From the Sketchbook- A Gryphon

A color sketch of a gryphon that may lead to a painting. I'd never painted a gryphon before so this was a good challenge for me. I was watching Dinotopia with the kids while I fiddled with this creature.


When I was growing up my weekends were spent drawing monsters and aliens and watching classic monster movies like Universal Studios "The Mummy" and "Dracula". They were generally double features so we're talking a good long stretch at the drawing board but I loved every minute of it. From time to time my mom would bring me a snack or I'd run to the table for a quick bite then back to work. Though I'm forty seven now ( I can't believe it!), I still feel I'm at my creative best if I'm watching a movie while I paint or draw. Some people play music; I watch George Pals version of "War of the Worlds". If I'm in for a very long painting session I usually watch "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

Things change all around us. Sometimes they change a little quicker than we prefer but some of my youthful self's habits still carry on all these years later. I think it helps keep me young at heart a bit. A very successful artist friend of mine once lamented that he'd never be able to paint for fun again. That's pretty sad. I hope I never feel that way. If I ever start to feel that way about my work I'd quickly take a day job and draw for myself at night. But since that kid in me is still alive and strong that wont be the case anytime soon. I feel very lucky to be doing something for a living I truly love. That's a successful career. Time to pop in a movie.