Clearly Contrast

Apparently I had an aversion to shading during this drawing. Everything is sharp and maximizing contrast. I like his hair and shirt and I feel like there was potential for cool things with her hair but I did not take advantage of it! Oh well.

Grace Bible Church (MI) On October 26, 2014

Bye Bye, Bic

I feel like I reached new levels of color-depth with graphite in this sketch. Maybe it was a new pencil...something fancier than Bic (sorry Bic). The rest of this sketch is just eh for me because I couldn't get the proportions of his head right.

UM GradCru Getaway (MI) on October 25, 2014

Give Charcoal a Chance

Okay, so I didn't actually use charcoal for this drawing, but it came out extra graphite-rich and I like it. It was a quick sketch and sort of awkwardly positioned but I like the patterns in his Adidas shirt. 

UM GradCru Getaway (MI) on October 25, 2014

Attack of the Photobombing Laptop

For some reason my favorite part of this is the photobombing laptop. Maybe it's the perspective or depth that is added--it just made this drawing a bit more interesting for me.

University of Michigan (MI) on October 24, 2014

The Dragon's High Top

Love her hair so much and I love the remnants of pencil that scatter around her high top. Kinda wish I finished the shading, but maybe the absence of shading makes other features pop...like her dragon-scaled scarf.

Grace Bible Church (MI) on October 19, 2014

A Walk Down Memory Pew

Definitely not my favorite drawing but I was back in California so I can't hate it. Maybe adding more depth would make me like it better...or maybe not.

Calvary Church of Santa Ana (CA) on October 12, 2014

#ClassicGroupSelfie

So apart from the smudge, which is a result of taking so long to post these pictures, I like this one. So many different people in awkward perspectives. #classicgroupselfie

University of Michigan (MI) on October 7, 2014

The Candy Striping Cartoon

Wish I had finished this one and either filled in the back or left the big section white. Also what's with this one looking real cartoon-like? I don't hate it.

University of Michigan (MI) on October 3, 2014

Flickering Fingers

I feel like I never draw hands! Check out how these suckers just crept onto her arm. I accept. Sorry buddy on the right, you're not my favorite part of this sketch.

University of Michigan on September 26, 2014

A Proportionate Partition

I like the random curves in the shirt, but the sections of shading that separate his hair are my favorite.

University of Michigan (MI) on September 26, 2014

The Glossiest of Bobs

This is no exaggeration of how glossy her hair looked. I'm a tiny bit impressed that it came out so well.

University of Michigan (MI) on September 12, 2014

Scaled and Wispy Fissures

Pretty sure this was just a regular braid, but it came out in scales. Scales with wispy fissures. I like it.

University of Michigan (MI) on September 12, 2014

Hey Church, Remember Me?

So this drawing is not my favorite, but let's blame it on the fact that I haven't been in church for a good three months. Glad to be back and hopefully my drawing skills will catch up...

Grace Bible Church (Ann Arbor, MI) on August 31, 2014

Miss Frizzle is Frazzled

I had a bit more time on my hands than I needed for this drawing, which is why the shading got a little intense. Also I unintentionally transformed her frazzled hair with smooth curves. Blame it on artistic interpretation.

Rackham Graduate School (MI) orientation on August 29, 2014

An Experience Encored

This sketch doesn't even come close to capturing the unbelievable scenery of that hike, but I needed to relive it with a drawing. Thanks to Ian and Fiona for making Ben-y-Vackie my very own mountain.

Drawn from a photo 40,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean on August 24, 2014

Pen and the Pee Line

I had the most awkward seat for this overnight flight to Scotland. Four feet of legroom that was almost always full of crouching people in line for the toilet. Weird. Luckily I captured this ink drawing before the queue began.

Drawn 40,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean on August 14-15, 2014

Grandparents and Grandchairs

The chair just about swallowed up my grandmother. Also I'm not so great at drawing wrinkles, although I am intrigued by the challenge. More to come perhaps.

Drawn from a photo (credit to A. Anderson) on August 8, 2014

An Aisle of Awkward

Oh this one is just the pits. I got a bit lost in the perspective of the aisle seat and gave up rather quickly I think. Next.

Drawn 40,000 feet above the midwest (USA) on August 8, 2014

A Subtle Softness

The fabric of the shirt and fabric in the hair have almost a softness to them. I kind of forgot to draw the chair he is leaning on, but aside from that it has an interesting feel.

Drawn at Idaho National Lab (ID) on August 5, 2014

Life in the Landing

I had an entire plane ride to work on this one and I love all of the people activities. Bobby is digitally painting, the baby is fast asleep, and my neighbor is reading the SkyMall magazine. Just your typical life in the landing.

Drawn 40,000 feet above Nevada and Idaho on August 4, 2014

Little Bun Little Man

I think I drew him a bit smaller than his actual stature, but we can't go back now. This drawing is just eh for me, but it was late and the driver was not so great and...excuses.

Drawn on the DC Metro Orange line on August 2, 2014

Shades of a Watered Skyline

I think I have a thing for skylines. Also I like the random patterns that came up in the shading of the water.

Drawn from a photo (credit to K. Hart) on August 4, 2014

Neanderthals in the Underground

Okay so "neanderthal" might be too strong of a word but they both had very pronounced foreheads. Also it was real quick and the Metro was all kinds of choppy.

Orange Metro Line (Washington D.C.) on July 28, 2014

Fragments of a Firm Foundation

This at first seemed like just another drawing but for some reason I really like the fragments of the chair that he is sitting on. I barely drew it but it seems a firm foundation.

NRC Public Meeting on July 14th, 2014

The Shadow Slicer

I like this guy's pointy ears. Not entirely sure why I sliced his shirt into bits though. Overall, a very meh drawing.

NRC's Fuel-Cycle Information Exchange Conference (Washington D.C.) on June 10, 2014

Gravely Angelic

I loved this figure immediately as I passed it in the cemetery. Her wings seemed ready to actually pull her up into the sky. I like how the drawing came out, although the mosquitoes were biting so I failed to get the detail in the wings that I wanted.

Oak Hill Cemetery (Washington D.C.) on July 6, 2014

Second Guessing Assumptions

So I decided that it's challenging to capture someone else's rendition of a human being. Instead of being able to make my own assumptions on the texture of cloth or hair, I have to work from someone else's assumption. Good to know that it's not my favorite.

Oak Hill Cemetery (Washington D.C.) on July 6, 2014

Happy with Hesitancy

Not of fan of this hurried drawing technique. The only part I do like was the still moment between the two figures that I captured. I'm pretty sure it was their first date, maybe a second. I am happy with the hesitancy between them.

National Mall (Washington D.C.) on July 4, 2014

A Warped and Weathered Perspective

This one is just bizarre. I liked the tree, but the ladies enjoying the weather really warped the perspective of the drawing. They seem to be separate drawings but also not? Oh well, I had fun with the tree.

Rittenhouse Square Park (Philadelphia, PA) on June 29, 2014

Abe Lincoln, Thanks For the View

While I was drawing this, I hated the landscape and the woman on the right. Still don't like how the woman came out, but the reflecting pond and bushes grew on me. Ew, pun. Also I like the Kardashian-type lady on the left.

Steps of the Lincoln Memorial (Washington D.C.) in June 2014

Baby Mario and His Dad

I didn't get a good picture of the little boy or his brother, but he had a tiny little Mario hat on. Also I like the scribbled texture of the dad's hair.

Steps of the Lincoln Memorial (Washington D.C.) in June 2014

Hurried Moments on an Unhurried Monument

Okay so this was just a straight up challenge. These people sat down for what felt like 45 seconds and then were up and moving again! I probably should have focused on the one still feature in view, but there's no fun in that. I kind of like the bushes that line the reflecting pool.

Steps of the Lincoln Memorial (Washington D.C.) on a Friday evening in May...maybe June 2014? My bad.

Potential for Pen

-I have never been the biggest fan of pen drawings, but this drawing makes me want to use more pen. Maybe.
-I liked the simple lines and the sheen of her hair.
-Beebe Symposium (Washington D.C.) on May 13, 2014

Muddled Minds

-My attention at this point of the day was lagging, so I took advantage of all available paper space. Sorry, guy.
-Beebe Symposium (Washington D.C.) on May 13, 2014

Cowering Camo

-So this big guy in front kept moving, which was quite a disruption to this drawing.
-Glad I was able to partly capture the woman in military. Current camo patterns were too hard for me to draw, so I tried to remember the old pattern. It turned out poorly and very similar to the patterns of a cow.
-Beebe Symposium (Washington D.C.) on May 13, 2014

Scribbles to the Hair

-I was getting a bit tired of drawing, so the scribbling started. I think I kind of liked how it came out, except for her hair. Scribbles to the hair next time. 

-Beebe Symposium (Washington D.C.) on May 13, 2014

Man at the End of the Tunnel

-He looks so lonesome all the way up there but don't worry, he had friends nearby. Perspective is key.
-Beebe Symposium (Washington D.C.) on May 13, 2014

The 3-Headed Businessman

-There were SO many middle-aged men at this symposium so I had quite a variety of hair styles to deal with. Here were a few...
-Beebe Symposium (Washington D.C.) on May 13, 2014

Forget Context

-So this drawing makes it look like the figure on the right is stalking her prey but I'm preeeeetty sure that's because I left out the context (i.e. more chairs and more people). Still, I like it a lot.
-Calvary Chapel DC Metro (Washington D.C.) on May 11, 2014

The Baby and Her Birthing Ball

-I still can't believe that I was a part of this day so here is another tribute to the day Adeline Ruth was born. I loved this restful pose between the waiting parents.
-As for the drawing, there are detailed areas and very un-detailed areas. Kinda wish I spent a little more time on those un-detailed ones.
-Christiana Hospital (DE) on April 29, 2014

A Fatherly Egg

-His head didn't actually say "Happy Easter" but I had to get the point across, ya know? Also his head really did look like an egg...
-Calvary Church of Jupiter (FL) on April 20th, 2014

Picturing Tendrils

-Okay so I couldn't capture her perfectly curled hair as well as I had wanted...but the curls turned into tendrils, so there's that.
-His shirt was bright red with black and white photographs all over. It was great.
-Calvary Church of Jupiter (FL) on April 13th, 2014

United Isolation

Looking back, I really like how close the two sit, but how much space there seems to be around them. They are together, but so separate from the rest...at least in this drawing. 

Calvary Church of Jupiter (FL) on April 6, 2014

A Pew-Full of Ladies

I took this picture a year ago and finally got around to drawing it during a plane ride. I love all of the different hair styles and the perspective of the depth of the room.

Photo taken at Three Village Church (NY) in April/May 2013

The Son of Arthritis

Not my favorite drawing but his shirt was great so I kept going with it. Also they were sitting very close together it looked like they were glued.

Calvary Church of Jupiter (FL) on March 23, 2014

Awkward Angles

Oh man, this angle was the pits! I did the best that I could but I still very much dislike the outcome. Oh well.

Calvary Church of Jupiter (FL) on March 9, 2014

Collected and Combed

I liked this little man with very specific hairs. They were perfectly collected and combed, providing a nice contrast to his plaid shirt.

Calvary Church of Jupiter (FL) on March 2, 2014

The Not-So Invisible Mother

-Why were they leaning so close to each other and so far away from the right? Poor mom...or friend...or stranger? So many questions and so few answers. I really did enjoy the space and lack of space in this one though. Something a little bit different for a change.

-Calvary Church--Jupiter (FL) on February 23, 2014

Precursor to the Ombre

-This one obviously didn't get finished, but it's got that weird hair color fade going on--an "ombre" or something like it.

-Church in the Farms (FL) on February 16, 2014

A Taste of the Tropics

-I like the space in this one. Not sure why, but he looks so very solitary in this drawing. I can't even imagine the rows of people in front of him and I kind of like that. Also his shirt was classic Florida.

-Church in the Farms (FL) on February 16, 2014