More notes than anything else

I do a ton of writing. 3 pages everyday in the morning and now and again in my sketchbooks. It's good to always have a sketchbook on hand to keep those interesting ideas and notes. I also carry a small moleskine weekly day planner in my back pocket where I write down movies, and websites and things to check out when I get home or on the net, even books to take out of the library.

I also have a habit of writing on my hand.

Ballpoint works great, Sharpie not so good an I noticed my copic's tend to wear off by the time I get home erasing any notes I've made throughout the day;(

 Here are some notes I got out of a library book on how to clean linseed oil for oil painting.

This is basically a Home Depot shopping list for making some automata toys.

Mushroom Festival

I drew these fun little fungi my handy moleskine that I have had since June 1/2006. It is a good size to carry since it is smaller than the the I currently use, so when I travel on public transit I bring this instead.These mushrooms were drawn in HB pencil.  The contrast had to be altered a bit in the scan for you to see.

Can't rest on your laurels

Just 'cause I finished a painting and seemed to not be drawing on here for a week........
I know that you "can't rest on your laurels", you have to keep moving forward even if your new stuff isn't always as good as the stuff you just completed.

Another good saying that illustrates the point.........

"NO REST FOR THE WICKED!!!"

Sister Wendy Beckett, super hilarious an inspirational  art history host on PBS. I totally have a crushg on this particular nun!

This little surfer due was sketched from a toy that was less than an inch tall. I used Prismacolor to color it.

This piece was inspired by a Japanese Shunga print I saw. The girl is pink the boy is blue, unfortunately the scanner  have access to didn't pick it up.

Fire breathing dragon and a jack-ass. All the line work done with Copic a 0.5 multiliner.

HORSE DRINKING - Stage 5

My final step here was to use some Paynes grey for deeper shadows and definition. I paint int he eye, add hoof hair detail and some shadows in the horses mane. I use the paint like watercolor, very fluid and blend it with a small flat brush with soft bristles or use my finger.  I add in new highlights with a color mixed previously in stage 3. I use a small round brush to put in the finishing touches and signature.

The most fulfilling thing about finishing a painting and hanging it is.....

STARING A NEW ONE;)

HORSE DRINKING - Stage 4

So in this stage I did in fact finish the background. I added highlights on the water ripples. I also added dark mud mounds and worked on the light brown reflection in the puddle.  I applied a thin glaze (or wash) of Burnt Sienna over the horse to knock back the contrast of the highlights.

Work in progress for : www.saddleupestates.ca

My final steps for this painting will be to move down to a smaller brush an to go back in with darks and highlights and to add fine details.

HORSE DRINKING - Stage 3

If you are following this blog then you will have seen my prior posting of the horse drinking water painting that I am creating for an equestrian ranch started by my aunt and uncle. Find out more here: www.saddleupestates.ca

This is what I consider the third stage.  I first block in my darkest areas. Then to add depth I add a little white to the main color, in this care Burnt Sienna and fill in the masses. Afterward, I add a little more white and create the highlights. You can really begin to see the horse as it is flushed out.

The next step, for me, is to sit back and look an take it all in before I proceed to the next stage. More than likely I'll block in the remainder of the background and water.

Horse Painting Hung

I was sent this picture of the framed painting of a horse mentioned a few blog entries ago.(Date 6/1/10 = 6 or so entries age under the title, 'horse paintin'g). I was told to make a work to go on brown walls but they look more like a gross yellow.  Anyhow here is the picture of the work installed. It's nice to see it is near a window because I know that the gold on it will shine brightly.

HORSE DRINKING - STAGE 2

I've been painting away. The drawing I did didn't make it. It got covered in paint.

I drew on canvas and before I took a snapshot of the preliminary sketch for a painting, I was knee deep in the paint.  I suppose you could say I was a little excited to get started.  I was asked to do another painting of a horse for the equestrian ranch because the last one was an, and I quote, "awesome painting".

Here is photoed (mind the flash) the second stage of my painting process.  I block in the initial horse with burnt sienna.  Then I put in washes of Yellow ochre, cerulean blue blended with titanium white for the blurry background. My next step is to drip paint form either sides to add more intense blues and ochres to the composition. This also helps to add linear horizontal reference points to base my water ripples.

You can already get a sense of the depth of the background and movement of foreground elements.

My next step is to block in my darkest tones and to use that to establish the middle values.

Gender Blender

I'm showing a new painting at the Gender Blender along with 20 other amazing artist's!!!
it sounds like it is going to be a fun, NOT TO BE MISSED Event!!!

Date:	Sunday, June 13, 2010
Time:	2:00pm - 6:00pm
Location:	Sugar Shack Art Salon
Street:	1424 - 23 Avenue NW
City/Town:	Calgary, Alberta, Canada

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Ladies and gentlemen, start your blenders!

Sugar Shack Art Salon is mixing up our final event of the season ... a fresh and tasty concoction fit for any queen or king. With gender bending performances, videos, art and interactive shenanigans by more than 20 fabulous artists.

As always, admission is free. But bring a few bucks. Because for a small donation, our team of Certifiable Beauticians will transform you into the boyz or gurlz of your dreams. Weather permitting, we'll also be roasting marshmallows and playing croquet. And we just know you'll want to give generously to BobGod's Booze and Legal Defense Fund.

So come take a walk on the wild side at the Sugar Shack Art Salon. See you all on June 13th!

PLEASE NOTE: This is a BYOB event

** Not recommended for children **

Sugar Shack is located in a residential neighbourhood. Please be considerate of our neighbours when parking. There is a large parking lot located one block east of the shack on 13 Street NW

Sacred figures

This is a continuation of my work with sacred figures.  I'm reading this phenomenal book "The Tantric Mysticism of Tibet: A Practical Guide to the Theory, Purpose, and Techniques of Tantric Meditation" By John Blofeld.  It has very informative and quotable information, very inspiring;)

Orca/Killer Whale Haida style

I don't know if it's random, or if my friend's (Tim) visit from Vancouver Island has subtly influenced my choice of subject matter....... but I drew this Coast Salish/Haida style Killer Whale. I have always been a lover of this west coast of art. This sketch was done quickly with Copic for the black and colored in with prismacolor. I may add more to the page, like waves or clouds or even a moon.

Vladimir Vasiliev

Here is that sketch I mentioned in my last post. I decided to color it in with Copic Markers and draw in every little bit of facial hair with a multi-liner..... it makes him look like a rougher/tougher gent.

Vladimir Vasiliev is the director and chief instructor of SYSTEMA outside of Russia.

Horse painting

Well although I did an awesome sketch of Vladimir Vasiliev before hitting the sheets last night.

Instead of a drawing, I wanted to show a painting I completed before it disappears into it's new home. I painted this horse triptych for my aunt and uncle who are staging their home on an equestrian ranch.  They needed something to go with their brown walls over the mantle.

I took all the photos of each canvas individually that is why the lighting looks a little odd. There is vibrant gold that shines when you look at the piece, photos cannot do it justice. The three canvases are 18" X 24" and were completed with acrylic paint. The wheat was painted by using some grasses I pulled up from Ben's yard last week when we did some digging in the front yard.