As promised,  here are Erik’s other two digital sketches.

I think this one is my favorite.  A simple 30 minute sketch.

This one Erik spent quite a while on, playing around with the different tools available in the software.  It’s interesting to me that this has the same overworked feel (still a great sketch…especially for an experimental piece) that a lot of physical drawings and paintings have, particularly when the artist is trying out the limits of a new medium.

Thanks, Erik.

Welcome to the first ever Guest Sketchbook One-Man-Show. I received three new sketches from Erik Widqvist this month, though I was only able to open one file. Erik, when you read this, please send along the other two in a different format and I will happily post them. This sketch was done with a drawing/painting program called Corel Painter. I should mention that this is Erik’s first time working with the software.

This portrait was done in roughly 50 minutes:

Not too shabby for a test drive of a new medium.

I have never had the chance to try out Corel Painter, and I suspect I would end up preferring the analog alternatives I already use. However, I have stumbled across another Utah based artist who does some great sketches and illustrative paintings with the program. His name is Dave Malan. Here is a link to his blog: http://brilliantanyway.blogspot.com/

Dave also does some great old-school oil painting and drawing as well.

I estimate another two to three weeks of work remain on the commission, but as soon as it is all squared away I will be hitting the sketchbook pretty hard for rest of the year in preparation for a portrait demo I will be doing on the Cordair Gallery’s Arts Cruise in January.