An Artist's Ramblings

Been a funny year. This is what I do.

2010-12-27T01:56:00.010-05:00

These are some of the demonstration drawings I've drawn while advertising my work to people this year. Based upon passersby, they're done outside admidst usually strong wind since those days are slower business. Normally a sketch takes five minutes or so. These are up to around twenty minutes since I was taking my time.

RANT TIME:There are two kinds of blogs. Business and personal. Career artists often run the fine line of being both. Only some capitalize on pageviews, but likely all appreciate the benefit of their art being seen for potential work. But we show our work, to get more work. Our art is our work.

Due to a recent exchange with a blogger overseas who wished to use a caricature(work) I did on their blogsite for free, I researched that blog and its associates. I would've happily given the caricature had it been an education for learning's sake type of site. But this site was specifically income based. It bragged very heavily about it. The purpose of the site is to build entrepreneurs out of people who spend their days clicking links. They profit solely upon people purchasing the same software from the associates that help them to make their own site. This led me to many other bloggers who also use sideline advertisers to make income on pageviews and link clicks. Maybe I'm late, but I now know about a trend of blogs profiting on some very basic information. Usually no real information at all.

Charging for information is an old tradition. We wouldn't have schooling otherwise. Selling info is not a bad thing. The bad thing about a majority of these sites is that they provide an overview of a topic such as income earnings through a blog, and provide enough information to be considered the first 30 minutes of a freshman intro lecture on economy. Again with the uneducated not knowing what they can't know yet. That is how many information brokers, such as colleges even, make their money.

They profit from this approach, and maybe this passive income tuns them into complete users. Or maybe they are the sponges in the first place. Either way, they come to expect freedom in their usage of other peoples "work" when they have done none themselves. My caricature was taken down per my request. I do respect the honesty.

I make my earnest plea to other artists. If your work is good enough, you'll get paid for it. If they want it for free, they'd better be non profit.

Over the slump

2010-10-13T13:06:00.003-04:00

Here is a Mark Zuckerberg caricature via photoshop after pencil sketch. Its not finished, but rather a decent start.

'nother self caricature

2010-05-13T17:46:00.004-04:00

I had recently decided to lose the hair and as such needed a caricature update of myself. I am going to get more into watercolor caricature as an art. Simplification of form plays into this one as I was somewhat influenced by Tomo(http://tomotabata.blogspot.com/). He simplifies shape elements seemingly based upon a 3 dimensional structure; I assume its based upon his sculptures.

Speaking of which, seeing and working alongside different artists out there and studying work myself, 2 primary drawing styles seem to manifest themselves. Structural and picture plane. Structural is the understanding of form and drawing with clear indications of 3 three dimensions. A videogame concept artist would be good at this. Picture plane is primarily an observational technique incorporating a strong understanding of the visual picture plane, potentially skewing it. A caricature artist would be good at this. The most learned of artists(and ultimately the ones who make the most impactful images) use both foundations to great effect. There is an elegance to the finish of a Picture plane artists, and there is intricacy to the beginning of a work by a structuralist. Cultivating the techniques of both enable a rich image w/ great draftsmanship to be had from start to finish.

Redirection

2010-05-13T17:20:00.008-04:00

I went to LAAFA's open figure study last night. It had been far too long since I had gone and I decided to use more familiar materials to draw. Markettes and artstix. I got some laughs out of the Venetian one. These are 20 minutes sketches.

sketching

2010-04-30T00:49:00.002-04:00

I decided to do a better caricature of myself w/ more emphasis upon expression and likeness. Loving the sunburn. Meanwhile, also got in a sketch of RJD2. I am still working on the previous' post final, its half done, I swear.

Tomorrow I am drawing a live caricature of a couple for a marriage proposal. The man will be proposing to his lady, she being completely unaware, after I draw them as bride and groom. I will be videotaped as the guy wishes to have record of the occasion and potentially use it as footage for the wedding. Nothing better to see where you're at than to be tested in front of a cameraman, a guaranteed large crowd, a man in love who is fully placing his trust in you, and all under the hot Santa Monica sun.

women caricatures

2010-04-22T02:11:00.007-04:00

This post is a sectocaricature from photo reference of women models. I feel I need the practice for caricaturing women since I usually fail on exaggeration while I still usually get likeness. The final drawing, preliminary sketch, and reference are included. 30 minutes for the roughs, 3 1/2 hours for finals. My favorite is the top center, and I look forward to watercoloring them and posting likely tomorrow.

So happy. . .

2010-04-20T21:00:00.012-04:00

Guess who finally got his shipment of Markettes?

Those markers are very limited and hard to find. No matter the price, they are worth getting. Faces get ready.

I sketched my face quickly in red,white, and black verithins on a brown pad, then realized, why the hell aren't I using my markers?

Big Red

2010-04-20T19:54:00.008-04:00

I have obtained an open session live drawing at LAAFA which has models for at least 3 hour chunks 6 days a week. I don't get to go all the time, as I'm usually up at 4am to get down to Santa Monica and reserve myself a performance spot, but I drew last night. These are the end ones after I got the shaky ones out. They vary from 1 to 10 minute sketches. The 2nd is a 10 and the others are twos. The third is a one.

Life drawing fo life

2010-04-19T19:21:00.010-04:00

I have learned from a caricaturist friend of mine in Santa Monica, a merrily Mongolian fellow named Mike, that the International Society of Caricature Artists(ISCA) will be meeting in Las Vegas in November. Imagine hundreds of goofy men and women who love to draw their brains out and make jokes of peoples' faces through art all gathering up for a week in a highly and colorfully lit playground that is Vegas. They draw each other all week, hold competitions for things like fastest sketch, most exaggeration, best black and white technique, best portfolio, and best everything else. I am uber psyched and looking to potentially compete when I get there.

This post shows a live sketch and watercolor of a model in an open session at LAAFA. It feels a little Brodneresque to me though. I will be drawing as much as I can to amp up since artists like Court Jones, Joe Bluhm, Jan Op De Beeck, and others will likely be drawing there as well.

rain day means personal work

2010-04-12T03:23:00.006-04:00

Since sunny days now means drawing caricatures on the pier in Santa Monica, I don't get to do my own thing as much. Today saw some drawing from a model(the inside of a paper grocery bag) and some self sculpting portraiture. I plan now on finishing a bust of myself w/ a silly expression. I have found a new love, sculpting from life. I plan on practicing more in three dimensions; seeing things in the round lends to drawing and vice versa.

Toons!

2010-04-03T23:07:00.005-04:00

Hugo the Peloponnesian war turtle! He is a cartoon design mainly intended as a mascot. Will continue updating new cartoons for a series. On another note I caricatured two Norwegian kids, two Jewish kids, four latinos, about eight white kids, a black girl, an Indian boy as a jedi, and four older senoras today. My goal is to draw a person from every country and ethnicity by the end of the year. In Santa Monica, its very possible.

I've developed a love affair with 93.6, an L.A. radio station for latinos. While I don't yet fully understand what they're singing about, I like to make assumptions as I learn Spanish through pop. It will happen. Mi gusta que mi gusta. Buenos noches, amigos.

What should I be?

2010-04-02T00:51:00.002-04:00

This is one of many illustrations that will be completed for a children's book focusing on career choices starting in childhood. Its intention is to motivate kids while they're young to start thinking about what they'd need to do to be great at what they like to do. More real jobs will be the focus, as not everyone can or should be a musician or artist. All careers will be painted in a funny light, while maintaining the impression that everything takes effort. No half-assing allowed here, mister.

Mob mentality

2010-03-29T12:56:00.020-04:00

Derailing the train of thought of a mob is easy. Assign the color green and red to the shape of a bird and have that shape pronounce the word hello nasally through its beak. Any previous thoughts or notions, however complex and whatever their origin, are completely renegotiated for the unexpected mimicry of an English greeting. “Well, you know, the increased output of technology in the east can be partially attributed to the devastating trend of American indulgence- whoa, honey look at the parrot! Holy crap it said hello!"

Standing some fifty feet along the way is a young man in generally white apparel. A white bandana tops his head, covering windswept hair peaking out beneath it on all sides but his sunburned face. His demeanor is reserved and yet cocky. Further investigation delivers the sight of a metal triangular frame nearby and two chairs on either side of it.

Recognizing the frame for its true purpose, you see that it is an easel. It’s not just any easel though; it has a pad of paper clamped to it. You had naturally assumed that easels held finished pictures, or if you’re more familiar w/ art, that a canvas should be prepped for painting or that the painting is partially started. But definitely not blank paper on an easel, that’s just silly. This artist is obviously a slacker, just standing there like that. You continue walking.

The family behind you slows down and looks further into the assembly. There are illustrated faces above and below the blank paper. They suggest light and dark, possess varying arrays of colors, and invaryingly depict human faces. Human faces, they think, that’s interesting. “Mommy, that’s funny!” says the four year old daughter. “Yes, honey. He’s an artist-he paints faces,” the mother says. The son looks into the tacklebox near the easel. It holds many different colored chunks of things and pencils and paint tubes and a water bottle. Little does he know that this artist is standing in this sunlit spot and as a human being, has the requirement of being hydrated. The father says he’s already a character and chuckles. How original he is. They meander along, not realizing that the artist will draw their faces if prompted.

The couple behind them sees the young man for what he is, a caricaturist. They know this because of previous experiences involving theme parks and work parties where individuals were paid to lampoon their friends. Not because the heavily sharpied sign next to the caricaturist says CARICATURE below a caricatured version of Thomas Jefferson on a ten dollar bill. “So how much is it?” They ask.

The caricaturist is not obnoxious at work. He knows his sign is legitimate and he had spent what he thought to be a clever moment cartooning the third president on his corresponding bill of U.S. currency. He answers politely. The boyfriend realizes the mathematics involved and computes the total bill for his girlfriend and himself to be drawn. Twenty dollars will leave him with enough cash for the couples dinner and little extra. He really wanted to go and play House of the Dead for two hours in the arcade. For nicety, he asks, “how long’s it take ya?” “About five minutes a face” The answer. The boyfriend looks deep in thought as he walks away, thanking the caricaturist. His girlfriend pleads with him, looking confused. So does the caricaturist.

Enjoying cartoons or appreciating the arts is not enough. Many tiers of understanding need to be explored for the passerby to finally be brought to buy a caricature. The truly observant may surpass the test. But at any moment the vibrantly red and green parrot could shout hello, compromising that exploration, and the caricaturist will remain a white-clad guy next to an easel. I am that guy. I now perform in Santa Monica. How about a caricature?

The Ladies' Man

2009-06-23T23:07:00.002-04:00

Here is an update to a piece I've already done, but am choosing to reformat into a more apparel related design. Typography needs still to be incorporated, but that takes a little bit o' time.

He is Derek X; the ladies' man. He likes very short walks on the beach, romantic and greasy cuddling, Oktoberfest, chocolate with his chocolate, and chicken with his women, with his chocolate.

Illustrator Ahoy

2009-06-23T16:20:00.006-04:00

Finished a joke children's book cover, with no real intention of making it into print. But it does display some Adobe Illustrator prowess. I'll be doing more in the program to enhance the stockpile of vector images under my belt. Seems like they have more marketability than some other art, especially if one can showcase a good variety from that standpoint.

Added after post: The text could be more readable- I'm thinking at least a white stroke around the letters to separate from the similar value green behind it.

Keeping on track

2009-06-21T19:10:00.006-04:00

Another addition to the sketch collection. I had to draw this vulgar little ______. More emotion couldn't have been expressed by the likes of even Anthony Hopkins. Silly soccer hooligans. Love 'em or get beaten outside in the parking lot.

There's still a pulse in this blog. ------w--------w------w--

2009-06-20T23:07:00.004-04:00

I swear that I have been drawing frequently lately, and on a variety of fronts. Simple sketches, cartoon designs, observations, and even some ad/graphy type designs. It is simply that I have either a: not scanned them yet; b: not felt their worth for sketch a day to present in the fashion of a blog. I will, when given the want for scanning and uploading, present a bulk of stuff to make up for this travesty. This, however, is a photoshop collection of black and white faces done as quickly as I could do them. Most are done with a single stroke while varying its pressure. Its about an hour group.

Topiary

2009-06-08T12:03:00.003-04:00

Here is a sketch of the topiary, trying to focus on depth of value over distance. More abstract usage of shapes.

I wasn't kidding

2009-05-29T21:48:00.004-04:00

The cartoony sketch I promised, as far as I cared to finish it today, anyway. A pincushion of a crusader. Still working as fast as my hand lets me.

Trying some scenery

2009-05-29T15:08:00.005-04:00

Good news! I am not a felon. Don't worry. If you happened to be worrying, anyway. For my lack of a post yesterday I am posting a sketch and its first hour of photoshop painting. Later I will submit a different sketch, more cartoony in nature. Sure to at least provide a giggle. I will continue work on this scene.

Day 2 of sketches 'R' Me("us" was taken)

2009-05-27T17:29:00.005-04:00

Howdy, sketch a day is finally in the making. Everyone else in the art world is doing it, so I'll update as well. My girlfriend and I are doing an hour(no more, no less) sketch a day of practically anything. It is to increase our speed, hone our work ethic, keep us in practice, and find weaknesses that we may have in doing fast work every single day. This one is a 8b graphite study of her while she was digitally painting a still life. More of a study in optical perspective from closeup. The size of the paper was 14 by 17. Another sketch should be up later.

Oops

2009-05-26T23:30:00.006-04:00

By the way, I may be a felon. More info later. Likely on Thursday. Wish me luck. But do check the website, www.illustratorvince.com updated and ready for your satisfaction, or at least for your amusement.

Sketches 'R' Me ("Us" was taken)

2009-05-26T21:54:00.008-04:00

I do apologize for my uncannily rude behavior. . . I have not blogged. For quite a while, in fact. Truly, it is time for some sketches. Let the sketches begin!
There shall be more soon, but these are what's the topic of the day. The first two are concepts for an onomatopoeidic painting that involves some typography. It will start in watercolor and go to finish in photoshop. The vehicle is called "pitbull" and started in pen and marker, but will also finish in photoshop. Like I said, there shall be more, and sooner rather than later this time. I promise.

Singapore-Ubin

2009-01-20T22:25:00.004-05:00

Singapore

2009-01-20T22:10:00.005-05:00

The picture posts prior and after this particular post are ones I've taken in Singapore of Maisie, myself, her family, the island, etc. We arrived in Singapore on Christmas day and left January 15th for the U.S. Not being used to long flights, 22 hours in the hour over two days, sleeping in San Francisco for six hours, I was a cranky man when I landed in Columbus.

I cannot help but mention though, the beauty of Singapore, especially when compared to the dreary and slush-encrusted winter Ohio landscape. The content of vegetation(palm trees, my goodness) was only paralleled by the smell of fruit and sea. Winter in Singapore is comparable to summer here, which scares me to think what their summers are like.

On a small island off the coast of Singapore, called Ubin, I found some of the largest spiders I've ever seen. After researching, I now know they are called Golden Orb spiders. Google them if you'd like, but as far as I know, they are pure maliciousness and the size of an IHOP pancake.

The fruit in Singapore is limitless as well and I was introduced to a fruit called durian. It's quite different from any other fruit as its consistency can be compared to a fibrous cream cheese, yet its flavor is variable, sometimes buttery, sometimes sweet, and sometimes almost salty. Try it if you're ever feeling experimental.

More Singapore

2009-01-20T21:49:00.006-05:00

Sweetness. Fo Shizzle

2008-12-25T22:24:00.009-05:00

There is a very good reason I have not posted recently. Skiing in Korea with my girlfriend's family has kept me. That alone sounds plausible enough to me. Being the first vacation I have ever taken, I have had probably too much fun, and am now due for some painting. Some of the highlights of the trip are here though. I am currently staying with her family in Singapore, which is about eighty degrees warmer than the Northeast U.S. Ohio/Pennsylvania that I know. I am loving it, though slightly feverish. Excuse me, while I sip on some freshly squeezed orange juice.

Winter Rush

2008-12-03T20:08:00.003-05:00

Spending a week for Thanksgiving not in school would normally enable a student to catch up on sleep, spend time relaxing, and enjoy pastimes. Not the case this time. Twelve hours of sleep each night, eating out every meal, watching a dozen movies, and drawing. Life was excruciating. I don't know how I pulled through.

But seriously, the gluttonous amount of down time that occurred last week will surely keep me up for several nights this week for finals. My hard copy portfolio is being put together currently, more additions to the website are under way, and I am working a illustration for Society of Illustrators before the deadline. CCAD does prepare its students well for creating more than 24 hours each day, though, so I'll go ahead and begin practicing the time-suspention rituals. One more week, and still have to prepare for a trip to Singapore.

Web Ready

2008-11-26T19:01:00.000-05:00

Illustratorvince.com is operational now, with much of my current work present. So far, watercolor consumes much of the pages. The 'other work' section requires 'other work', as I will add sketches, ideas, and other images of that nature.

Working with html and Dreamweaver for the past few weeks has made me fully understand the necessity for web designers; migraines are the least of a web developer's worries when compiling lots of data and imagery for the web. Design, navigation, connectivity, and other overlooked features like rollovers and spacing are massive components not to be trifled with. The smallest of errors is readily present to visitors; website creators deserve much more credit. My hat goes off to them.

First off

2008-11-25T17:55:00.000-05:00

As a necessity- this is a blog, of course- I submit this as the first entry of hopefully a decently voluminous amount of entries in the future. It's been about fifteen minutes since I've opened it, and in that time I've decided to entertain a quarter life crisis. The trophy wife doesn't come yet though. I think I'll write and illustrate a book.

By the way, a website will be up soon showcasing some of the art I've made. Check it out if you love life. www.illustratorvince.com