Wes Byrd - New to the forum - returning to art

[Wes]

Hello all!! I'm brand new to the forum and just wanted to introduce myself and post a drawing or two. I'll keep this real short for now...

I put up my pencils about 10 years ago and turned graphics artist and then shortly after turned computer programmer... go figure. :) So, yea. I've been programming web applications for about 8 years now. Well... the money is good and believe it or not, it does fulfill that need in me to be "creative". I sometimes feel my code is like art in a way. You build something from the ground up and the result is something you are a bit proud of. :)

I'm here now because I have been inspired by a few artists that I like and I have decided to pick up the pencil and paint brush again. I recently purchase a few Steve Hanks limited edition prints that just blow me away!!! Then I came across this site and Zindy's stuff just laid me out! Zindy, you are just TOO AWESOME!!

I've browsed a few other artists in this forum and find myself very humbled! To me, my stuff just doesn't hold up to you guys! :) Oh well, I do my best.

Here are a couple from "the good old days". I'll post the painting I'm working on (of my son) when it's done.

DayDreams
http://www.dynapp.com/wes/daydream.jpg

Self Portrait
http://www.dynapp.com/wes/selfport.jpg

[DeGrawgirl]

I really like them! I think more shadows on the first one will make it more realistic, I like the hair though. The last one is good, I like the rough feeling.

[Wes]

The one called “Day Dreams” is meant to use hard lines with subtle shadows to draw your eye to the focus areas (in a Patrick Nagel sort of way). It’s far from perfect, but that was the idea.

In contrast, the self portrait is quit the opposite. I have never really drawn in that rough style before. It started out that way because I had one hand on my face and one hand on the paper just kinda sketching. I had to distance myself from the drawing while being the subject (staring in a mirror… yes, that’s my left hand. :) ). I usually use my fingers to blend shadows but as it started coming together, I started to like the rough edge. And in an odd kind of way, perhaps that’s how I see myself... with a "rough edge". :P

Thanks for the feedback!! Keep it coming!

[Sabas]

Welcome to the forums!

I think Day Dreams is great, i like the style, its different.
and the hair looks cool
I also liked the rough sketch.
I'd love to see more of your drawings

[panda_attitude]

I love the hair on the Day Dreams one...!!

[Ardnoosh]

welcome Wes!
1st one is great , really nice lips and hair on it!
2nd one is very detailed, I like detailed portraits!
nice job on them

[Enola]

Welocome Wes!!!

I really like your drawings, specially the self portrait. You have a simple style on it and the way it looks like a sketch is really nice. Really want to see mor of your art :)

[Zindy]

Big welcome to you Wes :D
I like the softness of the first one. I am not sure about the proportions. I think her forehead is a little bit too far to the right, it doesn't look all natural when she has her head in that position.
I think you did pretty well on the second one by looking in the mirror while drawing, that's not easy.
Looking forward to see your new work :)

[jessie]

Hi WELCOME!!

I really like the rough one..It's very good :D

[Wes]

Thanks everyone!! I added a part of the water colour painting of my son as my Signature. :) I'll post the full and complete work when its all done.

[Enola]

Ooooo...I see you can handle watercolour verry well!!! (I cant handle water color :wink: ) Looking forward to see it finished.

[Wave_Glistening]

You are very skilled! And I was surprised by how good you are at all kind of techniques!

[Cherity]

the painting of your son looks amazing!I`m looking forward to see it finished :)

[Wes]

hehe... yea... Water color is tough. I paint in layers from light to dark with each layer being just a little darker each time. To do this, I have to let it dry each time. I add a few layers of color each time. Doing this makes water color not nearly as fast as it is meant to be. But I like the result I think. This is only my second water color painting ever.... so I’m still trying to figure out this style.

Just to toss in another medium and sample... here is a painting I did with acrylic on my pool cue case. I did this WAY back in 1993. I still use the cue case when I go play pool today... which I do very often.


http://www.dynapp.com/wes/cuecase.jpg

[Enola]

Wow...that dragon is soooo coool. If you have more fantasy stuff, I have started a thread in the "everything else" forum. Whould be fun if other people posted their fantasy art there as well :D Again.....really amazing...I just love dragons :wink:

[Wes]

Thanks Enola. I once did a portrait of a friend in water color (the first water color I ever did... the one is my sig below is the second) that had her hair turning into the neck of a dragon that wrapped around her and was blowing fire. :) It was soo cool! I gave it to her and haven't seen her or it in years. I wish I had at least been able to scan it in or take a photo before it disappeared.

As for the dragon on the case, I borrowed a little from the style of Jeff Easley. I use to be a big fan of his and Larry Elmore and Parkinson and Clyde Caldwell. All are VERY good fantasy oil painting artists. When I draw dragons they tend to look more like the Larry Elmore style of dragon... at least in the face/head.

Anyway, i'll check out your post and may do a little dragon drawing to post there. ;)

[Wes]

Here are a couple of sketches. I just thought I would post these for fun. They are expression studies drawn each in just 10 minutes. I love to see emotion and expression in people and in art and in writing.

http://www.wesbyrd.com/photos/expression.jpg
http://www.wesbyrd.com/photos/expression2.jpg

[Rifty]

i like your drawings + paintings

the first one reminds me on 'arial, the little mermaid' i love it though :D

[Wes]

I'm posting up all my old stuff here... but this is the last of it. The next stuff I post will be new... I promise! :)

This is something I never finished. It was turning out kinda cool but I didn't like where it was going so it never got done... nor will it ever. Sad really. It's done with pen and water color pencils. I was going to pencil them on and then hit it with a brush... but I was too chicken to put water to it.

This was taken by a digital camera... so it looks much better than this in person.
http://www.wesbyrd.com/photos/colorpencil2.jpg
Yes... the hand sux! That is one reason why this never got finished. :(

This is the same but in real size closeup around the eyes.
http://www.wesbyrd.com/photos/colorpencil3.jpg

[Ardnoosh]

Wes! your drawings and paintings are excellent!
I think you could be a great cartoon animator! if you just like it and try

[Enola]

Wow...Wes.....I think it is really really cool. It's like looking at a frame from an X-men comic or something. It's a shame you won't finish it :wink:

[Wes]

:) Yea, I use to be very into comic books when I was younger. More really for the artwork than the story. And my favorite was X-men! :D

That last one is very much like a comic book because it uses ink and color. It is inspired very much by my comic book past. However, I'm not really into comics anymore and prefer a little more reality than I use to.

[budwiserfrog]

wes u taking the mikky? the hand is perfect! theres nothing wrong with it- u shud finish it or i will fork ur eyes out with a spoon! FINISH IT i really really love it not joking, i love the hair especially, the eyes are great and there isnt anything wrong with the hand

[Wes]

frog: "taking the mikky"? That's a term this southern American boy is not familiar with. HEHE... But I think the answer is "no". LOL!

Dude, you crack me up! The problem is that this piece is about 10 years old and I no longer have the pencils that I colored it with. They where water color pencils and I used over half the yellow, red, and orange with the hair that is shown here. There is no way I could match the colors if I continued it now. The only way I could get away with it is to color the rest of the hair in another color all together. That might actually turn out kinda cool. I may do that for the heck of it just because it will sit in my closet for the rest of time otherwise.

Thanks for the encouragement... although it be an awkward form of it. :P

[budwiserfrog]

;) wasnt joking lol "taking the mikky" means taking the pi$$ basically, excuse my french. GO OUT N BUY SOEM NOW