The skull is the foundation for the face, and is especially important for locating the line of the jaw and the cheekbones. Here, I moved on from basic (very basic) facial construction to a more defined architecture of the skull to get a better sense of the relations between the various features of the face.

This book by Andrew Loomis, entitled “Drawing the Head & Hands” is one of the best references that I have found for laying out and drawing portraits. The method that Loomis recommends is straightforward and structured, while still allowing for (and even encouraging) individual creativity.

Somewhat unexpectedly, I actually ended up doing several portraits for commissions last year. This year, I have decided to take more time to learn the fundamentals of figures and portraits, partially to do tarot card illustrations, but also to take my craft more seriously.

This was my second foray into figures and proportions. Here I began to work with basic bone structure instead of just lines - still working with the proportions of the male skeleton with different hips and cue angle on the knees.

This is an old-school introduction to sketching by Andrew Loomis. If you are looking for a playful introduction to the art of drawing and sketching, then this is the book for you. Rather than approaching figures from a place of portraiture, Loomis approaches drawing from a place of play.

This was my first foray into figure drawing using Loomis’ “Figure Drawing for All It’s Worth” as a guide. After my issues in attempting to recreate The Star XVII card from the tarot, I decided that I needed a more formal approach to drawing figures.

If you or someone you know has been searching for a book on figure drawing, then look no further than Andrew Loomis’ book, “Figure Drawing for All It’s Worth”. This is more than a simple step-by-step book, in the sense that one is expected to experiment and work with the principles and approach that Loomis lays out.

This was my attempt at creating a colored version of The Star XVII, a card found within the tarot. Like the ink work from yesterday, I drew my inspiration from the Japanese woodblock prints to play with different ways of creating texture with the pen.

This is an exploration in ink of The Star XVII card within the tarot. I drew inspiration from the Japanese woodblock printing and engraving techniques to explore different ways of creating texture and depth. Here is also where I realized that I needed to work on my figure drawing if I intend to create a tarot deck of my own.

The artistry of woodblock prints, particularly the Japanese woodblocks, have inspired me for quite some time now. Not only is there an organic flow to the approach of the Japanese masters, but the color palettes that are used fascinate me to no end. This book was a birthday gift from my brother and his wife and I am finally starting to use it in the way that I had hoped!