Thursday, December 27, 2012

Tis the Season


Above is a still life test I created last year for the holiday season. Here were my goals:

1) A well detailed subject that will push me creatively.
2) Capture the holidays in one painting including the warmth of family.
3) Add some color and try not to use too much black to keep a painterly appeal.

I painted a pumpkin for Halloween, Nuts for harvest for Thanksgiving and a home-made Christmas drink as a gift. I used warm colors and added a fireplace for hearth and family. I kept the organization in order with the calendar. I really like how it came out overall and learned to use the brushwork with a more comfortable ease on this one. Hope you like it.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Sample Illustration - Girl Toys


Here's a quick sample illustration I did while working in the toy industry. I worked in TV Games, Boys Entertainment, Girls, Elementary and Preschool.

Monday, December 17, 2012

A Little Wine

This is my first Still-Life painting – Acrylic on canvas: 24"x 36". 

Here's my third finished acrylic painting. With this one I wanted to focus and experiment with strong color options. I wanted a warm romantic Tuscan type of a feel in this painting. 

We have a warm red candle, olive green bottle and the comfortable blue night sky. The scene is bathed in gold and rich wood tones from the base color to the reflective detailed stem of the wine glass. I designed the arrangement to create interest and a flow. I wanted the glass to grab your eye as the focus is stripped away by the strong glow of the flame of the candle. Then you're focus is dragged down to the well detailed metal cork screw. This way you are easily lead through the entire painting.

I got the inspiration for this painting from a beachside restaurant. I wanted a romantic setting with some level of difficulty and detail to push me creatively in tackling this medium. I gave it some thought and decided to add the grapes and ocean fading into the background. I like the rough texture of the wood contrasted with the soft glow of the candle. Once I decided on the painting I picked out my objects and set them up.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Unique Idea?

I always loved wood working creating cabinets and custom furniture. It would be a great business card to have it made out of a thin piece of wood and literally brand the information upon it..

Tower #1

This is my second painting – Acrylic on canvas: 24"x 36". 
This is an extreme close-up of a lifeguard towner cluttered with graffiti on a Southern California beach. Brushwork renders detailed woodgrain of the tower as well as the fading ocean in the background. This was a study of brush stokes vertical versus horizontal as the tower woodgrain crosses the ocean horizon. Graffiti primer paint was added to show an organic blotching brush technique to contrast the traditional painting basic style brush strokes. Later the tower only was gloss varnish to have a stronger visual contrast.