Instant Concept!

I think the photo ref was somewhere in China. It looked more like Pandora. Can you spot the Instant Concept?

More to follow... :)

Industrial Complex

The sky is too plain, but again architectural complexity nabbed all of my time. This one felt better, even though it's the only one that I overlayed any photos into so far...

Snowy Arches

Love the contrast of the snow on red rock...

Autumn

Since the trees here in Florida don't turn this color, I had to paint them. My wife really likes this painting, but I think the composition could use some work...another one from photo reference where I probably should've improved that part of it...

Value Problems

I haven't bothered to fix this one, but there are some definite value and color issues. Any advice?

Chalk Brush Strikes Again

I found this one extremely satisfying in its simplicity.

Sunset Sky

So, in case you couldn't tell, I've really been digging my chalky brushes. There are two or three that I basically use for everything. Maybe I will show them sometime, but right now my Photoshop brushes window is acting up on me...

Little House on the Prairie

30 Min, 1 Hour, What's the diff?

Well, there is quite a difference when painting architecture as compared to a natural landscape. This was one that got away from me, but I revisited it to finish it up and ease my mind.

Another Study and What Not To Do

The bottom image is the original, but I really disliked the wall along the bottom. This is an example of the problem of blindly copying photography, you also copy anything bad in them like this composition!

Read more about these here.

Another Study

Another one of these, which are all done in Photoshop using photo reference as a color and speed exercise. This one probably went to 45min-1hr or so....still working on the speed and simplification to hit the 30 min mark.

30-Min Color Study

From a little initiative at work, inspired by the inimitable Robh Ruppel. It's a new thing, and I want to make it a habit. I've learned a lot already! These are all from photo reference. In the future I want to start collecting dramatic cinematography shots to paint from as well.

Some of these ended up taking a bit more than 30 min...

Also, hop on over to my talented friend Tom Schmuck's blog to see some of his studies from the same initiative!

Stay tuned for more...

Sketch

Saw this image and was bitten by the drawing bug. It's been too long!

HOLGA!

So, on our recent trip to NYC I bought a HOLGA from B&H Photo Video after being introduced to it by my cousin's husband, Spencer. I was intrigued by the quirkiness of the camera and the images it could produce, so I set about tinkering with the thing. Here are my first two rolls in all their unabashed glory. I do want to point out that I had the frame spacing wrong on the first roll, and the photo place cropped them horribly. They also neglected to scan at least 2 images of the black and white roll, which really REALLY annoys me.

Anyhow, I plan on honing my meager photography skills on this interesting camera.

If you have any tips for me, please share!

Meet Virginia

Did this quick color study from my sister's dining room table, looking out through the back screen door. It was raining lightly. They live in scenic Roanoke! Love those Blue Ridge Mountains! I need more practice painting trees, too...

Artrage

Here's another Artrage sketch from today's figure session. It was my first time using my new portable equipment, still trying to figure out the best setup! Got any tips?

Timbuk2 Sketch

So what if I like bags? Day packs, messenger bags, internal frame packs, climbing bags...you get the picture. Lately I've really been into Timbuk2 messenger bags. I was playing around in Artrage and sketched my new D-Lux messenger bag with laptop compartment. I got the medium size so I could fit my Intuos4 along with my new netbook in it.

Just a Street Front

This is another one that ended up going longer than I had planned. I should really give myself hard deadlines and stick to them...

Done in Photoshop. Click on the image for the full resolution I worked at.

45-min study

From photo reference. This started out as a 30-min sketch, but I just wasn't fast enough...I feel like I'm getting better though! Really trying to get the colors to work better.

Liv Sketch

Another sketch exercise, just over 30 min I think. Trying to get more line mileage and Cintiq time in! So far it's been great motivation to do more work...

30-min Sketch

Inspired by Robh Ruppel's 30-min studies, but nowhere near as masterful...working up to that.

Sketch

Just a sketch exercise from web reference, I was really bored the other night and need to do more exercises like this!

El Camino Time Machine

Just a mock project to motivate me to do something outside of work. A dragon is supposed to end up falling in love with a redneck's El Camino (B)... a story development after the first round of sketches. Which one do you like?

Figure Drawing

It's about time! I'm helping to get regular figure drawing sessions going again at work. Everyone was pretty rusty but we had some fun drawing in analog. Here is my best 5-min from today.

El Camino

Some silhouette sketches I got carried away with. Which do you like best? I think they need more style treatment, we're going for a Gorillaz/Brutal Legend kind of look. I don't think these are quite there yet, not edgy enough. Stay tuned for more refinement! This is a first pass.

Validation

It's been so long since I've posted anything, let alone done any personal work at all! Here's something I did tonight. Used some photo ref, but it was a good exercise. Tried to keep it loose with the chalk brush... I can't wait till figure drawing starts back up at work!

My Irish Kids

And now, to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and to honor our Irish ancestors, I present my dancing kids.

Just Some Head Sketches

What's this? A new post?! Just a few sketches. One on right was fun to do with a new Copic marker.

Pardon my long absence from this blog.