John wastes paper

  Blackwing matte pencil on white copy paper, approximately 11 x 8.5 inches

I think it was illustrator Mort Drucker who wisely noted that we all have the same features (one mouth, nose, two eyes and ears) and that it is the spacing between these that makes each face unique. How true. The spacing of eyes has always been an issue with my drawing and so I've scribbled these studies, trying my best to improve by paying close attention to sizes and distances. I used some Stan Drake illustrations of Eve and Julliet Jones as examples to work from. Blackwing matte pencil on white copy paper, approximately 8.5 x 5.5 inches

Studies of Mort Drucker, John Prentice, and a little bit of Stan Drake. Matte Blackwing pencil on white copy paper, approximately 11x8.5 inches and 8.5x5.5 inches

Two random doodles today. Not great likenesses or accurate proportions, but I like the dark and light value patterns. An exercise in big shapes and grouping values. Mitsu-Bishi 10B pencil on white copy paper, approximately 6x8 inches

...when drawn badly. Sorry, Slim. I've sketched him in his role of Major T. J. "King" Kong from the 1964 film "Doctor Strangelove" directed by the late, great Stanley Kubrick. The woman is a quick study-doodle from a "Rip Kirby" comic strip panel. I seem to be fixating on light and dark patterns lately, don't I? Mitsu-Bishi 10B pencil on white copy paper, approximately 9x7.5 inches

A page of contour drawing and plane exercises, working from photo references (see below). I can spends hours doodling these silly pictures, breaking big shapes into medium shapes, and into little shapes, then littler, etc., etc. I don't know why, but it relaxes me so much to focus on these things.  Mitsu-Bishi 10B pencil on white copy paper, approximately 10x10 inches