Drawing Flies 52_14 Bass Bug

Drawing Flies 52_14 Bass Bug- Watercolor background, digital sketch.

Original status: Available. Contact me for information.

Swing by Jason's blog to check out his rendition of the of the Bass Bug!

Tech Info-Decided to dabble in the digital world this week. I rely on PhotoShop and my Cintiq drawing capable monitor for my day job. I decided early on that I would produce a watercolor background for this one. After I completed the background, I let it dry and then headed to the computer to start drawing. In PhotoShop I opened a blank document and grabbed the digital drawing stylus and started sketching. The nice thing about using the Cintiq is that the marks made on the digital canvas are pressure sensitive. This creates a more natural looking sketch. I roughed in the shape using a dark gray digital pencil brush. Once that was complete, I added colors on various layers to complete this of cartoon looking bass bug. Once the watercolor background was dry, I scanned it and dropped in into the background of the image. I scaled the background to fit and did some erasing to complete the image.

It is Spring time in the Midwest and the temps have soared this week into the mid 70's! It will not belong before I am down on the Fox chasing the smallies!

Great Waters Show

I will be attending the Great Waters Show in Minnesota this weekend. You can find me in the authors booth signing my latest book. If you have previously purchased a book and would like me to sign it, drop on by and I will be glad to personalize your copy. I will also have both hard and soft cover books for sale. If I am not in the authors booth, you may find me at Bob White's booth. Drop by and say hello!

Drawing Flies 52_13 No Hackle Dun

Drawing Flies 52_13 No Hackle Dun- Watercolor and Gouache

Original status: Available. Contact me for information.

Swing by Jason's blog to check out his rendition of the of the No Hackle Dun!

Tech Info- I do not know where to begin. Had a real rough day and it carried into the things I enjoy doing. Anyways, I will spare the gory details. Struggled with getting this one to come together. Came down to the 20 minute mark and I was close to the point of switching gears and finishing up with an ink sketch. I decided to keep at it and make the best of it.

I have only fished this pattern once. It was late in the afternoon in June on the Ausable River. I was in experimentation mode on a rising trout up river. Threw a number of patterns at it with no luck. Tied a no hackle on my tippet and hookup!

Drawing Flies 52 & MidCurrent Collaboration

MidCurrent.com is now including Drawing Flies 52 fly art in the weekly MidCurrent e-newsletter. Jason and I will add additional content that may not be included in out original posts! MidCurrent is your one stop shop for all things fly fishing. You can sign up for the weekly newsletter so that you do not miss out on all the great information.

Drawing Flies 52_12 Bomber

Drawing Flies 52_12 Bomber- Gouache on chip board 8.5" x 11"

Original status: Available. Contact me for information.

Swing by Jason's blog to check out his rendition of the of the Bomber!

Tech Info- I really enjoy drawing and painting on chip board. It is inexpensive and creates a great textured neutral value background. Chip board is the stuff you will find on the back of note and paper pads. Threw down a quick pencil sketch to rough out the shape, then I followed up with applications of gouache. I started with darker values and worked to the lightest to define the form. Creating the illusion of deer hair is always an interesting challenge. The spun deer hair for this fly was created by dabbing the end of a stiff bristle brush on the surface. This was the most time consuming task and I had to layer the paint carefully as to not overdue the effect or blow the 30 minute rule.

I have not swung a waking or skating fly like this for steelhead yet. Since the steelhead season here in the Midwest is unpredictable and the times I get to my home river I am usually fishing my confidence patterns. I should take a day to experiment with this style of fly. I know steelhead on my home river have been caught on a waking fly. Catching steelhead swinging a fly is an incredible experience, but catching one rising for a dry fly has to be the ultimate experience!

This fly is modeled off of Dec Hogan's bomber pattern. I really like the shape and the way the orange band breaks up the body. Bomber patterns are available in numerous colors and shapes.

After I finished it and stepped back I realized that I should have fattened up the body a bit more. Almost exaggerate the shape a bit. But hey, when you only have 30 minutes, you do what you can and hope for the best.

Above is a quick fun sketch that I did yesterday while sitting on the tail gate of my truck enjoying the Spring weather.

Drawing Flies 52_11 Connemara

Drawing Flies 52_11 Connemara-Watercolor and Gouache

Original status: Available. Contact me for information.

Swing by Jason's blog to check out his rendition of the of the Connemara!

Tech Info- This is the start of a series that I have been wanting to work on titled, "Reflections". I ran this one right to the last tick of 30 minutes. There are some more tweaks that I would like to have done, but this is a good start. I added the jungle cock to the fly to help define a center of interest, plus I just think that jungle cock looks looks great on both actual flies and paintings.

Happy Birthday Corey!

A Happy Intruder Birthday shout to my best buddy Corey!

Drawing Flies 52_10 McGinty

Drawing Flies 52_10 McGinty-Watercolor, Sharpie and Gouache

Original status: Available. Contact me for information.

Swing by Jason's blog to check out his rendition of the of the McGinty!

Tech Info- And now for something totally different! Boy this ended up totally different than what my intentions were. I will not tell you what I had originally planned because I will attempt to create it again. This was definately a more colorful approach. Not sure I am pleased with the results, but I will say that it is very different. A bit more graphical in nature almost cartoon like. Started by drawing with a Sharpie, then applying the watercolor layers. Finished up with a bit of gouache.