St Jerome, St John, and NO TOMBO!!!

Tonight's sketch

Sketched a St. Jerome in the Wilderness tonight from a painting by one of the Venetian Renaissance masters, though not sure who exactly (looks like one Bassano). I found a bunch of suitable paintings, mostly on one site featuring the work of competing artists. Kind of screwed up the anatomy around the shoulder and a bit on the arm too -  really want to learn the exact origin and insertion points for each major muscle group.

Line work

My line work is loosening up and getting nicer - in fact I found how to get those free-flowing lines I was bemoaning a couple of entries ago - you need to angle the pen way down to a very shallow angle. Hold it loosely and develop a feel for the thick and thin lines without forcing anything.

St. John

Looked at a book of J Allen St John illos earlier - more than Frazetta he shows a direct lineage from the Renaissance masters - in fact I'll bet he studied from tham as I'm doing. His poses are very Renaissance, as are his rather emaciated bodies (compared to Frazetta anyway). He also shows a strong connection to Howard Pyle in his painting technique. I'm now sure it was in Creative Illustration where Loomis described techniques he had learned at the foot of the master - I have it in my wish list in case anyone wants to get it for me as a Christmas present - otherwise I'll buy it right after.

Facility in penmanship

Also I developed a scribbling/shading technique halfway btween a Renaissance draftsman and a Warren artist - this is what I want to persue. Getting better at laying in lines in the right directions, though still screw it up from time to time. Experience will make the difference - get it into the subconscious.

No Tombo over India Ink EVAR!!!

Tried it on the St. Jerome for a wash and black background - wow, what a bunch of CRAP!!! The Tombow blender hardly blends the Tombow markers themselves, but as soon as it snags a bit of fully cured india ink, WHAMMO!! Bloom! Blop!! All freakin' over the place. No mo Tombo.