Ho Ho Ho! I hope all have a Happy Christmas!!!

Busy Times

I have been working hard making Christmas ornaments (I made 50 of them using playing cards) and medium to small sized works for a couple holiday shows, one which we just attended this weekend (great turn out by the way!).

I have also been working on illustrations for a couple of children's books written by a local writer. I have just finished the images for one of the books, an ABC book featuring birds, and the dummy books, similar to a maquette for sculpture, has been sent to a handful of editors... fingers are crossed!

Now I'm thinking of taking a few days off from studio work to focus on work needing to be done around the house (leaves to rake! grass to cut!).

I hope all have a great Thanksgiving!

Doorway Warden

Hello! I thought to take some photos of the process of making Doorway Warden.

Hopefully I will think of a way to set up a camera, that's not in the way, and make a short film of the process of a future piece.

First I found an image in a magazine I liked. Instead of just cutting out the model, I envisioned her standing and so cut her out accordingly.

(I am working on illustration board)

After the clipping is glued and dried I applied Golden matte medium, let it dry, and started applying shadow to develop a light source.

I then start applying dark values blocking out the print from the magazine clipping.

After the dark values dry I start applying some light values.

A few glazes of color are applied to the highlights I applied on the dress.

Keep in mind I only envisioned her standing. From here I let intuition take over.

I painted out the pattern of the dress and added my own. I also decided the hair needed to be longer and drew in the hair adding highlights to give some form.

More highlights, adding the left arm and applying a glaze over the entire image to tie in what I have done so far. The skin of the model had become darker from the drawing and glazes of paint so I added white to lighten.

At this stage I draw in the arched doorway and other details (relying on intuition).

I again add highlights where I see fit.

I add glazes of color.

I also add my name and tone it down with glazes of color.

I continue applying glazes of color until I get to a point I like.

Index Drawings

A couple of weeks ago someone brought over a couple of boxes of old business index and business related books to the studio for me to use. The books date back to the 1970's, even further back, and are a mixture of hardback and paper back manuals. I have been thinking of what all I could do with the books, some will be altered books, some cut up for collage, and others I decided could be sketch books. So, my family and I went to Virginia to visit with my Grandmother and I took one of the index books along to just doodle and play. I wound up filling most of the book and saw a bit of a style change as I flipped through all the doodles.

Here is one: Index Drawings: Studious Lake Monster

Dreaming Nefertiti

Been very busy work on the Birds A to Z book and building inventory for upcoming fall arts and crafts events. One of the pieces I have been working on lately is one of Nefertiti, or a figure resembling her. It has been a challenge but I like how she turned out so far. Hopefully I will be finished soon.

Vader

Sad news to report. Our dog, Vader, passed away last night. He was only 3 years old but had suffered from seizures of which I am sure had a hand in his sudden passing. I often teased my wife and kids saying he was their dog but truly he was the family dog. Though short it was, I feel Vader had a good life filled with bacon, belly rubs and back scratches.

Good bye little black curly haired dog. You will be missed.

Edit:

Well we got the Little Guy in his resting place, a good bit of shade and a nice view of the yard where he would run and play. Placed with him a toy he loved, a bonus toy from a friend of ours, rosemary and lavender... And in just like in those films where there is a funeral it began to rain.

Rest well, Vader.

Worky Work

I've been busy working on a few book projects and building up an inventory for art festivals being held this Fall. For one of the book projects (possibly a series), the writer and I have not had any bites, maybe a nibble. We think an agency may pick us up but I am still awaiting word. In the meantime I have been working on an alphabet book with the same writer and plan to self publish. For my book "Fern", I had put it on the shelf concentrating on the illustrations with the said writer and I may try to work on it more in between all these other projects in progress.