Sketchbook
Welcome to my online sketchbook. Here you will get a window into my approach, what inspires me, and progress on my latest projects. This year, I have decided to focus on portrait and figure drawing to help round out my explorations in architecture.
Three-Point Views
venerdì 23 gennaio 2026
Today, I decided to step out into another realm and work with lines of flesh instead of solely upon proportions using the skeleton of a mannikin-based body. These are the three-view diagrams of men and women, working with and incorporating the lessons of proportion from my previous exercises.
Figures & Proportions
mercoledì 21 gennaio 2026
In this sketch, I was working with basic scaling and proportions for the (male) human figure. Like everything else, this is just a matter of practice.
Portraits & Planes - II
mercoledì 21 gennaio 2026
This was my first attempt at working with the secondary planes of the face. True to form, thinking in terms of the primary planes helped with my shading for the portrait in colored pencil, especially in the areas of the forehead and cheekbones.
A Portrait in Colored Pencil
martedì 20 gennaio 2026
After working with the pencil for shading and proportions, I wanted to try something new, just to switch things up. The colored pencil forced me to really think about shading, while being more careful to lay down lighter construction lines to allow the lighter skin tones to speak.
A Portrait in Pencil
lunedì 19 gennaio 2026
After working on structure and proportions, I decided to play with a real human, just to see how the techniques would work with an actual portrait. While I had completed several portrait commissions last year, I was surprised at how quickly these test portraits came together.
Portraits & Planes - I
domenica 18 gennaio 2026
Today I decided to move from the structure of the skull and onto the basic placement of features, along with basic planes to begin getting a sense of shading.
Experimenting with Skulls
domenica 18 gennaio 2026
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.
Drawing the Head & Hands
domenica 18 gennaio 2026
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.
Playing with Portraits - I
sabato 17 gennaio 2026
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.
Fun with Figures - II
sabato 17 gennaio 2026
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.
Fun with a Pencil
venerdì 16 gennaio 2026
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.
Fun with Figures - I
venerdì 16 gennaio 2026
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.
Figure Drawing for All It’s Worth
venerdì 16 gennaio 2026
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.
Woodblock Inspirations - II
giovedì 15 gennaio 2026
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.
Woodblock Inspirations - I
mercoledì 14 gennaio 2026
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.
Woodblock Inspiration
mercoledì 14 gennaio 2026
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!