Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas and...AAAAAAH!!!

It's about that time of year, when the leaves are on the ground, the trees are bare, and nights are early, dark and gloomy.  It's that middle of the way time, that some like to attribute to Thanksgiving (which is great, I like me some turkey), but others, others, like to think about what if?

It's about this time of year, when I start to think, maybe me and Tim Burton aren't so different after all.  The thing is, I had never had even a single inkling of combining holidays, but the moment I saw him do it, I had a sensation of AH-HA!!!  He's a creative genius in another league, but in some ways I feel he's kind of a kindred spirit--a man who sees that color and darkness can go hand-in-hand.

That's one of the reasons I think I enjoy his movie, "The Nightmare Before Christmas," so much.  I enjoyed it so much that I wrote a review of the movie on Squidoo.  If you want, please take a look at my take on how Tim Burton Mashes Holidays.

However, in the spirit of this 'tween holiday, that's not all I did to honor the movie.  Being that I love to draw, I also wrote a number of How-Tos on how to draw four of the main characters from the movie, in another Squidoo article.  If you'd like, please take a look at How To Draw Nightmare Before Christmas Characters.  The four characters include Jack Skellington, Zero, Oogie-Boogie and Sally.  I also went so far as to draw up my own holiday poster to demonstrate.

First, just the pencil

Second, in color

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Also, as an update, you can now get any of my art on my Zazzle page on a t-shirt, poster, coffee mug or now it's even available on several different covers for electronic media, such as iPhone cases and laptop covers.  So, if you have some time, please check out Boneworld on Zazzle to see the latest products, and if something catches your eye, please feel free to buy it, or share it with a friend.  

Otherwise, all of my art is also available on my DeviantArt page, where you can also purchase anything you like as a print.  Check it out, take a note, and let me know in the comments what you think.  Thanks so much!

What's the Haps?!?

It's been quiet lately, so I thought I'd post something.  It hasn't been exactly quiet.  I've been busy on a few things that I wanted to post, but none of them were big enough to warrant a post of their own, so here they are all together.

From Squidoo, here's a review of my son's favorite show, as of late.  The show is called The Haunting Hour, and I guess you could call it sort of a Twilight Zone for children.  So, Grab Your Family, It Is the Haunting Hour.

Also from Squidoo, here's my very first recipe, and more than likely my last.  It's a quick and easy vegetarian alternative to the old burger and fries dinner, that has a bit of a spicy kick.  If you feel the urge, try my Black Bean Burger and Butter Basil Potatoes, and let me know what you think.

And finally, many people who know me, know I doodle quite a bit, but what motivates my doodling the most, is the slim possibility of some day delivering on an animated series that's been ruminating in the back of my mind for some time.  Well, let me introduce you to the main character of my series.  Please, in all his glory, take a look at Sword Six, an elite special forces soldier, carrying some emotional baggage, but equipped for any terrain, including no terrain at all.  You can check him out at my DeviantArt gallery, and if you like buy a print.

Or, if you like Sword Six, maybe you'd like to check him out on a t-shirt on my Zazzle page.  Sword Six on a Zazzle t-shirt.  I know, right!  It's such a thrill, I had to pick one up for myself.  I can't wait to wear it.

In the meantime, I'd love to hear what you've all been up to in the comments section.  Let me know about anything at all.  And, thanks for stopping by!

Another Purple Star?!?

So, as some may have heard, I recently did a lens on Squidoo on some of my art that I am extremely proud of.  It was a move I considered to be fairly bold, as I am not an overly experienced artist (not that I consider myself to be an artist, but that's a discussion for another time.)  However, it was a move I personally felt was necessary for my own growth.  And don't you know I have been rewarded with a PURPLE STAR!

It's my second of these illustrious accolades on Squidoo, and I am very proud of each of them, but this one will hold a warm place in my heart, due to the personal nature of this particular lens.

If you'd like, you can view the lens that received the award, here:
http://www.squidoo.com/latest-art-im-most-proud-of

It's a lens of six of, what I would consider, my best pieces of work, so far.  I am super happy about it, and I would just like to thank everyone over at Squidoo who was responsible for giving me the pat on the back.  Accolades are rarely necessary, but as always, I'm not about to turn this one down.  So, thank you!

If you'd like to take a look at my first purple star lens, you can find it here:
http://www.squidoo.com/i-wish-i-could-draw

If you'd like to see some more of my work, please take a look at my DeviantArt Gallery:
http://boneworld.deviantart.com

Drawing Tips: How To Draw a Woman's Face -- Front View

Woman's Face - Front View
Photo Credit: Drawn By Me

If you're learning to draw, the head angles are the place to start.  Start with a How To Draw a Man's Face -- Front View, and then move on to a woman's face -- front view.

The two are very similar, but while a man's face is mainly made of straight lines and hard corners, a woman's face has many more curves in it.  There's a lot more finesse, and in most cases, less is more.  Draw fewer lines, and make each one count.  Take a look below.

Step 1: Head Shape

Woman's Face - Head Shape

Step 2: Facial Feature Guidelines

Woman's Face - Facial Features Guidelines

Step 3: Facial Bone Structure

Woman's Face - Facial Bone Structure

Step 4: Draw Eyes

Woman's Face - Draw Eyes

Step 5: Draw Nose

Woman's Face - Draw Nose

Step 6: Draw Mouth

Woman's Face - Draw Mouth

Step 7: Draw Ears

Woman's Face - Draw Ears

Step 8: Draw Hair

Woman's Face - Draw Hair

Step 9: Finishing Details

Woman's Face - Finishing Details

As you can see, it's a step-by-step process to draw the face.  For more details on this, go to How To Draw a Woman's Face.

Welcome All, I've Got Something To Show You!

I've been having some great fun lately, having opened a store for my own t-shirts on Zazzle, which I hope everyone has taken a moment to check out.  And if not, there's a new Zazzle widget to the right of this post, if you haven't already noticed.  But the biggest thing is, I've put up my latest lens on Squidoo, and it's a gallery of all of my best drawings that I have posted on DeviantArt.

Go on to the Gallery to check it out.  I'm very proud of what I have, but more importantly, I'm gaining a great deal of confidence.

I'm not just looking for the routine, hey that's great, anymore.  I'm expecting to find those people that just don't like this or that, and the truth is, it doesn't concern me anymore.  I'm seeing my flaws, but I'm seeing myself getting better all the time, so I'm kind of in a place where I feel like I can handle a little constructive criticism.  Also, I've already received quite a bit from my family and friends.  My wife can be down-right abusive at times.  I was ready to call the cops one night, but I didn't want anyone to see me crying.


So, my gallery is up and ready to be torn to shreds by ruthless shards of criticism, or delicate feathers of praise.  And if perhaps you'd like to buy something from either my DeviantArt page, or my Zazzle page, I won't stop you from doing that either.  Feel free.  It's a free country, isn't it?

Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to check out my art gallery, and leave a comment.

Boneworld is Now On Zazzle!

I am a member of several different social media sites, and for the time being, the one that I have been most involved with has been Squidoo.  However, everything that I've been doing is for the further promotion of my drawing.  And the truth is, in a lot of ways, I've been feeling like a lot of what I've been doing has been just going around in circles, because all I really want to do is draw, and publish what I've drawn up on my DeviantArt page to show off, but that's exactly what I've been unable to do lately.

So, what's a guy to do?

Well, I'll tell you one thing I've noticed.  Many people who are in my position, who have galleries on sites like DeviantArt, also seem to have store fronts on a site called Zazzle.  I recently read a lot about it on another article on Squidoo, called Zazzle 101.  So, you know what I decided to do?  I opened my own store on Zazzle.

And here it is: Boneworld on Zazzle.

So far, I've designed four t-shirts with my drawings on them that I'm extremely proud of, and I have a few more on the way.  I'm fairly excited by the idea of seeing what I've drawn on a t-shirt.  So much so, that I'll likely buy at least one of them for myself, if not some for my friends, and family.

Either way, I'm feeling invigorated about my drawing again, and I've got a new lease on life.  So, I'd love to see some visitors as soon as possible (hint, hint).  I don't expect immediate sales, but a few critiques would be nice.  Thanks so much in advance.

Books, Games and Movies OH My--Some Reviews

So, it's been a while since I've posted anything, but it's not like I haven't been busy.

My latest, which is a montage of a Dog Southern Rock band, I call Sky Dog is finally complete, and ready for viewing pleasure up at my DeviantArt gallery.  You can find that all here: http://boneworld.deviantart.com/.  I had a great time creating it, so I hope everyone enjoys.

I've also been busy with a number of reviews over at Squidoo.  You can find all of those here:

Book Review: Figure It Out! By Christopher Hart
This is a review of a Christopher Hart book that, so far, has been the most influential to my own drawing.  Hart takes you step-by-step through building the face, body and figure from stick figures, all the way to giving them depth.  I always keep this book handy.

Streamline Your Comic Book Art
This is a book review of a Comic Book Art How-To book by Christopher Hart, who's made a living releasing book after book on drawing, and illustrations.  This book in particular takes a crack at the streamlined looks of today's comics, and it was inspirational in my journey towards learning to draw.

Buckle-Up For the Redline Review
This is a Review of the Anime movie Redline, an exhilarating racing anime, which take the viewer on a wild ride from Yellow Line to Red Line, and beyond.  There's jaw dropping action and some not so surprising plot twists.  But it's the color and action that keep this movie moving.

The Original Fallout, Not for the Meek
It's a look back in time at the original Fallout game, that was released by Black Isles Studio back in 1997 that started it all.  It's really a story of not just the game, but my friends, and I playing, and how much things have changed since then, but how, "War, war never changes..."