Herb

9" x 12" Mixed Media - FOR SALE

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Herb Adderley is number 26. In college he was an All-Big Ten running back for the Michigan State Spartans. In 1961 Herb was drafted by the Green Bay Packers but found himself stuck behind eventual Hall of Famers Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung. Due to an injury in the secondary coach Vince Lombardi switched Adderley to cornerback and the rest is history. Herb is considered by many, to be the greatest cornerback to ever play the game. Herb Adderley is the first MSU player to be enshrined into the pro football Hall of Fame.

This is a watercolor with pen & ink outline and some prismacolor pencil.

Rocket Man

Digital Painting - Rocket Man

The Rocket - Raghib Ismail from the University of Notre Dame was once timed at 4.16 in pads. Raghib was a two time All-American and finished 2nd in Heisman Trophy voting to Ty Detmer in 1990. I remember the game against Michigan in 1998 when he returned two kickoffs to beat the Wolverines in Ann Arbor. They called his little brother "The Missile" and his mother "The Launching Pad."

This art is totally digital. It only exists on the computer. That is strange to think about. I hope you like it. I am definitely still learning.

24

10.5" x 15" Pastel and Prismacolor over an Oil Wash on Illustration Board - FOR SALE

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Knowshon Moreno is on his way to the NFL after a short two year career at Georgia. Knowshon is only the second Georgia running back to rush for over a 1,000 yards as a freshman. I'll let you guess the other one. He was All-SEC both seasons at UGA and became an instant fan favorite because of his electrifying energy and talent.

This piece was done similar to the Tebow piece. I sketched the image on the illustration board and then stained the board with a burnt umber oil wash. I then added the dark tones and the color which I sprayed with fixative before adding the highlights and some additional color with prismacolor pencils.

What can Brown do for you?

9" x 14" Pencil Sketch

23 is Cartersville, GA native Ronnie Brown. Despite sharing the backfield at Auburn with Carnell Williams, Brown still ranks 7th all-time in school history with 2,707 yards rushing. Ronnie is known around these parts for his strong work ethic and good character. Number 23 is now a star with the Miami Dolphins and his motto is, "train like you're number two and play like you're number one."

This pencil sketch has a little more detail than some of the others. I'll try and work some color in the next few submissions. Check out number 12 later this week, I am finishing up the oil painting of Colt McCoy.

Godzilla

9" x 12" Prismacolor Pencil over Oil Wash on Bristol - SOLD

The Hefty Lefty from Kentucky is number 22. Listed at 6 foot 4, two hundred and eighty-five pounds Jared Lorenzen was build more like a lineman than a quarterback. I think 285 was on the light side and he looked even bigger in the pocket. I remember a game against Georgia where the Bulldog defenders were having a hard time tackling Lorenzen. They were getting to him but they kept bouncing off of the Wildcats giant and Larry Munson called the Kentucky QB Godzilla.

Another pencil sketch here and the same sketch with some color.

My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys

8.5" x 11" Pencil Sketch

And still are it seems. 21 is Barry Sanders of Oklahoms State. Interesting note about Barry is that he did not play running back until 4 games into his senior season in high school. He rushed for 1322 yards in the remaining seven games to earn all-state honors but because of his size and lack of exposure he had limited scholarship offers. He went to OSU and sat behind Thurman Thomas for two years. In his junior year he had perhaps the greatest single season in college football history. Sanders led the nation by averaging over 200 yards per game, including rushing for over 300 yards in four games. He scored at least 2 touchdowns in 11 consecutive games, and 9 times he scored at least 3 touchdowns. He won the 1988 Heisman Trophy hands down and turned pro the next season.

Bernie

8.5" x 11" Digital Painting

Bernie Kosar as a redshirt freshman started all 12 games for the Miami Hurricanes in 1983. He led his team to a 11-1 record and a memorable 31-30 Orange Bowl win over the top rated Nebraska Cornhuskers. In the game, Kosar passed for 300 yards and two touchdowns, and the win gave Miami its first National Championship. Kosar was famously immobile and threw sort of sidearm but he was very accurate setting NFL records for consecutive throws without an interception. For me, Miami was the team I loved to hate. Drawing for me is all about adjustments. I start real light and my first goal is to simply indicate where everything goes. I squint my eyes as I draw trying to identify the shapes and lights and darks often turning my drawing and reference sideways or even upside down. Once I got Bernie like I wanted him I scanned the drawing into Photoshop and started the digital painting.

The Pony Express

7" x 10.5" Graphite on Bristol Board

Eric Dickerson, one half of the Pony Express at SMU, initially wanted to play for Barry Switzer and Oklahoma but his mother wanted him to stay closer to his home in Dallas. In the days of tear-away jerseys, Astroturf, Dickerson, and running mate Craig James, ran rings around the Southwest Conference and finished 10-1 in 1981 and 10-0-1 and #2 in the nation in '82. A two time All-American, I remember the goggles and the straight running style. He went on to have an outstanding professional career.

Pencil sketch on Bristol Board.

Roman Numeral

9" x 12" Pencil and Soft Pastel on Paper

Roman Gabriel wore number 18 for North Carolina State from 1959 to 1961. He was a two time All-American and twice named the ACC Player of the Year. Roman was also an Academic All-American. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, I remember him most from his days in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles. Consider the first large quarterback in pro football Roman stood 6'4" and weighed 235 lbs.

The only reference I could find was an old posed photograph that appeared to be done for a game program. Since there wasn't much detail in the photo I decided to use my soft pastels. I did a rather messy pencil sketch letting the paper get dirty from all the graphite. I then sprayed it with workable fixative so the paper would hold the pastels. Without blending, I laid in my colors rough and quick. Gave it another spray and added some finishing touches.

The quarterback run ends tomorrow.

Charlie Huddle

8" x 10" Digital Illustration

Number seventeen in our count-up is Charlie Ward from Florida State University. Charlie is perhaps the most decorated college football player of all time. In his senior season at FSU (1993) Ward won the Heisman Trophy, the Davey O'Brien Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. He was named the Walter Camp Player of the Year and Toyota Leader of the Year. Charlie Ward is one only three college football player to ever to win the Sullivan Award given annually to the nation's top amateur athlete (Y. Arnold Tucker and Peyton Manning are the other two). At the time of his induction into the FSU Hall of Fame, Ward still owned 14 FSU football records.

In 1993, he also led the Seminoles basketball team to within one game of the Final Four. CW played several years in the NBA and he is originally from Thomasville, Georgia.

I sketched Charlie and scanned my drawing into Photoshop. I just got my Wacom pen tablet fixed so I was eager to give it a try. Using my sketch as a guide I did this monochrome digital painting. I am probably too old to go completely digital but I have to tell you, the tool is amazing. I still have a lot to learn but the medium is so forgiving. Go to youtube.com sometime and search "digital painting." There you can watch artists draw and paint using the computer.

One Six

9" x 12" Carbon pencil sketch on Canvas Board - awaiting paint

Number sixteen is none other than Peyton Manning. Peyton set so many records at Tennessee they retired his number and named a street after him - "Peyton Manning Pass." Manning is like Tim Tebow, in that I am not a big fan of his team but I admire him as a person, marvel at his talents, and pull for him as a player. I still can't believe how he got rooked out the 1995 Heisman Trophy by Michigan's Charles Woodson.

This will be a two part post. Today I did a pencil sketch and then transferred it to a gessoed canvas board. I then took a carbon pencil and created a more detailed drawing on the canvas. This drawing gives me a good foundation for my painting. Tomorrow I will add an oil wash and from there we might experiment.

I can do all things...

15" x 10" Pastel and Prismacolor Pencil on Illustration Board - FOR SALE

Even if you don't like the Florida Gators it is hard not to admire and pull for Tim Tebow. He plays the game the way it was created to be played, with emotion, determination and toughness. Last season Tebow threw 29 TD passes and scored 22 rushing touchdowns. Tebow alone scored more touchdowns that 87 other division 1-A schools and he became the first player to ever rush for 20 and throw for 20 in the same year. He won the Heisman last year and they should probably give him the award until he graduates because in my opinion he personifies the college game.

This original was done a few weeks ago and I used a combination of soft pastels and waxed based color pencils on hot press illustration board. I love the emotion of the piece. Most QB's are depicted passing but running seemed to fit number 15 better.

The reference I used did not have the "PHIL 4:13" on his eye black patches like he wears now. I wanted to add it because his faith is as much a part of his identity (to me) as is his football. Plus it is one of my favorite Bible verses. Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." It's true and in case you haven't tried it, you should.

Cherokee People

Number 14 Sam Bradford 8" x 11" Pencil on Paper - Sketch

There are a lot of good number fourteens out there to choose from but in the end I had to go with this years Heisman Trophy Winner from Oklahoma, Sam Bradford. He has had a record setting career as a three year starter for the Sooners. Bradford led OU to their third straight Big 12 Championship by beating Missouri 62-21. The '08 Bradford led Sooners broke Hawaii's 2006 record for the most points in a single season with 702 points. It will be interesting to see how they do Thursday night against SEC Champion Florida Gators.

Remember when you were young and it was cool to claim you were part indian? Even if you had blonde hair and snow white skin some how your great grandmother was one quarter Cherokee. The difference between you and Sam Bradford is that for him it is true. His great great gandmother (Susie Walkingstick) was full-blooded Cherokee, wouldn't Cher be proud.

This is another pencil sketch. I added a different sort of graphic background and included the school logo. I like this drawing enough to turn it into a painting, especially if OU beats the Gators. We are in a quarterback run right now and the next 4 are QB's also. I am a big fan of the next two players although I can't stand it when my team loses to their team.

Constantine

8.5" x 11" Pen and Prismacolor Pencil on Paper - Sketch

I never knew Dan Marino's middle name was Constantine, did you? Marino wore number 13 for the Pitt Panthers. He is probably more famous for his pro career but he is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. I remember him most for throwing a TD pass on 4th and 5 with :42 seconds left to beat Georgia in the 1982 Sugar Bowl. Georgia blitzed and left Mike Kelley one on one with Pitt's best receiver. Pittsburgh picked up the blitz and Marino hit John Brown right down the middle of the field for a 33 yard TD to win the game. That was a long ride back from New Orleans.

This quick sketch is done in ballpoint pen and topped off with a little prismacolor pencil.

Colt 12

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9" x 12" Oil on canvas - in progress

Texas QB Colt McCoy was one of the three finalist for this year Heisman Trophy. He was selected the 2008 AP Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. McCoy set school records for most career touchdown passes, most touchdown passes in a season, most total touchdowns by a Texas player, most career wins, and most career passing yards.

Can you think of a more perfect name for a Texas quarterback than Colt McCoy? I have included both the sketch on canvas and the monochrome under painting. I will post each stage of the process and hopefully we will end up with a great oil painting. Actually I'll settle for good at this point since I am still learning how to push the medium around.