Here are the top 5 reasons why I love this drawing by Tom Fluharty:
1.) I love these hands:
Fluharty is an artist who has not only learned anatomy, but who has formulated opinions about it. Photo reference gave him the basic facts he needed about the position of the fingers, but after that the artist took over. He plays with line the way a great guitarist might play guitar strings.
2.) I love this beard:
Look how brilliantly Fluharty combines lights and darks in this beard. That thin line doesn’t flow in a direction, the way most artists would draw hair. Instead, it forms crazy static all over the place, before Fluharty comes in with a heavy line and chisels lightning bolts into the beard to give it some sense of order.
3.) I love this face:
Another great example of how understanding anatomy pays off. Those dynamic lines whipping all over the place don’t trace specific facial wrinkles but they create values which demonstrate knowledge of the skull, the eye sockets, the facial features, etc. far better than a painstakingly realistic approach might. When it comes time to enhance the design by distorting those ears, Fluharty knows exactly how far he can take it.
4.) I love the muscularity of those bold lines:
Fluharty claims to be no fan of abstract art but these bold lines are straight out of Franz Kline. Superimposed on a network of fine, curling lines which go in all directions, these powerful dark accents contribute vigor and confidence.
5.) I love the way this drawing uses felt tip markers:
Most illustrators today use markers because they’re frightened of india ink. They fear they can’t control a dip pen or a brush. But Fluharty appreciates the visual qualities of a marker– even one that is beginning to dry out– and fearlessly takes advantage of those qualities. Ink– not even a drybrush–could accomplish this effect, which contributes so much to the energetic feel of the drawing.
In an era of photo-drawing, semi-drawing, AI-drawing and excuses for not drawing, I think this is the kind of work that vindicates true drawing and puts all those excuses and substitutes to shame.