Acrylic on canvas, 16 x 16"
LO-Res image from my webcam, since the camera ain't workin'...
Thursday, September 1, 2011
JIMI... the painting!
The painting so far:
Acrylic on canvas, 16 x 16"
LO-Res image from my webcam, since the camera ain't workin'...
Acrylic on canvas, 16 x 16"
LO-Res image from my webcam, since the camera ain't workin'...
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Babies eating their feet!
08/30/11
It all started with the "Angry Baby..." Then it was the "Cigar-Smokin' Baby..."
Then the "Paint-Eatin' Baby..."
Then I was watching a baby trying to stick its foot in its mouth...
Babies are always trying to do that. I started drawing it, and it became clear that it is not easy to depict.... LOL
Which made it a fascinating and challenging concept to explore:
Almost as challenging as trying to stick your foot in your mouth.
Then the "Paint-Eatin' Baby..."
Then I was watching a baby trying to stick its foot in its mouth...
Babies are always trying to do that. I started drawing it, and it became clear that it is not easy to depict.... LOL
Which made it a fascinating and challenging concept to explore:
Almost as challenging as trying to stick your foot in your mouth.
Paint-Eating Baby! An epic tale
A true-life tale... I was there, and witnessed the epic disaster:
Seriously, this baby was covered in paint! It was everywhere!
And then he started eating it... LOL
I couldn't resist throwing in the Sherwin-Williams logo just for fun.
Seriously, this baby was covered in paint! It was everywhere!
And then he started eating it... LOL
I couldn't resist throwing in the Sherwin-Williams logo just for fun.
Monday, August 29, 2011
FRANK!
08/28/11
Continuing in my series of "iconic faces..." here's one of my all-time favorites: FRANK ZAPPA!
I began by trying to sketch Frank from memory. (I mean, how tough could it be? Get the moustache and you're there, right? Perhaps not...)
I began breaking down the features into the most basic graphic shapes, seeing how far I could push it and still retain a likeness.
Which led back around to a basic portrait:
This time around, the image was stronger - because of the exploration, trial and error. I had learned about what made his face... Frank.
I then took the image and exaggerated it:
And voila! There's the image I was searching for. The right exaggeration in the right places.
This could be just about any 70's rock star... lol
but it didn't look distinctly... Zappa.
So I set about searching for images and found quite a few. Then I began to explore the unique facial geography that is Frank Zappa.Much to my surprise, his nose is long, but it's a different type of long nose.
but it didn't look distinctly... Zappa.
So I set about searching for images and found quite a few. Then I began to explore the unique facial geography that is Frank Zappa.Much to my surprise, his nose is long, but it's a different type of long nose.
I gotta say, the guy had an interesting face!
This set off a flurry of sketching, drawing and exploring; everything from cartoony to realistic to stylized/graphic:
I began breaking down the features into the most basic graphic shapes, seeing how far I could push it and still retain a likeness.
Which led back around to a basic portrait:
This time around, the image was stronger - because of the exploration, trial and error. I had learned about what made his face... Frank.
I then took the image and exaggerated it:
And voila! There's the image I was searching for. The right exaggeration in the right places.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
JIMI!!!
07/30/112:
Small color studies. Exploring different color schemes, and working processes, different poses.
Acrylic, ~4x5" each
Ben described the blue one as "more iconic Jimi." I like that.
I am liking each for different reasons.
I'm lovin' the blue underpainting. It's almost a shame to paint over it, the way the color vibrates with the skin tones.
The warm underpainting is strange; it's as if I just can't get the skin tones warm enough - they look purple against the warm background. That would change once the background is covered.
I may win up doing two or more paintings, with different color schemes and poses.
Note to self: When Jimi has his head tilted back, his wide cheekbones are much more prominent. However, with his chin down, looking out from under his brow, his face elongates; when I tried to do the same thing with the wide cheekbones, it didn't work - it loses the likeness.
07/27/11
More sketches of Jimi!
I like working with Brooke, Ben and Chester. Every day is like a mini-workshop.
Here, Ben and I were discussing breaking down Jimi's features into its most basic components using simple shapes. It is amazing how strong the statement is , even eliminating some elements completely (like the jawline...)
The farther I go in the world of caricature, the more I am discovering that the strength of a piece lies in making a simple, direct statement.
07/19/11
Sketches for an upcoming painting:
What a great face...!
Ballpoint Pen, 8.5 x 11"
Pencil, 8x10"
Small color studies. Exploring different color schemes, and working processes, different poses.
Acrylic, ~4x5" each
Ben described the blue one as "more iconic Jimi." I like that.
I am liking each for different reasons.
I'm lovin' the blue underpainting. It's almost a shame to paint over it, the way the color vibrates with the skin tones.
The warm underpainting is strange; it's as if I just can't get the skin tones warm enough - they look purple against the warm background. That would change once the background is covered.
I may win up doing two or more paintings, with different color schemes and poses.
Note to self: When Jimi has his head tilted back, his wide cheekbones are much more prominent. However, with his chin down, looking out from under his brow, his face elongates; when I tried to do the same thing with the wide cheekbones, it didn't work - it loses the likeness.
07/27/11
More sketches of Jimi!
I like working with Brooke, Ben and Chester. Every day is like a mini-workshop.
Here, Ben and I were discussing breaking down Jimi's features into its most basic components using simple shapes. It is amazing how strong the statement is , even eliminating some elements completely (like the jawline...)
The farther I go in the world of caricature, the more I am discovering that the strength of a piece lies in making a simple, direct statement.
07/19/11
Sketches for an upcoming painting:
What a great face...!
Ballpoint Pen, 8.5 x 11"
Pencil, 8x10"
Friday, February 25, 2011
Another animal caricature!
I saw a picture of an egret, and I thought "Gee, that beak is so long... he looks kinda top-heavy." Then I thought "What would happen if his beak was so long and heavy it threw him off-balance and it dragged on the ground, and he couldn't even pick it up off the ground?"
I mean, egrets kinda have that P.O.'ed look already.
"...and egrets, I've had a few..."
It was a good chance to try out some new pencils. I bought some 2.0mm colored leads to go into my Technical pencils, and have been dying to see how they work... it was fun.
An accidental caricature?
Here, in a reference photo I stumbled across, is probably the best caricature of Nick Cave, and it just happens to be an accident:
The accidental caricature was caused by angle of the sun to the wall, and the angle of the wall to the camera, combined with how the slats in the siding break up the image.
I isolated and highlighted the area of the photograph.
This may have been truly an accident; quite likely the photographer saw the shadow and seized the opportunity. Either way, it's brilliant.
...and the funniest part... I think it looks like Funky Winkerbean. LOL
The accidental caricature was caused by angle of the sun to the wall, and the angle of the wall to the camera, combined with how the slats in the siding break up the image.
I isolated and highlighted the area of the photograph.
This may have been truly an accident; quite likely the photographer saw the shadow and seized the opportunity. Either way, it's brilliant.
...and the funniest part... I think it looks like Funky Winkerbean. LOL
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