sketchbook

sketchbook 10/30/11

A-Z, the completed set

Well here it is. For the last two months I've been working on painting an image to the corresponding letter of the alphabet. A fun and at times, frustrating exercise. I think Next I'll be doing the alphabet with the corresponding hand sign.

H, I, Y

F, N, S

Your mission, if you choose to accept it…

I've been working on painting an image for each corresponding letter in the alphabet for the last bit, in oils, and here's a few I laid out that are still drying. I have a week and a half to paint 10 more oils, let them dry and hopefully resin all 26 of them. Impossible you say, well, I'll let you know how it goes when I show these guys at my show in 15 days.

(cue music.... Mission Impossible starts now!)

E,G,K,P

3 x 3 Nutcracker

I've been working on this one for the last month (I know, I'm really a slow painter) but the painting phase is done and other than for a few touch ups, I'm ready to assemble this monster and get it framed.
I have mixed feelings about this one. I envisioned each painting to be much darker in mood and I guess my understanding of colour theory and technique hasn't yet reached the level of proficiency that allows me to match what I see in my mind. But it's going to be shown at the show and hopefully some lucky person will have it in their collection.

Let me know what you think.

B, M

R

A little out of order, but I was inspired to paint Burt Ward as Robin. Not too close to his resemblance, but there are some bits that would make you believe that it might be his brother dressing up as Robin..for Halloween, dyed in blue...

Does Burt Ward have a brother?

C

A, B. D

SOLD

Well, I'm trying my hand at oil paints. It's definitely a different feel from acrylics and a long way from watercolour. Its been challenging and my use of blue and white is on purpose. I don't want to be bogged down by colour problems, especially since I have to get the entire alphabet painted for my art show by mid September. So I'm just dealing with tones. Makes my life slightly simpler but still challenging.

Here are the first few paintings. "C" is sitting on my window ledge drying.

5x7 in. oils on 1/8" masonite panel.

10 oclock art

Added a bit more to my 10 O'clock art spread.


I found this through Eric Orchard's blog. The concept is to post whatever is on your drawing board at 10 o'clock, regardless of what state it's in. Post it on twitter, with the #10oclockart hash mark. It'll be interesting to see all the offerings once it hopefully gets going. Plus this is an excellent way, at least for me, to draw something and not be too finicky about it because I'll have a 10 o'clock "deadline".

This is my offering. I've drawn it before, but I know how you all like to see how a starving artist, bachelor's kitchen is like. Well here's your chance.

On a side note, now that I'm writing it, the word "bachelor" makes me sound like an old curmudgeon of a guy who's stuck in his ways... I guess if you've seen my previous post on this exact same subject matter, it hasn't changed much... oh, geez, I am a bachelor.

Oops, a bit after 10.

The last three of the type and image illustrations…

So here is the last three "larger" illustrations I've completed for the Riverdale Art Walk show this weekend. I think I'll put the words and image idea to bed after this show. It was getting a bit tiring doing these guys and my goal is to have a new body of work in acrylics for the Queen West Art Crawl in September.

However, I have a few more smaller rink drawings to complete before I start packing for the show.

Of course if goes without being said (but I will anyways), that you are all invited this weekend to the show and drop by booth 106 and say hi... that's if you're in Toronto.

Hopefully I'll have one more uploads of smaller ink drawings before I leave tomorrow.

Sheep 3

Sheep 2

Samurai helmet and half mask

Sheep

My second attempt at this image. The first version was way too cute and "fluffy". Not what I was intending and this one comes closer to the mark.

The ink battle continues.

Who let the dogs out?

Been working on this one for a while (maybe even overworked it). I'm not too sure if I should show this at the outdoor art show. Help me folks. Yea or nay?

ink drawing

I remember the first time I saw Bernie Wrightson's ink renderings for Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, it made me want to draw with ink in that style. However as a young boy, with an attention span of a gnat, my pursuit of the Bernie look quickly disappeared when I heard my mom call us for dinner. But his illustrations remain with me to this day and whenever I use pen and ink, he's the bar that I'm reaching for.

This ink drawing, from the ones I've uploaded so far, approaches his technique the closest (however, I'm not even near his level) and now that I'm drawing seriously, I hope to continue my pursuit of the "Bernie technique".

ink drawings

I'm trying to cover a few price point bases for my upcoming out door show in 10 days (gulp!). I thought I'd try my hand at pen and nib again and see where it takes me. The original intent for these drawings, aside from the lower price point, was to produce them in a lesser amount of time...as it always happens, you add a fine nib point, me and a small area to draw in, I usually take longer to draw what ever image I've chosen to draw. I think I need to work on my OCD.

These ink drawings will be based purely on my whim. Don't look too deeply into any hidden meanings from them. It'll simply be an exercise into draw something I think is cool, will make an excellent composition and just drawing it really well (I hope).

image and type vignettes

Not too sure about this one. I don't think it's up to par with the other ones. Any thoughts?





I'm thinking I might do a second version of this one. I really like how it turned out.




Well the start of another outdoor art show season is here and I'm scrambling to get enough work to show and hopefully sell. It'll be my first year participating in the Riverdale Art Walk show in just over three weeks. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time and since I don't want the responsibility of renting a car, I need all my art work to be small, light and compact. Hence, the continuation of this series of type and image vignettes.

You might recognize some from a previous post but I thought I'd repost them because the original uploads were really not great scans and I had an opportunity to get better ones for this time around. Hope you enjoy.

sketchbook 04/29/11

Been busy trying to producing enough new work for an upcoming art show, so I haven't had enough time to sketch in my book. However here are some spreads. The one drawn at the Rex, a local blues and jazz bar was particularly fun to do.

sketchbook 03/28/11

One of the benefits of sketching people in public and letting them know you're sketching them is meeting them...getting to know hem a bit. Megan was today's subject of my Starbucks' hotseat image. She was a real trooper and didn't move all that much because she was studying for her LSAT's ;). I also found out that she and her husband just moved to Toronto and have been here for only 2 months… not the most glamorous time to move to Toronto, but Megan and husband welcome to Toronto. It gets better in the summer, I swear.

sketchbook 03/26/11