new art and studies

Greetings Fiends!
Thought I'd show some of the work I've been doing.
Random experimentations and revelations between working on bigger projects.


Two 6" x 6" oil on panel pieces. I had already started these a few months ago, but didn't go anywhere with them. They were flat and brown. I got my oils out again, and with full intention to use a complete and crazy spectrum of colors, I started with red and STUCK with it. Aside from using the under painting as a guide, this was pretty much stream of conscious like most of my works.


The other day my good friend Galindorf (link) showed me a work in progress - a sculpted head, and asked what she should do with it. Being silly, I said 'chop off the top part and have TREES coming out of it!' Needless to say, this inspired a vision for myself and I sketched it in my sketchbook with paint, followed by a colored pencil drawing a day or 2 later.


Last of all, I drew a portrait of Nathan Kranzo (the magician) during a lecture he was giving after a show at the Indy Magic Monthly show. (link) - I was at the lecture because I do the IMM programs , so I'm on the 'crew' I decided to use the opportunity to do a portrait of Nathan while he was lecturing - as well as manipulate a Nathan Kranzo photo on paper - (given to me during the show as it was part of a performance I volunteered for) - I added scales to his face and colored it with some travel watercolors. I cut the paper and made it hold my bic pen portrait of him, which I cut from my sketchbook. (more clear photo of the portrait below)

How to draw people while they are constantly in motion? Choose a common pose - While speaking to the audience, Nathan would often face forward with his lips slightly parted in talking. I usually take a mental picture, draw what I can, and wait for him to take a similar stance again - watching hard for subtleties in facial structure, memorizing details of the face before putting pen to paper. Watching and looking HARD (and memory) is probably 80% of doing a drawing like this.


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Thats about it.
Other news? Preparing to get prints for upcoming conventions and events,
trying to network, finding myself in all sorts of projects,
experiencing both frustration and undying excitement and gratefulness at being an artist.
I've done a lot of art research today.
Reading up a lot about Moebius since his death.

Snooping in other artist's studios (with permission of course)!

But I'm not here to talk about my writing habits...
I'm here to to bring surprise and mystery, confusion and ambiguity!!

STUDIO FEATURE BLOGS
I am posting to share my new endeavor.
I have become a guest blogger at the http://www.stutzartspace.com/ -
Where I am featuring the inside of other artists studios at the Stutz building.
I have over 20 artists interested in this project and counting, so needless to say, it will keep me busy for a while - and I have an excuse to snoop around in other artist's studio spaces - something I find inspiring and full of *Endless Wonder.* (Warehouse 13 reference there, if you haven't seen it, go to Netflix now and watch the first 2 seasons. NOW.)
Of course, this also means that if I find myself in a NON STUTZ studio, I will also be compelled to feature it on my own personal blog(s).
Check out http://www.stutzartspace.com/ for all things Stutz Artists,

For the specific studio features, check out

Elise Schweitzer

http://www.stutzartspace.com/inside-the-artists-studio-elise-schweitzer/

and 
Julia Wickes:

http://www.stutzartspace.com/inside-the-artists-studio-julia-wickes/
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VIDEO
And while I'm here, I might as well give you a link to a video I posted recently -
of me painting on clayboard HERE

(total finished piece below)
"He Sees Spirits"

random ramble link and art experiment

By the way, I started posting some of my random rambles on my livejournal again.
Go check it if you are interested in more words and thoughts.
http://zyphryus.livejournal.com/

While Im here, let me post a random art experiment

(sharpie, bic pen, packing tape, acrylic paint)

Peek inside my brain with sketches and experiments

Greetings out there in internet land.
I am in the mood to post.
Much of my daily work now is either a commission, or a painting I'm going to post everywhere else so
I decided that my experiments and sketches can find a good home here for now.


Students and doodles, on break at work. Blue BIC Pen <3


FLAME BRAIN! Inspired after a late night internet chat about fire and Leos and brains. of course, what else?!


 
More sketches, possibly a few weeks ago. I love the horned figure in the center. 
Those are dreams at the bottom. Tis where I write my dreams if I remember them.What was in these
particular dreams? Theme parks, vampires, trees, and the emotion of excitement over an artist's art and music.


trees, hand studies. and an awkward woman beast thing. 


COLOR in the sketchbook. When I have excess paint from other projects, if it doesn't end up getting slapped on a wooden panel it goes in my sketchbook. 




Experimenting with shapes and colors and textures in Photoshop. 

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Stay tuned folks, till next time!
I'd write more but I'm sleepy!

Where did all the blogging go?

So you may or may not have noticed that my blogging kinda dissappeared!

Well, that doesn't mean my self drive did too!!

I merely got very busy and realized that I was a lot more productive without public blogging.

The 'self drive' blog did its purpose - it was for me, and helped me get more active in art daily.

The actual ~blogging~ journal style still carried on, but on my own computer, away from the pressures of the public eye. There is something to be said about keeping one's own ideas and work to themselves, until they are ready to share certain things of course.

But, I'm not here to tell you this blog is dead! Its just in transition. I'm currently deciding what to use it for now. Something that will be different from what I post to facebook, and something that uses the blog's features. (such as the lateral time written format)

Busy? BUSY!

I've been super busy, and I havn't felt much like blogging!
Here is a quick one!

First, some new finished work!


 "The Awareness" - oil on canvas (roughly 3.5 feet h.)



"The Forgotten One" oil on canvas (roughly 4 feet h.)


"Baby Sun King"


"Queen Spider" 5" x 7" mixed media on Yupo paper ~ available for $25.


Blue face... 5" x 7" mixed media on Yupo paper ~ available for $25.

Here is a quick list of some things...
-This past weekend was Wizard World Mid-Ohio Convention
- Last night I finished Tarot card #3 (Empress)
- I JUST watched a short film I helped out with, can't wait to share it with people!
- 1 convention and 3 art shows happening in November! (see my LIST so far of events and appearances. I need to get crackin on new small works!!!
- IDEAS are coming out my wazoo, whatever that is! I'm considering doing some art as homage to some of my fave 80's fantasy films.
- Been networking and sorting out all the upcoming events like crazy.
- editing my ETSY! (some things are now more affordable - get thee to my etsy shop!
- working on a sculpture hand
- I'm sure there's a lot more to mention but I'm on the go!

What happens at the studio, does not stay in the studio....

Greetings Internet!
Here are some updates from the studio.


First of all, took some old stretcher frames, removed the old work and started some new pieces.
Its been a while since I did a big painting. I wonder what my automatic drawing style will look like bigger, and as a painting. We shall see!


2 new pieces in progress, the first one is about 36" high.

OLD WORK

I also saved my largest college painting from the basement. I will be removing the work and restretching canvas on the frame for a new work. WOW, thats going to be epic!! 7 feet high!


Of course, its very easy to get sucked into another dimension while at the studio. Dave somehow got himself locked on the other side of these window doors. You can't blame me, I had NOTHING to do with it... I just took photos. *chuckle*



This girl is looking more and more realistic every day. The mannequin almost needs a name now!


My sister Carolyn visits the studio all the way from MIAMI!! (few weeks ago)
Ok, she was visiting because of a hospital scare with dad (false positive on heart trouble, all ok now) But I'm so glad she had a chance to stop in before going to the airport.


Had another visitor to the studio yesterday - This is Natasha working on her leather masks. We met her at one of the horror conventions, and she was passing through Indy for the Pagan Pride Festival and the Fishers Renaissance Faire. Mmm Leather Tasty.


Oooh more storm trees!!
I plan to many a lot of these.
My regular ones are $60 - $75. These smaller ones are available for $40. (6" x 6" masonite)


A tree woman in progress on yupo paper. 8" x 10".


Ok Ok, not everything on this blog post is from the studio.
I helped my dad out with the Columbus, IN. Iron Pour on Friday last week - this is the sand block I carved. Iron was then poured into it and I have yet to see the finished product. I'll post when I do.


Here are more sand blocks other people did. We sealed them with some sort of fluid,
and set fire to it. 
For fun. 
...and to seal the sand block/smooth it out for the iron.
There were about 100 community sand blocks.