Mark Simmons
@toysdream.bsky.social
Bugs, robots, comics. Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus. He/him.
Drawing crowds, the end! I mistyped that as "drawing crows" which might be a future installment. Anyway, here we discuss the eye level of a seated observer, and celebrate the secret powers of elbows. (3/3)
December 6, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Drawing crowds, the end! I mistyped that as "drawing crows" which might be a future installment. Anyway, here we discuss the eye level of a seated observer, and celebrate the secret powers of elbows. (3/3)
Drawing crowds, page two. When we're adding people to a crowd, we need to think about the observer's eye level so they're properly aligned. (2/3)
December 6, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Drawing crowds, page two. When we're adding people to a crowd, we need to think about the observer's eye level so they're properly aligned. (2/3)
Happy Krampusnacht! Let's celebrate with another round of figure drawing tips. This time, I'm pondering sketching crowd scenes. (1/3)
December 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Happy Krampusnacht! Let's celebrate with another round of figure drawing tips. This time, I'm pondering sketching crowd scenes. (1/3)
My little Claude retrospective, continued. These are from 2017 to 2025, when @calacademy.bsky.social threw him a month-long 30th hatchday party. (2/2)
December 3, 2025 at 7:44 PM
My little Claude retrospective, continued. These are from 2017 to 2025, when @calacademy.bsky.social threw him a month-long 30th hatchday party. (2/2)
A pictorial retrospective of Claude, the @calacademy.bsky.social 's beloved albino alligator. First, some sketches from 2014-2015... (1/2)
December 3, 2025 at 7:39 PM
A pictorial retrospective of Claude, the @calacademy.bsky.social 's beloved albino alligator. First, some sketches from 2014-2015... (1/2)
Ooh, good one! I note that's (briefly) included in the 1971 animated version, which somehow managed to hit all my personal checklist items even though it's only 25 minutes long.
December 2, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Ooh, good one! I note that's (briefly) included in the 1971 animated version, which somehow managed to hit all my personal checklist items even though it's only 25 minutes long.
Once again, the Secret Spy Notebook proves its value! This was a quick trip to San Francisco's famous Dickens Fair with family, but I managed to do some quick little sketches. I might go back and spend a day drawing it up all fancy-like.
December 2, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Once again, the Secret Spy Notebook proves its value! This was a quick trip to San Francisco's famous Dickens Fair with family, but I managed to do some quick little sketches. I might go back and spend a day drawing it up all fancy-like.
I was just randomly reminded of this unfinished 24-Hour Comic I started way back in 2019. (I only finished the first 13 pages, but I had the whole thing plotted.) I guess I've been snarking about techbros for a while.
December 1, 2025 at 10:46 PM
I was just randomly reminded of this unfinished 24-Hour Comic I started way back in 2019. (I only finished the first 13 pages, but I had the whole thing plotted.) I guess I've been snarking about techbros for a while.
I'm going to have to put off my next drawing tips installment until after Thanksgiving, but it'll be about drawing crowd scenes, so I've been practicing in my little 4x6" secret spy notebook.
November 26, 2025 at 9:46 PM
I'm going to have to put off my next drawing tips installment until after Thanksgiving, but it'll be about drawing crowd scenes, so I've been practicing in my little 4x6" secret spy notebook.
Slight adjustment to the lines of the inside of the knee. Just to make it a little more anatomically accurate!
November 22, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Slight adjustment to the lines of the inside of the knee. Just to make it a little more anatomically accurate!
And I'm finally done with my comprehensive update to the First Gundam production history! Took me seven months, but it's literally tripled in length, with lots more source translations and better-quality art. "The next is... in expectation of your heart."
www.gundamunofficial.com/production/f...
www.gundamunofficial.com/production/f...
November 21, 2025 at 6:21 PM
And I'm finally done with my comprehensive update to the First Gundam production history! Took me seven months, but it's literally tripled in length, with lots more source translations and better-quality art. "The next is... in expectation of your heart."
www.gundamunofficial.com/production/f...
www.gundamunofficial.com/production/f...
Human-Shaped Friends, the conclusion! It turns out that I have a lot to say about knees. I hope this comes in handy in shaping your drawings of clothed human people. (3/3)
November 21, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Human-Shaped Friends, the conclusion! It turns out that I have a lot to say about knees. I hope this comes in handy in shaping your drawings of clothed human people. (3/3)
Human-Shaped Friends, continued. Simple shapes of the arms and legs, with little sidebars about forearm curves and thighs under gravity. (2/3)
November 21, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Human-Shaped Friends, continued. Simple shapes of the arms and legs, with little sidebars about forearm curves and thighs under gravity. (2/3)
Now for a second round of figure drawing tips! This time, I'm following up on a throwaway reference to "the trademark shapes of body parts"... (1/3)
November 21, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Now for a second round of figure drawing tips! This time, I'm following up on a throwaway reference to "the trademark shapes of body parts"... (1/3)
The ultimatemark.com website finally gets a facelift (and content updates)! This format should enable me to update the graphics whenever I have new stuff to show off.
November 19, 2025 at 9:05 AM
The ultimatemark.com website finally gets a facelift (and content updates)! This format should enable me to update the graphics whenever I have new stuff to show off.
Cry your space tears, star child!
November 18, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Cry your space tears, star child!
I've been dragging my feet, but it's time to update the portfolio website. Somehow I never got around to putting this 2019 SF Zoo poster on there...
November 14, 2025 at 9:31 PM
I've been dragging my feet, but it's time to update the portfolio website. Somehow I never got around to putting this 2019 SF Zoo poster on there...
Figure drawing notes, page 3. Introducing the outline-centric approach I tend to use for quick sketching from life, and some of the things I'm thinking about in terms of capturing shapes. (3/3)
November 12, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Figure drawing notes, page 3. Introducing the outline-centric approach I tend to use for quick sketching from life, and some of the things I'm thinking about in terms of capturing shapes. (3/3)
Figure drawing notes continued. Stick figures, the "line of action," and constructing imaginary figures with body masses. (2/3)
November 12, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Figure drawing notes continued. Stick figures, the "line of action," and constructing imaginary figures with body masses. (2/3)
I wanted to do some little tip sheets on quick-sketching people from life. So here you go! First, an introduction to my outline-centric approach -- I'll get into technique points later. (1/3)
November 12, 2025 at 7:51 PM
I wanted to do some little tip sheets on quick-sketching people from life. So here you go! First, an introduction to my outline-centric approach -- I'll get into technique points later. (1/3)
Added a couple more poses. Now it's time to clean up the model sheet...
November 8, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Added a couple more poses. Now it's time to clean up the model sheet...
And here's a rough character model sheet from the comic project. Not necessarily a major character, but she's in a lot of the initial pages.
November 7, 2025 at 10:55 AM
And here's a rough character model sheet from the comic project. Not necessarily a major character, but she's in a lot of the initial pages.
So! I've been working on an original comic project, and it occurred to me that I can repurpose the character and mecha poses from the page layouts to make some model sheets. Since these roughs are based on comic panels, they're pretty perspective-y. Now to refine!
November 7, 2025 at 3:34 AM
So! I've been working on an original comic project, and it occurred to me that I can repurpose the character and mecha poses from the page layouts to make some model sheets. Since these roughs are based on comic panels, they're pretty perspective-y. Now to refine!
Not to mention the original mobile suit variants that Kunio Okawara created for Kodansha's tie-in books, which later evolved into the "MSV" series.
November 4, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Not to mention the original mobile suit variants that Kunio Okawara created for Kodansha's tie-in books, which later evolved into the "MSV" series.
...and an appreciation of the lovely new background art that art director Mitsuki Nakamura painted for "Gundam II."
November 4, 2025 at 11:08 PM
...and an appreciation of the lovely new background art that art director Mitsuki Nakamura painted for "Gundam II."