Line Work...

I'm back this week with just some old-fashioned simple line work.

We Interrupt This Broadcast...

I had forgotten that I had not posted my latest painting to my sites.  Obviously, with this post, I've remedied this gap in post related art communication.  I only wish the photo better communicated the details of the background...in all that murk, there is some, I swear.

Aggrandizement of the Self

And breaking out the gouache ultimately only meant one thing: New Self-Portrait.  And if you're going to paint yourself again, it might as well be vaguely creepy...

V the Volcanic

This weeks entries start off late because of the more involved nature of the work...if there's a theme, I guess it's the Gouache.

A few months ago, I assisted filmmaker Seaton Lin make a round of the southwest chasing Morrissey's 2012 multi-continental tour to capture the performances of chanteuse Kristeen Young.  Kristeen's sets cannot nearly be captured nor conveyed by some shaky cell phone footage on YouTube (not that you can't still block everyone's view behind you with your smartphone waving around in the air to catch one).  An absorbing mixture of melody and intensity, I was fairly well convinced that I'd have to commit something to paper from the footage we gathered.  In any even, I would recommend catching her, with or without Moz (though always a consumate showman), if she burns through your town.

"Prohibiton has made nothing but trouble..."

For this shortened week, I decided to do a couple of vintage criminals from a stash of old photos I came across.  We'll start with Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone, known to some as "Scarface," and perhaps the best known of American gangsters, who came to prominence through smuggling and bootlegging liquor.  It's still a fascinating irony to me that the outlawing of liquors greatest achievement was to cement the foothold of organized crime in America (although, when you think about it, the suppression of one evil does often open the door for a larger one to move in).  Also, I'm equally fascinated by the contradiction by which Americans detest crime and criminals, and yet adores gangsters and outlaws...but more on that next tme.

Mrs.Ralph Curtis

Portrait the Third from this Second Round of Learning from the Masters: John Singer Sargent Edition.

Each of this week's drawings was taken from portraits created by the great John Singer Sargent (1856-1925).  Sargent, one of the best known American artists as well as one of the greatest portrait painters, was both commended and criticized for his ability to draw with a brush.  I settled for just trying to drew like he drew...only with a nib.

Mrs.Waldorf Astor

Portrait the Second from this Second Round of Learning from the Masters: John Singer Sargent Edition.

Each of this week's drawings was taken from portraits created by the great John Singer Sargent (1856-1925).  Sargent, one of the best known American artists as well as one of the greatest portrait painters, was both commended and criticized for his ability to draw with a brush.  I settled for just trying to drew like he drew...only with a nib.

Charles Stewart, Sixth Marquess of Londonderry

This week, we return to another round of Learning from the Masters.  Each of these drawings was taken from portraits created by the great John Singer Sargent (1856-1925).  Sargent, one of the best known American artists as well as one of the greatest portrait painters, was both commended and criticized for his ability to draw with a brush.  I settled for just trying to drew like he drew...only with a nib.

I'm a Producer...Of Beautiful Children...

Today sees the final installment of my "pick a random friend and draw them" run for the week.  Today's subject and I have successfully horrified partygoers at a number of social events with our bawdy stories and ribald jokes.

The Light You Make a Left

The second in my "pick a random person out of your friends list" sketch.  Today's subject has been quite supportive or my work, and the arts in general.

The Party at the End of the World

This week's slung ink was themed around choosing random people from my list of friends on the social network that shall not be named.  My first subject has continually nearly been the subject of a painting that I've not quite gotten around to.

Concerned...

A second recently finished portrait that was a further experiment in the various chemicals and mediums one can mix into the paint.

The USS Whiskey-Vodka....

The subject of this portrait finally got to see himself painted, and so now, I felt it fair to present it to the public. While I wasn't trying to imitate some of the classics painters of portrait art (ie. Sargent, et al.), I'll admit that I gave them a fair combing over before I got started on this one.  I also employed some of the more traditional techniques...and well...there's a reason they're traditional, they work. My only regret is that some of the light iridescence I mixed in the paint doesn't show up in photos. I must also thank fantastic artist-illustrator Dave Crosland for some helpful hints on the chemicals I could add to get more of what I wanted out of the paint.

Paint Test Gone Too Far...

Today's quickie wasn't as quick as it was meant to be.  I was doing a paint test/warm-up for an illustration I was preparing to act as the cover for the release of my upcoming book.  I scanned through my photos for a snapshot of anyone that had some contrast and some color to it to try and mimic, and fell on this one of my friend Kate.  Instead of just blocking in some color and getting ready to move on, I worked it and worked it and it sort of came out finished.  Naturally, I had by then run out of time to work on the book cover.

The Calm...before the Greco-Roman Storm...

A messy quickie portrait in sepia ink. As you may have noticed if you're a truly keen observer, I "blotted" (an industry term for letting loose an unintentional torrent of ink in the middle of your work) on the left eye (her left, smart guy). Some say it enhances the beauty. I'm not necessarily one of them...in case you thought I was preferential to my own work.