A Quick Run Through of Drawing Media

I know this is a blog strictly devoted to my design foundations class, but for once I think I'm going to mix it up a little bit. In addition to BDS, I am also taking Drawing Media with Dick Varney. Although it is an illustration class (I am currently a graphics major), I took it because I really have a passion for drawing and painting. This is my favorite class I have taken this year, and I thought I would post some stuff I've been working on. So enjoy and let me know what you think. For those of you who have seen my high school stuff, you'll notice that I've developed more of a stylized approach. Never fear, I'm still into all that awesome realism, I'm just exploring what's out there :).

We started off the semester with the classic paper, pencil, and classmate modeling. This is one of my good friends Kelly Lantham. 

 KU offers free Saturday drawing sessions with nude models, so whenever I'm free I try and utilize those opportunities to develop my drawing skills (looking at all those other people who come and draw, I've got a long ways to go). 

She was really interesting to draw. Short hair and full of energy and emotion.

 Drawing Media has really given me the opportunity to explore characterization. 

 This is a pretty good example of just how far we've taken distortion. The first drawing is a realistic translation of a picture. The right picture is Mr. Pipe man as a zombie. 

The drawing on the left is Mr. Pipe Man as a robot. The top right is him as a baby and the one on the bottom right is him as a fish. 

Even more distortion....

Our next challenge was creating with india ink and sticks. 

 I had a lot of fun when we moved to drawing our classmates....

We then moved to translating photographs into stylized ink images.

 Up next was colored pencils.

 And in honor of Presiden't Day, I drew Mr. Lincoln

And Mr. Washington.

 From there, Prof. Varney taught us what he calls "The Grid Man". It's a technique that has you divide the face into basic shapes. I really learned a lot about how the skin falls around the bone structure. Here we have President Ford.

And President Reagan (just for you Dad). 

 And as we started pastel, I kinda got on a presidential kick....here you have Harrison's beautiful face.

 And Van Buren

 Andrew Jackson everyone...

And Tyler (this dude is literally skin and bones)

I'm sorry I made all these descriptions pretty brief. If you have any questions feel free to comment! Also, don't be afraid to spread the word about my blog. The more followers the better!