IF: Open

I'm not sure why this image formed in my head and then materialized into a painting for this topic. Probably has to do with all the wonderful live burlesque women I have been drawing lately.

There are hidden messages and meanings ~ as always with lovely creatures of the night.

WOW!! I am so excited to have been chosen for this fun contest.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR VOTING AND ALLOWING IT TO HAPPEN!!

IF: the Blues

Thinking about the title for the cover art I just did "The Sea Never Drowns", this lino-cut, practice illustration seems appropriate for this week's Illustration Friday theme. (To view this in other colors and cuts look up my lino-cut posts in Sept).

{sorry to repeat ~ for all of you who have been keeping up with my blog}

The Pear Cover

This another idea I had been weighing and painting in my head. I finally got it onto paper today and sent a digital image off to my editor. He thinks it's "quite brilliant, actually" and that it goes really well with the typeface he has chosen. He would like me to extend it to the left so that is can wrap around the whole cover. Which means a repaint, but I can live with that now that I know it's a go.

The lino cut print was pretty but didn't really allow for title and such. However, it was a good exercise and got out some ideas I had been tooling around with. Although ~ I was able to incorporate a lino cut in this painting and that is the pear itself.

WHEW!!!

Dr. Sketchy SD September Session

Even though this was one of the quick five minute sketches, I felt it captured the essence of our model she had a very shy demeanor.


A gaggle of five minute drawings.


Actually, only the one on the left is a ten minute pose. The one on the right came from the last twenty minute pose, but I cut off the body and it just seemed to work so well with the other one.


I took the night off this month to attend the entire Dr. Sketchy session (last month I only attended half). However, I feel because I had more leisure time I may have not been as fluid and carefree with my hand as the past sessions. It's strange how our drawings can change just by different moods and time frames.

Beginning drawings for Kristin Benson

Kristin is having her good-bye party tonight. She is leaving the restaurant we both work at to be a full time hair stylist. Over the last few weeks one after another of my coworkers have been leaving. I was asked to make a sign for Kris when he was moving to Arizona, then for Kellie for her trip to Vermont. Now I am being requested to make signs. So I decided that since Kristin is my new hair dresser and is only moving across the street, it was time to barter. These are the beginning sketches for her party tonight, however, I plan on working them it out a bit more and making it really look like her. Then I will paint her a sign, if she likes it and agrees on some hair-dos for art.

p.s. Thanks to Tara McPherson who's characters inspired this cute artwork.

Sketches of "The Sea Never Drowns"

These are two of the rough sketches I did for the cover of the poetry book. I initially felt it should be a lino cut. Below are several test prints I did after cutting the two different drawings. The first one felt too busy, and the center was too much of a focal point. The second through still feels too busy. So I am back to the drawing board ~ literally ~ to rethink the entire thing. Sunny Outside runs there stuff from a letter press, so I for some reason felt a lino cut would work.

Second round of lino cuts

First round of lino cuts

Wife of a Rodeo Clown

"Alfred, why'd ya do it?"


"WHY?!!?"

These are two pieces I did in 2006 for a few different art shows. I began painting them for a show that fell through. I was later able to put them in a one night show at the "Five Spot" in Little 5 Points Atlanta. And then a week or so later at a one night show at "DooGallery" in Atlanta.

I painted them when I still worked at Deljou and had access to free canvas and paint. So I didn't hold back with texture and the amount of paint I used.

They are still a work in progress because in my mind there are four paintings in the series. Three of her upset and crying and the last of him the rodeo clown hurt or cheating on her. I still haven't fully conceived those last two. I hope to have them done before 2008...wish me luck!

Dr. Sketchy San Diego official beginnings

A page of one minute poses.


A page of five minute poses.


The only ten minute pose I was able to finish.

Our model was fabulous!! She had shocking pink hair brought together in the back by a large fuchsia flower. She had great legs, beautiful tattoos and tassles on her corset that were fun to draw.
This month's session was from 3pm to 6pm and unfortunately I had to leave half way thru to get to work by 5pm. So next month I will make sure to have the whole night off!
Thanks to Lily, our wonderful hostess, well done!!