Category Archives: Uncategorized

Inflict

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     Finally! Back to the digital art! I know some of you thought I’d given it up. Truth be told, a lot of people don’t want their stuff posted. 

    Add to that the fact that I find portrait work sorta boring and you get mostly sketches. No biggie.

    This image is a little special though. Because although this IS from a person, this pose technically never existed. I had to modify the stance in order to create something a bit more dynamic.

     I get that some consider digital art to be little more than photo manipulation. I always try to change some aspects of the image I create, just to prove that I’m not just adding a Photoshop filter and calling it a day.

      To me it’s a way to conveniently create large scale media. While I acknowledge the need for some high speed flip art ability, too often it ends up being a reason to pretend art is just a thing easily made. 

    So yeah; if you hadn’t seen the previous steps, you may be tempted to think I used an animate filter of some kind. Nope!! Just good old knowledge and talent applied.😊

     So the next time you see the words “digital art” on my page or any other, remember the effort it took to pluck an idea out of your head and put it together visually. After all, the process matters as much as the end result.

More Good News for Bad News

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    My time for art has been rather tight lately. If I’m not doing stuff like the image above for clients, I’m editing videos and doing photography. It all adds up, so I try not to think of it as work. That would kill the vibe, lol.

    In the meantime, it’s always a joy to find an hour or two for my own personal projects. This weekend was such a break. I went to my local Starbucks, sat down and begin this picture. Actually had a guy get upset when he was informed that the person in the picture was a girl. Silly dude, strong girls rock!

So since this is the month for it, expect a few more strong women 😉

Uno Problema

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     I was going to remark about the wonderful weather we’ve had recently, but since the cold came back, why bother? Instead I’m just trying to do my thing and put some art together. Is that cool with you guys?

     Sorry the photos for this don’t start at the very beginning. I was so engrossed in what I was doing I almost totally forgot! I’ve decided to break out the pencils occasionally, just to stay fresh. Plus I’m intrigued by Crossfit right now, so I decided to draw one of its athletes.

     I have a request for a rush project, with no concern for my price!! So happy!! It doesn’t mean that I’ll gouge the client; that’s how you get a bad reputation, something I intend NOT to cultivate. Still, it’s a signpost letting me know that I’m heading in the right direction.

Wish me success!!

[un] Sound

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       What a horrible year! Or at least January was. February has a lot to make up for. Luckily the check I got from one of my old credit cards was a nice start. So let’s get rolling…

   This one is purely for fun. I bought this tanned paper notebook a while ago and have rarely used it. Plus my prismacolor pencils have been languishing at home, so it was time to dust those skills off.

     The usual tactic here is to use the shade of the paper as one of your colors; it’s a pretty cool effect, but I could care less about it. 

      I’m after time on this one. Not as a sketch, but a complete picture. 

       Honestly, I do images like this to keep the fun aspect of art alive. People always want to see their ordinary lives in art and I could never understand the reasoning. Why? But now I feel that what they’re trying to do is capture a feeling visually.

    So each layer of color adds emotional context. And if you miss that then there’s a good chance that your technically sound picture can feel dead.

     No artist wants a disconnect in his images. The thing with being self taught is that you have to realize this yourself; otherwise you’ll draw a lot of dead faces and mannequins, lol.

Laughing in the Pain

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      There’s a reason I hate doing landscapes. I grew up in a nonstop version as a kid. Later, the military made sure I had plenty of alone time in various natural locations around the world. Your dad took your family camping for a few days? My “uncle” Sam took me for weeks, sometimes months on end. It got old.

    Still, I can appreciate the value of being able to create one. So occasionally I give it a go. It’s good to practice ALL your skillsets, not just your favorites.

     So when I was asked to provide a serene sunrise image for a customer, I didn’t have a problem with the issue. It’s good to be able to have a diverse portfolio, you know?

      Working towards a complete picture is such a struggle. It took a lot of time for me to understand that, to a certain degree, I was little more than a glorified Xerox machine. I could copy, but I couldn’t create.

    It took an uncomfortably long period of time to develop my mind’s eye. To imagine something or someone and bring it out into the world is highly satisfying. I would never have learned to do so if I had stayed in my comfort zone.

   So it’s okay to try new techniques. Give something different a try! You’d be amazed at how many times it proved immensely helpful in a form I was already familiar with. If all you’re doing is stuff you already do well, be prepared to see your peers surpass you.

Bygone Be Gone

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      This year I’ve started the process of reducing the amount of non-art in my life. I’ve also started to do those things I’d avoided until now.

     The first thingis getting my furnace repaired; it caught fire a couple of years ago and I’ve endured some bad winters huddled in one room of my house.

    I had avoided fixing things because to do so meant conversations with my ex. That’s it. 

   On a similar note, I’ve paid for my mental health and physical injuries myself. After watching my dad’s frustration with the VA ( veterans administration), I was loathe to visit them, even though I was medically discharged and had received extensive psychiatric care. I just didn’t want to be deconstructed for a couple of dollars. Plus I was fine, I continually lied to myself.

    I started working on the floors upstairs in my house this weekend. I always had a reason to procrastinate. But I’ve decided that my house isa physical manifestation of my mental health and self-esteem. So shit gets fixed.

   Broke up.

    My art is now on display in my nearby comic store. They framed it and had me sign it, so they must like it…

     And I have a few vehicles to get rid of. Maybe I shouldn’t, but honestly I feel that I need to. 

I’ve been asked to do the covers for a few indie comics. With pay! So there’s that. I’m feel like I’m starting to get a set of goals. We’ll see.

   Last year I lost 60 pounds. This year I’ll settle for 40 more.  And the hair.

   I still don’t know about the hair.

Stuck in Trade

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     I’ve been asked to work on about three independent comics since Christmas. It’s a big deal to me. I’m pretty flattered by it all.

     My answer was no.

     Don’t get the wrong idea. I’ll never be too good for something like that. It’s awesome to even be considered!

    But I have so many projects and commitments that I would have to disappoint someone else. And I keep my promises, sometimes to my detriment.

      So I really don’t have the time to dedicate to someone else’s lovechild. It requires a devotion that is already spoken for in my life. So I find myself somewhere I never conceived of.

     Saying no to art.
    

    I have to let go of free art too. A few cosplayers are upset about it. So am I! 

    It means I don’t have time for my own projects. I waited so long to get to this point and it never occurred to me that I wouldn’t have time to have fun.

     I shouldn’t complain, right? I’m on the right track to fame and fortune!!

     To be honest, I just want to work on things that are fun and interesting. So far I have. Only a few customers turn out to be needy douchebags…

    Maybe next year I’ll do a book with someone. Maybe. My experience with my own short story was annoying. I actually would love to do covers.

      It’s possible that it’ll happen for me. I can kind of make it out in the distance.

     I’ll know my path. 

Liquid State

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       Man, it is COLD!! 11°F this morning and the fun part is that it’s the same temperature in my home. Well, that’s an exaggeration; it’s actually about 50 in a few rooms. Can’t have a repeat of my pipes freezing again.

     Anyway, because of the conditions at home, I spent quite a bit of time at the gym. My girlfriend offered to let me stay with her, but….

    The funny thing is that I assumed that I’d created a lot of art last year. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t been that productive in a long time. But this year? You’re looking at my eighteenth piece!

      My whole life is kinda coming unglued meanwhile. I’m sure I’ll recover, but damage control mode is getting old! My promise to not touch my business money or savings is being severely tested.🤑 

   My need for pain may have extended a little too far into my life. Hopefully I can get back under control.

       I’m doing okay. Most of my goals this year are mental. I just need to write myself reminders and make them into habits.

       But in a lot of ways I’m ahead.