Black and White

With so much going on since my return of my most recent residency, I still managed to creature some new work for the Black and white show at Studio Phi. 

I didn't get a lot of process shots but this is a  derivative from the work I re-introduced during my residency and continued experimentation with the flower of life motif. I treated myself to an art supply purchase. Regular followers will be well aware of my art supply addiction. I went to a new store in Manchester which sells drafting supplies specifically, though I really wonder how valid that claim is when there were only 3 compasses to choose from. I picked up a Staedtler Mars 522 and am thoroughly happy with the purchase, it was the only option that can hold a variety of drawing devices.

I washed and wiped the surface to remove some of the patin in order to give it an aged aesthetic. Then revisited each panel, though I haven't photographed that stage.

I did however get caught up in the auction and I managed to win Dustin Pools piece for $800. Its gorgeous and will be going over my bed, plus it was his first venture into watercolour and I think its phenomenal. It was such an amazing show and I did get to catch up with so many amazing art friends and colleagues, even though I was bagged and wanted nothing more than to get home to catch up on some Z's. It was a great experience…...Returning from that tangent, these two pieces do fit together and I will continue to work on them since I usually want more time and layering, it seems my pieces are never done quickly and they require not only time but layering, it is after all a labour of love. I will post in the future the finished pieces, but there is two murals and numerous commissions and classes to report on in the interim, stay tooned :P

Feral art show piece

This busy buy bunny can now see the light at the end of the Tunnel.  Meanwhile, in the midst of business I managed to crank out another thematic piece for my good friends the "Gentlemen Destroyers" for their "Feral" group exhibition at the White Lodge Gallery.  Each artist was selected three things. An life form, an object and an activity.  I got a Squid, a Meat Grinder and Dancing.

The Gentlemen Destroyers are great guys. Jim Laing, my old studio mate when we were at ACAD, dropped off the panel they build for each artist.  I gathered my planning materials and got to imagining.

My first concept is to have the squid going thru the meat grinder as the tentacles remind me of how hamburger would come out the other end. So I begin drawing to get a general composition down.

I realize, in order to get this right I may need to work out my perspective a few times. It took me about three tried to get it how I want it. I then transfer this mock up to my other paper.

Here is the basic design after transferring. To transfer: I rub the back of the sheet with charcoal, and redraw over top the drawing pressing down hard in order to transfer the charcoal to the new sheet of paper. This is the same technique I will use to transfer the final drawn composition to the blank support.

Now I can draw in the squid and its tentacles. This plan is coming along nicely. I decided that with this piece I needed to have it well planned in order to tackle it efficiently and effectively as I don't have a lot of time to work on the painting due to how busy I am finishing up the 5 month Aboriginal Youth Animation Project screening.

I transfer the drawing and use spray fixative to lock down the drawing so that I may paint it without losing my plan or getting the charcoal in my paint. Unfortunately, this magic step is also extremely toxic :(

I decided to use Acrylic because of the limited time and its ability to dry quickly so I can add layers almost immediately. I also have colours and metallic pigments that are still unavailable in oil. Here you can see how reflective the silver acrylic paint is.

I have to give a second thick coat of the squid colour before doubling up on the iridescent silver. Then I add some shading and shine and paint in the squids eye and the handle on the meat grinder.

I paint light and shadow  onto the squid to give it a sense that it is a 3 dimensional form and pattern. It is starting to flush itself out now.

I add a bit more textures and a spotted pattern to its skin and rub in some iridescent purple sparkles over its surface so that in the right light it sparkles a bit.

I add in his sticky suction cups using a light colour and outlining with brown sharpie marker. So I've got the squid and he seems to be doing some crazy moves as he goes thru the meat grinder, but the dancing bit isn't implicit enough.

Here is the finished piece. 

The final step was  to paint in squid dance step instructions to the background and sign it in gold. I love all the pattern and how this piece came together in the end. I am proud of this piece and it reminds me where I should continue to be  putting my efforts and energies into creating art. I know a lot of people including some of my students came down to see the show, thanks for that!

Update: It sold and I know it went to a good home. Shout out to Sabo Forte for grabbing this piece up!

The Hanged Man

The White Lodge Gallery held their annual Black x-mas show. This instalment Horror #4 show was this past week-end.  I created something to auction off, here are the steps.

Jim dropped off this slab of MDF to me to create an art work for the exhibition.

I gave it a good coating of black gesso to create a ground for painting.

I painted this reclining skeleton and attached his legs to a tree trunk. I rubbed in a bit of black on the bones to help create a little bit of texture.

I then painted in the background with copper paint. Ooooh shiny!

I then poured ammonia to patina the copper surface.

I then clear coated the piece to protect the surface and added in a bit of interference pigment to give it a bit more sparkle. After it dried I sanded the surface a bit.

I went in with black line and some white to put in some tarot card inspiration.

I went in with more black to help pop out the skeleton and gave it a textured clear coat on the surface.

And here it is hung for display at the gallery. I liked how it looks up side down. :D

Bare Cares Stare!

Last night and all of this week-ed I have a new piece showing alongside an orchestra of amazing artists and their works at the VHS(ex) show. FB EVENT INFO PAGE HERE.

There is a little TV spot about the show in the link below.
http://globalnews.ca/video/531865/gil-tucker-vhs-tribute

It was a super busy night jam packed full of art goers. I already got four bids for my piece. = AWESOME!

I had originally been working on a Rob Boss piece but at the end I didn't like the product so I sanded it off and re-coated the entire surface with titanium white and started all over again. I did a blended sky backdrop with drips and splashes. I was feeling the pressure, watching paint dry. I sanded the surface to get rid of the angst.

I blocked in some puffy clouds with a dry brushing technique and let some of the background show thru.

I made a pinkish blend with Alizarin Crimson and Titanium White to block in the bear body doing a cute little head stand on the puffy cloud.

I blocked in the rainbow coming out of the bears backside. I threw in some golden falling stars and a lightning bolt. I put in the details on the bear and then added some pink sparkles to the fur. Then I began outlining the clouds with sharpie marker.

I used Copic markers to quickly get the rainbows blocked in as time had completely disappeared. I clear coated it with varnish and printed out a "Be Kind Please Rewind" mock up on pink paper. I scrunched it up and colored the happy face in with a yellow high-lighter like they used to back in the days of VHS video rentals.

Here is an iphone shot of it on the gallery wall. I think it turned out better than expected once I hung it on the wall. You have until Monday to see all the work at this special group show and make bids on the well crafted works available. Do it!

FB EVENT INFO PAGE HERE.

KRISHNA creation + Horror 3 show

A peek at the self portrait I've been developing the past while.

We start with a charcoal sketch on the canvas of me playing the flute.

I ended up not liking the original legs I drew in. I decided to go with one in front of the other and in the other direction than originally planned.

Resulting in this. Interesting accidental discovery is that the erased out lower half is darker and better represents the proper fall of light tonality.

At the time this was the studio space I was working in. It sure has come a long way since them. You can see the smaller Krishna canvas on the right on my newest easel acquisition. I sprayed the image down with fixative an gave it a quick clear coat to lock down the charcoal particles.

Krishna has blue skin so I rubbed in some pigment off a rag.

I then used a little left over green paint to outline the figure to help me "see" it better. I'm going to leave a little mystery today and end this post here.

---
WHAT TO DO TONIGHT!!!!!

 Read the FFWD ARTicle!

I have two small works in the Horror 3 show at the House Gallery tonight, go see it there are tons of great local artists in the show, so go damn it, no excuses!  FB Event click here!