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This is 30 X 40." Yet, I still feel it's too small. I almost bought equipment to make a 48 X 60" canvas. But I picked a different painting to work on and went for the smaller one for now. But after the 6 foot drawings, and how happy I am with them, I don't think I will ever be able to paint a person any smaller than that again. I love working large.
Our portfolio open house was today. Seeing the final compilations of years of work in design and art was really inspiring. Some of the ideas people came up with were surprising and really original. I was actually struck by the number of compassionate design ideas there were: animals covers for children's inhalers, play stations designed specifically for children with mental handicaps, mood thermometers that use social networking sites, environmentally friendly public transportation improvements and innovations. I'm really impressed by the ideas and the executions. I doodled while I waited for it all to start. I don't know what direction I'm moving in. But it helped me, to see all the directions others were going in. I've always learned things the hardest way. And I often do all the wrong things before I know what's right. Process of elimination is my calling card and I'm getting an idea now. It was all of the 11 X 17" laminated pockets. They felt suffocating to me. But for so many others, this format worked beautifully. I'm beginning to think I'm not meant for lamination.
Just got the photo from the opening event. Bottom photo courtesy of Jim Emmons. They just installed the posters in kiosks throughout downtown Syracuse, so we're told. We're going on a kiosk hunt with bicycles when the weather gets warmer.
(note to self: wow, I look like my grandmother.)
Doodles with Alex on the bench...
There's something really meditative about repeat patterns and lines. This is a sort of automatic doodling (maybe all "doodling" is automatic) that I cycle through from time to time.
Postcard is officially done and sent in. I chose the piece I did of Jaimie because this is, ideally, the kind of work I'd be really excited to get, as long as I'm "promoting myself." The website is the next project. It's not up yet, but it will be in the next couple of weeks.
The third in the sequence of large-scale drawings, still in progress..."you really captured her energy." I think that's just about the biggest compliment she could have given. I'm really grateful for it. Thanks.
The near finished first drawing...6' X 4'
Reading "Raising Less Corn More Hell" by George Pyle.
Another study for larger drawings...
The Spring Edition of Verbal Seduction came out recently. Having not heard anything from them other than getting a "work received" email, I assumed none of the submissions had been selected. But I was surprised to see I'd gotten photos, art, and prose in it. It was a really exciting discovery. My first attempt to get literary or poetic work published was a success. (Alex's piece made it as the cover and Casey's was the inside cover). We were all complimented in a pizza shop the next night.
One down...many more to go...
A few weeks ago, there was a large poster of the Mona Lisa tacked to one of the studio walls. I needed a break from what I was doing, so I grabbed charcoal and did a sketch of her right next to the poster. The poster was removed, but the drawing stayed. My friend added the lines and circle, and now she watches me work on this new project..."what is Mona Lisa's expression?" Criticalness.
Steve Cerio...
I found this in a notebook I only write in. I forgot I had done it right after being given the notebook. My sketchbooks usually end up turning into notebooks, in the end. Perhaps they're all the same thing. But, it was a pleasant surprise, none-the-less, to run into this.
My friend, who's portrait I'm drawing here, took this photo (notice the shark arm doing the drawing...it was a sunny day outside and we had markers) as I was in the first stages of this new project. I'm drawing 6' X 4' drawings of the faces and hands (with a few exceptions) of people I know. I'd been thinking about doing large-scale drawings for a project, and I thought about how much of a person you would have to see (say, if they were walking towards you in a fog) in order for you to get a decent sense of that person's energy, or personality. I've tied in a little palmistry and body language and put together about a dozen of these in my head. Now I have to get them done. Usually, a grid works against me if I'm doing a portrait, so I leave out that step and jump straight to interpreting a face, but I want this to be less about my characterizations of people and more about their body language and the power of suggestion in the way that their hands and faces are being presented. So accuracy is important to me. I want these to really look like the people in a more photo-real sense than what I'd normally shoot for. I have high hopes for these.
Our portfolio open house was today. Seeing the final compilations of years of work in design and art was really inspiring. Some of the ideas people came up with were surprising and really original. I was actually struck by the number of compassionate design ideas there were: animals covers for children's inhalers, play stations designed specifically for children with mental handicaps, mood thermometers that use social networking sites, environmentally friendly public transportation improvements and innovations. I'm really impressed by the ideas and the executions. I doodled while I waited for it all to start. I don't know what direction I'm moving in. But it helped me, to see all the directions others were going in. I've always learned things the hardest way. And I often do all the wrong things before I know what's right. Process of elimination is my calling card and I'm getting an idea now. It was all of the 11 X 17" laminated pockets. They felt suffocating to me. But for so many others, this format worked beautifully. I'm beginning to think I'm not meant for lamination.
There's something really meditative about repeat patterns and lines. This is a sort of automatic doodling (maybe all "doodling" is automatic) that I cycle through from time to time.
Postcard is officially done and sent in. I chose the piece I did of Jaimie because this is, ideally, the kind of work I'd be really excited to get, as long as I'm "promoting myself." The website is the next project. It's not up yet, but it will be in the next couple of weeks.
A few weeks ago, there was a large poster of the Mona Lisa tacked to one of the studio walls. I needed a break from what I was doing, so I grabbed charcoal and did a sketch of her right next to the poster. The poster was removed, but the drawing stayed. My friend added the lines and circle, and now she watches me work on this new project..."what is Mona Lisa's expression?" Criticalness.
I found this in a notebook I only write in. I forgot I had done it right after being given the notebook. My sketchbooks usually end up turning into notebooks, in the end. Perhaps they're all the same thing. But, it was a pleasant surprise, none-the-less, to run into this.
My friend, who's portrait I'm drawing here, took this photo (notice the shark arm doing the drawing...it was a sunny day outside and we had markers) as I was in the first stages of this new project. I'm drawing 6' X 4' drawings of the faces and hands (with a few exceptions) of people I know. I'd been thinking about doing large-scale drawings for a project, and I thought about how much of a person you would have to see (say, if they were walking towards you in a fog) in order for you to get a decent sense of that person's energy, or personality. I've tied in a little palmistry and body language and put together about a dozen of these in my head. Now I have to get them done. Usually, a grid works against me if I'm doing a portrait, so I leave out that step and jump straight to interpreting a face, but I want this to be less about my characterizations of people and more about their body language and the power of suggestion in the way that their hands and faces are being presented. So accuracy is important to me. I want these to really look like the people in a more photo-real sense than what I'd normally shoot for. I have high hopes for these.
