First of all, thanks to all who took part in our "Old Maters" contest. We had some wonderful submissions and hopefully folks enjoyed the challenge and learned something new about the Masters of the Past Based solely upon the merits of these specific entries, and have selected the following winners unanimously:

First Place- Twisted by
Because of the variety of line-work, subtle shading process, and visible hints of the construction process of the drawing, Twisted is our first place winner. The strongest aspect of this drawing is the clear focus on the torso, while other parts are masterfully subordinated into oblivion. Just a hint of the hands and legs are included, and the transition from upper arm to elbow is wonderful. I can picture this in a hundred years when the paper begins to age, it will only get better with time. Other works by Sentimental Rain:

Second Place- Old Master’s Contest by
It takes skill and a lot of nerve to sketch with a pen, it’s a very unforgiving medium! mtran246 has done so exquisitely in this delightful little sketch of Peach, clearly focusing on hatch-work, modeling, and the interplay of shadow and light. The straightforward tactic mtran264 uses of simply leaving the lit areas untouched allows our eyes to focus on the subtle modeling in the shadows. The slightly curved hatch-work describes the forms beautifully, and I also like the creative and modern choice of the sepia pen. Other works by mtrn264:

Third Place- All Shall Despair by
Again, exquisite hatchwork and modeling of forms is what makes All Shall Despair so successful. Sherwin-Prague has created the illusion of forms of the figure- no easy task! Bones, muscle, and sinew all come alive in this drawing because of the skillful use of line and hatchwork. I also like the added design elements the title and signature lines add to the work as a whole, the model is stepping right out of the Page! Other works by Sherwin-Prague: