M, N and O
I've been reworking my portfolio a bit. Here are two more pages from the GREAT ABC SEARCH I illustrated for Checkerboard Press in 1991. Both are Rotring art pen and watercolor on bristol board. Click on images to enlarge.
Conspiracy Theorist Thinking.
So, is it just coincidence that these things have happened in the past few weeks or is it brilliant movie marketing for INDIANA JONES?
Morphing Ghost Picture with LCD Photo Frame
Let the Halloween Projects begin! As a Christmas gift, I got a PANDIGITAL 6" LCD digital photo frame. I just got around to using it. It has a slide show feature dissolving from photo to photo and is easy to upload pictures directly from the computer. I experimented with it and now has become a new, favorite Halloween prop creating HAUNTED MANSIONesque morphing portraits.
I scanned a old family photo of my great, great Grandparents. Using the clone tool in Photoshop, I made a second version with their heads and hands gone. This size frame forgives some sloppy Photoshop being a small window (3"x 5 1/4").
That's it! I just uploaded them. There is a 5 second delay between PICS but the result is great and has so many possibilities. Here's a video of the effect...I also drew my own rotting old man portrait and it also worked well. Again, I only did a before and after. I was impatient to see it work right away, but I'm planning to do one with numerous stages of slow decay which should be fun to see happen over a longer period (ala Dorian Gray).
Here's a video of this one...
The glass, matte and frame are removable but odd dimensions so it's not easy to switch out quickly with something more theme appropriate. Until I can really customize perfectly, I aged the matte with a wash of coffee and dry brushed the frame with dark brown acrylic.
The frame also has it's own remote control and you can upload MP3's to it. Your portraits can have their own theme music (or creepy voice?). It lends itself to a lot of ideas. I'm going to buy more of these frames by October. Especially a larger 15". I can imagine a spooky collection along the fireplace mantle come Halloween!
AHHHH...the good 'ol days.
I just wanted to post this and re watch over and over getting warm fuzzy feelings remembering my painfully dated younger years...
STAR WARS Friday: The Final Chapter!
Here is the FINAL CHAPTER of my 1980 comic book version of what I thought RETURN OF THE JEDI might be when I was 14 years old. If you need to catch up...
Chapter 1 is here
Chapter 2 is here
Chapters 3 & 4 are here
Chapter 5 is here
Chapter 6 is here
Chapter 7 is here
Chapter 8 is here.
UPDATE! The contest guessing what Ralph McQuarrie painting inspired a panel from from chapters 3 & 4 is closed. Congratulations Mike Headley, you get bragging rights (I wish it was more)! For the right answer, click here.
Click on pages to enlarge.
Chapter 1 is here
Chapter 2 is here
Chapters 3 & 4 are here
Chapter 5 is here
Chapter 6 is here
Chapter 7 is here
Chapter 8 is here.
UPDATE! The contest guessing what Ralph McQuarrie painting inspired a panel from from chapters 3 & 4 is closed. Congratulations Mike Headley, you get bragging rights (I wish it was more)! For the right answer, click here.
Click on pages to enlarge.
A Suburban Tale of Horror (not for the squeamish)
The other day, I was finishing up some kitchen chores at the sink. Little did I know the garbage disposal, the dishwasher and a unseen growing clog in the drain would soon create a horror movie moment.
After turning the washer on I decided to take a shower (I know the thought of that scares you but that's not the worst of it). I was getting clean until...
the water stopped draining.
It rose to my ankles.
Suddenly a dark ooze began to appear.
It clouded all in a split second, a foul stench followed.
Bits of broccoli, other old food, gobs of hair plus unidentified stuff floated to the surface.
Even the plumber winced in disgust when he arrived to fix things.
After turning the washer on I decided to take a shower (I know the thought of that scares you but that's not the worst of it). I was getting clean until...
the water stopped draining.
It rose to my ankles.
Suddenly a dark ooze began to appear.
It clouded all in a split second, a foul stench followed.
Bits of broccoli, other old food, gobs of hair plus unidentified stuff floated to the surface.
Even the plumber winced in disgust when he arrived to fix things.
INDY Countdown: JUST HOURS AWAY!
Did any other 1983 High School senior quote Indy in their yearbook?
Yea, mileage is misspelled. Typos were abundant in that yearbook. My middle initial is actually "C " for Christopher.
My yearbook quote was so nerdy and embarrassing that the family had to move 2000 miles to make a fresh start in Los Angeles. My brother Ted was a freshman at the time.
Ted's picture in the same yearbook had nothing to do with it...
Yea, mileage is misspelled. Typos were abundant in that yearbook. My middle initial is actually "C " for Christopher.
My yearbook quote was so nerdy and embarrassing that the family had to move 2000 miles to make a fresh start in Los Angeles. My brother Ted was a freshman at the time.
Ted's picture in the same yearbook had nothing to do with it...
Stefania's Critter Cafe
The future Sister in law has turned the backyard into a small cafe catering to the hipster, suburban animal crowd. The menu includes imported birdseed, organic peanuts, fresh fruit and bottled water.
It's become so popular that some critters arrive early and hang out, waiting for it to open every morning...
I would not be surprised one day seeing birds and squirrels in the backyard with tiny laptops working on their screenplays asking Stefania for "sunflower seed" lattes.
It's become so popular that some critters arrive early and hang out, waiting for it to open every morning...
I would not be surprised one day seeing birds and squirrels in the backyard with tiny laptops working on their screenplays asking Stefania for "sunflower seed" lattes.
INDY Countdown: 3 days
TV and the Web is a "spoiler" minefield now. The movie has been shown to the press and reviews are showing up everywhere. A friend e-mailed me warning I should avoid Myspace and Facebook as well because certain people are revealing details in their "quotes".
I'm actually becoming a paranoid and afraid to go out in public worried of overhearing some random INDY 4 conversation at the grocery store. Actually, scratch that. I am a paranoid and afraid to go out in public...but...what if I wasn't?
INDY Countdown: 6 days
My friend Jag works in Hong Kong right now. She took this great picture for me. Now I know how to write Indiana Jones in Chinese.
INDY Countdown: 8 days
I'm going to frame this picture and hang in my room next to all the INDY action figures I'm going to collect...
Tomb Stone Polish
Want a quick, hour and a half killing procrastination project to avoid doing the 1001 things your supposed to be doing? Here's a "step by step" to read (adding more time to the your procrastination).
I've collected tons of odd bottles over time. I've started to remake them into a Witch's supply for Halloween.
1) Using polymer clay, I sculpted a medallion on a bottle just using a sharp pencil. I baked it on the bottle but I don't recommend this, I took the chance. The trick to not cracking the glass was baking it at a low temp. for a longer time till done ( I did remove the cork).
2) I then added wash after wash of watered down grey paint till it worked for me. The wash was important to allow the color to flow into the small details as thick paint would just fill them in and disappear. What's fun to discover here, at this small scale, is how your fingerprints in the clay add to the texture.
3) Once dry, I used a white prisma color pencil to highlight the details. It works like "dry brushing" but you have more control, especially with a small thing like this. Of course, then clean excess paint run off from bottle.
4) Finished when adding a murky looking oil in the bottle with food coloring and water.
I've collected tons of odd bottles over time. I've started to remake them into a Witch's supply for Halloween.
1) Using polymer clay, I sculpted a medallion on a bottle just using a sharp pencil. I baked it on the bottle but I don't recommend this, I took the chance. The trick to not cracking the glass was baking it at a low temp. for a longer time till done ( I did remove the cork).
2) I then added wash after wash of watered down grey paint till it worked for me. The wash was important to allow the color to flow into the small details as thick paint would just fill them in and disappear. What's fun to discover here, at this small scale, is how your fingerprints in the clay add to the texture.
3) Once dry, I used a white prisma color pencil to highlight the details. It works like "dry brushing" but you have more control, especially with a small thing like this. Of course, then clean excess paint run off from bottle.
4) Finished when adding a murky looking oil in the bottle with food coloring and water.
Late 80's Investment.
Back in the late '80's many artists stopped trying to challenge their artistic skills and reverted to a "6 year old" drawing style. It proved popular and chic.
I was an 80's slave to trends and commissioned celebrated artist D. J. Waddell to create a portrait of myself. In those days (thanks to numerous Wall Street takeovers) I had money to burn. Her work was expensive.
It's now valued at 500 gajillion bajillion dollars in sentimental money.
I was an 80's slave to trends and commissioned celebrated artist D. J. Waddell to create a portrait of myself. In those days (thanks to numerous Wall Street takeovers) I had money to burn. Her work was expensive.
It's now valued at 500 gajillion bajillion dollars in sentimental money.
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Another old sketchbook page I reworked adding color...
I've always felt people see the Creature from the Black Lagoon as a B list old Universal movie monster. Dracula, Frankenstein's monster and the Wolfman are the classic A list, but the Creature and the Mummy are often seen as just part of their entourage.
The Creature has 4 major things going for him...
1- He was a trilogy of films with a continued storyline. Just like many of today's movies.
2- He was originally shot in 3-D helping to create the popular '50s gimmick. It's making a big comeback now.
3- His third movie has a creepy storyline hinting at mutant DNA ala modern movies. I may be reading into it too much though.
4- He's fun to draw in your sketchbook. You'll have a blast using him as a subject.
I've always felt people see the Creature from the Black Lagoon as a B list old Universal movie monster. Dracula, Frankenstein's monster and the Wolfman are the classic A list, but the Creature and the Mummy are often seen as just part of their entourage.
The Creature has 4 major things going for him...
1- He was a trilogy of films with a continued storyline. Just like many of today's movies.
2- He was originally shot in 3-D helping to create the popular '50s gimmick. It's making a big comeback now.
3- His third movie has a creepy storyline hinting at mutant DNA ala modern movies. I may be reading into it too much though.
4- He's fun to draw in your sketchbook. You'll have a blast using him as a subject.
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