Art Lovers discussion

Last year, after retiring from 41 years working, I treated myself to an iPad with pencil. It took me a couple of months to get used to the medium but after I discovered Procreate it started going very well.
At the moment I'm working on my eight large drawing. It's about the same size of the etchings I used to make years ago.

A couple of times I thought about posting them here but I feel it's a bit presumptuous...
Because of the problem with the limit on photo's I was looking into starting a blog and then I got the idea to use that blog to show my work.

So if you're curious and want to have a look here is a link:

https://dirkvan1958ipaddrawings.blogs...

Drawings with obsessive tiny markings draw me in. I know what it’s like to create one of those, to immerse oneself in a world where a minuscule stroke can become as important as a 4 lane highway.

But I’m curious about what you mean when you talk about the size of the drawings. I’m an iPad addict. I’m writing on one now. The screen of an iPad isn’t very big. Can you only display a part of the drawings at a time when you’re working on them? Do you print out the drawings so that they have a physical entity ? If you were to display them as in, say an exhibition, how would you do it?

How does Procreate work?

Ruth wrote: "Drawings with obsessive tiny markings draw me in. I know what it’s like to create one of those, to immerse oneself in a world where a minuscule stroke can become as important as a 4 lane highway.

..."

Hi Ruth,
Procreate is a drawing/painting app for the iPad.
It's a bit Illustrator and Photoshop combined. It takes a while getting used to the combination of hand moves and pencil (tapping with two fingers is undo, with three is redo, swiping gives you a copy/paste menu and so on...)
I'm still learning new things after 7 months but I'm certain this is the best investment I made in a long time. (I mean the iPad, Procreate is cheap)

About size... You can make your canvas as large as a A1 format (60x82 cm) but then your resolution is a max of 290 dpi and the maximum of layers is 6. At A0 the max resolution is 150 dpi.
A printer needs 300 for normal offset printing. A inkjet printer doesn't need so much dpi and will be able to print the 150 but the drawn lines will be pixelated.
That is why I try to keep the dpi at a max (I don't need that many layers) Max dpi for A5 = 920 dpi, for A4= 840 dpi for A3= 560.
That gives me a pretty fine drawing line that can be compared with the line of a needle I used for etching.

I haven't thought about an exhibition yet. I got me a couple of printouts at size A3 that costs me about 7 € (8$) so that is a possibility.
I posted the drawings on a website for Belgian art:

https://www.belgianart.be/nl/profile/...

And on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/dirkvandesa...

And now this Blog.
So people can see the drawings for the moment that is more than enough for me.

I just posted a very short clip of me working on the ipad:

https://www.goodreads.com/videos/1880...

Thanks for posting these, Dirk. They are very fun to see!

Thanks for the explanation, Dirk. Looks like fun.

Ruth wrote: "Thanks for the explanation, Dirk. Looks like fun."

Procreate also keeps track of a lot of statistics.
Today I posted a drawing of our cat Moon and the statistics tell me that I spend 33 hours and 50 minutes drawing while making 174.015 strokes.

https://dirkvan1958ipaddrawings.blogs...

Interesting. Peel often asked me how long my drawings too, and I had no clue. Do you find that the process of drawing in such obsessive detail is akin to meditation? I know I did.

Ruth wrote: "Interesting. Peel often asked me how long my drawings too, and I had no clue. Do you find that the process of drawing in such obsessive detail is akin to meditation? I know I did."

Akin certainly, but I don't let my mind go blank. Most of the time I'm thinking about the drawing I'm making, the stories it tells. I like to tell stories with my drawings.

33 hours is by far not the longest ;-)
The one I'm working on at the moment is already at 80 hours ;-)
Started on 26th of January. Probably finished some time next week.

No not blank, but so absorbed in each tiny mark that the rest of the world goes away, and time stops.

Ruth wrote: "No not blank, but so absorbed in each tiny mark that the rest of the world goes away, and time stops."

The same for me, I can draw for more than 4 hours without pause.

I just posted 3 more drawings on the Blog.
Including the 2 I already made this year.

https://dirkvan1958ipaddrawings.blogs...

I have more but consider them just exercises ;-)

A new drawing is just posted on the blog:

https://dirkvan1958ipaddrawings.blogs...

The Lost Skyline is amazing, Dirk. I love the way you set these videos up, slowly drawing (pun intended) the viewer into your strange, vast world. Captivating--especially the surprise scorpion at the end! Is it your brother's music again? Haunting!

Zoe wrote: "The Lost Skyline is amazing, Dirk. I love the way you set these videos up, slowly drawing (pun intended) the viewer into your strange, vast world. Captivating--especially the surprise scorpion at t..."

Thanks!
Yes the music is again by my brother. It's composed on the computer and is part of a collection of songs he called: Elegy For Planet Earth.
Did you catch all the subtle references. I had a lot of fun putting them in.

I did see the lion in the archway with the man and then again the lion face in the wall. What did I miss?

Zoe wrote: "I did see the lion in the archway with the man and then again the lion face in the wall. What did I miss?"

Not too much just a few ;-)

Mostly in the left lower corner.
There is a little robot from a famous movie and also a couple of famous logos. And if you look careful at the man in the archway you can see he is based on Michelangelo's David.

Oh, cool. I'll look again!

I just posted a new drawing on my Blog.
If you want to have a look:

https://dirkvan1958ipaddrawings.blogs...

Amazing details, Dirk! So glad you posted the full image and the details.

Zoe wrote: "Amazing details, Dirk! So glad you posted the full image and the details."
Thanks Zoe, glad you like it.

Say what's up with your book?
Publication date on Amazon (NL) is 22/2 But I got an email that it is temporary unavailable... I had a look at Amazon (US) and there it is available and on Amazon (DE) the release date is June...
So the reason why I did not say anything about it is because I'm still waiting!

That’s weird. Is it because you are in Europe and not the US? Others who preordered in the US got their books. The June release date is for the paperback. But there are lots of hardbacks available and Kindle. Hmmmm…

Hi all,

I just posted a new iPad drawing (already number 10)
on my Blog.
To see it you can use this link:

https://dirkvan1958ipaddrawings.blogs...

Today I finished a new drawing on the iPad. And I'm realy pleased with it. So why not post it here ;-)
It's the largest one I made so far took me 6 weeks (more then 160 hours and almost 600000 strokes- the Procreate software keeps track)



For a larger view you can visit Behance:

https://www.behance.net/dirkvandesande

And for a short video, again with music composed by brother:

https://youtu.be/3R57N_csIzQ

I love the juxtaposition of nature with the fantastic. I clicked the link to the video and it said it had been removed. I'd really like to see it. I so enjoyed the other one.

Zoe wrote: "I love the juxtaposition of nature with the fantastic. I clicked the link to the video and it said it had been removed. I'd really like to see it. I so enjoyed the other one."

Oeps! That's my fault, I changed a little bit on the movie and uploaded another version to YouTube but forgot to change the link.
It should work now!

Dirk wrote: "Today I finished a new drawing on the iPad. And I'm realy pleased with it. So why not post it here ;-)
It's the largest one I made so far took me 6 weeks (more then 160 hours and almost 600000 stro..."

Wow!!! this is amazing

Inkspill wrote: "Dirk wrote: "Today I finished a new drawing...

...Wow!!! this is amazing..."

Thanks!
But for me it was most of all a lot of work ;-)

A new drawing finished:



The father with the three kids is based on a photo I took more than 20 years ago! On a sunny Sunday afternoon while walking in the park I came across this wonderful family.
I asked the father if I could take a pic and that's why the two eldest kid are looking straight at the camera. Afterwards I regretted not asking for a name or address.
And I never saw them again. I always kept the photo because I wanted to use it in some way. And now with these drawings on the iPad it was time. I added the Easter Island statues to make it a bit strange and special. My wife says the first statue looks approving of the dad ;-)

That is not only skillful, but also delightful. Bravo!

Ha! Your wife is right. That is exactly how the first sculpture looks!

You've done a marvelous job in portraying the warmth and love in that family, Dirk!

Connie wrote: "You've done a marvelous job in portraying the warmth and love in that family, Dirk!"

Thanks!
I was just very lucky I could capture this moment that day in park.

I am very appreciative of your sharing these, Dirk.

I finished a new drawing today:



And a link to a short video that starts with a close-up:

https://youtu.be/rUPrvukPOaM

Lovely, Dirk, especially the jellyfish! And perfect timing for me as I'm viewing it just minutes after swimming in the sea (where, happily, there were no jellyfish to sting me.)

Story wrote: "Lovely, Dirk, especially the jellyfish! And perfect timing for me as I'm viewing it just minutes after swimming in the sea (where, happily, there were no jellyfish to sting me.)"

Thank you, Story. Glad you like it.
I have a vague recollection about being stung by a jellyfish when I was 5 or so. Not pleasant! But these are imaginary jellyfish so I can imagine them not stinging ;-)

I love the imaginary jellyfish looking like parachutes in the sky, Dirk. Jellyfish can be quite beautiful, but I also have bad memories of being stung by one as a child.

I really love how your videos allow your works to unfold slowly, building up tension. I also love the music. Nice!

Yesterday I finished a new drawing:



And there is a new short video on Youtube, again with music by my brother Luc.

https://youtu.be/AdLwSz3asmw

Interesting range of textures and tones, Dirk.

Lovely drawing and video, Dirk.

Thanks, Connie and Story!

Dirk wrote: "Last year, after retiring from 41 years working, I treated myself to an iPad with pencil. It took me a couple of months to get used to the medium but after I discovered Procreate it started going v..."

your drawings are really nice! :)

Elie wrote: "Dirk wrote: "Last year, after retiring from 41 years working, I treated myself to an iPad with pencil. It took me a couple of months to get used to the medium but after I discovered Procreate it st..."

Thanks Elie!
Are you new to the group? Then welcome and I hope you'll have a nice time browsing all the old threads.
But since our founding member has retired, I am the only moderator and besides this thread I only have time to do the Picture of the day thread.
I live in Antwerp, Belgium so any answers from me will always take some hours: your evening time is (probably) the middle of the night for me ;-)
But once more: welcome and I hope you will enjoy yourself in the group!

Haha no problem! I am new indeed, great to meet you!🙂

Sometimes I miss the etching and printmaking, especially this month because I'm posting all those artworks in the Pic of the Day.
But on the other hand I like the way these digital drawings take a lot less of my time: I can make a large drawing in about a month.
A comparable etching took me at least four or five months.

So here is the next one. Title is: the four art critics.

Great title for an intriguing piece.

Story wrote: "Great title for an intriguing piece."

When drawing them I was constantly thinking about Statler and Waldorf (times 2) ;-)

Funny! (Love those guys.)