Book Release Party!

Well it's no lie that I've been busy lately. Or at least I WAS busy up until my art opening and book release party at Flutter on September 12th. After frantically preparing for that show I decided to take a week off from the studio to relax and recharge, but now I'm ready to delve back in it.

The book release party for the Advanced Style Coloring Book was a ton of fun. People came dressed in Advanced Style outfits and everyone indulged their crayon loving inner child and colored in some of the illustrations from the book. Here are a few pics from the event.

Marvel at the concentration!

Some didn't have to delve too far to discover their inner child

For others it was just under the surface

Our community coloring experiment yielded interesting results. Why so serious?

It was an exciting week indeed! In addition to the party I was interviewed by Marjorie Skinner for her weekly fashion column in The Portland Mercury. You can read the article online here.

Check back soon to see images from my all new, all different art show hanging at Flutter right NOW.

(Or go down there and see it in person. Up until the second week of October)

Birthday Portraits

Yesterday was my grandfather's 93rd birthday, so I figure that's a good enough excuse to break me out of my posting slump. Here's a recent watercolor sketch I did of him that I think turned out well.

This past weekend was the one year anniversary party for the art studio collective I belong to in N. Portland, Civilian Studios. It began with open studios and ended with bands playing/partying. Thanks to everyone who came out and said hello! I'm so used to my studio being a solitary place that it was definitely nice to be able to share it with other people and talk a little bit about my work.

I'm also quite excited that the Advanced Style Coloring Book will be coming out in just 2 short weeks! They'll be stocking it at local boutique Flutter on N. Mississippi St. and I'll be having an art show there to coincide with an opening on Thursday, September 12th. Mark your calendars and come on out. 

Grandfather Triptych

When trying to work out an idea I find that it's helpful to draw the same picture several times incorporating a different style each time. Each style reveals something unique about the subject. The above drawing was my first pass which is basically me being fairly faithful to the source picture. Below is an earlier version of the second drawing. 

 I decided to try out a warm monochromatic look for my second drawing. This was done in a quicker sketchier style than the first. I especially like how this one and the first look next to each other, but at the same time I don't really feel like anything new has been brought to the portrait. Below is the beginning stage of the third drawing.

I like the simplicity of this version, but I had to take it further. 

The third version realized. I really like how this one came out, it's probably my favorite of the three. I love the discovery process of art, how one project will lead you to an idea that probably would have never formed on its own. I feel like this is direction I'd like to explore more. 

Body Art

Have you ever really looked into the world of competitive body building? It's a very strange place and at the same time totally fascinating. I couldn't help but draw one of them. 

Face of Wood

Even though it's been over a year since my first attempt at wood carving, I'm still fascinated by the technique and am slowly practicing my skills. Here's another attempt at a face. One of these days I'll get a block of wood big enough to do a face in the round. 

Big Brown Eyes

Hey folks, here's something I did for fun while playing around with ink wash. 

Kithaba the Sailor Man

I feel like I gave you guys a fair warning that you might start seeing portraits of the background creatures from Return of the Jedi on here. Well that time has now come to pass! This is Kithaba, a Klatoonian from Jabba's skiff in Return of the Jedi (I had to look part of that info up). As you can see, instead of his usual garb I decided to dress him up as an American sailor from the 1940s. Between you and me I think he wears it quite well. Just look out for him when he's on shore leave. 

Which breed of dog do you think he was inspired by? My guess is Boxer.