Corporate Portraits: T. Rowe Price

I illustrated three portraits for T. Rowe Price's beautifully designed (and illustrated) planLink magazine the other day. Jon Zerivitz, art directed the project, and did a great job designing the illustrations into the layout.

To begin drawing a set of corporate portraits, I ink each portrait a couple of times, looser or tighter and often at different sizes. That's the funnest part, exploring different ways to make a matched set of drawings look like individual people.

I like to emphasize the direction of the eyes and exaggerate their size a teeny bit. I illustrated all the T. Rowe Price corporate portraits looking straight at the viewer. Adjusting that detail helps these financial advisers appear more friendly, engaged and honest.

One of the strengths of the illustrated corporate portrait is the opportunity to unify a group of mismatched head shots, in a way that positively emphasizes client themes.

I'm holding them up so you can see the size I draw them. Below that are some detail shots.

Illustrated portraits in T. Rowe Price's planLink magazine: Graham Smith.

For the drawing nerds:  Hunts 513ef nib, Winsor Newton #8 round brush. Black Cat India Ink, Aquabee Super Deluxe drawing paper.

When the pen nibs are brand new, they tend to be drippy. Once the nibs get "seasoned" ink holds on a little better and you get less accidental drips. By "seasoned" I mean that the factory oil washes off, the surface gets etched, and ink starts to dry on nib, ya dig?

See More work for T. Rowe Price here.

G.

Sketchbook 26: Sketchbook Sessions

Wednesday night is sketchbook night. So, the last few Wednesdays I've been hanging out with the San Diego Sketchbook Session Artists at Café Venti, drawing and eating Spam fried rice until 1 am.

The first Sketchbook Session night, I ordered the Spicy Squid and a Pepsi, and promptly drew the scene my book. Below, are a few of the Sketchbook Sessions drawings I drew in Sketchbook 26, while eating, talking and singing karaoke with friends.

September 2nd, the San Diego Sketchbook Session Artists will be displaying their work at Drawsome! an Art Show to support the Arts at the Public Library in Chula Vista, Califonia.  Read more about this Event.

In this drawing: Frank Strocco, Aaron Kasten, Dave Wilkins, Spicy Squid, Paul Davies, Eddie Holly, Jared Lipscomb, Peter Han and art fan, Tina Marie.

In this drawing: Cazi Tena. Susan Dawe talks to Laura from Wales. Video game artist Jin Kim told me, if you press the button (bottom left) the waiter will come and will bring Spam fried rice.

Illustrator, David Gordon at Comic Con (left) lost naked guy (right)

David Gordon, Alberto Ruiz, Tim Mantoani and I were throw together at a Comic Con dinner at Bice.

 

For the drawing nerds: Sketchbook 26 is 8.5 x 11 inches, Neehah Environment Desert Storm, recycled sustainable paper. 32 letter sized pages folded in half, with a file folder for a cover. The whole thing is stapled and taped together, making a 64 page booklet. I started this one last month at Comic Con.  I used Platinum Carbon Ink in a Lamy Safari fountain pen and colored pencils with some acrylic paint here and there.

Make your own recycled sketchbook

G.

Life Drawing Workshop: Lizz with Aura

Lizz seated with Aura: Graham Smith

I sat down and started drawing right away, trying not to make too much noise. I hadn't noticed the workshop started an hour earlier than usual when I walked in! There were a lot of talented artists drawing and painting Lizz that night, and they all had a 20 minute head start! We all had some fun drawing and meeting new friends.

Lizz - detail: Graham Smith

To me, no drawing of Lizz is complete without drawing a halo around her. I don't know why, but it simply must be there. Below, is the first drawing where her "Aura" appears. It was drawn a few years ago at the Ubiquitous Bee Studio in San Diego.

Lizz with Aura 2008: Graham Smith

After all the drawing and talking, a few brave artists ventured into San Diego's "less popular area's", where some secret Asian noodle shops are hidden. The dumpling soup was just as good as promised! Afterward, we agreed not to linger in the parking lot, the whole area looked kind of shady.

18" x 24". Colored pencil. Strathmore 50 lb paper.

G.