'Bout Damned TIME!

[Chas]

Been a member her since 2015, after things went south at that "other art forum" a bunch of members here also frequented. Figure it's about time I posted some stuff. Most of this is old now - read my bio if you wanna know why I don't  make a lot of art. All of it is traditional, don't know how to draw digitally, and really I don't have the time to figure it out. When I find the time, I'd rather spend it actually drawing than learning how to manipulate software - maybe someday I'll try my hand a it.
for now here are some of my drawings.

[Chas]

Not sure 'bout the limit of attachments per post, so here are a few more.

[Chas]

Sorry bout the large image sizes. Not quite savvy at posting here yet. (Can't figure out how to remove/edit attachments once they have been posted the, obvious 'full Edit' tab doesn't seem to let me.)

O.K. got it now. Boy! that's compplicated!

[darktiste]

Good to have a realist artist among us will surely come take a look in here from time to time.Do you specialize in portrait ?

[Zorrentos]

I like it! Hard for me to critique as we don't have the references here, but IMO, it looks very nice and well made!

Have you ever tried your hand at imaginative work?

[Chas]

WOW! Actual people responding - that's neat!
I've been focused on portraits for the last, oooooh maybe 9 years or so. I guess I'm just fascinated by the challenge of making images of people the their friends and family recognize - it is such a gas when that happens and such a challenge!

I haven't really done drawing from imagination in a very long time, I guess I'm just not really interested in that sort of thing. I mean I can surely appreciate it, but just can't see myself doing it.
Now, mind you I have, and do, make work from my imagination through the use of reference images (for poses details, backgrounds etc.) that I compose (recompose), but purely from imagination the way a lot of folks here do - No just not something I do.

As for references I only have a few of the photo refs I used for the posted drawings. Sorry, it's been a while, but here they are:

[darktiste]

There a miss conception that people are working soly from imagination that a rare skill actually it not because you don't see the reference that they didn't use some.But i certainly understand that it can be hard not to be the slave to your reference specially when you been doing it for so long.The problem is the more you do something the better you get good at and the rest become ''harder'' because of how much gap in your skill you can actually feel as you draw those thing.You either get good at something specific or you become a generalist who isn't necessary beast at something in particular but neither good in something specific you become a generalist after years of practice in my opinion changing hat as you develop interest and get bored of other thing you might be at a point where you feel like you need a fresh start but that up to you.

[Zorrentos]

It seems like you work a lot with pencil/charcoal from what I can see (Im not an expert at traditional media). Ever considered doing some work in color? Maybe trying new materials such as ink, watercolors, or even oil painting would be an interesting challenge?