Anthony Zierhut SketchBlog

Sketch book music video

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:57:00 +0000

I just found this via moleskinerie. Very inspiring. Makes me want to draw something in my sketch book!

NOITES DE UM VERÃO QUALQUER - MUSIC VIDEO from CONRADO ALMADA on Vimeo.

The Rappin' Mathematician

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:55:00 +0000

I'm not sure why this is the third post recently of someone standing in front of an audience with a microphone. Coincidence, I suppose.

Anyway, this was at a PTA meeting I attended with my daughter this evening. The guest speaker was Alex Kajitani, aka the "Rappin' Mathematician". He was very inspiring, talking about reaching middle school kids using rap to teach algebra. Here's a YouTube video from a CBS newscast that explains it pretty well. He was showing us his student - produced music videos about parallel lines and negative and positive numbers. I got the room pretty well, and his physical attitude, but I was not so good with his likeness. So, when he sat down after the presentation, I got to remedy that:

These were both line drawings done in my sketch book at the event, then brought home, scanned and value added in Photoshop.

Sketches from the public education meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 04:50:00 +0000

These were some quick line drawings that I did during the meeting last night and then added value in Photoshop.

It was an important meeting. Letting us know about layoffs of teachers and options they were considering. Pretty depressing, actually.

Joan Teaching

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:37:00 +0000

This sketch was done just minutes ago. My wife teaching kids art. We had lunch together at the school. Now, back to work!

7 Elements of an Effective Portfolio Website

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:06:00 +0000

I just found this on Thomas James' site: 7 Elements of an Effective Portfolio Website. Excellent information there. I found it via Leif Peng's Today's Inspiration -- a site I visit nearly every day.

Karaoke singer

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 07:15:00 +0000

Banana and Foot

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:26:00 +0000

So far the new sketch book is working out wonderfully.

Kids at the grandparents' house

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:46:00 +0000

Just a quick sketch of the kids watching TV at their grandparents' house.

End of the year / sketchbook roundup #3

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:22:00 +0000

Very satisfying getting these uploaded finally!

A typical scene from work...

At the Moonlight Roller Rink

The kids and their cousins after a sleep-over.

I don't know why these two drawings are put together, but they are.

Another one with the Ackerman Pump pen. More on that later...

Anotha cuppa java.

End of the year / sketchbook roundup #2

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:37:00 +0000

"Purging" these drawings from my old sketchbook before putting it up on the shelf. I have got to learn to post more often, as I draw them, to prevent the inevitable backlog...

Sketches from a meeting

I finally got one of these and I'm hooked, despite myself. I can't imagine life without it :)

End of the year / sketchbook round up #1

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:33:00 +0000

From my wife's reading table by the bed.

For the trip to the hardware store...

My son at the computer.

These plastic 120 format cameras are coming back in style.

Look over there.

Co-worker on the Cintiq.

Trying out some new pens, old fountain pens, different inks...

At a high school parent meeting...

Using the strange, yet compelling Ackerman Pump pen.

Cuppa joe at work.

Hey, I made my own sketchbook!

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:25:00 +0000

Lately I've been nearly obsessed with "building" my own sketchbook instead of buying one pre-made at the art store. I did a bit of research on-line (a couple of good starting points, if anyone else wants to try it, here and here, although I've changed a few things to suit my own way of doing it), and got a bit of help from my wife who took a book binding class a while back. This is the fifth or sixth book I've bound, each slightly different, as I experiment with different ways of stitching the signatures or gluing the spine, etc. So far this is the best sketchbook to date. I've come down to the last two spreads in my current sketchbook and felt the pressure to get a new horse to jump on to, so to speak. (By the way, I have only posted a fraction of those sketches -- which I need to remedy. Stay tuned, as they say.)

Below are some of my notes on how I did made the book you see above. They're not meant to be a how-to, by any means; but more like notes to myself for me to remember what I did this time so I can repeat it or improve upon it next time.

The whole process takes me about two and a half hours, start to finish, then letting the book dry overnight, clamped and weighted down. In the morning when I take the binder clips off it's like opening a present! There's something really enjoyable about making these sketchbooks that I can't explain. And it will be interesting to see how it will be to draw in this new creation. Perhaps I'll have more of a sense of accomplishment over the whole process. I'm not sure I'm ready to start making my own paper, though - ha.

Also I wanted to have a book that was a different size than what I can find in the art stores and on-line. This one is six by six inches -- a square book to try out, and a bit smaller than the HandBook brand I usually use, which is a fantastic sketchbook. It's good to know I have a great book to fall back on in case this little experiment doesn't work out. But I'm definitely going to continue making them...

Texas trip

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:48:00 +0000

Looking out the window in Austin Texas...

I drew this during some bumpy turbulence. It was kind of fun letting the plane determine some of the line work.

1:52 AM

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:43:00 +0000

Lily asleep

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:12:00 +0000

This was from a few days ago. She crawled into our bed after we got up and fell back to sleep. They're easy to draw when they're not moving!

One more from camping...

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:58:00 +0000

Summer's over! One last look at the summer camping trip: my son reading by the riverside. This one done as a birthday card for a family member.

New camping sketches

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:06:00 +0000

We just got back from our annual two-week trip to Big Sur (although we didn't go last year, due to the fires), and so I did some sketching, as usual. This is the river next to the tent (above).

Our neighbor's dog: half husky, half wolf.

A lot of fun, very relaxing, but glad to be back all the same...

Eco-Community Garden grand opening

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 02:03:00 +0000

Joan has one of these raised garden beds. It's a great thing, turning what was once a city eye-sore into a beautiful and functional community garden. When the new trees they planted eventually grow up I can only imagine what an even more beautiful spot this will be. I drew and colored this standing up in 90+ degree heat. A wonderful event for a wonderful cause.

10:pm last night

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:32:00 +0000

From left to right: Joan, Felix, Tallulah, me. Pelikan fountain pen, American Eel ink, sepia watercolor Niji waterbrush.

Independence Day sketch

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:16:00 +0000

A double-spread fountain pen sketch done at our good friends' house. I added a little value to it in Photoshop for fun.

At the kids' table

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Thu, 28 May 2009 22:42:00 +0000

Last night at our local eatery I turned to see the kids engaged in some animated discussions so I had to sketch them. Lily is seen here drawing the charming little sketch below:

Last night in Joan's studio workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:57:00 +0000

My wife was filling some orders for her jewelry web site, so I was keeping her company and sketching the scene, listening to Kelly Joe Phelps, my new favorite blues slide guitarist.

My mistress

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Fri, 22 May 2009 04:29:00 +0000

Ok, my wife. But she was having a "crazy hair" day yesterday and wanted to pose for a sketch. After I finished it she said I made her look too young, "Tell people that's a picture of your mistress." She's funny.

Restaurant sketch

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:54:00 +0000

I did this while waiting for the take-out to come. As soon as I laid the last wash, the man handed me the bags and off I went. Perfect timing. There's always the fear lurking that I won't have time to finish a sketch, with the subject walking off or something or other.

Lily reading...

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:28:00 +0000

I'll be bringing her to "Take your child to work" day tomorrow. Should be fun!