Monday, March 20, 2006



From my sketchbook

I like to draw rocks....



...and play with them in the computer.

21 comments:

Cate said...

YAYYYY! You've updated! I can't tell you how loudly my heart is singing!

These pictures are stunning. I can feel the cool, gritty texture of the rocks, the feathery yet tangled and spindly (is that a word or did I make it up?) quality of the brush.

You always tell a story with your work, Ldahl, and transport me to a brand new place. Thank you for sharing your talents!

Lou said...

I love the texture that you captured on the rocks, both before and after computer enhancements. You do great work. I'm glad Cate introduced me to your site.

LDahl said...

Cate and Lou, thanks for stopping by:) I'm still having trouble finding enough time in a day, but still have hope that it will get better. :))) Hey, one has to have hope...right?? Even though it snowed today, I know spring is on it's way.

valerie walsh said...

Hi Dahl! I was just thinking about you and hoping that life is swell and here you are! Love your rocks!!!!

Brian the Mennonite said...

Wow...the computer manipulations sure bring these rocks to life. They almost look real. The slate grey sky is what really does it I think.

Unknown said...

So glad to see you posting. Like Val I have been thinking of you a lot lately and hoping things are going well for you and that the job is still fun.
Like what you did with your sketch here. I'll have to keep that in mind to play with color in photoshop on a sketch. Hope you can post again soon.

Anonymous said...

I was going to say "It's about time" but then who am I? I finally posted something after nearly a month's absence. Unlike you, I have no busy schedules to keep so there's no excuse for me. Glad to see you back, rocks and all.

Cream said...

L, so nice to have you back!
And you sure haven't lost your touch! Welcome back!

carla said...

Lilah - it's good to see you back in blogland! I keep checking your site hoping that you've posted, and now here you are:> I hope all's well with the job and your family. I love your rocks - they're really so hard to draw, but these look like I could reach out and feel their surface. The photoshopped color looks wonderful - very subtle gradations from bottom to top. I love playing around with colors over sketches. You can get so many different feelings out of one drawing!

I hope you'll be able to carve out a bit of time to keep us happy with your beautiful words and images:>

Unknown said...

stunning rock drawings and paintings!! THese are breathtaking!!

Chuang Shyue Chou said...

Wow! The transformation from a pencil work to a digital composition is startling! Really really nice!

modroom said...

Outstanding rocks! Glad to see you about in blog world again.

Jaimie said...

Your rocks are gorgeous and beautifully drawn. I love the color version.

Leeza Hernandez Illustrator said...

These are gorgeous. You do such beautiful work, I always enjoy coming over to visit and see what you have been up to.

I love the way you managed to retain the texture from your sketch book in the photshop version. I tend to lose some of those qualities when I try it like that but you have worked your wondeful magic ... you know, I feel like this rock is from another world ... a mystical and enchanting world ... very cool.

merlinprincesse said...

OMG Lilah! Computer? It really looks like watercolor! NIIIIICE! :)

Unknown said...

Nice work as always. Good renderings.

andrea said...

Beautiful, sensitive sketches. I thought we'd lost you! Glad to see you're back.

RAY DILLON said...

This is fantastic. Really simple, but powerful. Great rendering and the colors are ... hard to explain how they feel to me. Really unique, almost eerie ...

Hmm ... VERY nice.

~Ray

LDahl said...

ValGalArt,
Hey pal, happy to hear from you and really pleased you like my rocks!

Brian the Mennonite,
Hi, it's a formation that always calls to me...but I never can get it quite right... maybe it is because if I do, I'll have to stop trying and I like drawing it too much.

Toni Kelly,
I'll never leave for good... IF people are real keepers. I'll keep posting when I can and visiting as much as possible. I've missed you all and am so happy when I hear from you.

Onclejohann,
Oh-ho pot calling the kettle black huh?!? :))))) You have been hard at work on a very complicated piece though..... glad we are both back in the "blog"world!

Cream,
Hi Cream...thanks for the visit and welcome back! I have the new drawing done and matted... it will go out in the post tomorrow.

Carla,
You are an Angel... every day I start out looking at your Lady with Flower.... it helps me make it through the long hours:) It reminds me there is more to life than stress.

Alina Chau,
THank you Alina! High praise coming from you!

Chuang Shyue Chou,
Computers are a blessing and a curse aren't they? Thanks for your comment, I really do think it's wonderful how you all have not forgotten me even though I've not posted in so long.

Modroom,
Glad to be back!!!!!!!!! and !!!!!!!!! I've missed it more than one could imagine!

Jaimie,
I'm think about painting some in oils... just rocks. Do you think it would be too boring to look at? Long story, dad was a rockhound and looking at rocks was a big part of my childhood...trips to far away places and lots of adventures surrounding rocks..... so I still like to look at them.

Leezy said...
Thank you Leezy... do you see the Court of Kings and Queens at the top?

Merlinprincesse,
Yep, just a fast bingo bango with a few dozen steps in between:)))
I knew what I wanted it to feel like...... not dawn, not sunset...but time standing still.

Steve Musgrave,
Mr. Musgrave, thank you ever-so-much for your visit. Let me clear off the drawings and offer you a chair, would you like a cup of tea? How are you and yours doing, I think of you all often. ~LD

Andrea,
No, not lost me... just me lost in "reality" for awhile...*yuck* crawled my way back..... posting a bit before the tide pulls me back out again. Not to worry though, I'm saving my sticks and ropes, plan to build me a raft that will float me to safe harbors:)))

Ray Dillon,
Thank you Mr. Dillon! Your comment means alot to me:) Someday when we both are not so busy(HAHAHAHA) I want to talk to you about a project idea I have.

Andrew Glazebrook said...

Great stuff !! Rocks are cool !!

LDahl said...

Thank you Andrew!