Status
Lots of canvas
Two quick things
1. Instead of daily sketches and weekly paintings I’m going to have daily art. So if I paint, either a painting, or a painting in progress and if I don’t paint a sketch
2. I went nuts last night putting a bunch of drawings on all these canvases for my next round of paintings. Some of these are going to be the best paintings I’ve done
No idea where I’m going to keep these while they dry …
The past week
I haven’t posted pictures since last Wednesday due to my schedule. Went to DC on Thursday for work, then Friday I was at Dr. Sketchy’s. Saturday, I slept all day, recovering from the last three months of intense work. Sunday, spent the day getting a lot of things in order, since I’ve been so busy.
Then, here we are.
Later tonight I’ll begin posting daily sketches again. Including the sketches I did last week. Even though I didn’t post, I continued to draw.
Another factor in this is that I don’t really think anyone other than me cares if these pictures show up daily. I’ve heard from a few friends that they’ve been inspired to work on some personal hobbies after hearing that I’m drawing something every day. That gives me a great feeling. However, I recently found out that some people I know who’ve expressed interest in my art have not been here in months. Had no idea I was doing. Lately since I’ve got a new position at work and we’re fortunate enough to have a ton of work to do, I’ve been going pretty hard. While working on a sketch a day and a painting week. While learning how to use oils and paint watercolor on canvas. While trying to not isolate us from all our friends. While getting ready to have our first kid. So, while creating drawings and paintings is a need I have and a passion I need to follow, it’s a battle some times to fit time in. Hearing that people close to me, who say they care about this stuff don’t actually go to the site for several months takes some of the wind out of my sails.
That said, this is for me. No one asked me to do this. I’m doing it to keep my skills sharp and to nurture the gift I was given.
So – tonight I’ll be back on track with the drawings and I’ll paint a little, too.
Thanks for reading.
I drew a pic but can’t show a pic
Months ago I promised a writer I know that I’d help him out by drawing a few pages of a comicbook script he wrote. There are many reasons why I haven’t finished it, but today I did an entire page start to finish, penciled and inked.
I’d use some or part of it for my daily picture, but it’s his work, so I’m not. I may double up on pictures tomorrow, but for now, I’m just going to post this explanation.
Meanwhile, for your art fix, go check out Phil Noto’s website. He’s an illustrator and comicbook artist whose work I like a lot, so enjoy.
I also haven’t finished this week’s painting yet, I’m not sure how soon I’ll get it done, I’ve got a big week at my day job, that may eat up some of my evenings.
I also spent a good chunk of today organizing which pictures I’m going to paint over the next few months. There’s about six dyes I’d like to do, about eight dyes on canvas I’d like to do, and about four oils. That’s eighteen paintings, and I’ve got twenty four weeks to paint (till the kid arrives and life changes) so I don’t know if I want to use those eighteen paintings on these or try to squeeze some other work in. I’ll be taking a break from painting for I don’t know how long then, so I may try to sneak in some paintings from some projects I’ve been thinking about for a few years.
I’ll plan that out this week or next depending on how much time I have this week.
More studyin
Meanwhile, got a lot of good feedback from some of the models in the paintings I recently uploaded. And a few models and photographers on Model Mayhem. Lot of visits to the site, but no other feedback. So I learned that I can drive some traffic to the site. But I’d rather hear back from some people on this stuff.
I’m going to focus on the three styles i’m working now (splatter, shadow, and oil) and the two I’d like to start up (frankenstyle and AP) and the stuff with the palette knife. And the flowing fabric. And then worry about shows and marketing.
Though I will probably make some t-shirts soon
I’m an Oil Man
I’m an oil painter now. I never really thought I would be, but a couple of things happened to give me the opportunity and here’s my first oil painting in 15 years:
I’m thrilled with it. It’s much better than I thought it would be. In fact, I was so sure that I’d make a bad painting that I had to give myself a pep talk before painting it. I focused on the fact that no matter how bad it was, it’d be the best oil painting I had done in 15 years. It helped.
I’ve gotten pretty comfortable with the control I had in watercolors first then later with dyes and to give that up with a new medium was not something I was looking forward to. However I am enjoying the newness of it now.
I’ll write more soon about oil and the new options it gives me, how it makes it easier to show in a gallery, and my horror story of the last time I painted in oil. I started typing it all up, but it’s taking too long and I’ve waited long enough to post about this.
More soon
Happy March First
this is the sketch where i realized i had been drawing the fishnet in reverse since i was supposed to be drawing highlights
also, big news about my painting style coming soon. should be documenting it as it happens, but hard to do work and also write about work
Dr. Sketchy’s Last Two Minute Pose
Here’s the last two minute pose.
A lot to write about, hope to have time this weekend. Lot’s of transition style-wise. Lot’s of paintings to post. Need to recap Monday night.
Dr. Sketchy’s!
I finally got back to Dr. Sketchy’s. Last time I tried to go they sold out, which is great for the livlihood of the event, but not so great when it’s 10 degrees out and I’m walking around South Philly for no reason.
This time I bought tickets online ahead of time and got there early and had a great seat and a great time. I went with my friend Jeremy which made it fun, not only because he’s a good guy to hang with, but because he’s a good artist and it’s fun to see his interpretation of the same thing I’m drawing.
I tried something I’ve never done before, I broke out a sketchpad I’ve had for about a year that’s got black paper. I grabbed it and a silver sharpie as I was running out the door and the results are really interesting for me.
I’m going to be posting sketches from here for the next week or so until I have a need to post new stuff. Meanwhile, I’m going to take advantage of the surplus and the time it gives me to finish a comicbook I promised I’d do for a friend about a year ago. It kills me when I’m late with that kind of thing, but with my schedule and ambitions, it’s unavoidable. I’m going to feel great when I’m done it.
lilah
The always gorgeous Lilah. Funnily enough, the last time I saw her was at Wegman’s. The next week I bumped into another woman who had modeled for me at the same Wegman’s. Weird.
Here’s a pic from my last shoot with Lilah. I added the dress. The pose and the lighting are very cool. I’ll sketch this one again when I have more time to do the mood more justice.
Work’s been hectic. but good. I remember the last economic downturn, waiting and waiting for new business to come in. So, crazy as the schedule’s been, I am grateful to be busy. Things should stabilize next week.
However, artwise, it’s tough to float on creative wings under stress. you know that when you’re stress the blood flowing in your brain travels away from your neocortex where your mind is active when you’re creative and travels to your amygdila where your flight or fight mechanism lives? Basically, this means that it’s biologically impossible to be creative under stress.
Weekend recap
Painted this weekend. Didn’t get photos of painting taken, but I did get some photos for this comic book I’m doing for a writer. I’ve been massivley late with that and will feel very free when it’s done.
Here’s a sketch for an upcoming painting
