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[Apr. 7th, 2033|10:12 am] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer | ] |
This is not my real LJ!
You will NEVER see a finished piece of art on this Journal.
The purpose of this LJ is to show the progress of works completed and posted here ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) darkdisney. If you've added this LJ expecting to see a slew of great finished work you are in for a terrible surprise.
thank you for adding nonetheless :-)
thewhiteleaf.com |
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| Terminator/Sam Worthington Process |
[Oct. 6th, 2009|05:11 pm] |
Terminator Salvation/Sam Worthington, progress 1
oil on board
11" x 14"
I redrew the sketch for this Sam Worthington/Hamlet/Terminator illustration. The pose was too stiff and the likeness could have been stronger.
After imagining myself in the position of the subject I asked myself why I only had ONE hand in the illustration. If this was truly the mock-Hamlet pose I would have hammed it up with the right hand. This would add gesture and sell the idea more.
I re-shot the pose and I ended up favouring the fingers holding the skull in the new shots much more. After thoroughly redrawing and refining the sketch i was dishearten by the thought of redrawing it for the painting surface. Not an uncommon issue for realistic painters.
I figured it was a good time to give Donato's drawing transfer and mounting technique a try. Essentially you scan, print then matte medium your drawing to the surface. Pros: a MUCH faster way of working and you get to keep the original drawing unharmed. Cons: You're limited to the size you can print at and since the process involves soaking the printed surface in water bleeding is an issue.
I have realized that 11x14 is a real sweet spot for me. It's big enough for me to get fine details but small enough to speed up painting times. I bought a ton of matte medium and found 11x14 Strathmore bristol board in their 400 series. I was hoping for 500 series which is 100% pure cotton but at a buck a sheet I figured i'd hold of until i knew i can get the technique down.
Earlier in the day i ran a test sheet of paper under water. there was bleeding but not the total mess i'd expected. I figured if I dropped the opacity of the drawing that would give me less bleeding on the bristol board. The first two shots are a before and after of the soaking process. The paper will expand after you wet it, even if you wet it with matte medium. If you don't pre-soak the expansion occurs during the mounting process and then you get bubbles. Not cool!
The first attempt was a bust because too much of the ink had washed off. My next attempt was printed and with a different paper setting and "in colour" instead of greyscale even though i'd be printing a black and white image. This allowed for more inks to be used giving me a better shot of having a stronger image left over after the soak. There was a clog in one of my blue ink heads that created this happy accident. An awesome Raw Sienna glaze effect, thank you universe!
This time before attempting to soak i hit the print out with a blow drier to make sure the ink had properly settled into the bristol. Then i soaked the back FIRST and gently rinsed the front. This gave me a much better result with only minor water artifacts. Not bad for an inkjet printer that's almost 5 years old.
I let the majority of the surface water drip off and I began my matte medium mount. I hadn't attempted anything like this in almost seven years but it's a simple concept. I applied a liberal amount of medium to the gesso side of my gessobord and spread the glue with a brayer. I then positioned my artwork and repeated the process on the surface. Immediately i could tell the bristol had grown vertically and exceeded the surface size. The forth image was taken directly after the bristol mounting was complete.
The next day i trimmed the minor excess bristol with an exacto knife and began painting the background. The final photo is a shot of the red steam background. I've pushed details and began painting the figure since this phone but i'd like to introduce a varied amount of colour into the smoke.
All in all i consider the technique a success and i look forward to being able to push my drawings further knowing i can simply mount a copy to my surface after. It's all VERY exciting! |
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| Terminator/Sam Worthington Studies |
[Sep. 16th, 2009|04:10 pm] |
Terminator Salvation/Sam Worthington rough sketches
5.5" x 7"
I enjoyed Terminator Salvation probably more than most people. I'm broken like that. Before the film was released i had the above idea for an illustration but with Christian Bale.
After the movie released i was advised to swap Christian for Sam as Mr. Worthington both stole the show and may be a big deal after Avatar, MAYBE!
So here are my rough studies. From the bottom up it's the sketch, value study then a bit of a colour study. It's been too long since i've done a celebrity likeness and i'm looking forward to the challenge. The final illustration will be 11" x 14" oil on panel. |
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| Jury Sketches and Outliers |
[Sep. 10th, 2009|03:41 pm] |
ballpoint pen on sketchbook paper
Yesterday i spent the bulk of my day in a courthouse waiting to see if i'd be called for jury duty. I got lucky and according to the rules of the State of NY i won't have to go through this again for another 8 years.
I took advantage of the atmosphere and drew fellow would-be jurors. I also started listening to Malcom Gladwell's Outliers. The stories are truly inspirational and I highly recommend the book.
Gladwell, has got me thinking nonstop about hitting my 10,000 hours as soon as i can! |
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| Disinfo-Nation Album Cover Process |
[Jul. 6th, 2009|03:26 pm] |
study
thumbnail
I was commissioned to do another album cover.
The album is a political album about communication and being an informed recipient of your news. Your anti-sheep album if you will.
The band wants the cover to be a fold out poster and the cover will be a crop of an area of the illustration. They also REALLY wanted to incorporate their "symbol" an old gas can and a city scape.
A bald eagle with blinders/hood on pitched on top of an old Gas Can. In the background is a satellite dish on fire bellowing a large smoke cloud into the sky. In the further distance we have an urban cityscape.
this is more symbolism than i usually put into my work but i aim to make it a successful piece. |
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| We Are Fragile, progress 3 |
[May. 12th, 2009|03:40 am] |
. .
We Are Fragile, progress 2
14 x 20
Oil on Strathmore 500 Series Illustration Board
I'm enjoying this pallet. I'll have to come back to it again. It's basically an earth tone pallet with a few intense colours. I don't know if the colour pallet or the mark making but i feel like such a "painter" working on this piece. |
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| We Are Fragile, progress 2 |
[May. 10th, 2009|12:57 pm] |
. .
We Are Fragile, progress 2
14 x 20
Oil on Strathmore 500 Series Illustration Board
Got a good amount of the background done and i'm ready to finish up the figures. This shot was taken after i oiled out the surface so it's super wet and glossy and VERY difficult to shoot right now. |
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| We Are Fragile, beginning |
[May. 8th, 2009|11:11 am] |
So one day at while out i hear a song on the satellite radio. I txt msg myself some lyrics so that i can look up who the band was. I get home google for about 20 min and find NOTHING about this song or the band. I gave up.
About a month later i hear the song again over the same satellite station and this time i try to listen for different lyrics. I txt myself again go home and after another 20min still nothing! i'm about to give up when googling finally discovers the lyrics to the song on some girls myspace page.
The band is called Isle of Thieves and the song is called Hollywood. I add the band on myspace. The next day i get a myspace comment from them saying they like my art. I send them a message thanking them for the personal comment and tell them if they want to work on something together let me know.
They email me and ask me to illustrate the album cover of the re-release of their album Only Human.
true story.
After a few thumbnail sketches geared around the lyrics "We Are Fragile" the band chose the concept they liked best.
( You can follow the evolution here ) |
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| (no subject) |
[Mar. 4th, 2009|11:48 pm] |
. .
A+R (progress 7)
16 x 20
oil on panel
here's a new shot of momma-bird. It's all down hill from here! |
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| (no subject) |
[Feb. 25th, 2009|12:49 am] |
. .
A+R (progress 6)
16 x 20
oil on panel
I've been painting while watching Syd Mead teach me how to complete an rendering. You have ever had any doubt that you were "doing it wrong" just watch this man work and put your fears to rest.
I tried to mimic the angle and distance of which i lean back during the paintings session. Then i realized if i copy my eyes view exactly the photo would have to be at a 45-90 degree angle. I'm always tilting my head to get a "fresh" view of the piece. plus the camera would skew the painting too much so i'll just give you a generalized idea.
I really like where this painting is going. I wonder what Tri3 from 2007 or 08 would think if he could see how much our painting technique will grow by 09. |
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| (no subject) |
[Feb. 15th, 2009|11:31 pm] |
. .
A+R (progress 5)
16 x 20
oil on panel
Progress? progress!
Do i really need to tell you how much i'm learning from this painting? I can't wait to continue to apply the new knowledge.
this little girl is coming along. finish up the shirt and hair then on to mommy. |
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| (no subject) |
[Feb. 13th, 2009|12:33 am] |
. .
A+R (progress 4)
16 x 20
oil on panel
Saturday is Valentines day. Everyone should spend time immortalizing the ones you love the best you can.
This was taken quickly without a tripod so please mind the distortion from the angle.
Today i wanted to focus on catching A's likeness. That's all in the drawing, and it's REALLY easy to make the mistake of only using one color to get the details right. That mistake will make the face flat and lifeless. So i kept colours and highlights in mind.
I love painting wet into wet. It's funny, when i first started to draw at the age 13 i would copy comic book trading cards. It was then i was exposed to the Hilderbradt Brothers. I USED TO HATE their work! I found the colours too bright and cheerful. I hated how they would make even the toughest characters look like they fell out a Disney cartoon. hahah
Now i have so much respect for their work and I love a great deal of their paintings.
I think my newer work is some how looking close to theirs in ways. WOW how did that happen?! |
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| (no subject) |
[Feb. 10th, 2009|02:55 am] |
. .
A+R (progress 3)
16 x 20
oil on panel
Another progress shot but this time i thought i'd give a bit of my working space. I recently purchased a large drawing board to set my paintings on as they rest on my easel. This allows gives my maul stick something to rest on while painting the edge of my surface. It also gives me plenty of room to tap all my reference up. In fact i have so much room that i've been able to have my "inspiration" up, art work whose technique i'm studying during the painting process.
These past couple months i've developed a growing obsession with oil paint itself. Working at an art supply store gives you access to a wealth of materials i never new existed. I'm reexamining all my materials and their origins.
For years i just thought oil paint was oil paint. you pick the colours you wanted then went at it. The expensive ones were just some marketing ploy and the cheap ones were "good enough." I also felt that talk of chemical make up of paints and mediums was just pretentious blabber from people that spent more time with their heads in books instead of painting.
Well those that know me well enough are aware that I have a history of writing things off that i later end up loving. The president of Gamblin bought me a bottle of Neo Megilp. I can say with out any exaggeration that this is the greatest painting medium I've ever used. It's can work as a replacement for the toxic and far from archival Maroger Medium, what some call the "secret of the old masters." Neo Megilp as the consistency of grape jelly in a jar and i find is best scooped out with the tip of your pallet knife rather than attempting to pour. It will sit patiently on your pallet and extend the binder in your oil paint beautifully! I find i get an opened but control painting surface that allowed for the expressive yet hard edges of the brick wall in the above shot.
If you're painting super wet you can still come in with a bright new colour and create a bold sharp line if you wish with out smudging or mudding up the two hues. It drys at a moderate rate and to an even finish that looks more "wet" then "glossy."
I could go ON and ON! If anyone wants to run their mouth about oil painting please give me a call. I've got all this pent up new information i want to discuss and I'd love to share ideas even if you don't paint!
I'll also add that the modern colors are underrated and I'll be adding more of them to my pallet.
As far as the progress shot goes. I glazed back the lighting on the door with pthalo blue and starting working on A's face. in the past i found it difficult not to make flesh tone look cold. I'm glad my new understanding of mixing color has dramatically effected the way i paint skin. A's skin is developing a nice warm lighting with expressive colour in the shadows. I happy with the direction thus far.
questions? |
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| (no subject) |
[Jan. 31st, 2009|11:59 pm] |
. .
A+R (progress 2)
16 x 20
oil on panel
I have to keep telling myself that i've made enough progress to take pictures and post them. I just don't want to bore you all. I've been having more fun than i expected with this painting. That's a huge statement given my initial level of anticipation. The door has shifted several colours since my last post and that's part of why i haven't taken a progress shot until now.
I have to remember to stop paying so much attention to the photo reference and paint what i know will look "realer" than the photo. Since my last painting i've been seeing colour in my everyday life differently. I take mental notes of the way light effects colour and how i can repeat those effects in my painting. Last week a sunrise casting light on a building in SoHo helped resolve issues i had with the lighting on the door. Hopefully that winter sunrise will help push the rest of this painting.
As i paint i often think of how the final will look on R's, wall. Her apt has calm earth tones and this painting should act like a bright tie on an expensive suit. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jan. 28th, 2009|12:00 am] |
. .
A+R (progress 1)
16 x 20
oil on panel
here's the start of the oil painting. I can already feel a HUGE difference in the texture of this surface. If i had to do over again i would have put down 3 full coats of gesso on this suface and sand the thing smooth in between each coat. That's my first lesson in working on this brand board.
Once the painting is completed and i put a nice coat of Galkyd over the painting everything should be a smooth as glass.
This is my first painting using a Maul Stick and it's making painting straight line so freakin easy! |
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| (no subject) |
[Jan. 24th, 2009|10:55 pm] |
. .
A+R (acrylic washes)
16 x 20
oil on panel
as promised, the acrylic washes. it gives a little idea of where the colour is heading but mostly to kill the white. I'm gonna dive right into oil painting that door tonight so maybe another progress shot tomorrow?
Just in case she wants to hang the final as is i've painted the sides. I'm emotionally forbidden to paint on canvas so painting the sides of my paintings is new to me. it's neat.
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| (no subject) |
[Jan. 24th, 2009|03:36 pm] |
. .
A+R (under drawing)
16 x 20
oil on panel
. .
detail
==== Mushy Talk ====
My boss is one of the coolest people i've had the pleasure of knowing much less working for. She's beautiful and tough as nails. I think we all pay close attention to the behaviors and mannerisms of those we admire. My favourite observation about this person is how she transforms when speaking to her daughter.
The best and most scientific analogy I can come up with is that she goes from regular mario to Super Mario. Maybe even Raccoon Mario. It's like yeah you're fine enough as regular mario but you know you really just want to play the game as Raccoon Mario. I mean crap you can FLY! My boss looks like she can fly when around her daughter. It's tear jerking.
===== Art Talk =====
Here's the under drawing for my next painting. YUM FIGURATIVE WORK! YAH PORTRAITS! I'm so excited to dive right into this one but I needed to spend some solid time on the under drawing and my value studies before painting. I can't toss out all that i learned from my last painting just because i'm anxious.
I don't remember the last time i showed my unpainted drawing on my painting surface so i took a shot for you. Next i will spray fix the hell out of it and start will acrylic washes and value. I'll post of shot of that later.
. .
I'm painting on Blick Studio Flat Panels. This stuff is great. It's 3/8" thick primed and ready to paint on. I put a couple washes of gesso on it to help smooth out the texture. honestly i wish i put on more because it's not as smooth as i'd like to be painting on. I'm sure i can paint out the texture once i start working with the oils so i'm not really concerned. My favourite part are the built in hanging holes. So they're ready to hang right out of the box.
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| (no subject) |
[Nov. 3rd, 2008|06:13 pm] |
. .
Spicy Pumpkin Latte
14 x 18
Oil on Strathmore 500 series illustration board
Here's some progress on the pumpkin latte illustration. Though All Hallows' Eve is over pumpkins are still good through out November and they're still selling the lattes :D
Drew Lee and Cindy came by for the weekend and got a lot done in a short time. A great thing about having friends coming into the city is the excuse to go to the Met. Drew Lee and Cindy are both illustrators so there was no time wasted in any sections other than the painters. I always start off with the European Painters then work my way to the America's. This visit i paid close attention to Jean Leon Gerome. He knows how to keep his surface clean, put the paint down but REALLY knows how to keep his lines tight. My birthday is in three days so if you'd like to send size zero brushes OR SMALLER my way I'll be a happy oil painter.
I've started with the background and simply tried to push myself technically. I laboured over the clouds, something i feel I've been weak at in the past as well as landscapes in general. When it came time for the trees i felt i should make things interesting with hues. I'm treating every section as if it were a painting within itself. This allows me to treat the objects and planes like an exercise but the amount of attention put in forces me to learn from what i'm figuring out.
. .
Here's a shot of the new pallet. I've never laid out my oils this way but already i see the value in it. I'm spending no time having to put new paint back on the glass and i'm always conscious of what colours i have at my disposal. I've learned that I am IN LOVE with Phthalocyanine Blue! It will kick the crap in your blue right out of it's butt! |
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