Light in the Shed

Wizard of Earthsea...

2012-01-13T23:05:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone...

I just finished this latest piece and I'm kinda diggin it. It went through a few different revisions and thanks to a friend of mine I've been able to loosen up my photoshop style a bit. Thanks E.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did in making it.

China Doll

2011-12-13T08:52:00.000-08:00

So, I know it's been a while but hey I've been busy! This a new piece i was working on just fooling around with. But I think I finally starting to get the hang of using photoshop and in general doing digital art. Merry X-Mas and enjoy.

Serpent's Pearl

2011-06-20T20:59:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know it's been a while but I've been really busy creating work for a show. I've got some new work in progress and as soon as they're done... I promise I'll post. This image took a little longer than I would've I liked but I think the results are worth it. Please enjoy and keep checking back!

Shark Bear

2011-05-06T16:49:00.000-07:00

So, this is something that I was simply screwing around with... Just a simple concept sketch. More to follow soon. Enjoy.

Plein Air

2011-02-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

I just did this last week and I hope I'll be going out some more soon. I be posting as soon as they dry and keep everyone posted.

Thanks everyone!

Quick Sketch

2011-01-21T14:56:00.000-08:00

Another quick sketch... enjoy!

The Wendigo!

2011-01-20T16:30:00.000-08:00

So, as part of my many attempts to keep this blog going... here's the lastest in a submission to an author for a graphic novel... I've decided to push this illustration further and really work more color and visual interest. We'll see how it goes. Enjoy!

Works in Progress

2010-05-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know. It's been a LONG while! I have a new apartment loft and it's been a little crazy with the move and trying to find the time to paint with the limited time I have on my hands. 9 to 5 jobs suck ass!

Needless to say, I'm still working on some pieces and they're taking longer than I would like but it's all a process any ways. Some of you might think "Why the hell can't he stick to a style!" and some might think "Wow he's so flexible!" Well, the truth is I like to experiment and I get easily bored. One of these days I just might decide to find a style and stick to it just as an experiment in tenacity.

The first two paintings I have no idea what I'm doing! Right now I think of them as the girl octopus and the phoenix. The other one is a fragmented still life. OK, enough talking more working. Hope you all enjoy them in their progress stage. I'll be posting some images of the new series I hope to work on soon... "La Vie en Noir".

The walls we build to divide us are illusions, and are only maintained if we mind them.

2009-10-06T19:58:00.000-07:00

So, this is a piece I just finished with the help of Thomas Wojak of the W.O.R.K.S in Vallejo, Ca. I'm very happy with the results and I'm planning on doing more screen prints. The title is...

"The walls we build to divide us are illusions, and are only maintained if we mind them."
mixed media
10' x 20"

I'm usually never so obvious but the piece has a built in clock. In time it will decay and it is up to the owner of the piece to either maintain it or let it crumble. I wonder which it'll be. I hope you like the results like I did... until next time.

Works in Progress

2009-08-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

So, its been a while now and I've been trying to keep busy with working on some new pieces and looking for the J-O-B. The two images are of works in progress-- one is of a screen print that'll be 10 feet long and 20 inches tall. The other is a protest art piece and the dimension are organic-- know what I mean? Any how I'll try to get some of the Dr. Sketchy drawing I did a little while back up for you to see. Too bad though that this week I'm gonna have to miss the Dr. Sketchy workshop. Oh well always the next one. Peace y'all and enjoy.

I love Curves!

2009-07-06T12:24:00.000-07:00

So, I was on a website a little while back and in my opinioin this has to be the most awesome french curve template I've ever seen! This thing was created by an artist for artists. I'm absolutely sure that if you weren't an artist, after seeing these curves you would want to become one. Really, who the hell thinks of stuff like this. I'll give it up to the bold guy that thought of this though, I'm sure that most artist intuitively know about the beauty of a curvy woman but how many would turn it into a tool! Too funny! And too cool.

Freaky but Beautiful

2009-06-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

So, I found this bit of info on the web about show song lyrics and I thought this piece of information was way cool...

"Mike Altman was only 14 years old when he wrote the incredibly deep (especially for a teenager) lyrics for Suicide Is Painless, the theme song for the movie "M*A*S*H":

The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn't hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger, watch it grin

Dad Robert Altman, the film's director, bought him his own guitar as payment. While the older Altman was paid $70,000 to direct the film, Mike went on to receive an additional $1 million in royalties for the hit. The song appears twice in the film with lyrics, in the opening-credit sequence (sung by Johnny Mandel) and during a scene when a character nicknamed "Painless Pole" attempts suicide. (The song is then performed by Ken Prymus, who plays Sergeant Seidman). The TV series chose an instrumental version instead."

Don't be surprised if you see this in an art piece of mine!

Dr. Sketchy

2009-06-16T12:28:00.000-07:00

First let me start out by saying... "Don't Drink and Draw".... and secondly "Friends Don't Let Friends Don't Drink and Draw".

OK, that said Dr. Sketchy workshop was way fun... a little beer and drawing and lots of cool art... what more could you ask for... plus there were really good cute models on stage. Yep, all around a good evening. So, without a doubt this was the best I did last night and even then today I noticed a lot of errors. The rest where to horrid to post. Next time cut back on the beer. It's like drunken boxing... too much water and you'll sink the boat. Jackie Chan fans will get the reference. Until next time and for now enjoy the art.

Do your Dharma

Dragon in winter

2009-06-15T00:55:00.000-07:00

Painting cold weather environments is always a challenge for me. The task is only made harder by the simple fact that I've never been skiing or been in the snow. So, I like the challenge this posed for me. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I had fun painting it.

Wonder Twins?

2009-05-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

So, this is an image I did in painter for a challenge on Facebook... Ah, memories! These characters always seemed so dorky to me even as a kid. Really making them even geekier wasn't much of a challenge. Well enjoy.

Scout

2009-05-18T16:09:00.000-07:00

In the interest of maintaining the blog I'm uploading this illustration I started a while back. It was part of a challenge between myself and another artist. Sadly, he gave up and never did his... (you know who you are). I decided to continue this piece despite him because this was looking pretty good up to where I stopped and these days I hate to leave unfinished work. For the next several posts I'm gonna resurrect old CG illustrations and clean them up to a higher standard. I'm mostly a fine artist but my childhood self won't let go of my love for illustration. Sorry for not being more regular with the posts but sometimes the fine art work keeps me occupied these days... that and looking for a JOB or a gallery to show in. So, if you know of a gallery that needs some fine art let me know.

Peace.

I also make tools for NINJAS!

2009-04-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

The images speak for themselves. Enjoy!

Five new pieces!

2009-04-06T21:20:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post and I apologize about it. I was sick for a time with a nasty cold and then I was trying to catch up working on a recent series of paintings. So, right now I'm working a series of small introspective paintings-- most of which relate to my childhood and growing up. Still, the painting are presented in a way which addresses the world in a broader sense and allows the viewer to connect in their own way. These are the first five and there will be eight more later on. I guess that's all I want to say about it. Thanks for checking in and I hope to have some new images on Sunday. Wish me luck!

2009-01-04T22:06:00.000-08:00

Good evening. So this will be short and sweet. This is the final version of the female study. You may not notice much but during the last session I took it as far as I could go without screwing it up. If you saw the real one versus the digital one you would notice a lot of subtlety in the drawing as well as some minor adjustments I made. But since that's impossible you'll have to take my word on it. I've been sick for the past week so that's it for today. As always enjoy and see ya next week

L'Academia

2008-12-28T20:08:00.000-08:00

So, last week I didn't post but I'm sure everyone was as busy as I was with the holidays and what not. This week I though I'd post some of the workshop drawings I've been working on. Recently, I've been going to a workshop in Oakland being held at the Atelier School of Classical Realism. The school is small but the talent there is huge! I didn't see a single student's work that was shabby at all. I felt totally intimidated. That school is true to it's name. They teach and hold to a French Academic style of training and philosophy. David Hardy is a master draughtsman and I've had the chance to talk to him a little-- I can tell he knows his stuff. This guy has definitely been around. He was classmates with Richard Schmidt! This workshop is really low key everyone seems to keep to themselves and that's fine by me since it gives me the chance to fully concentrate on what I'm doing.

So, below are the drawing that I've done while there. The first one was done on my first day. Damn! It's been so long since I've been in front of a model that that day I was totally feeling rusty. I couldn't block in more of the figure in the time I had so I did what I could.

The second one is from the following week and again feeling very rusty. I messed up the proportions several times and had to restart from the shoulders down at least twice and by the third time I think I managed to get it right. When the class was almost done and i put in some quick white charcoal just to block in the lights.

This last one is a longer study. I've worked on this at least 9 1/2 hrs. I'm still not fully satisfied with the hair and I'll keep adjusting it. The model moves a bit too much but she is a person so it's to be expected. I have one more session with pose and then I guess that'll be that. Whether it's done or not I guess I'll have to let it be in the end. I'll post the result next week.

With all of these I always keep Prud'hon in mind. That guy was the man when it came to drawing. He's still one of my favorite artist. If you're to think of something while drawing for inspiration I don't think he's someone you could mess up on. Well enjoy and thanks. See ya next week.

Classics Monsters

2008-12-13T21:04:00.001-08:00

So, even thought it's not Sunday I managed to finish this today. This is also part of my portfolio as well. Frankenstein is was done all in Photoshop whereas the werewolf was done in Painter. Speaking of which can anyone tell me how to get the watercolor brushes in Painter to behave faster. The render times in the program are driving me crazy! The more I've played with it the more I like it but I'm still finding it really difficult to use. Anyways, enjoy the art.

Coconut Buster

2008-12-07T18:08:00.001-08:00

So, this is a part of my new illustration portfolio. He wasn't anything special at first. I was simply sketching on the ferry to SF in the morning and I finished the sketch after a couple of days. I decided to add the coconut as an after thought cause I liked the comedic aspect of having this guy with an insanely big sword trying to bust a coconut in half.
In a small way it reminds me of a cartoon way back in the day they used to pass on channel 2 about a squirrel who thought he hit the jack pot when he found a coconut.
Lately, I've been looking at a lot of manga and this is obviously influenced by it. I've incorporated some aspects of anime into this illustration. I hope it worked out for the best. This is also one of my first attempts with doing a computer illustration using Photoshop from beginning to end. I learned a lot and I think I've gotten faster as I became more familiar with the program.

Welcome!

2008-12-03T22:46:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone welcome to my blog. I'll be posting the multitude of various sketches, inspired starts, false finishes, and disastrous mistakes. Ideally, I'll update this weekly and hopefully it'll be a journal which will provide an insight into my creative process. Not many people realize this, but I also do a little writing which include essays on art and poetry. So, this being my first post I'll leave it off here for now and make my first official post Sunday? Maybe?

I did say inspired starts... right?

Thanks and check in weekly.