Pencil drawing. Photoshop colour. 10.5″ x 14.5″

Our first book cover for Random House.
The Undrowned Child, a novel by Michelle Louvric.
We illustrated the image as well as designed the text.
Click on sketches to zoom in.

A list of some of our most constantly opened/ruminated over/beloved books.
Kurt and I have a bibliomania disease. It’s quite contagious. I’d love to infect you:

Creative Illustration – Andrew Loomis
Figure Drawing for all it’s Worth – Andrew Loomis
Bridgman’s Life Drawing – George Bridgman
Famous Artist School books – all three volumes
On the Art of Drawing – Robert Fawcett
Zen in the Art of Archery – Eugen Herrigel
Light for the Artist – Ted Seth Jacobs
Alla Prima – Richard Schmid
Drawn to Life, volumes one and two – Walt Stanchfield
Master Class in Figure Drawing – Robert Beverly Hale
Force – Michael Mattesi
Mastery – George Leonard
Flow – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The Practice and Science of Drawing – Harold Speed
Drawing lessons from the Great Masters – Robert Beverly Hale

What are your indispensable, can’t-live-without, take-to-a-desert-island, save-in-a-fire books?

Inktense pencil on sketchbook paper

First time at the Society of Illustrators life drawing session. Lots of men with white beards were there.
Also, live jazz. Such a deal! Can’t wait to go back. -Z

HB Charcoal on Stonehenge paper, with a tiny bit of Photoshop. 10.5″ x 13.5″

3 Hour charcoal pencil Alla Prima.

Look, we’ve been very busy, we’re not dead. There’s so many wonderful things I’d love to
share with you, but I’m just not allowed to yet. Hope this watercolor movie still from
Dangerous Liasons pacifies you till then. -Z

Studies during downtime. Copying a lot of Claire Wendling, because her linework is breathtaking.
Kurt discovered this killer pencil around which my whole world revolves.
They are called Inktense pencils made by Derwent. If you love me, you will bring me some. -Z
Click to zoom.

Pencil sketch. Photoshop colour. Strathmore Series 500 Plate Bristol. 8″ x 13.5″

This piece was reworked for 2 friends’ wedding anniversary. An earlier version was
illustrated for a children’s story they wrote. Congratulations, Bonnie and Robert!