost 7 feet tall! That is ridiculous right?!

 

This girl was so interesting it was hard for me not to want to draw her. Her skin was very dark, yet she died her lion's mane a sandy blonde. Then she had this really neat grey and white pleated jacket with a cute scarf and beret to match. She had the fashion sense of a 25 year old in a 14 year old's body. I complimented her outfit. 

And speaking of outfits, I always loved Tokyo fashion. Its just so weird its awesome! Which inspired me to draw this crazy bright picture of a Tokyo girl!

 ...I think I got a headache from having to look at all the colors for that period of time....

Well, until we meet again!

Sketchbook Marathon?

So I've been completely obcessed with drawing this past week. I don't know what it is, but I think I'm becoming more flexible to what I can draw. I'm very good at caricatures, but I have alot of things that I sort of know how to draw that I shy away from because I become uncomfortable with them. So, instead of limiting myself to what I do know, I'm teaching myself what I don't know.

And so, here are my uncomfortable drawings!

 I actually am not comfortable with posing the human figure apart from a standing position. I constantly draw people standing, so this drawing of this Native American girl was a stretch for me, and I found that posing people in different positions actually give you more about the character than just having the character standing in that same static position.

I also have trouble with drawing elderly people. People who are older have more folds and flaps in their face, and it becomes hard for me to describe their oblong facial features through shading. This was a memory sketch of the man I talked to while at break at my work. His relaxed face looked angry, and he reminded me much of a pug. I find that the best way to do a memory sketch is to talk to the person while you're studying them, that way you have license to stare at them without being a creeper.

 I don't know why, but I find it extremely hard for me to draw people from the right rather than from the left. I think its because when you're in caricatures, you find things that work, and for me it was drawing people from the left. This is another girl I know from work, which by the way, thought this drawing looked hilarious because her sister is always talking about how huge her upper lip is.

I am getting slightly better at drawing animals, hince why I was drawing so many animals on my last entry. Their anatomy is very much similar to people, but the way they carry themselves is totally different. This is why I'm trying to become more comfortable with them. Plus its extremely fun to give animals a characteristic feel.

Another thing I am completely uncomfortable with is drawing the male anatomy. I think its because with the female anatomy you have liscence to use curves and they have more of a fluidity with the way they distribute weight. With men, its more like a wire that bends with tension, so you use less lines of fluidity and more lines of structures. I've been meaning to draw a merman for a while now, and I finally got the chance.

This is more of a classic take on my style. I was inspired by this painting of cupid to do this drawing and make it my own. It was very different and I used more pastel colors than anything. I loved how they hid his privates under a blue cloth that is magically caught in the wind.

Well, thanks for viewing my interesting sketchbook entries! Later!!!

I'm Back!

So, after a long hiatus of being extremely busy with the holidays, school, and work... I got a new sketchbook, and I am soon to get a new scanner, so my posts will be more frequent!

...after my next paycheck....

But if you want to see my first few sketchbook entries, well here you go!

My new sketchbook is much different than sketchbooks I have done in the past, and its because its not just white paper. Its recycled paper that is at its origional oatmeal color. So, because of that, I love how I can use colors and it pops off the page much better than in my past sketchbooks, and it gives me a middle ground to shade in.

And, I drew my dog Mister (Mr.)! This is the first time I've drawn him and have been absolutely pleased with it. I think its because I think I'm getting animal anatomy better... hence the reason why there are dogs and a flying pig and even a male deer... and a mime (don't ask).

And here's a note to Joe. Don't get too mad that I'm drawing things like this and not things for the Silent Evil Productions blog. I've been trying to think up ideas for it, and what comes out is... well... dogs and flying pigs, and mimes.

By the way, you guys should really check out the blog me and my friends have created. Silent Evil Productions has all you need to know about anything. From Pop Culture to even food! We review everything! So go to my side bar and look it up!

OH YEAH! And I made a SCARF!

If you did not know, I love to crochet, and this scarf took me about three and 1/2 days to make... and soon I'll have the hat that I finished yesterday on here too. Crocheting is an artform too!

Well, thats all for now. Be back extremely soon!

Its DOODLE TIME!!! *ding ding*

So, since its off season for Caricatures now, and school has been in session for a while now, I wanted to show you what I do during class... apart from paying attention, taking good notes, and asking questions when needed (just like a good little student should)...

I doodle..... A LOT.

As a Matter of fact, the collection of doodles I'm about to show you are only about half of the doodles I actually do... But I assure you, I'm still doing awesome in all my classes lol

Here's a picture I drew while talking to a friend.... the heart design thingy up top was what she wanted to add to a tatoo. The bottom doodle was just a random face.

Here's a doodle of a pixie fairy I did after watching the Disney Movie "Tinker Bell" the night before... The movie was so cute!

This is the same character, only a little more realistic, and a little less pixie.

This one is called "Ryan was extremely tired and had randomness just coming out of his brain in a dreamlike state...." I mean, what the heck was I thinking when I drew that weird looking Sesame Street-like animal?

These next two here are a couple of kids in my World Civilizations class.... same for the two random faces above...

This guy is Ayuel Leek. He was one of the Lost Boys of Sudan in Africa. He got out of the civil war there and is now here in America. He and a couple other people involved had written a book about the experience there. If you want to know more about it, he recommended this website about it . Its absolutely fascinating and to be aware about things like that is an absolute must. He's such an inspiration, both as a person, and for a doodle.

This is my Professor for Sociology. She is an awesome instructor, and has extremely long hair. I've drawn her many times, but this was one of the only days I caught her actually smiling...

My professor of World Civilizations wasn't so lucky.... He's a good instructor too... just doesn't smile. Also notice that I drew this on the back of my World Civ. Journal.... yeah, I do that alot too....

See, here's one I drew on the back of my Sociology book... its
lion eyes. I think I may finish this doodle in the near

future....

Hey look, THERE'S A CAMEL! ----->>>

I also draw a lot on the covers of my notebooks as well... for instance, here's a tree on top of my Sociology notebook.

And here are even more classmates on my World Civ. notebook... notice the extremely odd way I wrote my name on that one....

I do that to all my journals! Oh, by the way, this is the only doodle I've done in my math class.... see, I CAN FOCUS SOMETIMES!!!!


(even though its not like I'm not focusing while I'm doodling lol)

Yep, so that's all the good doodles... now, what to do for Thanksgiving........