Surreal, or silly, or sometimes sinister characters, meticulously hand-drawn with ballpoint pens and other tools.
Whimsical, wacky illustrations, created across many hours in San Diego coffee shops. These were a departure from earlier work... a way to reconnect to the "fun" of drawing.
Early in my career, I focused heavily on realism portraits, with a variety of media. If you want to improve your art skills, drawing people (or pets) is a great exercise!
Humble beginnings, and a budding interest in art... Age 18 to 20.