Sketchbook: Last Pages

It's always gratifying to finish up a sketchbook, but I can't help but feel a slight sadness as well. Much like a close friend, a sketchbook is often with you in your most silent and reflective moments. Flipping through the pages of my books I can't help but remember the sights, conversations, smells, and moments in time captured. In a sense, I'm writing an autobiography that few people will ever see, save for those close to me and the slight glimpses I choose to put on this blog for the few wonderful readers that pass by every now and again.

I've simultaneously been working in another book so I'm well on my way to finishing up another over the Summer. I look forward to many adventures in this new book but I sure will miss my old friend. Bon Voyage!

Demigod. 

Brush Pen Gestures. 

The Pen is Mightier! 

Alone.

Clothed Figure: Quick Hello

Just before the end of the semester I stopped by a grad class for a couple of poses and this happened. Cheers! 

5 min.

15 min.

Clothed Figure: Post #2

Welcome to the second installment of my clothed figure posts. The Spring semester is almost over, and soon will come the Summer classes, so I thought I'd add some stuff from the last few weeks. I try to get a few drawings in during each class but sometimes it's hard to sneak them in as I'm observing my students. I'm so overwhelmingly impressed with the work that my students are producing, and it's been a real pleasure to watch them grow as I try to impart on them the excitement and knowledge I have about drawing the figure. Hopefully it was as enriching for them as it was for me. Enjoy!

Bradley Hall @AAU

 

10 min.   

Super-fast demo on how adding lines ages the eye.

10 min.

Partial of a 20 min.

Sometimes I draw my students too!

3 min.

Sketchbook: Drawing Big Cats!

Last week the Academy of Art Illustration Department hosted a wonderful visit from Safari West and some of their beautiful big cats. It just so happened that the visit coincided with my clothed figure class so my students got to draw the cats for the first couple of hours of class. I'm a huge fan of cats, even more so of large exotic cats, so it was really awesome to be in the same room with, let alone getting to draw, the cats. 


The cats that were brought were a Bobcat, Snow Leopard, Serval, and Cheetah. As a kid I did tons of animal reports of exotic cats for biology classes, and even though I've read a lot about them it's just so cool to see them in action. I've never been a fan of animals in captivity for show, like most zoos, but the work that Safari West is doing to help the big cat population around the world is extremely important. Their work is strictly educational and they would happily go out of business if all the problems in the feline kingdom were to disappear tomorrow. 


Back to the drawings though. Here are some shots of the drawings in my sketchbook as well as some of the cats. Cheers!

Sketchbook

Sketchbook

Cheetah!

Serval!

Serval!

Snow Leopard!

Sketchbook: The Ladies!

Here are some doodles I've been playing around with in one of my larger sketchbooks. I tend to draw a lot of people in my sketchbooks but I rarely venture outside of the observational and, into overt caricature or, even playful characters. I need to draw more women is what it comes down to. What can I say, I love the ladies. Cheers!

Note: Follow me on Instagram @eliwharris to see more progress stuff.

Sketchcrawl 35: Washington Square Park S.F.

It was a beautiful day in San Francisco last Saturday. So Beautiful in fact, that I had to forgo my love of Sketchcrawl and spend the rest of the day with my wife in the city. It was nice to see my friend and Sketchcrawl creator Enrico Casarosa, fresh off his recent Oscar nod for directing La Luna, at the beginning of the crawl too. I only finished a page but it was a beautiful day to just sit out and soak up the sun. See you at the next one!

The view from the park.

My humble little page.

  

Saw this guy before the crawl at the Ferry Plaza.

Clothed Figure: First Post

Outside of my illustration work I enjoy the honor of teaching in the illustration department at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. It's really nice to pass along the borrowed knowledge I received as a student to new and passionate artists just finding themselves and honing their craft. I work hard at making students push themselves to create work that they can be proud of and hopefully, beyond the technical focus of the class, show a bit of their opinion and personality in their drawings. 

I don't always get too much time to draw in class since I like to walk around and work with the students one-on-one but, when I do take a couple minutes, it's so hard to tear myself away from the paper. I've always loved clothed figure drawing and I hope I can pass that passion off to my students. As for this semester I have an amazing group that I'm sure will make names for themselves in all their endeavors.

These drawings are anywhere from 2-10 minutes in length and, in most cases, a little unfinished, something I really like about them. They serve different purposes and are always fun to do, even when they're really awful. Cheers all!

Batgirl stopped by one session.

Quick gesture w/stretch and compression.

Super-fast warm-up that with some nice edits I thought.

The tilt of the picture warps this a bit but something about the shapes really stood out to me.

Patch Designs for Girlchild by Tupelo Hassman

Published in the book Girlchild by Tupelo Hassman

I had the wonderful opportunity to do some design work for Tupelo Hassman, author of Girlchild (Farrar, Straus and Giroux 2012), last year and here are the final results. If you follow my blog a little you'll know that I was sick for a bit last year, and unfortunately that happened right in the middle of doing this work for the patch designs. I have to say I'm more than thankful for Tupelo's patience and stellar art direction during this project. 

Colored designs for Girlchild Girl Scout patches.

Girlchild is the debut novel of Tupelo Hassman, but it reads like it's written by a seasoned veteran wordsmith. Though the subject matter in the book is heavy, the respect and joy of the english written language on the pages softens the character's harsh reality. I am thrilled to be a part of this book, and a part of the journey of Rory Dawn. A special thanks to Tupelo Hassman and Bradford Earl for thinking of me for this. Cheers everyone!

Patches getting ready for packaging.

Wonderful letterpress packaging by Tupelo Hassman and Bradford Earl.

The meaning of all the patches.

Buy the book through www.indiebound.org! Or, celebrate the joy of book hunting at your local bookseller. (preferred method)


Tupelo Hassman on NPR and The New York Times

The Disenchantments: Tour Posters For Sale

I'm pleased to announce the full release of the posters I designed for Nina LaCour's second novel The Disenchantments (Penguin). This is the culmination of many dinners together and many glasses of wine shared. I've set up an Etsy store to sell the posters on too! It is such an honor to work alongside such a beautiful and talented artist and I'm so happy I was able to add to the rich storytelling of the adventures of The Disenchantments.


Buy the Posters Here!

A quick synopsis of the book from Penguin:

Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev’s band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she’s abandoning their plans—and Colby—to go her own way in the fall.

But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie-Colby struggles to deal with Bev’s already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what’s next? 

Arcata

Weaverville

Bev's Eye

Hello Melinda

The Basement

All photography courtesy of the wonderful and talented Kristyn Stroble.

The Disenchantments: Arcata Poster

"When the three of them emerge from Meg's room, they are the most glorious creatures I have ever laid eyes upon."


The Arcata poster for Nina LaCour's The Disenchantments.