Cardinal Comes to Visit

Here's the story; me and my roommates were taking some band photos down by the reservoir and had headed back to the van. We had left the sliding door and passenger door open out of sheer laziness and weren't walking far enough to worry about someone stealing it. I was the first to get in the passenger side door, and immediately after sitting down, something red came flying up from the floor onto my side of the car. I'm not sure what I said, but it was something akin to "Freaking holy cardinal" because he scared the daylights out of me being all red and flappy. I sat stunned for several moments before Lee said, "Orie....you're holding a camera", at which point I started snapping. He was a bit confused at first and kept pecking at the glass, I didn't really think about him pecking me, just that I felt like I should try and help him off the window and so I gently tried to ease him off the window. He just climbed on my hand and sat for a bit, which was even more incredible, so Lee took the camera and snapped off a couple. Eventually he figured out the whole impenetrable glass thing, and he flew off into a nearby bush, chirped a couple times and flew off.

All in all, an incredible experience to say the least. I've always loved watching cardinals, but seeing one so close and having him rest on my hand was very near spiritual.

Thank you cardinal, thank you nature, thank you Father.

Leslie Inspired Texture

Leslie did a fun texture type design on my skateboard, so I gave it a go.

Leefus McInsex

My dear friend Lee, sketching away at Mcdonalds.

I Hate My Voice

Another super quick, non-planned, sketch. This may be one of my favorites.
Quick color for kicks.

Also, do you think he should be sitting or dancing? I drew it as sitting but I kind of like the dance in a way.

Cafe Sketches

I enjoy drawing over a nice cup of espresso.

This an attempted return to that sketching style of no-planning and lines that go down exactly one second before I think them through.

Drawing #1: You know you want to wear that
#2: Whatever happened to catch my eye out the window of the cafe (except for my hand of course)
#3: My view from the cafe window
#4: My cup of inspiration. First purely colored pencil drawing ever.

All coloring courtesy of the lovely Leslie Malkemus and her gift of colored pencils.

Geisha Finished

Here she is.

To elaborate, it's a wallpaper for our new card game we're coming out with.

Geisha

This isn't quite done, but it's getting there.