Bizarre Alphabet = "GRIM" complete!

Today I finished what I started yesterday.

The Bizarre Alphabet = "GRIM"



(see a larger image of it Here)

I went over the pencils with bic pen, and added a few things I hadn't thought of before. (even after the drawing I took a photo of)
I then added acrylic - layers of light washes, like using watercolors.
This is perhaps the most complicated and cluttered piece yet, hard to imagine!
There are more than 60 possible words beginning with "G" - if you happen to make a list, feel free to find creative concepts like "GRUESOME!"

Here is the drawing before coloring


Dimensions: 7.25" x 7.25" x 1" (thick) acrylic and bic pen on wood.

Gotta go to be early tonight - 8:00 work day tomorrow! No 5:00 am craziness.

epic art day 1 - worked on Bizarre ABC = "Grim"

(posted in retrospective, as I did not want to post it at 5:00 am!)

For the first day of my epic art year, I decided to solidify my "G" drawing.
I have been working on an ambitious "Bizarre" alphabet series, all on 7.25" x 7.25
blocks ofwood - each piece gets more and more elaborate - up to and over about 60
potentialthings in the latest pieces - There is a lot of planning - I had created about
3 listsand about 3 drawings corrosponding to the letter I was working on. G has been
themost frustrating so far, because there is so MUCH I wanted to do and I couldn't
decide on a basic layout.
This is the first time I've decided to make the preliminary drawing digitally - by
scanning in some of my drawings so far and using stock images to get things in
place before I draw them. Normally I wouldn't show this, but I'm interested in expressing
behind the scenes here.



I worked about 6 hours on this. It doesn't look like it (most of the time was spent
finding images and placing them), but at almost hour 3, it got deleted on accident,
and I had forgotten to save. ACK!

Then I did the drawing in pencil on gessoed wood. No tracing, no transfers, just eye to brain to hand to pencil.



After today, I will go over the pencil with bic pen, and then color with acrylics.
----
Insirations for this stems from my childhood interests in artists who tamed the
alphabet in their own artistic way - such as Edward Gorey and especially Mike
Wilks's "Ultimate Alphabet" - of which I *think* I have the book but if not, I
definiely have the game "Scrutineyes". (unfortunately, no good pics here)
_______

Lastly -
-Pay attention to the world around you:
Learn to recognize those things you don't see every day.
Record it in someway so you can remember. Otherwise,
your brain might eat the experience. It's exhausting trying to
recall little morsels of joy if you have a memory eating brain like I do.



(snapshot from an errand earlier)

__________
Um... One last thing. some last minute inspiration.
The last song I was listening to at 4:50 am on my last.fm player was a Paradise Lost song from the 'Draconian Times' album.
I noticed the album cover art and had to find the artist.

The artist is Holly Warburton. Her website is in construction, but a little google image search will show a few more samples.
That is all. I don't think tomorrow will be as full!
_________
Dont hesitate to comment, make suggestions, requests, and/or recommendations!

Sidestepping Artist with stripe cap

Full figure, wearing cloths! I've decided this year that I'm going to focus on retaining, rebuilding, and gaining new skills. I'm tired of creating work purely from my own mind. I need to start working from life again more if I want my imaginative work to look better. I hope I can find time to paint other people (if I can convince people to sit for me)

I havn't done a (successful) full figure in oils since 2004. See below to compare the 2!



The first one is from 2004, and the second one was finished on Friday, Jan 22nd.
It looks like I am stepping into my artwork with defiance!
I'd say its not bad despite my lack of practice - however my exposure to drawing lectures keeps my mind fresh and constantly thinking about anatomy.
CLOSEUP!


______________________________

More Art: THE WEIRD ALPHABET!!!
"D" = Devious" is finished!


See a slightly larger image at my Deviantart site - click on the image to see the larger.
There are somewhere between 30 and 40 "D" words here. Have fun looking!

___________________________
Other news:
I have posted a few Military photos from 1916, 1917 - 14th Cavalry on Ebay.
Check them out if you are interested or know anyone who is.

The Weird Alphabet and recent inspirations

The Weird Alphabet!
I have started a new series, spinning off from my other new series!
The weird alphabet! This idea has given me an artistic boundary to work within, and allows me to explore my long dormant love of RESEARCH! Thinking about letters, I also wrote a very naughty alphabet poem, but I will keep that secret for now.

The most recent of the new alphabet series is C = Cacophony



"A = Ambiguity" and "B = Blissful" as well as the rest of the new series (sans alphabetical meaning) can be seen on my website under "Sketch-Panel Series"
_______________________

Recent Happenings and Inspirations

As its December, I will express my love of my favorite Rankin/Bass Christmas special. "The Life and Adventures of Santa Clause". Its one of the most bizarre and beautiful and somewhat pagan Rankin/Bass special, and it RARELY gets played on television. I watched the whole thing on youtube a few days ago - but alas, I checked today to show someone else and it has been removed due to copyright issues. I believe this special should be available somewhere, as it is so rare and most of the people I talk to have never heard of it! Do not be fooled by the animated version (ok, but not as hauntingly interesting) - find the CLAYMATION Rankin/Bass version. I own the movie, and the book - I just realized I have not read the book yet. Check it on IMDB. By the way, even though that is my one true favorite special, I am a fan of all rankin/bass productions (that I've seen so far) - including the wonderful "The Last Unicorn"

___
Fine art: last Thursday, when I lectured about contemporary art, I realized that I hardly own any books or magazines about 'fine art' - I mainly collect fantasy and horror illustrative art - including periods of art history usually gleamed over quickly in general art history books, if mentioned at all (symbolism, romanticism, pre-raphaelites and sentimental Victorian art, and going further back to Bosch, Bruegel, and any artist that focused on darker and fantastic themes). I am hoping to expand my art book collection now to be more inclusive. (Like I need any more books. for the past year, I have had piles on the floor because I ran out of bookshelf space.) Speaking of books, I recently picked up one of my favorite books that I had never finished previously : "Color: A natural history of the Palette" by Victoria Finlay -written as a travel journal, a woman's quest to find the meaning behind colors.

That is all for now. As usual, I am desperately available for commissions, etc.
___
Happenings:
This Friday: I will be vending some art at a club event called "Sanctuary" at the Melody Inn Reception Hall, Indianapolis, IN.
This Thursday will be the last day of my very first university teaching job. Its been a tough start, but I think I like it. If I can keep up with the grading.