Autodestruct Playlist - Best of 2011

As 2011's turntable lid slams shut, I'd like to extend a special thanks to those caring individuals who brought exceptional music into my life this year.  Most notably...

* Daniel Chavez -- You're Blizzard's trump card, and they don't even know it.  Not surprisingly, your artwork is as experimental, sophisticated and far-reaching as your taste in music. You tipped me off to so much great shit this year. You and Stacy are a joy to hang out and draw with.

+ Nathan Andrew Bissett -- You're my West Coast doppelganger! You do concept art, have awesome taste in music and women, and sport a shaved head! We have the same middle name! So nice meeting you and Beata this year.

# Headphone Commute // What can I say? You're my constant, my curator. Musically, we grew up together. I suspect we'll grow old together in the same way.  Everlasting!

Hecq "Avenger"
*Plaid "Scintilli"
#Tycho "Dive"
Kryptic Minds "Can't Sleep"
*Siriusmo "Mosaik"
#Jacaszek "Glimmer"
#Submotion Orchestra "Finest Hour"
*John Tejada "Parabolas"
Eye D & DJ Hidden "Peer To Peer Pressure"
Amon Tobin "ISAM"
Mobthrow "Mobthrow"
Amit "9 Times"
+The Flashbulb "Love As a Dark Hallway"
#Tripswitch "Geometry"
#Aes Dana "Perimeters"
*Machinedrum "Rooms"
+Nils Frahm "Felt"
Grails "Deep Politics"
Explosions In The Sky "Take Care, Take Care, Take Care"
Wolves In The Throne Room "Celestial Lineage"
*The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble "From The Stairwell"
Winterlight "Hope Dies Last"
#Stormloop "Snowbound"

Page Purge -- pre-holiday

I was trying to see if I could make a chick with a unicorn horn look badass. Helps if you can turn her into a creepy fish alien.

lifedrawing log - 12.17.11 / 12.18.11

This is from a Karl Gnass workshop I recently attended.  The focus : two figure composition.  Guy's a master, and I don't use the term lightly. If you get a chance to go to one of his classes, DO IT.



...and some Dr. Sketchy's stuff.

lifedrawing log - 12.13.11

Someone asked about my aforementioned rig. It's nothing special : smooth newsprint, china marker and a big ol' wooden clipboard thingie. When I'm feeling movie director-ish, I bring my own collapsible chair. Those "horses" you're supposed to draw on are bullshit.  If there's an academic reason to use them, it's probably to make you as uncomfortable as possible, because art is supposed to be HARD, not ENJOYABLE.   THE CLOCK IS TICKING!  QUICK, GET THOSE CORE SHADOWS IN!  Awww no, you failed!  Better luck next year!  That'll be $24,000.

more technique

I have a lot of trouble obscuring elements in my drawings, and just draw-through in general, so I decided to try this new method of construction :

1) Loose underdrawing comprised of several multicolored, overlapping groups. I find I'm less distracted by the stuff behind when drawing in a different color, and can just focus on whatever new color I've picked. You'd think this would bug your eyes out, but it's not that bad. In fact, it makes you bolder when adding things (like hardons). I've just used really dramatic colors here so you can see the effect.
2) Final line composite of all groups (with underdrawing at low opacity underneath)
3) Paint that mutha!

coffeeshop sketches 12.10.11

I brought my lifedrawing rig along with me to a coffeehouse and did my typical draw-a-bunch-of-heads shtick.  (I was with friends who were also drawing, so this didn't look like a needy ploy for attention.)  Rather than put all of these into a giant image like I usually do, I'm just posting the raw, un-leveled photos.  It's realer.

This barista had rockstar hair.  I'm sure every guy she served fell in love with her at least a little.





Here's some monster-y ones.  You can tell when I start getting into a drawing, because I press harder.

Don't ask...


Oh, and here's where I made Daniel Chavez into a rapist.





Also saw quite a few of what I call "real men."  These are the guys who look in NO WAY boyish, or simply "adult male."  They're the big, thick-necked, thick-browed beasts who live to eat, fuck and, I dunno, drag race.  The cute barista you have a crush on?  She goes out with one of THOSE.  

More painting practice...

Trying to get more color/solidity/contrast into my work...things'll stop looking so flat once I have the good sense to ditch gradients. Gotta get cast shadows into the mix, too.

Monday painting practice...