Friday, July 31, 2009

Sketchbookin'




As our due date gets closer, we've been going to the midwife's office every week for brief check-ups which leaves us with some waiting-room time. Instead of reading while we wait I've been sketchbooking. Above are some quick sketches from yesterday and a drawing I did from a photo of a friend a couple days ago.

7 comments:

Q said...

I adore the one of Laini--"She's almost heeeere."

tone almhjell said...

Me too :)

BJW said...

Jim, nobody "drawers" guys like you. Nobody. Women either, but being a dude I appreciate you not toning down the guy-ness. Let's see, who else did this? I don't know, NC WYETH! And Jim.

Not bad company.

Jim Di Bartolo said...

Ha! Thanks Q and Tone!

And Ben. YIKES man, those are some hefty words of praise. I'm very humbled but completely unworthy of such loftiness. I'll water it down a bunch and accept it though. I VERY much appreciate the comparison and keep struggling through it all to be more worthy.

BJW said...

He did leave huge "drawers" to fill, but you only ever have to fill your own. You certainly have your own unique style. His pirates in "Treasure Island," archers in "The White Company," and natives in "Last of the Mohicans" and "Deerslayer" were tough, manly dudes, yet they still had these incredible emotions that resonated with me. They FELT authentic. Very difficult to compare artists, but you sure do manage to get the feel of being an authentic guy across to me. So did he. You've still got your whole career ahead of you and he is my very favorite artist, but there is something similar that has drawn me to your work.

And your (and Laini's) faerie, Magpie, was so beautiful and feminine but completely able to kick my ass.

Hope I make sense because I am surely talking way over my head. But I really appreciate a character feeling like it could do what the story is saying it can. Not some watered-down wuss but believable, like the kind of character you'd want next to you if you were about to head into battle or adventure.

Since Senior Wyeth has moved on, If I'm headed for a fight in a picture, I'm asking you to draw/illustrate/paint me my companion to survive it. End admiration rant.

Anonymous said...

Hi JIm,

I'm really, really impressed with your drawings...blown away really. I was wondering if I could commission you to sketch the portrait of the beautiful, lovely Alexandra Saperstein of Portland, Oregon. I was thinking maybe a commission about 48 x 64. Do you have time for that right now? I'll email you about it separately but very nice work.

We've met, btw, just once when your gigantic left arm freaked out on you at the Lyle Lovett concern. I was the cardiologist who provided emergency CPR to your arm....I bet you remember me now! What a weird evening that was!

K.G.

Sharon said...

Hey there,

Wow you guys look the same! um...except Laini's pink hair of course.:) I'm so happy to see you guys together still and still drawing. Congrads on the imminent little one! How exciting! Yes- I have two little schmoos that orbit around me. The older is going off to kindergarden in just a week and a half- very surreal.
Your work looks great! Its so fun to see how far along you've come. I agree with whoever it was that said you draw great guys. I like that you show sketch book pages. I haven't tried that.
Fun to be back in touch...You know you and Laini were the ones that persuaded me to switch my major from painting to illustration. You bastards!! Just kidding- best thing ever.:)