For the Avalanche blog (not by choice, I assure you).
Can you just see those little eyes just begging for another Cheerio.
I found this guy hiding out in my closet, so I painted him. He seemed annoyed but didn't speak much.
In a recent post I mentioned some frustration with my own choice of coloring. Here is a new painting of my wife, after the drawing stage I flipped through my piles of reference and found this classical painting done by John Alexander White as my reference for the colors. I went a lot warmer but you get the idea, and it was a good way to use a color palette that turned out a lot more interesting then what I would have chosen otherwise.
I was so happy with the drawing I did a color version, This painting was a huge file because of the layers and layers I was using to build up the work.
We got a little more imaginative with our pose this week. It was more interesting but it comes across as a little awkward which is about right when you hold that kind of pose for 20 minutes. But I was happy with the anatomy and the line work.
I think I started this mad scientist painting 3 times. The colors were not working. So I went to my reference folder and found some art I liked that used colors more effectively and in a more original/interesting way then I am able to come up with. I found this Analogous combo and I like the results.
A just completed book cover commission I am unveiling for the first time. The book is titled "The Baseball Box Prophecies" and is still in the late production process so it's not yet available but it was a fun project that turned out better then expected.
And in this weeks "I hate politicians" running series...
A little painting done just to stay sharp I guess. I am pretty surprised the body worked out because it is almost entirely made up from scratch. The face had some reference but was also heavily altered.
Some areas of my work have reverted to the barter system lately at least as far as art. Instigated primarily by Virginia Critchfield, a wonderfully talented (and borderline insanely obsessive with her sketchbook, which I endorse) artist. We've been friends for a long while until she very recently abandoned our company. These were the pieces we traded. She has a nice collection on her blog of some of the intracompany bartering.
I bought this drawing on the street in Russia years ago. I believe the artists name was Tokerev and this is from the early 1900s. I totally love it and it hangs above my desk in my studio.
I am always impressed by truly original artists that use wild colors and composition that my mind is incapable of. But one of the best to my thinking is Alex Kanevsky, great rough brushwork, fantastic anemic color palette and intriguing compositions. I should add the point that many in this catagory are epic failures using gimmicks to disguise their lack of talent.
*note: please look at the larger version before you scoff, I think this thumbnail misses the highlight on her lip and makes the mouth look stupid.
I love football just about as much as anything. This year will my first toe dip into the fantasy football world. My team will be called the "Furious goats, because of this logo I've stolen from a previous painting. I understand a lot of my time will be wasted, we shall see.
For the Avalanche blog, the theme was something about what I drew as a kid. All I drew as a kid were dinosaurs(or some modern variations like sharks or alligators).
This Friday's drawing done in my sketchbook. I use a .3mm size lead drafting pencil. I don't know why, I became addicted to the lines a few years back and never got back to the regular pencils. That explains why there is rarely and shading, just crosshatching. I was happy with the likeness here though.
I have a new ombudsman to deal with the substantial load of criticism coming into my website. He may be a little abrasive but he is eager to solve your problem. Please overlook his rough edges and give him a warm welcome.
In keeping with the current societal trend to use vampires in every possible scenario I've continued work on my previous drawing. I desperately don't want to be left behind by any trend or fad. If everybody think it's cool, I completely agree.
My wife just got a new magazine with some good reference for my sketchbook. This is last nights study. I asked Natalie what she thought she said "You always draw things long, don't you." That is wife speak for "It's too long." This version is in fact squished to compensate because it is true I always draw things long, it's possible it is the perspective or it may just be in my head, I may want to get that checked.
Nu pastel 18"x24"
So I told my wife how I felt about this and she looked at me like I was crazy then she was good enough to point out that there are no hands. Now it may not be the best composition ever but I actually like it. I really like the non-traditional compositions and this falls within that category. The fact that the hands have been left off is unsettling but intriguing to me, you just have to take my word for it that I can draw hands and this is not just a ploy to hide my inadequacy.
A figure drawing from not too long ago. I thought this guy was awesome to draw he had a really interesting boney figure that was just really interesting, and he was extremely friendly. I was happy with some of the character I got out of the lines especially on that arm though now I wish I had been able to emphasize the great lines even more.
