Raven

This is the process in how I create a bird print. I pick a bird I've seen, in this case the common raven and my most simple print to date, and I sketch it.

I scan the sketch and use it as a template in which I trace it in Illustrator to refine and edit the shapes. I play with the color and decide how many layers of color I want to carve.

Next, I flip the image and print out the Illustrator version and use it to transfer the image onto the block.

I carve away.

Then, I mix the paint and test the colors on paper.

I roll the color down and burnish. I let it dry between layers and hope that when it's all done, it comes out decent.

This one was easier - only 2 layers and 2 colors.

Old Sketch, New Post

I've been lazy with drawing, but I'm doing other(hopefully productive)stuff....like cleaning. I found an old pen sketch I did while in Taipei.

Year of the Tiger

The colors are WAAAAY off on the image, but I'm trying my hand at poster design. I had to include certain information, including a Chinese character, as well as limit the palette to only 3 colors. It was challenging and fun. I hope to practice doing more in the future.

House Wren

I sold some framed prints, like this wren, at the recent Open Market and met some cool artists! Thanks to everyone who stopped by and thanks for supporting artists with a purchase!

Quote of the Day: "Fear is useless. Faith is necessary. Love is everything." Martin Sheen

"Sometime it is an artist's task to find out how much music you can make with what you have left." Itzhak Perlman

Perfect, especially given the times.

Yay! Got Chosen

Cliff Swallow

After hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst, I found out that two of my pieces were chosen to appear on the American Illustration site - I'll take it! I was thinking I'd get shafted this awards season, especially given the record number of entries in all the competitions this year, so it was a very pleasant surprise. Congratulations to everyone who got in - I look forward to seeing all the amazing work...and am totally inspired to work harder and do better.

Quote of the Day:
"Success is not to be pursued. It is to be attracted by the person you become." Unknown

Open Market

If you're free, come check out Open Market where I'll have a booth along with my cool artist peeps at One Colorado:
http://www.onecolorado.com/fun_artmarket.php

It's a cool place to see and score art from amazing artists - Sunday, May 3rd all day till dusk!

Quote of the Day

I thought it'd be cool to regularly share some quotes from my own quote collection - collected over the years. Good advice is always inspiring! Here's the first "Quote of the Day (fitting for the time):

"A college degree is not a sign that one is a finished product but an indication a person is prepared for life." Rev. Edward Malloy



Western Bluebird - linocut block print.

ANSWERS: C, K, L, O, Q
How did you do?

99 cent store!

This is a prospective Op Art piece that tests your knowledge:
Can you identify the items NOT sold at the 99 cent only store?
Have fun :). Answers will be in the next post!

Fashion Figures

I love fashion illustration but I miss the old school fashion illustration - the kind where it actually depicted the clothes; the kind where the designer needed an illustrator to render the fabrics and all the details; the kind that has almost disappeared. I do love the modern fashion illustration that appears in editorial and more predominantly in advertising via packaging, bags, commercials, etc., but sometimes it's nice to see the "fashion," where the apparel is the emphasis.

I suck at Photoshop so I'm giving it a go by practicing with some of my fave pieces from the recent Fall Collections: from left to right - Versace, Christian Dior Couture, and Balmain.