My Secret Forest Studio

Deep inside an ancient forest in the Pacific Northwest is my secret forest studio, where I go to get away from civilization and work on my projects. Above is a river in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. Just off the river bank  is my forest studio. I have everything I need here, except Internet access. I'm off the grid while I'm here.

Today the conditions are perfect. It's about 80 degrees, and it's pleasant and cool in the rain forest. I'm sitting on my seat cushion on a thick floor of sphagnum moss. The big nurse log behind me has a thick layer of moss, which makes a perfect natural back rest. I prop my feet up on the log in front of me and bury myself in my work. Just to my left is my beverage of choice, which rests comfortably on a shelf fungus (Basidiomycoda). Behind me is a giant Western Red cedar tree.

I often look up and remind myself of where I'm at. I wonder why it doesn't seem to occur to other artists that they can escape the confines of their studios. I spend enough time in my studio as it is. It's always wonderful to get away and hide in the deep Northwest forest while I do my work.

My drawing board is a sheet of Plexiglas, so it doubles as a light table. Today I'm working on my Oakdale, California cartoon map. I need to trace images from my pencil layout onto my Strathmore Paper. So I simply tilt my Plexiglas board until it's vertical, and the rays of the sun come shining through to illuminate my pencil sketch.

I will return soon to my secret spot. I hope you find a secret spot of your own.

My Monster Safari How-to-Draw Book is out!

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Here's the cover art for my new kids' book. It took me over a year to write and draw the book. It's almost entirely hand-lettered to give it more of a sketchbook feel. Only the last page is typeset.

Young readers follow me on a make-believe expedition to a remote, unexplored island in the South Seas, known as Monster Island. Each page in the book shows a sketch of one of the crazy creatures that we encountered on the island, as well as a page that shows, step-by-step, how to draw the monster. Also included are shading and other drawing tips. You can order the book from the side panel.

Have you seen my other blog, The Trowbridge Chronicles?

Sky Fishing

Here's the final Sky Fishing painting. Below you can see the two pencil layouts that lead to the final painting. The fish is a grouper. It's painted digitally with a Wacom Cintiq on top of the pencil layout that you see below, with some tweaking. Check back soon to see the Sky Fishing book cover. 

Have you seen my other blog? The Trowbridge Chronicles 

Sky Fishing, Revised Sketch

The above sketch is the next phase of developing the rough layout of the sky fisherman that you see below. I enjoyed working on this while sitting in our woodsy back yard over the last couple of warm summer evenings. I worked off my lap on a lapboard. 

I decided to come in closer on the boat to give it more emphasis, and edit out the little dinghy. The fish, by the way, is a grouper. Next I will paint the sky and clouds. Then a lot of time will be devoted to rendering the color on the boat to make it look weathered. 

Have you seen my other blog, The Trowbridge Chronicles? 

Sky Fishing

It was a warm and pleasant night in the Pacific Northwest last night, so I went to one of my special places on the far corner of our property where the saw grass is eight feet tall, and did this small sketch. I might have been influenced just a bit by James Christensen, only my drawing style is miles from his. This is just an initial sketch. I will probably do a larger more refined sketch next, then I might paint it.

Loving County, Texas: The Least Populated County in America

For several years I've wanted to create a cartoon map of the lowest population county in the United States. Why? Good question.

I found the lowest population county in Loving County, Texas. So the other day I decided to create the map and use if as the header for my new Facebook fan page. Then, after I'd finished the art, I realized that I'd made a mistake. In drawing the map, I didn't allow for the picture and other windows that are a part of the Facebook header. These would cover up much of the text that I had hand-lettered on the map. So now what do I do? I decided for now to just drop it onto my blog, for your cartographic viewing enjoyment.

Fast Food

I've used my Skagway toad character many times over the years. I still use him often in my school appearances. In this case I used him for some greeting card art. I drew this several years ago, back in my pre-Photoshop days, when I was using markers and Prisma colors.

My other blog: trowbridgechronicles.blogspot.com