Robert Millang

Avenue Magazine/Bissel centre

2011-06-29T16:16:00.000-07:00

This was for an insert in the may issue of Avenue magazine. It was painted all by hand, no shop work, which is unusual for me with illustrations.

Gulls, hair

2011-06-29T16:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a painting that hasn't yet seen the light of day. On plywood, 4 feet wide, two feet high. I figured I better get it up here.

Skateboards Doodled On

2011-06-29T16:07:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I took my two skateboards, sanded them down, spraypainted them white, and then let them ferment in my garage for a couple months before finally getting around to doodling on them with paint pens, followed by a coat of clear laquer spray. Someday I'll do the same thing with my old surfboard. It's a little bigger.

Sketchbook selections

2011-06-29T16:02:00.000-07:00

Poorly photographed pages from my latest sketchbook. Darn it, when the sun was out, my camera battery was dead. By the time it charged, storm clouds moved in and the light was bad. You can't win 'em all, it seems.

Screwing around with the smudge tool in shop

2011-06-29T15:59:00.000-07:00

Messing around in Photoshop late last night. Weird and interesting things come out. I think that middle one is a pirate fighting an octopus.

Some paintings

2011-04-13T22:56:00.000-07:00

Flash Art

2011-04-13T22:51:00.000-07:00

I'm apprenticing at Eye of Lotus, under Dave, to become a tattooer. Here's a few sample of what they call 'Flash Art', that I've copied from other tattooers to demonstrate my copying skills

Various portraits of dudes

2011-04-13T22:49:00.000-07:00

Varius portraits of women

2011-04-13T22:45:00.000-07:00

Assorted Women, for assorted reasons, in assorted styles

2011-04-13T22:42:00.000-07:00

Concept Art

2011-04-13T22:40:00.000-07:00

It appears I drew some concept art, while in Vancouver last fall

H.U.R.F, B.L.E.A.H

2011-01-27T12:00:00.000-08:00

Elvis Presley said that talent is being able to articulate how you feel and sell it. I've got part 1 down.

Reddit Quickdraw

2011-01-12T22:38:00.000-08:00

People posted their photos and I drew them on Reddit last night. Here's a collected version, originals with my as-fast-as-possible rendition. The thread is here. It quickly became unweildy as hundreds flocked to have their stuff drawn. Fortunately there were other artists drawing as well.

Grey Cup Time!

2010-11-25T16:24:00.000-08:00

Here's one for the Grey Cup in Edmonton this weekend, for SEE Magazine. I started this one in Vancouver, not thinking I was going to end up back here before finishing it. And according to See, my name is now Fred Curatolo

Vancouver Sketchbook snippets

2010-11-02T10:41:00.000-07:00

Here's some selections from my sketchbook here in Vancouver

Vancouver sketchbook snippets 2

2010-11-02T10:31:00.000-07:00

More Portraits

2010-10-05T14:28:00.001-07:00

Portraits

2010-10-03T17:08:00.000-07:00

Portraits

Notebook #12

2010-09-30T10:44:00.000-07:00

#12, the final issue of Notebook magazine is on the shelves. I made these two drawing to accompany some poems by Mona Struthers, at the behest of Steven Teeuwsen, the brains behind the whole operation. I think they turned out pretty decent.

Weasel

2010-09-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

These are drawings for Weasel, a weirdo mag out of Oslo. (sorry, no weblink, they're hardcopy only)

Barnloft studio

2010-08-09T16:44:00.000-07:00

This is my new summer studio, upstairs in the Prairie Pride barn near Andrew, Alberta (home of the world's largest Mallard duck), and in the vicinity of Stelmach's pig barn. The loft is now fully armed and operational. It took some prep work: I removed five wheelbarrows of crap out of there, then covered myself head to toe in pidgeon and mouse crap pressure spraying the walls and floors. Finally, 6 days after arriving here I'm rolling along on my big boards.

Artwalk this weekend!

2010-07-16T07:43:00.000-07:00

Hopefully it doesn't rain the whole time. I'll be out there friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 10:00-6:00, a block east of the train tracks. Come check it out.

pinups

2010-06-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

If you can call it that.

Sketch stuff

2010-06-18T14:41:00.001-07:00

Some loose drawings from my stack.

Footballers

2010-06-09T22:06:00.000-07:00

For See Magazine.

Bunty

2010-06-09T13:20:00.000-07:00

Beeboy

2010-05-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

Olaf, Brundlefly. Dunesbury. Weasel Poop. Gorgonzola, Captain Klutz. John Negroponte.

Cotton Candy

2010-05-20T14:01:00.000-07:00

Here's one that'll be in See Magazine this week. Pretty cute, huh?

AGA vs. Latitude 53

2010-05-14T13:35:00.000-07:00

This is a symbolic robot battle between the AGA and Latitude 53. It was done for See magazine.

Abstract part 1

2010-04-21T16:28:00.000-07:00

Here's some small pieces I did on wood panel.

Abstract part 2

2010-04-21T16:27:00.001-07:00

Abstract part 3

2010-04-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

Willy's for Brine, Plankton, and Chum!

2010-02-24T14:49:00.000-08:00

This Painting Sold

2010-02-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

This Painting, from almost a year ago now, finally sold. But what's interesting is that I sold it to A red headed triplet who grew up in a fishing family in New Brinswick. How's that for coincidence?

Propagate

2010-02-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

This is a quick off, for Illustration Friday, The subject is Propagate.

Cop out

2010-02-22T20:56:00.000-08:00

Cop Out! I like Kevin Smith's spatulas so much, I bought the company!

Whale

2010-02-19T11:05:00.000-08:00

This is an old drawing, from 2005. I ruined it by spilling my ink bottle, hence the big blotch. I was using to figure out how to scan in larger drawings in peices and then assemble in shop

I'm workin' on it

2010-02-19T11:03:00.000-08:00

Barely

2010-02-16T09:46:00.000-08:00

A Man's Eye View of 21st Century Dating

2010-02-11T08:51:00.000-08:00

Here's a New one I did for See. It's got humping greyhounds, Napoleonic Pomposity, a wizard staff, and a colour scheme that leaves something to be desired. It runs with Trent Wilke's article out in this week's See magazine. The drawing is a somewhat literal interpretation of some of Trents colourful descriptive imagery that he sprinkles liberally throughout the piece, which altogether makes for a pretty good read.

a page of doodles

2010-02-10T16:55:00.000-08:00

Various things that came out of my brain, and serve no functional purpose other than to mess with you.

Should I stay or should I go

2010-01-28T08:25:00.000-08:00

This is my fist piece done for See, as part of their focus on the arts. My drawing accompanies Thomas Patrick Pringles article, about local visual arts talent deciding to stay or go.

Dinghy, Nope

2010-01-22T12:27:00.000-08:00

Some stuff to keep the kiddies entertained. Super simple colour. Try not to notice that I used the same texture on both drawings.

Dirty Drawings

2010-01-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

Dirty Drawings. I dug out these two sheets of paper from the bottom of my parka that had been folded up and forgotten about during my whole time in rainy Tofino and slushy mount Washington. Bar doodles from nights out in those days before Christmas when old friends come in from out of town and one is obligated to get drunk with each of them and pack a years worth of fun into a single evening.

Merry Holidays, and tonight is all good

2009-12-23T11:51:00.000-08:00

This will be FFWD tommorrow as part of the 'contents series'- a twelve week run of illustrations from various artists that I was asked to participate in in November. It was great, because I had total freedom to do whatever I wanted. This is what I ended up doing.

I will be going on my first holiday in over a year: to Tofino, to surf in the icy waters of the North Pacific with all my friends and drink beers. So don't expect to see or hear anything coherent out of me until the 4th or 5th day of 2010. Happy Christmasdays evvabody!

The Grapes of Seduction

2009-12-23T11:44:00.000-08:00

These were some last minute Spots, appearing in FFWD, to accompany an article about which wines are most suitable for the purposes of seduction. Champagne and Chardonnay, apparently.

Shopping for a Fantasy

2009-12-23T11:36:00.000-08:00

Here's the Mock up, and final, for a full page comic to be appearing in christmas issue of FFWD, on stands tommorrow. I was given a reader submitted story and told to turn it into a comic. The finished results are a bit risque, to say the least. Enjoy.

Stimulus Package

2009-12-18T10:44:00.000-08:00

Here's the album art for Raymond May's new album, Stimulus Package.

Mixed Bag

2009-12-02T20:15:00.000-08:00

Here's a bunch of different warm up drawings, and a doodle. I generally set out with the intent on doing something loose and easy often in an unfamiliar style, or with unfamiliar tools, just to get in the rhythm, before going on to whatever it is I'm supposed to be working on. I didn't spend more than an hour on any of these, the intent is to screw it up somehow, and usually I do, but these ones are all interesting in some way or another, I think. All of them accumulated over the past couple weeks.

Comic book test page

2009-11-24T10:42:00.000-08:00

I need a quick and dirty way to get through a comic book. Messing around last night, I drew a few practice pages, trying out different things. There'll be some more messing around before I'm good to go.

Figurative drawing

2009-11-16T19:28:00.000-08:00

I've been hiting up figurative drawing drop in sessions at the Harcourt House sporadically over the past six or seven months. Here's some from this afternoon's session. The model was excellent, my drawing was working. Here they are.

It's Postcard Time.

2009-11-14T09:37:00.000-08:00

Here's the front and back of my postcard, I just got back from the printers, where I had a hundred of these babies printed up. Next week you'll be able to find me lurking in the magazine racks of Hub, Milner, and Crapters, with a notebook, taking names. Then I will disseminate.

Also, My friend Frederick Kroetsch did a nice little piece on Steven Teeuwson, the creator and publisher of the fantastic little art Rag 'Notebook Magazine', in which I make an appearance. Check that out here. I think it's the canned music that really makes the piece shine: particularly the 'I survived breast cancer' music that beds in during the cover montage.

And Tonight Notebook Magazine will be holding a fundraising Gala tonight at the Arts Barns, so if you're not at Wyrdfest, go down there and bid on my painting. Or any of the work from over 75 local artists who have donated work on behalf of Notebook's noble cause. I'll be pooping back and forth between the two events.

Stuntman

2009-11-09T21:52:00.000-08:00

The Rough for this was rejected a while back, but I still liked it. It got buried in a stack of paper, and the other day I found it and thought: why not try doing it up. So here we have it.

On a metaphorical level, though, I've been stuck in this spot for most of the fall. My toes are hanging over the edge, everybody's watching, and those wings are looking pretty pov. What did I get myself into?

Filth/Bunk

2009-11-06T19:20:00.000-08:00

Study group

2009-11-04T14:38:00.000-08:00

I was drawin' stuff at the library the other day. Among them this group of Asian girls studying.

Bastard Of Burden

2009-11-04T12:14:00.000-08:00

Nihonwars1

2009-11-02T19:35:00.000-08:00

A whole lotta different kinds of drawing going on at my end of business. This is an experiment.

Bring Your Rubber Pants

2009-10-29T12:22:00.000-07:00

A Halloween themed piece for Drew Anderson and FFWD, in Calgary, out this week.

Notebook silent auction

2009-10-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

Hey, Sorry for the big gap in posts. I've went all luddite there for a few weeks. This Piece, called 'Tanner stage IV', 1'x3', mixed media on plywood, will be up for auction on Nov 14, as part of a fundraiser for Notebook Magazine. Check out the details on Facebook. It sounds like a hoot, there'll be tons of work for sale, from many of the greatest artists ever to grace the pages of Notebook. If you got an extra ten or twenty grand kicking around, bring it along and bid on some work.

Flabbergast

2009-09-22T21:47:00.000-07:00

Superexcressence

2009-09-18T02:58:00.001-07:00

53

2009-09-15T19:58:00.001-07:00

Schnozz Dossier

2009-09-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

Schnozz dossier

“Faster than a bolt of Lighting” is how Schnozz was referred to by witnesses who saw the little guy sprint up and down the henhouse all day long. “It’s amazing how fast that little dog can run!” said Jamal, 12, who couldn’t believe his eyes when Schnozz retrieved a tennis ball forty yards away and returned in under seven seconds.

Local council members, unnerved by the dogs high rate of speed, have voted unanimously to pass a bylaw preventing animals from running so fast. “No animal should be travelling at such a velocity.” Said Councilman Gregory Hirscheim. Other council members noted the nearby presence of an elderly care facility, which could be damaged in the case of Schnozz or any other animal taking a wrong turn and colliding with the facility.

Schnazzes owner, Roger Flomb, disagrees with the resolution, and argues that there is little chance of such a collision ever taking place, though he has no factual evidence to back up his claims.

Superexcressence

2009-09-15T13:13:00.001-07:00

Superexcressence

Swaziland

2009-09-11T14:25:00.001-07:00

Swaziland

Swazilands Nocturnal gardens run the long stretch through the wastes of Mardmar, from Huksa to al Mamar. There one can indulge in a rich tapestry of frozen delicious treats, manufactured by the locals Roomba tribe using secret recipies, kept alive since the last ice age, when sugar beetles were still common in the limestone carverns that feed the river Mudgema. Do not tempt the locals with offerings of cola or they will become unhealthily aroused, and it can get dangerous.

Pembina

2009-09-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

Pembina

If you feel as though your child is not experiencing the same quality of life standards as you did when you were young, you are not alone. Children’s playrooms are not so childlike anymore. Edible toys are made with fluoride based tap water, and this has affected the nutritional value signifigantly. and is the proven source of increased irritability among children aged 2- 9. To blame are lax labour standards in Taiwan, where most edible toys are produced, as well as increased occurrences of bovine spongiform encephalitis amongst animals used in the rendering process of manufacturing. Call your representative now and let them know that your child deserves better.

Schnargarden

2009-09-11T01:44:00.000-07:00

Schnargarden

The Cracker Jack company has finally formally announced it’s much belated rebranding as a global distributer in corn ethanol based fertilizer and environmentally friendly herbicides and pesticides. In 1999 Merle Lancaster, then CEO, made the brash decision to purchase 520,000 hectares of arable land in central Swaziland. After several years of bitter land disputes that were eventually settled with the assistance of Mossad, The Cracker Jack company had soon tripled Swazilands GDP, and within the jurisdiction of Huhka unemployment had dropped to an astonishing -11%. Surprisingly, All Swazi employees are happily paid in Cracker Jacks, which is functional as a legal tender as far west as the Congo, and even in certain regions of Chad, where Cracker Jacks can be traded for cigarettes, irish spring, orange soda, and light artillery.

Blurble

2009-09-10T23:43:00.001-07:00

Blurble

Gearing up to world war II, the Japanese emperor had hired a Canadian private and jazz music aficionado to train the royal Kyoto marching bands. After pearl harbour, Private Alan Greenspan (coincidence) was never heard from until sent aboard the American Frigate Glorinado with instructions to assassinate everybody on board. Private Greenspan was armed only with his oboe and possessed by the firm belief that he could kill by playing the correct combination of chords. Suffice to say.

Leaper

2009-08-31T22:23:00.000-07:00

Notebook #10 is out!

2009-08-31T16:55:00.000-07:00

Notebook #10

That's right, it's out, and my work is both on the front and back cover, and inside, amongst Edmonton's finest visual art, poetry and short stories. Show Steven Teeuwsen and the local art community some support by picking up a copy at any of Edmonton's finer magazine vendors.

Here's a link to the Notebook site, but there isn't much there to ogle at. You gotta pick up a copy for that.

Doodling

2009-08-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

I was just letting my pencil wander. This is what came out.

Sgt. Ossum issues the command

2009-08-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

It's the only way to be certain.

Vue cover!

2009-08-12T18:37:00.000-07:00

Here's my Vue cover. It's for a story by Fawnda Mithrush, featured in this weeks Vue, their annual Fringe issue.

So far everything has been working out, note for note, according to my evil master plan. It's always been in the back of my mind. If I can get the cover of Vue Weekly, then it's official: my career as an illustrator has begun. Special thanks to Pete, Vue's art director, for giving me the opportunity, and for doing a beautiful job on the headers. He made it look way better than I thought it could.

I Accidentally the whole Cover!

2009-08-06T14:42:00.000-07:00

The Media gatekeepers over at FFWD were brazen enough to hire a yahoo such as myself to do the illustration for the cover, and the cover story. Titled "Mass Exodus", it was written by Julia Bevin and Anthea Black, the article discusses what is needed to build the Calgary Arts community, and the revolving door of artists who leave and return to Calgary once or more throughout their careers. Straight off the bat, I only had a rough description of the subject. I was asked to emphasize the themes of building, community, and people leaving. So I got to work Sketching, and sent them this:

You know, making it, I was thinking: Fuck yeah, they're building a giant red cow, but that guy is stealing bricks as he exodizes off to some other city. This is going to be the most awesome illustration ever! But no, the idea was rejected. The cow was too cheesy, the image was too busy, and it didn't quite fit with the story. In hindsight, they were right, and I was wrong. So I sent them a bunch more sketches, and they ultimatelysettled on this one:

So I cleaned it up a bit, and gave them the Rough draft:

They seemed happy with it, so I got busy with the Ball point pen, on a sheet of 11x17 bond paper, and whipped out this:

All coloured up, it came out like this. Fiddling with the colours ends up taking alot longer than you think it should.

I erased some of the bushes, lassooed the cloud and slid it over, and got this:

This is what it looks like, all said nd done, on newstands throughout Calgary:

And as an added bonus I threw in a drawing for the inside (beats me as to whether they ran it or not, I can't find it at the FFWD website):

Empty Calories

2009-07-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

Here's some random stuff- warm up drawings and a little comic snippet. Things lifted from the ever growing pile of papers that accumulates on my shelf.

Prints and Zines!

2009-07-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

I just got back from the printers and had a whole bunch of crap made up. Pick up one of these 17x19 signed beauties for the low price of 25 smackeroos. Or grab yourself a copy of PAB: 24 pages of doodly goodness, for only five bucks. Just e-mail me at rsumillang@yahoo.ca and we can sort something out.

Angela's Painting

2009-07-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

"Our Lady of Ensenada"

Acrylic and ink on plywood, 36"x36"

Here's a Commission I did for Angela. It's based on a sketchbook drawing I made while in Mexico. The Painting turned out well, but after screwing around with Fred's camera equipment and Photoshop for 5 hours, I've determined that I am helpless to take print quality art photos by myself. So much for not making life more complicated than you'd think it needs to be.

Hair Squares.

2009-07-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

Just some doodles lifted from my sketchbooks.

Revamp

2009-07-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

I wasn't completely happy with the illustration I gave FFWD. My thinking got all uptight. Here I made a few simple changes and it looks so much better. I'll have to be more on the ball next time.

This is a quick sketchy version of the Eyeball I saw last night while falling asleep. When I get a chance I'll have to do a nice version. I've been meaning to get to the outerspace stuff for a while- I had a bunch of 'Alice In Wonderland In Space' type ideas last fall, and I'd like to get to them. They'd make a good series of paintings if done bright and big and cartoony. But while I type I'm procrastinating on paintings I should be doing now.

Loire Valley Wines

2009-07-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

Hey, Sorry for the long deadzone between posts. First I was lethargic about the whole thing, and then, when Artwalk came along, I was super busy. But get a load of my first Bonafide Illustration. I drew her to accompany Kevin Maclean's article on the wines of the Loire Valley in France, Published in this weeks Issue of Fast Forward, in Calgary. Check out all the dead space to the left of her. I wish I had put something in there. Oh, Well. I'll do better next time. I had initially drawn her wearing coveralls and a plaid shirt, and with braids- workwear common in the region, but she came out looking like a hillbilly, so, no. Heres the original ballpoint pen drawing. As you can see, the face was replaced one I modelled after Audrey Tatou:

Stuff

2009-06-19T13:08:00.000-07:00

Slow week, but I did manage to get few things done. You're only going to get to see my new coloured version of "Captains of industry"

Nextfest 2009 PartI

2009-06-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

Here's the full meal deal, everything that's on the Walls at Crimson Empire, for those who can't make it out. It will all remain on the walls until the end of June at least, so if you get a chance, head down and see for yourself. Some of these haven't sold yet so if you're interested, contact me at rsumillang@yahoo.ca for inquiries. Also, prints can be made availible upon request.

Born in Hell, Cured in Rain (acrylic and india ink on plywood, 48"x24")

Ghost Breath (mixed media on BFK Rives, 30"x22")

2009-06-14T09:55:00.001-07:00

Nextfest Part II

Vespertine (acrylic and India ink on plywood, 24"x48"), $700

Baroness Roar in a Frigid Squall (india ink and Acrylic on Plywood, 24X48) $600

Baconfield (mixed media on BFK Rives 22"x15"), $460 (framed)

Pesos and Black Roses (acrylic on paper, 17x14), $250 (framed)

The Ballad of J.Hutnad (mixed media on cardboard, 17X14) $250 (framed)

Nextfest 2009

2009-06-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

Nextfest 2009 images Part III

Orderly Stains From the Men Before

(Acrylic and Ball point pen on Paper, 23X18) $450, Framed.

Into the Microscopic Abyss

(Acrylic on paper, 18x15) $350, framed.

An Hilarious Yet Comical Funnyman With a Penchant for Humour
(18x15, Acrylic and ballpoint pen on paper) $350, framed.

HELPSTOPFIGHTTHECURE!

(Ball point pen on paper, 17"x14") $300, Framed

The Church Ladies Will be Looking Forward to This

(ball point pen and india ink on paper, 17"x14) $300, framed

2009-06-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

The Bosun One

(India ink on Paper, 14"x17, $300, Framed)

Sarah Hamilton wrote some great coverage of me in this weeks Vue. Thanks Sarah.

Friday 8-10pm, Crimson empire Tattoo. (11630 119st)

Words about me in the Sun

2009-06-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

I managed to get some words about me in The Edmonton Sun, on Sunday, by Fish Griwkowsky, as part of an article about Nextfest. Right on, thanks Fish.

These are a couple images from the Zine, which I'm gonna to get off to the printers late today.

The peices are up.

2009-05-30T23:33:00.000-07:00

My stuff is on the walls at Crimson Empire tattoo, as a component of the visual arts portion of Nextfest 2009

All thirteen peices will be up for the month of June and maybe longer, so when you get a chance, head down there and check out what I've been working on for the the past couple months. Get your nipples pierced while you're at it- they know what they're doing.

The Opening reception will be held Friday June 12, 8-10 pm. Come on down and drink the Kool-aid, everybody's invited!

Ball point pen fun!

2009-05-20T22:37:00.000-07:00

Screwing around last night with the ball point pen- haven't used it in a while, I forget how much I love it! Look at how awesome these are!

Rex

2009-05-20T22:34:00.000-07:00

I've been working on my caricatures, in the classical caricatue style. Bonus points to the person who knows who this is.

figurative, sketch

2009-05-08T13:27:00.000-07:00

These are couple of ball point pen drawings, done on printerpaper, and coloured up in shop. I can move pretty quickly with these, and I can't wait until I've got the time to hunker down and get serious about putting together more elaborate and refined linework finished in photoshop.

Over at the Harcourt house they'll be hosting the "Naked Show", starting June 12, in which they show a bunch o' crap from the figurative studies sessions of the past year- these are a couple of my submissions,, of which there are five in total. It will be held at the Harcourt House, June 12-18, and will be a component of the "works" festival.

Rainman Twins

2009-05-05T12:03:00.000-07:00

Go to 1:21 to see where I got the image from.

They's a little bit distorted, and I distorted them more. I don't know why I'm showing this, I don't really like it.

A Horrible Turn of Fate Took the Life of Marvin D. Lord

2009-05-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

" On february 2 1945, foul weather cancelled the following day's mission over Berlin. With his commander's approval, B-17 pilot Manny Klette went to London to see his girlfriend. But the weather broke, and the mission was back on. Lord, who was eager to go, took Klette's place as pilot and was shot down; he was killed along with Klette's entire crew. Lord's photograph is part of a collection by the late Army Air Forces Photographer Gerald R. Massie of Jefferson City, Missouri."

-National Geographic, Vol. 3, No. 185, March 1994, pg. 94

Less than perfect, but all said it turned out well. After months experimentation and practice, I feel like I'm finally starting to enroach on a finishing style that I'm comforable showing to editors, art directors, and reps worldwide. This one was done of the carboard backing of my current sketchbook, 17x14, using watercolour pencils softened and blended with washes of white acrylic, and then gone over with line work in a deep blue acrylic ink. The Neutral density of the brown backing board helped tone down the intensity of the colours which adds alot of depth to the image. It was copied from a National geographic, which isn't exactly high style, and the underlying drawing was done while I was half asleep at three in morning, randomly, thus explaining the generally distorted nature of his mouth and chin. But the eyes are right, so it looks like the person I'm drawing. The two hundred hours or so I've spent drawing faces from my perch at the cafe, out of papers and magazines, and the bi-weekly figurative drawing sessions, since January, are slowly starting to pay off. Drawing a face is easy, but capturing someone's character, and the emotional nuance that goes with it, is very fussy. It's even harder to paint the thing without blowing it.

The problem with faces is that we have a whole section of our brain dedicated to recognizing them- if the tiniest thing is out of proportion or at the wrong angle, it blows it entirely. Whatever, I'm progressing. By midsummer I hope to have a proper porfolio put together.

2009-05-04T10:10:00.000-07:00

Smippets of Things you could see the Crimson Empire in June.

2009-05-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

I'll Just let this stuff speak for itself.

2009-05-01T07:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a peek at what you might see at my upcoming show.

The Opening reception for my show is set for Friday June 12, likely 8-10 PM, at Crimson Empire Tattoo: http://www.crimsonempiretattoo.com

The Work will be on display from May 30 until sometime in Late June.

2009-04-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a batch from my first sketchbook in Mexico, unprocessed. This is the Cover. I know I've been neglecting the blog here for a couple weeks- I'm supposed to be posting a couple times a week, but I've got a show opening in late May, and I've been working away at getting some peices together for that. More details to come.

2009-04-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

We hit up the strippers alot in Ensenada, because there was absolutely nothing else to do after dark. They came in all shapes and sizes.

We were putting on our wetsuits Outside a sardine factory, this truck comes barrelling around the corner and about fifty pounds of sardines spill out onto the road, flopping around. They're immediatley swarmed by seagulls. But another truck comes around the corner, and plows through this writhing mass off feathers. Three of the birds were pinned to the road by their own guts. I watched them issue their dying breaths. That's the circle of life, Mexican style.

Chuchillo. Drew that early on in Ensenada, in the wretched zone of northern Baja.

Gerble herders at the peak of exasperation.

This is the bellychuck of fringe lip.

2009-04-04T22:55:00.000-07:00

I didn't feel like doing what I was supposed to be doing, so I painted waves, instead

2009-04-04T22:27:00.000-07:00

The Other day I finally had it Removed!

2009-03-31T22:42:00.000-07:00

These are some hags, taken and re-arranged from a peice I paper I drew on I'm thinking sometime in September. I had this nightmare when I was a kid, like three, that I still remember. There were these hideous naked mannequins locked in glass cabinets, they had faces like these hags, and they scowled at me and made me cry whenever I tried to walk past them. Now that I'm writing this blurb I'm thinking that I really should take the time to draw them with their bodies, in the cabinets.

Assorted hands, all of them completely wrecked. Bic Med. point blue and red chiseltip Sharpie