Works In Progress

After reading a few blogs (more on that in a later post), I have decided to post a list of works-in-process. If all goes as planned, I'll re-post this list from time to time, with some projects updated, others crossed off (and therefore completed), and new ones added.

WIP List

Title - Project Type - Next Step

Eclipse - painting - transfer sketch to canvas
Pride - painting - finish
Look, Magic - painting - base color
Greenbird - painting - sketch
dozens of other, lesser, paintings

To Lend a Hand - poster - finalize sketch

Random Character Generator - design - transfer sketch to design
SOMA - magazine - re-do cover

New Moon - novel - continue writing
Berk - novel - continue writing
The Sword - novel - continue writing
Secessionaire - novella - continue writing
Flat 664 - Graphic Novel - convert script to sketch

Things I've learned...

...over the past few months:

1. Being able to make a choice (food, how to spend my time, what to wear) is not the same as being forced to take the worst/easiest option.

2. Owning a book is not the same as having mastery over its contents.

3. Having the tools for X is not the same as having the time (or attention) to become good at X.

Being an adult means learning these sorts of things.

Daily Sketch 8-17-11

Done today at work:

 

A scarf- and sweater-wearing badger and a saintly camel pouring fluid scorn (metaphorically) upon the words "Pouring Scorn." I like the way the latter is going, and may end up doing a large painting of it (for my show perhaps). It would be good lettering practice.

The phrase, by the way, stems from my listening to the Redwall book-on-cd (it's been probably a decade since I'd first read the book, maybe longer). It's interesting how our tastes can change as we develop a sense of discernment. I had never noticed how many adverbs the book has in rapid succession, nor how much Mr. Jacques seemed to still be feeling out the world he was creating (a world that is far more solid and confident in itself in such later works as The Long Patrol and Mariel of Redwall). Fascinating from a literary standpoint, and of course the entire series is a wealth of possibilities for illustration. But that is for a later day...

You know you're an artist when ...

... you find your work posted somewhere, without your knowledge.

I was doing a random Google search tonight, because I wanted to show a friend how I was intending on doing an illustration (hopefully tonight's Daily Sketch Edit: Daily Sketch is here.); namely, in the style of David Macaulay.

The image I had in mind was from his amazing book Great Moments in Architecture, specifically plate XXIV, "Homage to the Revolving Door."

I had, many years ago, done several studies of Mr. Macaulay's work, particularly the way he depicted miniature people in his drawings of architecture (rather like Piranesi's etchings, wherein the structures are so massive that the people are reduced to stick-like blobs), and had done a drawing from that particular plate.

In amongst the bad Facebook photos and other unrelated things the Google search pulled up, I found this image:

It was the one I was looking for! So I opened it in a new tab and then got a look at the actual name of the image ... no wonder it looked familiar: it was the self-same study I had done years ago [originally posted here.], now used on a blog about (I think) the revolving door feeling of the American Health Care system [or somesuch. This is the site—if you go, I recommend turning your sound down/off, as the author has music embedded].

I'm not mad, and actually thought the whole affair was rather hilarious. Though in retrospect, it is a little unnerving how easy it is for one's work to be re-purposed like that, with no credit given, no permission asked. And, of course, it's not even the original work. At least I make plain the fact that my drawing is a copy, an exercise.

It's amazing what you can find on the internet.

David Macaulay's website
My original post.
His book: Great Moments in Architecture
Wikipedia's entry on Piranesi

On the end of an era...

Well, it's over. The last Harry Potter movie. Granted, it was over in 2007 when the final book was published, but there's something different about the Potter movies.

More than Lord of the Rings (8 movies is more than 3), more than Star Wars (because there was so much of a gap—in time as well as style and story—between the two trilogies), the Harry Potter series created a world with rules. Especially as the visual technology improved (just compare the quality of special effects in HP1 to those in HP7pt2), it was a world in which we came to expect certain things.

Stairways shifted, paintings were alive (and that's an idea I particularly love), space was malleable to an almost-cartoony sense (see the Room of Requirement), other people's memories could be experienced first-hand, and even typography was mobile.

It was a world rich in history (as clearly emphasized by the thick layering of paint on Ollivanders) and full of life. I will miss exploring the halls of Hogwarts, wondering where the next secret panel or hidden doorway will be.

If nothing else, it was immersive. I'll miss it.

p.s. I did like the books better, but there's something to be said for seeing the worlds you've read about.

Why I Create...

I create as a means of exploration.

There are things in my head—characters, vistas, cultures, metaphors, puns—that will never see the light of day otherwise, and often in the process of bringing them out, other things are discovered. That's why I am so interested in realism, in the Old Masters, in the Baroque, in fantasy & science fiction, even in typography. It's the ability to tell a story with an image, a phrase, a typeface; to convey more than what's there; to encourage the viewer/reader/audience to ponder, to bring their own stories to the piece.

And, of course, it's to create a pretty picture, to tell a riveting story. I've heard it said that you should draw what you want to see. Often that's the only way to experience something like that...no one can write the story you're dying to read, not the way you want it; no one can show you a picture of what's in your head. They can get close, but no further.

That is, I guess, the hardest thing about being creative: when the image in your head doesn't match what comes out on the page. But that's why we keep practicing, right?

Books I've Read: J.C. Leyendecker

J.C.Leyendecker by Laurence S. Cutler & Judy Goffman Cutler

This was easily one of the best art history books I've ever read, thanks—in no small part—to the massive amount of "pretty pictures" contained therein. For example, the book collects every one (or very nearly so) of Leyendecker's 322 Saturday Evening Post covers, ranging from 1889 to 1986 (published posthumously, of course). But, aside from the wealth of illustration depicting Leyendecker's finished work and preliminary sketches, the book also contains a well-written text documenting the artist's life and struggles.

Yes, Leyendecker was not only gay, but lived with one of his models—the Arrow Collar Man, Charles Beach—from the 20s until Leyendecker's death in 1951. In their early years together, they lived a lavish life that can easily be seen in Leyendecker's paintings of fabulously graceful women and haughty, confident men (as well as being the inspiration for The Great Gatsby).

But what really comes through in the text and illustrations is a sense of Leyendecker the artist. While there was a "Leyendecker style," he always seemed to come up with a new twist on a problem: one need look no farther than his magazine covers, each one different, no matter the holiday. It is Leyendecker we have to thank for the icons of Thanksgiving turkey and football, for the baby New Year, for Santa in red and white, for the way in which nearly every American holiday is observed (especially by way of greeting cards).

And that's what makes a good book: learning something new. I highly recommend this text to anyone with an interest in the history of American culture, or advertising, or illustration. It chronicles the life and times of one of the greatest forgotten artists of the Golden Age of American illustration, and best of all, shows his sketches and works-in-progress, allowing us a peek into his techniques.

This is definitely going on my bookshelf.

Available on Amazon: here.

My Upcoming Show

That's right, dear readers, I have an exhibition coming up soon!

It will be from 10/10-10/14/2011,

at the Witt Gallery,

Kadema Hall

Art Department

California State University, Sacramento

6000 J. Street

Sacramento, CA 95819-6061

Of course, this means I have just over four months to prepare...and already I'm starting to worry, heh. Not only do I have to 1) select art, 2) finish, update, and otherwise retouch art 3) create new art 4) decide how to hang the art...

but also 5) design the poster/postcard for my show. And that's really starting to stress me out.

And then I remember that I am a graphic designer, and it's my job to do things like that. 

So...take a deep breath and jump into process:

1) problem statement

2) research

3) brainstorm

4) produce

5) revisit problem statement & refine

I may post some of the above steps here, because I know that showing process is (almost) always a good thing.

Reasonings

I've been pretty down on myself lately, feeling like I haven't been producing as much (in truth, I haven't) as I once did—measured, in this case, by the number of pages I filled on a weekly basis in my little Moleskine pocket sketchbook (some of which can be seen here).

And then I realized today what the major difference between "then" and "now" was: I am no longer in school, and therefore no longer sitting through mandatory lectures at sturdy desks with nothing to do to keep my pen active other than sketching (and taking the occasional note). Now, on the other hand, I'm always busy - at work, driving to and from work, walking from my car to work (and vice versa) - and don't have the luxury of being seated for most of the day (apart from work).


I am, it seems, far too hard on myself.