Old artwork

Let’s go back in time …

Drawing/sketching is the very first skill I ever developed, possibly before walking, and eons (comparatively) before writing or composing. I was an absolutely obsessive drawer throughout my youth; I likely churned out enough pieces to fill up a small warehouse, and I’m not remotely exaggerating. (Had to do something to pass all those boring school hours.) And that’s taking into account how I rarely completed a drawing before abandoning it – I probably threw out over 95% of everything I ever drew.

Luckily, my mother hung onto some of her favorites through the years and I figured I’d digitize some of them and put them up here for posterity. The below were all taken with my cellphone camera (I don’t have a scanner) and cleaned up a bit in Photoshop to make them presentable. They represent my rough skill level circa 2003—2007 (or when I was 11–15 years old).

Be sure to click the link beneath each image to get the full size.

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Let’s start off with my favorite:

Dated 07/31/05 at age 13
[full size (1500×1418)]

Did you know I’m a major Titanic geek? ’Cause I’m a major Titanic geek. I drew that at 13 years old and I’d already been a major Titanic geek for half my life. I’m the guy who pores through research articles and archival photos to learn the placement of every rivet and guy wire for fun. My favorite artist is Ken Marschall. My favorite movie is Titanic and my favorite song is that Céline Dion song from the same movie and that’s making you cringe at the memory of it right now, you philistine. 882’9” length, 3 million rivets, 2,200 people on board and 705 survivors – numbers off the top of my head. The funnels were painted White Star Buff, a color that no longer exists and can only be recreated approximately. Yes, I looked that detail up years ago and I still remember it well enough to criticize any depiction of the ship that uses the wrong shade. (Color those funnels yellow and I’ll disown you.)

I just really like the Titanic, guys, is what I’m saying. To the point where I honestly don’t know whether I used any references when sketching that above pic – I may well have been going entirely from memory. (Window counts and positioning. Hull plating layout. A thousand details I can’t even name but can point to saying, “yeah, that belongs there, and anyone who doesn’t include it in their art is a filthy poser”.

… S’cuse me, I have a sudden urge to draw a big boat.

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I could post Titanic-related art for hours, so let’s move on to … a different big boat.

Dated 06/17/03 at age 11½
[full size (1600×1245)]

I drew this one two years before the previous pic, and … it shows. Look at it – no hull sheer, no sense of width, Lego-like plating, bizarre funnel separation width, water that looks like asphalt … It’s like I wasn’t even trying. (No, no, never mind that I was only 11 years old. That’s just an excuse.)

I remember drawing this – was in school, where I made good use of an end-of-day free period. Seem to recall it drew quite a little crowd of classmates around me, too.

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Finally, some humans:

(Undated)
[full size (1600×1054)]

Basically a sketch of some random elements from an old novel project of mine, The Path to War (which I shelved shortly before starting Inhuman). Features the Arrowhead inn, a local … inn, as well as the protagonist himself, James “Sasch” (later renamed Hania), his “loyal wife” (oh, 13-year-old me …) “Endura” Duruisseau (later renamed Liliane), and their son … Sahal? Man, I used to be even worse at naming things than I am now.

As for those skull-and-crossbones next to their names, uh … spoiler alert?

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Dated 11/16/05 at age 13
[full size (1500×1590)]

This was likely done around the same time as the previous illustration, when I was 13. That’s also James from The Path to War, seen here miffed that I never bothered to give him arms. Or a lower body. I guess I was too busy trying something out with his hair, effort that would have been better spent fixing his weird button-hole eyes.

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Hey, look, another James, complete with semi-legible scribbles.

Dated 10/13/07 at age 15
[full size (1252×1600)]

This one was hard to digitize without making it look like I’d drawn it in coal dust. It’s also hard (for me) to look at that bizarre shoulder anatomy – methinks the guy pulled a little too hard on his chains and dislocated both arms. No wonder he doesn’t look happy. (I don’t like drawing happy humans, do I?)

(For anyone who might decipher the French-speak: I was 15 and just out of detention, hence the very 15-year-old-like attempt at a zinger.)

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And finally, fox!

(Undated)
[full size (1016×1600)]

I’ve drawn animals the least of all, which you may be able to tell from these two wiener-dog-like foxes. I think this was for a school report on everyone’s favorite chicken-coop raiders; I may also have referenced this, somewhat heavily, from an existing book.