Eastern State walk 1

I needed a shake up on subject material.  Three years ago I got the opportunity to tour Eastern State Penitentiary.  I took tones of reference images so that one day I could work up some cityscape pieces from this historic and eerie place.  I finally have started up my first.

Three Heads

Three Heads:  digital ink drawing, size 8.25" x 6".  The first of the digital portrait series to contain a background.

Chair Horse Step 1

The biggest of the digital ink drawings to date.  Chair horse will be 32"x 30" when complete. I have the blueline pretty much completed and have started working in solid blacks.  I will probably work in small pieces as I pick at this beast for quite a while.

is there crying in art?

There may not be any crying in baseball, but when it comes to drawing/painting/ sculpting.... there is crying, there is cursing, and there are even a few throw down on the floor kicking and screaming tantrums.

The Black Hat

The third in the small portrait series.  6"x6".  Rita is an inspiring model to say the least. She is such a talented and creative individual, she makes me strive to reach a bit farther on each piece I do.

Friend Hat

The second of a small series of digital ink drawing portraits. I am thinking that these will also follow a square format but will hopefully all be the same size of six inches square.  We shall see if that path is one I can stay on for six to eight total smaller portraits. Thanks as always for stopping by.

flight helmet

Flight Helmet;  Digital Ink, 6"x6"
The first of some smaller pieces. A months work on larger works, now turn into one week.

Marshall Hat

This was a drawing that was originally started during the summer of 2015, but for one reason or another, I had such difficulties with that I abandoned it until I had a better solution.  After two other portraits of the same model, I was able to confidently go back and finish this piece.  It has been a year, and I have met the goal of completing the original set of portraits.  I don't believe this will be the end of this project.  It may morph into something else whether experimenting with different media, or different subject matter... who knows.  Thanks for stopping by.

Marshall Hat
Digital Ink
Size 16.5" x 16.5"

Braids Complete

The piece is done.  I will need a bit of time to look at it with fresh eyes. I am glad to call this one completed.

Braids... Still going, but now showing some results.

Finally showing some results after locking myself in the studio for the weekend. Hopefully in a week or two I can get this thing completed.  Sheesh what a long road.

Braids.... still at it due to the flu

I've been down with the flu for about a week and a half now.  Finally got the strength back and cough reduced enough to work on this piece again.  The piece is starting to move now that the head dress is filling in and taking shape.  Wow, what a job this one has turned out to be.  Thanks for stopping by.

Braids... WIP, still plugging away, slowly

slowly working away on this.  Haven't applied much to it recently that shows.  Usually these pieces don't show a lot of results then all come together in a few hours.  Thanks for stopping by.

siobhan fahey drawing

It's been quite a long time since I did a scribble drawing. Recently I rediscovered an infatuated with siobhan fahey from the 80s band Shakespeare's Sister and Bananarama. Her eyes and smile have entranced me since I first saw her a long long time ago. It was good to work this up.

I have an up to date website again.

After falling behind on my digital presence, I once again have an up to date website.

http://www.dougbell-drawing.com/


head on over and see what I've been missing for the last few months.

I hope the day treats you well and thanks for stopping by.
-db

Braids WIP session three

not much work to show this week.  That's the way it goes for a while... just have to remember to keep working towards the finished drawing.

Beerdance the musical

There is just something fun about tweaking an iconic image and putting your own spin on it. From Flashdance and that famous photo of the girl getting water dropped upon her to Beerdance where a trucker replaces the young female dancer.... puts an entire new spin on things.   Thanks for stopping by. -db

Braids WIP posting 2

Braids WIP session 1

The Start of a new piece. Got most of the solids blocked in now starting off detailing out the hat. Slow but steady.

Hood and Goggles Final

Hood and Goggles is done. I like it. Piece four in my portrait series. Now, on to the next.

Hood and Goggles WIP post 4

Getting close... probably at least one more week, maybe two. Got to get the bodice filled in then finalize the contrast on it. Also have the arm to build up.  But it's coming along. Thanks for stopping by.

Hood and Goggles WIP post 3

Hood and Goggles WIP post 2

post update ol' number 2 on the Hood and Goggles piece. Slowly coming along. Probably the last post for this old mac of mine... after 9 years, it is limping along as best it can.  It will be good to get some speed and 'oomph' behind the digital images.

Last Post for 2015: Digital Portrait WIP Hood and Goggles first post

It has been worked on for about three weeks, but this is the first post for this piece. It is coming along as the others... slowly. I hope all of you out there have had a wonderful Holiday season.  Thanks for stopping by. -db

Miskatonopoly: The game board is completed

The goal was to get done prior to December.  I have met that goal. It was a lot of work, but I am happy with the results.  

Miskatonopoly game New England Water Works Card Back

I thought I was done with this card... then I remembered I still need four more cards... the go to Jail card, the free parking card, and the Just visiting jail card, and Go, otherwise known as the corners.  So I still have some more to complete, but I am sure they will file along as the others did.  Thanks for stopping by.

-db

Miskatonopoly The Train Doom

The train illustration is done.  I dreaded this one for a while... I'm not comfortable with mechanical drawings. They appear so stiff. My goal was to give it some personality.

not one of us

I find it interesting when those who say reach for your dreams turn out to be the same individuals that shut the door on your hand.   -db



“How can we be in If there is no outside…
You're not one of us, 
Not one of us, 
No you're not one of us.”    -P.Gabriel

Miskatonopoly Game mystery girl card back design

So maybe I spoke too soon... maybe I will use this one after all.  I really like how she turned out.

Miskatonopoly: Witness card back design

And welcome to image 8.  The Witness. I will hopefully have one more that I will finish that did not make the cut. But I believe looks nice anyway.  Thanks for stopping by -db

2015 Christmas Card Design: Warhol Campbell's Who Hash

I really didn't think I was going to get a design done this year. Then I revisited past sketches and was inspired by my earlier attempt at a Who Hash soup can.  This needed to be pushed to a new solution.  I am happy with this parody of Warhol's soup cans.

The inside reads:
“Welcome Christmas, while we stand
Heart to heart and hand in hand.”

-Dr. Seuss

Miskatonopoly: Candle Girl Card back Concept Illustration

Candle Girl... very dark, very creepy and number 7 of the eight character cards needed. I am happy with how these are progressing. Thanks for stopping by.
db

Miskatonopoly: Mr. Moneybags Card Back Design

I am getting closer to seeing the end in sight. I am happy to see the results and am happy with the results so far.
Thanks for stopping by.

Miskatonopoly: Game Concept Card Back Design -Shhhhh

One more down... Over the half way point now on the little portraits. Hopefully the last three will go as smoothly. Probably time to work up a card with a female on it as the subject. What to do, what to do....

Miskotonopoly: Card Back Design - Fright

It's been a good weekend of work.  Got two finished and am happy with both. Four Down and six more total to go.

misktonopoly: Cultist Card Back design

The Cultist card back design. They are starting to come with more ease now. I think I am hitting into a groove. 

Miskotonopoly: Skull card back design

A second card back for the game I am working on... I believe that this will be a property card, but that may change as I continue.  More to come.

Miskotonopoly Card: Arlington Gas and Light Co.

A card back design for a game I am working on.  This card is for the Arlington Gas and Light Company.  More to come.

Marshall Hat WIP1

Starting up a new drawing. not much going on yet, just blocking in the darkest blacks... but it's a start.

miskotonopoly type design

Working on a bit of a different project between portraits. I have taken up a reinterpreting of Monopoly based upon the works of H.P. Lovecraft. I have most of the writing done. Now comes time to start up the illustrations. This is my solution for the game logo named after Miskatonic University. The school where 'odd' things seemed to always be happening.

Derby 1 final

Derby 1- Self Portrait.  It's finally done, or I am finally done with this piece. Digital drawing 24" x 24".

Derby1 WIP Week 9

Working along and results are starting to become evident.  I hope to be done the end of next week.

Derby1 WIP week 8

Getting close to starting to see a lot of results really soon. Set up work is still going on. I am hoping that within the next week or two this will be completed.

A Burial At Sea

story - A burial at sea

A friend of mine at one time worked as a night manager at a local hotel.  He told me the story of what the term “a burial at sea” meant to the cleaning crew and staff of that particular hotel.

A burial at sea refers to the act of clogging a toilet so badly that the guilty individual ends up in a state of panic and covers their mess with massive amounts of toilet paper, only to leave in a rush in hopes that nobody will recognize them or see them leave the stall and restroom facility. Pause…

So, I entered a public restroom recently and opened a stall door to discover, you guessed it… a burial at sea. And it was a whopper. I was about to salute the results as I was holding down a dry heave when I noticed that something new had been added.  Someone, (hopefully the guilty individual who created such a terror) had stuck in the center of the paper island, a plastic fork.

My mind reeled as it attempted to grasp the situation that my eyes were seeing. Who brings utensils to a public restroom? Were they eating and decided experiment with cutting down a few steps in their biological process? Perhaps the were frightened by what they saw and ran off to find the first defensive weapon they could find… only to return with a plastic fork. Maybe it was a claim of power the way that conquistadors did by driving a flag into the ground and pronouncing that “this island is claimed in the name of The King!!” and the flag just fell off. For those who are conspiracy theory buffs, possibly it was a person of the opposite gender that entered in to perform this act of defiling the bowl only to leave unnoticed in order cover their tracks and thus leaving the blame to the local male population.

Shortly, I realized that I no longer had any desire to benefit from the use of this particular facility. In fact I also found myself in very short supply of fresh air. I did my best to sneak out without detection so that no one would tag me with causing such a crime upon at least two of the human senses. I ended up quickly driving away as fast as I could and spending the rest of the day with legs crossed, while shaking off a rather impressive case of the heebie-jeebies.

Derby1 WIP week ... seven?

still plugging away... It's moving slowly forward.

Derby 1: WIP Week 6

Week Six, slow and steady results this week. The next couple of sessions won't show a lot of results but then all of a sudden, things will pop together.  It is an odd time for the work. I just have to keep plugging at it.

I hope that you’re happy wherever you are

I hope that you’re happy wherever you are


Separated as we are, I don’t see you.
I don’t hear from you… still i keep looking for signs.
Elders say that you are in a good place.
I hope so.
Books say that you are with all those that you loved and loved you.
I hope so.
In my head I see you in a beloved academic atmosphere;
learning, growing, showing, teaching, loving.
I have no basis, no reason to believe this.
Maybe it is the sign I have been searching for.
Maybe it is a vision of what is to come.
Maybe it is a way for me that I can deal why you were taken.
I still miss you
I still love you
I have been fractured because of your loss.
Breaks can be glued back but those scars will remain.
I hope that you’re happy wherever you are.
-db

Derby 1 WIP sessions 4 and 5

Results from weeks four and five. Some progress moving forward but still a lot more to go.

Derby 1 WIP first post

Starting a new piece... this is about week three on this work in progress. A long way to go... just plug away a little bit every night.

doodle United: Luchador

It's been a long time since I was able to work up a piece for Doodle United. I just couldn't resist the topic of Luchador Wrestlers.  Such fun.

A Warning Glance

It's done. I probably need some distance from this one. It was far more of a challenge than the previous piece. I'm happy I did it, but I am more happy that it is complete and I can start something new.

Frowning 1 WIP week 5

Got some work done this week. It was a week of many distractions and looks to continue for another two weeks. I hope to get in some quality time in the evenings. Slow but steady.

Frowning 1 Week Four WIP

Week Four.... not much to show this week. A lot of prep work and under drawing so I can apply finishes to a lot of areas in the coming weeks.

Frowning 1 WIP weekend three results.

Weekend three of a new digital ink drawing. A lot of results this week. We shall see if I am getting faster. I hope so... I think so. Hope all is well out there for whomever sees this. Thanks for stopping by.

New digital ink portrait Frowning1 - week two Work in progress

I started my second digital ink portrait, and this time it is the start of three self portraits. For some reason, the second of anything for me is really tough to pull off successfully. Maybe I set my sights to high, perhaps after an initial success, I want even larger swings into the realm of achievement and that just doesn't happen in the real world.  But win or lose, I have been working on this piece and think I have it bent into a pleasing direction finally.