"Straight Line" Scanned linework with digital background. I thought it would be an interesting exercise to draw a fly using only straight lines. Sounds easy, but I redrew this simple profile 3 times! Even after I scanned in the linework, I noticed some curved lines and had to fix them digitally. This was a simple exercise, that turned out more difficult than I thought. If you look at the process to draw a straight line, it goes against the natural flow of how the arm operates. I like to draw using as much of my arm as possible. My drawing pivot point is from my elbow or shoulder - NOT MY WRIST! It is similar to drawing with a pen attached to a stick. It is easy to get a curved line, but to make a straight line using your entire arm, allot more coordinated movement is involved. Even after looking at it as I place it in this entry, I can see another slightly curved line. Can you find it?
Friday, February 29, 2008
No. 60
"Straight Line" Scanned linework with digital background. I thought it would be an interesting exercise to draw a fly using only straight lines. Sounds easy, but I redrew this simple profile 3 times! Even after I scanned in the linework, I noticed some curved lines and had to fix them digitally. This was a simple exercise, that turned out more difficult than I thought. If you look at the process to draw a straight line, it goes against the natural flow of how the arm operates. I like to draw using as much of my arm as possible. My drawing pivot point is from my elbow or shoulder - NOT MY WRIST! It is similar to drawing with a pen attached to a stick. It is easy to get a curved line, but to make a straight line using your entire arm, allot more coordinated movement is involved. Even after looking at it as I place it in this entry, I can see another slightly curved line. Can you find it?
Thursday, February 28, 2008
No. 59
Original - Available send email for details.Limited Edition Prints - Available soon - Send email for details.
"No Name Wet Fly" 4" x 6" watercolor and gouache. I just started by drawing some shapes that appealed to me. Quick wash of watercolor to establish color and a bit of valeus, then followed up with the details. No exactly what I had in my minds eye, but it will have to do.
Guest Artist
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
No. 57
"Drawing Flies Zen" - My wife bought me a real cool Zen garden for Christmas. There is no better way to get my Zen on then by drawing a fly in the garden!
Monday, February 25, 2008
No. 56
Original - Available send email for details.
Limited Edition Prints - Available soon - Send email for details.
"Parmachene Belle" Pastel on colored Canson paper. I tried something a bit different. Just using pastels on a dark paper. The Parmachene Belle is a classic wet fly and I was attracted by the bright married wing.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
No. 52
Original - SOLDPurchase Limited Edition Prints Here.
"Fox Squirrel Nymph" 8" x 10" Ink, watercolor and gouache.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
No. 51
Original - SOLDLimited Edition Prints - Available soon - Send email for details.
"Extended Body" 8" x 10" color and value study. This is a quick study for a larger more detailed painting to come. I hit the value pattern, but I do not like the way the details are lost. I would also add a more dynamic curve to the abdomen to make it a more interesting shape. I would also try using some different media to create a more dynamic feeling. That is why I do these studies to test out ideas. As I have said in the past, I will post both the good the bad and the ugly. I am battling some sort of bug, my brush strokes may not be on tonight, but I am not going to let it stop me from drawing my daily fly.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
No. 47
Original - SOLD
Limited Edition Prints - Available soon - Send email for details.
"Deer Hair Cabin Mouse" - 9" x 12". I was at a Boy Scout camp out this weekend with my son. I brought my sketchbook and travel watercolor kit with me so I could paint. The cabin we were in had a wood burning stove for heat. We had to run fire watch in shifts during the evening to keep the fire going and the cabin warm. During my shift I was sitting in my camp chair, sketchbook in hand deciding what fly to draw up. As I was staring off in the distance, a shrew mouse came running into my field of vision. Ah Ha! I will draw a deer hair mouse! I fished a deer hair mouse for the first time this past Summer on the AuSable River in Michigan. It was around 11:00 p.m. and I cast the mouse towards some dead fall. The water erupted and line started to peel off of my reel. I set the hook and let the big brown run. After a few seconds the hook popped free and all I was left with was a memory.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Important Note
I will be without internet access until Sunday evening. Never fear, I will still be drawing flies, but I will not be able to post Saturday and Sundays flies until Sunday evening.
No. 46
Purchase Limited Edition Prints Here.
Digitally rendered from a sketch scanned into Photoshop. It is sometimes fun to go to the digital side. I can render an area and if I do not like it, I can erase and do it again. I can tweak colors and layer the image to get the translucency of the feathers.It also helps with the digital rendering to have a Wacom monitor and pressure sensitive pen system.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
No. 45
Original - SOLDLimited Edition Prints - Available soon - Send email for details.
This one is for the ladies! Liz thanks for the suggestion! This fly is a Ronn Lucas Sr. inspired fly. Watercolor and Gouache 9" x 12". When you squint your eyes at it, you will see the heart motif!
This fly is dedicated to my loving and beautiful wife of 21 years!! to the greatest partner anyone could ask for!! I Love you with all of my HEART!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
No. 43
"The Swimming Mop" 11" x 14" - Mixed media on Yupo. You may be asking...what is Yupo? It is a polypropylene plastic sheet that does not absorb water or water media paints. It sits on the surface. If I wanted to I could wipe the entire sheet clean with a wet cloth. It was fun to swirl paint on this surface. This is a very abstract rendition of a muskie fly I received from Brad at the show. Allot of fun but I will need to experiment more with this type of surface.
Monday, February 11, 2008
No. 42
Original - SOLDLimited Edition Prints - Available soon - Send email for details.
"Old Red Eye" Clouser Minnow swinging through the water. Watercolor and Gouache. 9" x 12". I was not very happy with the way this turned out going for a radical view. My buddies Corey and Danny liked it so I decided to post it. Good or bad it is still a fly for today.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
No. 41
Original - SOLDLimited Edition Prints - Available soon - Send email for details.
I spent the entire weekend at 2008 Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo. I met and talked with many great people who expressed their appreciation for the Drawing Flies Blog. Thanks to all, it is greatly appreciated! It also so incredibly motivating to be around the many talented tiers and artists. Brad - Thanks for the great Muskie fly! You will see this one in the future.
And many thanks to Joseph who has introduced me to so many. A painting will be coming your way, it is a small token of my appreciation.
Todays post is a Brookie Fin Dry. 9"x12" watercolor and gouache
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Friday, February 8, 2008
No. 39
Original - SOLDPurchase Limited Edition Prints Here.
"Humpy" Watercolor and ink on a watercolor postcard.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
No. 37
Original - SOLDLimited Edition Prints - Available soon - Send email for details.
"Rusty Spinner" - 9"x 12" Watercolor and gouache. I have been having fun laying down a quick watercolor wash, then applying the qouache over the top. This is a top view of a spinner - ready to be gulped down by a predator below.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
No. 35
SOLD"Alone ?" watercolor - 8"x10" Here you are a trout (you fill in your favorite species) watching the water column for food. Out of the corner of your eye you see a nymph. Do you take it or let it pass by?
Sunday, February 3, 2008
No. 34
Purchase Original Artwork or Limited Edition Prints Here.Another Muddler. This one was done with gouach over a watercolor background. More of a portrait than no. 32.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
No. 32
Purchase the Original Painting and Limited Edition Prints Here.
Muddler minnow blasting through the water column. 15" x 22" watercolor and pastel. I have always been fascinated at how different flies look and move in the water. The way the current moves the fly at will producing a strike from an awaiting fish. The muddler minnow is designed to imitate a bait fish. The story behind this piece is one of movement. Many of my fly paintings are portraits of the fly. Although I attempt to interject character into these portraits, they are what they are, a static representation. This piece is designed to be dynamic. The flowing blue water column parting as it hits the deer hair head of the fly. You just know there is a fish lurking in the shadows ready to strike.
And the winner is....
The winner for the January drawing is..... Travis C. I will send you an email with the details. Since the originals seem to be flying out the door, I will have a print available of any of the months paintings for further monthly drawings. The prints are high end, printed on archival watercolor stock. Congrats Travis! Everyone else who has submitted ideas will carryover to the next month. Thanks again to all for the support and great emails!
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