So much for ArTracker, huh?
Monday, February 15, 2010
trees + babes
This crap's been piling up over the past few weeks. I'm not going to attempt to justify it. It just is.
So much for ArTracker, huh?
So much for ArTracker, huh?
Saturday, February 13, 2010
lifedrawing log - 02.13.10
Today's model was spunky and full of sarcastic quips, so of course The Powers That Be put her in a near-catatonic pose for the duration. What a waste. The drawings I did that look the most natural are the ones where I deviated from what she was actually doing and relaxed her into that padded backdrop. In all, I'm non-plussed with my performance, but what else is new?
Today I'll introduce another character in our rollicking cast. His nickname is "Oshkosh B'Gosh", for his trademark overalls. Think "Super Mario" minus the gloves. An architect in his 50s, he sports a curly black mustache and a green cap, which I guess would technically make him Luigi. Oshkosh B'Gosh lives by an art school joke I heard from one of my officemates : "If you can't make it good, make it BIG." To give you an idea of what Oshkosh B'Gosh thinks is cool, take a sheet of paper the size of a TX road map (or, in some cases, an actual TX road map) and fill half of it with the model's upturned head -- the more unflattering the angle, the better. Add train tunnel nostrils the size of avocados. Can you see gray matter behind the sinuses? Good. Now begin to arbitrarily fill the features with bright colors, making sure the eyewhites are ABSOLUTE WHITE, and use this exact same value to do the highlights in the model's DARK BROWN HAIR. Stop drawing once you're throughly repulsed, or until time is up.
I was explaining to a newcomer, who asked if I do illustration, that my goal in these sessions is to create from the model. To sit and record facts is to become a secretary taking dictation from a superior. Eff that. When I wake up at 8AM on a Saturday, drive 25 minutes and pay a fee to attend one of these things, I'm going to call the shots. The newcomer said the he prefers doing still lives of clothing and other "more traditional" gallery work. "That's cool" I said, lying through my teeth. The drawing he was slaving over was, unfortunately, only traditional if sucking is a tradition.
One more account. An artist friend of mine who works at Junction Point has (thank God) started attending. He does admirable work and makes good use of his time. His drawings show an actual thought process. But -- dun-dun-DUUUUUNNN! -- he does them on a laptop. Digital art to an older generation is like the monolith to the apes in 2001 : A Space Odyssey. They flock to it, their puzzled expressions a mixture of wonder and apprehension. "Might this glowing box be the key to our evolution?" their internal monologues ask, though what they say out loud is, "That's cheating." or "That's sooooooooooo amazing." or "Is that Photoshop?"*
*Response cheat sheet : "No.", "Not really." and "Actually, this is Windows Media Player. I'm just watching a movie of someone drawing while I swirl this robo-pen around in my asshole."
Today I'll introduce another character in our rollicking cast. His nickname is "Oshkosh B'Gosh", for his trademark overalls. Think "Super Mario" minus the gloves. An architect in his 50s, he sports a curly black mustache and a green cap, which I guess would technically make him Luigi. Oshkosh B'Gosh lives by an art school joke I heard from one of my officemates : "If you can't make it good, make it BIG." To give you an idea of what Oshkosh B'Gosh thinks is cool, take a sheet of paper the size of a TX road map (or, in some cases, an actual TX road map) and fill half of it with the model's upturned head -- the more unflattering the angle, the better. Add train tunnel nostrils the size of avocados. Can you see gray matter behind the sinuses? Good. Now begin to arbitrarily fill the features with bright colors, making sure the eyewhites are ABSOLUTE WHITE, and use this exact same value to do the highlights in the model's DARK BROWN HAIR. Stop drawing once you're throughly repulsed, or until time is up.
I was explaining to a newcomer, who asked if I do illustration, that my goal in these sessions is to create from the model. To sit and record facts is to become a secretary taking dictation from a superior. Eff that. When I wake up at 8AM on a Saturday, drive 25 minutes and pay a fee to attend one of these things, I'm going to call the shots. The newcomer said the he prefers doing still lives of clothing and other "more traditional" gallery work. "That's cool" I said, lying through my teeth. The drawing he was slaving over was, unfortunately, only traditional if sucking is a tradition.
One more account. An artist friend of mine who works at Junction Point has (thank God) started attending. He does admirable work and makes good use of his time. His drawings show an actual thought process. But -- dun-dun-DUUUUUNNN! -- he does them on a laptop. Digital art to an older generation is like the monolith to the apes in 2001 : A Space Odyssey. They flock to it, their puzzled expressions a mixture of wonder and apprehension. "Might this glowing box be the key to our evolution?" their internal monologues ask, though what they say out loud is, "That's cheating." or "That's sooooooooooo amazing." or "Is that Photoshop?"*
*Response cheat sheet : "No.", "Not really." and "Actually, this is Windows Media Player. I'm just watching a movie of someone drawing while I swirl this robo-pen around in my asshole."
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Tree Envy
I have a sudden fascination with trees. Maybe it's because my pals Toph, Dan and Justin have been kicking ass with them lately, and I can't stand to see them having so much fun.
The one in color is a mangrove cluster done with ref, but the rest are all just winging it. I tend to to draw them leaning to the right...wonder if that's significant...
The one in color is a mangrove cluster done with ref, but the rest are all just winging it. I tend to to draw them leaning to the right...wonder if that's significant...
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Oh, who am I kidding?
This is what you're here for.
A few random guns from yesterday. If you're ever in need of a confidence booster, draw stuff in profile. Though it doesn't look as nice as deep perspective, it's easier and faster and people get it.
A few random guns from yesterday. If you're ever in need of a confidence booster, draw stuff in profile. Though it doesn't look as nice as deep perspective, it's easier and faster and people get it.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Autodestruct music review : DJ Hidden
I recently reviewed DJ Hidden's "The Words Below" and interviewed him for my good friend & music afficionado, the always-savvy Headphone Commute.
It has nothing to do with concept art, but DJ Hidden is one of my biggest drum'n'bass heroes, so it was a big deal for me. Thanks and love to Headphone Commute!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
some color experiments
Gotta do this more often. Maybe forfeit a lifedrawing session here and there and buck down until it becomes easier... Develop stroke economy...
Saturday, February 6, 2010
lifedrawing log - 02.06.10 9 (more venom)
3 hours of drawing. During the session, I had to yet again explain that what I was doing wasn't cartooning, but rather taking careful inventory of things I knew to be true of the pose we were confronted with. "But you drew it with a 'style.'" Well, yes. Style takes care of itself. The point is, when I leave the room, this pose is now in my inventory, and can be reproduced and/or manipulated at will. Try doing that with your 'fine' art, dipshit.
To add insult to injury, some old bat rudely shhhhhhhhhhhhhhed two of my industry friends for softly discussing digital art technique. Because, you know, you need total radio silence to do a single, shitty pastel.
We were also treated to another abstract masterpiece by a guy I like to call Jurassic Park (because he looks like John Hammond). This clueless, sweatpants-wearing fucker spends the 3 hour period producing a drawing that consists of 6 wiggly lines. Occasionally he'll leave his little supply-cluttered workspot (you need a lot of tools when you're a fraud) and go "measure" the figure with his thumb, looking at it all quizzically, like he's on the verge of some major breakthrough. Then he goes back and pulls out one of those bendy french curves and uses that to make a 7th line. Holy shit. What genius.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Alpha Concept Artist : Nick Southam
My hetero lifemate, fellow Vigilite and personal whipping boy Nick Southam has pinned some of his brilliant Darksiders art. He's got oodles more, so go pester him to post it! God knows I've tried...
Monday, February 1, 2010
lifedrawing log - 02.01.10
Saturday
Today
Duuuurrrr! I'm making cartoons!
It's been another one of those days. Silver lining : had a beer with some of the Lightbox boys after tonights's session. Thanks for being cool.
Today
Duuuurrrr! I'm making cartoons!
It's been another one of those days. Silver lining : had a beer with some of the Lightbox boys after tonights's session. Thanks for being cool.
From The Archives - pt. 1
Here are some drawings from a bygone era. In this particular batch are lightning-based creatures. More strangeness to follow!
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