Today's Black and White piece.

The full image.

I start with a rough sketch to build upon.

Here is a gif of some of the layers building up.

I try to do at least one finished black and white piece a week.

This can be any subject matter, but for me it usually involved animals and the female form. With my new Singularity series, however, that is upper most in my mind. And last week I also did my black and white piece of a Singularity creature.

I wanted this pieces background to again have a very ars nouveau feel, as it is my favourite and quite honestly natural place I like to go with these drawings. The cuvilinear line and sharp graphic contrast of dark and light just lends itself to it.

I decided in the background a suggestion of a circuit board seemed a fine decorative element playing on the tech of these creatures.

And have one line terminate in a stylized poppy is playing on that curvilinear line being formed from the sharp systematic line of circuity. Much like the organic and mechanic of the post Singularity creatures I envision.

As I start these pieces with pencil sketches that I then scan to the computer, using tech to draw it also feels 'right'. I build up the layers with digital pen and ink. And it is a LOT of layers, over 20 usually, as it gives me the freedom to subtract and add at my leisure.

I tried something new today that was also very 'tech'. When creating the circurty background I decided to draw out one circle and then to copy and paste it about. It had a feel of being a bit of a hybrid creature of form and function, as I could take a single drawing element and then, as if by magic, highlight and copy it about as I saw fit.

True, it hardly is having a robot arm that could draw masterpieces at the flick of a switch, but small steps to the Singularity, right?

I have mentioned before that my black and white drawing is like taking a breath or cleansing my palette. Turning from the layers and colours of my digital oils allows me to focus on simple light and dark and reducing an image to shapes in that realm. It takes me to a more quiet place then the more noisy cacophony of a detailed colour digital oil exists in. I enjoy both realms, but one is like having a cup of black coffee and listening to Miles Davis, whilst the other is like the rise and fall of a Wagner Opera.

Well, I hope you each find a moment to go to your 'black and white' place today. Sip some strong coffee and mellow out to some Miles and take a breather; you'll be better for it, I promise.

If you like my work by all means upvote, resteem, and comment. I always appreciate comments.

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Black and White drawing with some layers.

Today's Black and White piece.

The full image.

I try to do at least one finished black and white piece a week.

I decided in the background a suggestion of a circuit board seemed a fine decorative element playing on the tech of these creatures.

True, it hardly is having a robot arm that could draw masterpieces at the flick of a switch, but small steps to the Singularity, right?