Wanted: IHL

[Topiary Lady]

I miss that man when he isn't around. His writing - entirely enjoyable. I unashamedly admit to being a fan. Have been since day one. Normally, he seems to pop in and out, with his once in a while treats. But he hasn't been around lately, and it seems that it isn't only I who is missing him. Others are mentioning it in the TAR threads.

So this is the Official We Want You Back, IHL, thread. You are missed, Big Dog!

*TL gets out a milk carton and writes the letters IHL on it* :frown1:

Seriously sad to not have IHL around. Sad, and concerned for his well being.

~An unhappy and worried TL.

[conservativecanadian]

come back ihl, we miss you!

[Northpaw]

Whose turn was it to watch him? I ask this to head off the age old sequence which follows: "Where's IHL?"
"Don't know, wasn't my turn to watch him!"

That wise guy response prompted me to come up with the short hand,
"Whose turn was it to watch him?"

Got it? You had to be there I guess. It was a NY idiom.

Seriously, doesn't he have an e-mail address?

[scarymary]

Oh where, oh where has IHL gone........oh where, oh where can he be?

[IHL]

I haven't been around. In fact, this is the first time I've even been on the site in weeks. I've been doing a lot of other stuff. Working, shooting, my new hobby - drawing, and just being generally pissed off at the ignorance that is liberalism.

Thanks for the shout out. I'll try to be around more often.

[conservativecanadian]

its good to have you back

[Topiary Lady]

I missed you. I was worried. And I even had a dream that your dog bit me. :icon_frow

What sort of drawing are you doing???

[IHL]

Thanks for the welcome back to my own site. Sad I haven't been around. I know.


What sort of drawing are you doing??? What ever sort of appeals to me at the time. Pencil mostly. I've always sort of been interested in it but never really sat down and took it seriously. It's like anything else, the more you do it the better you get they say. I've played with doing cartoon and line drawings but I'd like to get into some more realistic looking things. Some people do amazing work. I'd like to be able to draw realistic pictures of my pets and things.

Here is the last one I did. It's the first one I've ever really sat down and done as a project.

802

[Isis]

Here is the last one I did. It's the first one I've ever really sat down and done as a project.

802

That's beautiful IHL...you have a real talent

I like using pencil too....but mine aren't nearly as good as that...

[JPRD]

IHL, your drawing is exceptional, I'm always pleased to see an artist who is not a liberal!... particularly when their art is so fine.

[Topiary Lady]

Absolutly amazing, IHL! And let me guess ... you can draw with both hands.

I am beginning to wonder what it is that you can NOT do. You've given us tidbits over the years here. And piecing it all together, I'd have to say that you are really a unique and interesting guy. Just based on things you've posted here to your site ... We know that you're some sort of big computer guy. We know that you're a champion shooter. Served in the Air Force. A former professional deep sea diver. You've written some sort of book. There is definitely a unique style and sense of humor in how you discuss political issues. And now you're an extraordinarily talented artist.

Do you even have any idea how unusual this is? I have to know .. I insist that you tell me whether or not you think this even close to normal. I'll bet there are more things we can add to that list. Private pilot? Black belt?

Delightful to have you back, Big Dog.

[RightisRightLeftisWrong]

Damn IHL that drawing is good! Anyways yeah please do come back more I mean this is your site after all.

[IHL]

I am beginning to wonder what it is that you can NOT do. You've given us tidbits over the years here. And piecing it all together, I'd have to say that you are really a unique and interesting guy. Just based on things you've posted here to your site ... We know that you're some sort of big computer guy. We know that you're a champion shooter. Served in the Air Force. A former professional deep sea diver. You've written some sort of book. There is definitely a unique style and sense of humor in how you discuss political issues. And now you're an extraordinarily talented artist.

Do you even have any idea how unusual this is? I have to know .. I insist that you tell me whether or not you think this even close to normal. I'll bet there are more things we can add to that list. Private pilot? Black belt? You have a good memory TL, maybe too good. You put the pieces together well. Is it normal? I don't know. I guess I'm sort of lucky in that pretty much anything I try to do I usually have some sort of degree of success with it. Maybe it's just because I only pick things I think I'll be able to do. Maybe its just that I'm stubborn and refuse to fail. I don't know. Black belt? No. And it's funny you mention it because I was on that path for awhile and never completed it. It is certainly a regret of mine. Pilot? I was an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force and wanted to fly until I heard something that someone said once that made a lot of sense - "If you want to be a pilot, you better be pretty good at it." Meaning - if you want to fly, you better fly a lot. It's not something you want to let you skills get rusty on so I've decided that is one thing I'll leave for someone else.

As far as the drawing - thanks for the compliments but I do not consider myself an artist by any means. I've found if I try to draw something as you think it should be, it doesn't seem to work. You have to just draw the lines as they relate to each other. Don't try to draw the forest, just draw the trees. It's a lot of fun to sort of start to see the thing come about. It's almost like I'm watching someone else do it. It's sort of weird. And them sometimes it's like nothing works and I have to stop. I'm working on a old car drawing right now and it doesn't seem to be coming together for me.

Isis, if you have interest in it, just keep doing it. As long as you find it fun, you'll get better. Like I said, this is really my first real drawing and when I look at the work some people do, I'm just blown away. Look at this guy. I'm thinking of taking one of his classes. www.jdhillberry.com (http://www.jdhillberry.com/index.htm) When I can draw like him, I'll call myself an artist.

Oh TL, draw with both hands? Not yet. Write, yes. Draw, no. Although I haven't tried.

I would like to be able to play the piano some day. Maybe that will be next.

[Northpaw]

That is very impressive. Most of the time when people ask me what I think of an amateur piece of art I politely say, not bad or great start or just ignore it. This is extraordinary and I believe I am looking at real talent. And judging by TL's list of other talents The American Right’s Renaissance man.

[IHL]

Thanks, I appreciate it but you don't have to suck up. :icon_smil

Just kidding of course. I do appreciate it.

Maybe I'll start a new section - Drawings by IHL. Just kidding again. My entire collections consists of about two and a half drawings.

[scarymary]

Glad to see you back Big Dog. What kind of drawing are you doing? I enjoy drawing as well. I like to draw pet portraits. I work with graphite pencils and Prismacolor colored pencils.

You could start a blog on your drawings, and what better place to do it than here at your own website.

[Topiary Lady]

You have a good memory TL, maybe too good. You put the pieces together well. Is it normal? I don't know. I guess I'm sort of lucky in that pretty much anything I try to do I usually have some sort of degree of success with it. Maybe it's just because I only pick things I think I'll be able to do. Maybe its just that I'm stubborn and refuse to fail. I don't know. Black belt? No. And it's funny you mention it because I was on that path for awhile and never completed it. It is certainly a regret of mine. Pilot? I was an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force and wanted to fly until I heard something that someone said once that made a lot of sense - "If you want to be a pilot, you better be pretty good at it." Meaning - if you want to fly, you better fly a lot. It's not something you want to let you skills get rusty on so I've decided that is one thing I'll leave for someone else.

As far as the drawing - thanks for the compliments but I do not consider myself an artist by any means. I've found if I try to draw something as you think it should be, it doesn't seem to work. You have to just draw the lines as they relate to each other. Don't try to draw the forest, just draw the trees. It's a lot of fun to sort of start to see the thing come about. It's almost like I'm watching someone else do it. It's sort of weird. And them sometimes it's like nothing works and I have to stop. I'm working on a old car drawing right now and it doesn't seem to be coming together for me.

Isis, if you have interest in it, just keep doing it. As long as you find it fun, you'll get better. Like I said, this is really my first real drawing and when I look at the work some people do, I'm just blown away. Look at this guy. I'm thinking of taking one of his classes. www.jdhillberry.com (http://www.jdhillberry.com/index.htm) When I can draw like him, I'll call myself an artist.

Oh TL, draw with both hands? Not yet. Write, yes. Draw, no. Although I haven't tried.

I would like to be able to play the piano some day. Maybe that will be next.

You ARE an artist. I knew a woman who was writing a book about what kids wanted to be when they grew up. She asked me the question. I told her that I wanted to be an artist. She replied with, "And you are." It meant the world to me. Nobody had ever said that to me before. Nobody.

As far as the Black Belt , IHL, I'd bet on it that you will reach that goal one day. No doubt in my mind. I'd love to learn the M-A's, myself.

Also, as far as working on art, take my advice - don't do it when you're tired or just not into it. Clear your mind when creating. Try a little Mozart. Seriously. It's very cleansing. I know it sounds all leftist - but it isn't, really. Art and music go hand in hand. Trust me on this one.

[IHL]

I'll have to give that a try. I dont own any Mozart but maybe I'll try music.

It is fun though. I wish I had more time to do it and wish I would have started it year ago. Oh well

[IHL]

What kind of drawing are you doing? I enjoy drawing as well. I like to draw pet portraits. I work with graphite pencils and Prismacolor colored pencils.scarymary, can you post pictures of some of your work? I'd love to see it. I've done a few oil paintings years ago. I enjoyed that too but it took a lot more supplies. The easel, canvases, brushes, paints, cleaning supplies, etc. But I did like it. With pencil I can just sit down at my desk and do it with a sketch pad and a few pencils. I have a lot to learn yet but I just want to see if I can do it. If the talent is there, the learning part will come. The shading an subtle things that make it stand out and look real is the hard part but when it works it feels pretty good.

One more shameless plug - this is the one I'm currently working on. It isn't done yet. I'm working on the hardest part - the shading. The line drawing stuff comes fairly easy to me but making the shadows and depth is much harder.


803

[Topiary Lady]

^
You're just showing the ones of cars and buildings. You know as well as I do that you're sitting there right now doodling pictures of Ann Coulter with little hearts all around her. :icon_wink

I know! Let's see a self portrait! :icon_bigg

Since you expressed an interest in playing the piano, and want to try coupling music with art, I'd like to suggest that you purchase Mozart Piano Concertos No. 17 & No. 21. I have the feeling that you will really enjoy this.

I can hardly wait for that self portrait to appear here on TAR!

[IHL]

I haven't drawn any people yet but I'm thinking maybe I'll try one of Reagan. ...but the Ann Coulter idea - yeah - you might be on to something there.

[scarymary]

IHL, that drawing is superb. How long did it take you to do that? I've never tried to draw any kind of architectural things. That is just positively awesome. Have you thought of trying to sell any of your drawings, or would you even want to?

[scarymary]

That is great. Do you draw from photos or does it come from your imagination? I usually have to have a photo. I like to draw flowers as well as animals. I have a huge library of animal photos just waiting for me to draw. I have recently been working on a colored pencil drawing of a snow leopard. I'm not completely satisfied with it. I didn't do it on any kind of good art board or paper, just a regular old sketch pad. I have drawn a picture of one of my cats, and started on a graphite drawing of my chihuahua. Do you set a variety of graphite pencils or just a regular old 2b pencil? I have a set of those turquoise Berol pencils in different degrees of hardness. I love my prismacolor colored pencils. I wish I knew better how to use them. There are so many different techniques to use, it is hard to know where to start. When drawing with graphite, I have a problem with getting something that is chrome to look shiny. I've looked on the internet to see if there is some special technique for doing that, but I can't find any information on it. Have you ever drawn anything like that?

[IHL]

Looks like this has turned into a drawing thread so for those of you who aren't interested, you may want to turn the channel.

Mary,

I can draw almost nothing from my imagination. Those who can are truly gifted. I have to have another drawing or photograph or something to reference.

I am very new to this. That cabin is the first 'real' drawing I've ever done. Like I said before I've drawn some cartoons and played around but never sat down and made an actual drawing. The car isn't done yet but those are really the only two pieces I have right now.

I think the cabin probably took maybe 20 - 25 hours or so. That is just a guess, I don't keep track. I haven't tried different types of paper either. I don't even know the difference between them. As far as pencils, I have a variety from 4b to H, F an various degrees of hardness but just like the paper thing, I'm still trying to figure out how to use them. That is the learning part. Like I said, if you have some basic talent, I think you can learn a lot to make things look better. And the different techniques for shading and shadows and drawing in the negative. All things to learn yet. I just pretty much sat down a couple weeks ago and tried this to see what would come out so trust me, I have a lot of questions myself.

I've seen drawings of things that include chrome and have been amazed by them. How can you make something on paper look shiny, but they do it. If you look, it is the absence of anything there. Don't take it from me, I'm by no means in any position to teach but I've found its the light areas next to the dark that make the dark stand out so I would guess making something look like chrome would have to be done by making the things around it look 'not chrome', if that makes any sense.

The whole thing sort of fascinates me. I've been in malls and things where someone is set up and drawing whether it is airbrushing or caricatures, or whatever and can never just walk by without stopping to watch and wishing I could do that some day.

My plan is to see if it is worth pursuing. To see what I can do on my own by just making a couple drawings and see what happens. If they turn out or show promise, maybe get some instruction to help with the technical side of things, the various techniques, the tools, the paper, pencils, shading and blending techniques and all of that.

Post some pictures of your stuff if you want. I really would like to see them.

[scarymary]

It usually takes quite some time to complete a drawing like that, but the final result can be stunning. That is some great work. As far as quality paper goes, I have some Strathmore Bristol board that I want to put something on, but haven't decided just what yet. All that stuff with weight, texture, and color can be a bit overwhelming. I have an artograph projector that I use sometimes to make sure I get the proportions accurate when I start a picture. It is helpful. I have done some freehand drawing, though. I will post some it after I get it scanned to the puter, and resize them.