Tuesday, April 17, 2012

O is for Old Man

I'm so confused...what day of the challenge is this? 15? Read all about it ... here

Okay, somewhere along the line I started getting behind. I was a full week ahead of the game when I put my first post out there for the month, now I'm scrambling to get something together before the day its due.

Oh well, the last couple haven't really been prepared at all, I mean, my picture yesterday was a nose for crying out loud. But, I'm still putting something out there at least, so it could be worse.

I think a lot about aging, about being old. I whipped up this bad boy in a surprisingly short amount of time. Say, 45 minutes, most of that time was messing with color. I'd say 5 on the actual sketch. Anyhow, I like how this old man came out. He looks like he's old, and a man, so I guess that makes me happy.

I didn't use a reference photo or anything, but he does remind me of some actor... can't think of who though.

23 comments:

Brinda said...

He has that shrunken apple look. The way the light shines in his eyes is amazing.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Man the eyes glow! Excellent lines and shading.

M.J. Fifield said...

The eyes are amazing. Now that you mention it, he reminds me of an actor too. Can't think of which one but I'm sure I'll come up with it later.

Annalisa Crawford said...

He looks full of regret. And I agree about his eyes, they're amazing - they turned my opinion that he was grouchy in to regretful.

PT Dilloway said...

Old man look at my life, I'm a lot like you were...

Anonymous said...

Maybe a sun weathered look including creases in his skin would give him another look that could work too. And thanks for your comment. I wondered about the distance too but got the number from a number of sources. Of course other sources will make an estimate of a lesser distance as we just don;t know for sure.

Tonja said...

I love his eyes too - it's like there's a hint of youth in them.

Jay Noel said...

Looks so sad...he looks like Ian McKellen a little bit (Magneto).

Briane said...

He does look sad. But that gleam makes his sadness seem like it's not so much "Sad about being old" as "Sad about what I'm about to do," which makes him seem maybe a little evil? Or did I read too much into it?

I can't believe you can whip these drawings out so quickly. Impressive.

Rubye Jack said...

Nothing wrong with being old. As long as you aren't sick that is.

liz young said...

He looks like life has really got him down, poor chap. Old age ain't all bad, you know!

S. L. Hennessy said...

I really love his eyes here. Just curious, what medium do you use for these? It's been so long since I've taken the time to paint or sketch...I'm feeling deprived.

Shockgrubz said...

If I'm to become as wrinkled, I hope I have a light to my eyes as well. Great job!

David M. Brown said...

I love the image and the post. Can't believe how little time it took you to sketch the old man. Would have taken me a lot longer.

Good luck with the rest of the challenge :)

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I love it. You are so talented and flexible in your drawing. I will never consider myself a real artist because all that I am able to draw are attractive young men. I'm serious. I can't draw anything else. If I tried to draw an old man...it would look stupid. Same with scenery, which is why I stick to walls with some paint on them or something I can handle.

vic caswell said...

wow!!!! so fast!
impressive, sir!
impressive!
i agree with the commenter about the ian mcclellan (sp?) around the nose, but the eyes and cheeks and chin remind me of anthony hopkins.

Susan Kane said...

Just came across your post, and enjoy the way you draw the figure for the letter. This man, while intensity shines from his eyes, has the lines and tiredness of an old man. Excellent.

Golden Eagle said...

I love the eyes!


The Golden Eagle
The Eagle's Aerial Perspective

Nicole said...

Like so many others have said, his eyes really capture his essence. I feel like they tell a story.

Trisha said...

"He looks like he's old, and a man, so I guess that makes me happy." That there is the key to success at drawing an old man :)

Great sketch!

I do most of my art really quickly as well.

mooderino said...

I'm sure I came to this site for a reason. Now, what was it...

Andrew Leon said...

heh
So, now, you've had 2 old men sketches in the series.

M Pax said...

Kinda looks like one of my observatory buddies.