You'll never be able to paint better than you can draw

I heard that recently. Is it true? I'd like to THINK so. Learning to observe and draw well, is a necessary path. And while drawing can be an end in itself, through history it has served as "preparation" for painting. And not because it's simply a discipline, but because it teaches OBSERVATION, I think, and trains the hand; in other words, it develops the "artist's eye," which is so necessary in any real art. Drawing and painting are really the same thing: sensitive observation. Or so it seems to me. ...So, I'm working on a mural of a cheetah, and I'm THINKING about the cheetah. And so tonight, at work, I did a little sketching of a cheetah. Of course, I had to stop and draw a PERSON for MONEY, but I got some of the "cheetah study" done too. No big deal.

New Studio

I've rearranged everything. The utility room wasn't big enough to use a projector, nor to "step back," so I cleared-out my bedroom, laid down plastic and canvas atop the carpet, and moved my whole painting set-up and "mural practice wall" into the space. (I now sleep on a little cushion which rolls-up under the desk!) This is a real improvement for learning murals, and I finally got myself an overhead projector, so now I can actually practice the EXACT techniques I need for mural work. ....
And, YES, those are practice spheres, but I've never done 'em before. (They're in EVERY learn-to-paint book I buy.) And you know what? Spheres are actually excellent exercises. You must BLEND, and you must work from dark to light in different colors. If you can paint spheres in all the colors, you can paint any object, in a sense. I darkened each hue with its complement, basically, and tinted with white, for all the variation in value (and chroma). (I kinda rushed 'em, and didn't get the shadows right, but the shadows in the book were wrong, I noticed.).... And I've switched to professional Liquitex heavy body acrylics. They have a higher percentage of actual PIGMENT.
... Oh, and I did something I thought I'd never do: I bought a couple of books by Lee Hammond. If you've ever browsed the art technique section of a big bookstore (and who HASN'T!) you've probably noticed several books by Ms. Hammond, and you've probably noticed that some of her example artwork is, well, rather SIMPLE, if not SUSPECT. But, you know, I realized the other day that LEARNING acrylics REQUIRES simple work. (I've been getting frustrated.) So when I looked closer, I was intrigued. I mean, look at this limited palette: cad red medium, cad yellow medium, prussian blue, and then throw in alizarin crimson and burnt umber (and tit white and a black) and you're set. Nice and simple (and EDUCATIONAL). ...More to come.

Back to Acrylics

HOLIDAYS, BE GONE! Wow, I hate that stretch from Halloween to New Years. The days are getting short, darkness surrounds me, it's getting colder, I'm more and more broke, and I'm alone. Argh! Depressing, eh? Sorry. But it's over now, and I'm working on painting. ....
I've figured-out that I don't have the right airbrush for fine art, so, at the moment I'm returning to acrylic brush painting. My step-sister (in St. Cloud) wants some fairies painted on her daughter's bedroom walls, so I'm starting with a Tink-like design, just for practice's sake. And, yes, it's the same design I posted a while back when I was experimenting with airbrushing. It makes a good comparison. .....
Some of the drawing was traced from a Disney design online, but most was freehand, and, of course, I did all the acrylic painting, which was the point of the exercise (as opposed to drawing exercise: I get plenty of that already!) ...I'm figuring-out skin tones, blending, and whatnot, and, man, it's TOUGH, especially on drywall like this. I mean, getting all those details, and not having a PEN or something... Jees...
The figure in the photo is 9 1/2 inches tall. ...It didn't really take too long. I really like the IMMEDIACY of acrylics, actually, and the simplicity. Just a brush and paint, and you're set.
...Anyway, I see some problems with this painting, but overall I guess it's acceptable. The legs are too dark. The face is rather cartoony. The hair is BAD. You can't see her ear. Oh, well...

Why Our Hearts Ache

I'll admit it. Now in my 40's, I've become disillusioned. After all the emotional trauma which is youth, and young love, and rejection, and all the years of hard work in life in general, I feel empty, or at least I WAS feeling empty. But during the last 3 1/2 years, here in Florida, drawing people for a living, and having a little more TIME in my weeks, I've loosened-up a bit, and have recovered some lost sensitivity in my soul, so to speak, I think.
I'm thinking of women, of all things. What horrible creatures, I sometimes muse. What is their worth? They've given me nothing but heartache, and, more recently, nuisance. They can't drive. They're physically inferior, in a brute sort of way. They promise soul and body, and give neither. ...But I still appreciate the physical beauty. And, for their souls? What the ...? Give me a beautiful painting, or a fine meal, but not the soul of a woman.
But, now, I've remembered something. You see, I met a young lady recently. Well, she's too young for me (in her low twenties), but she's not too young for some of you. She'll remain nameless here, but some of you know her, here in Orlando. Anyway, that's not the point. The point is, she reawakened my RESPECT for women. This had been gravely challenged in my mind.
No, really. Just when I thought I couldn't be more disillusioned, I came across a young woman who floored me with her sweetness, kindness, creativity, and potential. Wow, I thought. Wow, I remember this. I remember respecting women, and desiring them for their souls, in addition to their bodies. I remember, now, the desire to wed and have children, not because it was a genetic impulse, but because I worshiped a particular girl, and wept at her feet, without restraint. Women can do that, if they aren't so hell-bent in becoming like men, aggressive, selfish, and, well, you know we men suck. I remember worshiping a girl or two, long ago, and now I remember why. I respect; I long; I fully realize I'll never be a better human than my lady, and my heart aches, and breaks.
And I find that I am rejuvenated by this recovered knowledge.

Friendship

This day, the day before Thanksgiving, I suppose we're all thinking of FAMILY. But I'm thinking of something more powerful: FRIENDSHIP. Friendship is more powerful than family because we CHOOSE friendship. Now, I'm not talking about acquaintance, or working relationships, or roommates. I'm talking about friendship we choose for no other reason than mutual respect and agreement, and perhaps something more, something beyond what I can quantify at the moment. These are the people who share our views of the fundamental questions in life, as well as, perhaps, our most pleasurable pursuits, hobbies, interests, whatever, as well as that undefinable thing, you know what I mean, an attraction, a tug at our souls. These people, these true FRIENDS, meet us deep in our hearts, and dwell there for our whole lives, no matter the geographical separation.
But such people are rare. How many can you name? If you have ONE true friend, count yourself lucky. More than one? You're a god. ...Is your spouse a true friend? Now THAT is a good question for many.
Real friendship is the most powerful political entity we'll ever experience. We gladly will die for such friendship, not because we're brave, but because it's an act of survival. To have a true friend is to look in the mirror.
Thanksgiving is an artificial occasion FORCING us to be with family briefly. Friendship is it's antithesis.

Well that didn't work!

I started to paint a pic of Tinkerbell today, but I soon learned I was rushing it, and was in a bad mood, and kept smearing the wet paint. It was looking good at first, as I cut-out the stencil section, and started a nice flesh tone, but, like I said, I was in a bad mood and rushed the whole thing. You must REALLY MASK WELL when dealing with such small images. My airbrush isn't as finely detailed as some, and I'm not yet adept at its control, really, so careful masking is essential. Trial and error. And error. A bit tedious. ...
...Yet, afterwards, I went back through a book or two, and I think I've figured-out an excellent way to do masking in an easier (and more "fool-proof") way. I need to get a couple of items, but the stores are closed now (it's late), so I'll get my stuff tomorrow. This new technique will be perfect for murals. Man, there's not enough time in the day anymore! I really really really need to get my skills solidified with murals, and start making some money! I'm broke broke broke...*whimper*whimper*

A Better Set-up

I realized pretty quickly that I would need MANY hours practicing the handling of my airbrush, so I got myself a chair and a table. Much better. I don't know what I'm doing, just repeating dagger strokes and dots and shading over and over and over, and some lettering, too. And I tried to draw another girl freehand, but on this smaller scale (thus, VERY fine control is required). It's amazing how technical an airbrush can be. One thing I discovered is that I needed to thin my paints with water much more than I was, as in 1 to 1 or even 2 to 1, water to pigment. The needle tip still clogs a bit after a few minutes, so I must clean it over and over. Is this normal? It happens mainly when I'm doing a lot of LIGHT work, just spraying tiny amounts up close. I think maybe it's normal. Like everything, you must learn to clean it efficiently and quickly, and get back to work. Takes about 30 seconds, I guess. ...
Man, don't let paint dry inside your airbrush! It gets everywhere, especially is it's too thick. If it's too thick, it doesn't atomize properly, so, later, you find dried chunks THROUGHOUT the gun. Another way to solve a too-thick paint problem: increase the air pressure. Unfortunately, my compressor has only one setting.

First day with a real airbrush

It took two days, and trips to Michael's and Target and Home Depot, but I finally got my airbrush system working (almost) properly. And, this evening, I spent a few hours playing. All the books say to practice making dots and lines of various sizes, and then DAGGER STROKES. The dagger thingys are fairly difficult for a newbie, because you must simultaneously: 1)Move the airbrush across the paper smoothly; 2)Start the movement/stroke high-off the paper, and then smoothly slide downward toward the paper; 3)Start the stroke with full color pressure on the trigger, and smoothly lower the color pressure/amount until there's nothing; 4)Go the direction/angle/curve you want! But I was kinda able to get the hang of it. The photos show my practice sheets and "studio." Wow, the mystery of the airbrush. But I'm starting to understand it. Sweet.

Got Myself a Real Airbrush!

Woo-hoo! So I finally got a real airbrush and a real airbrush compressor. They're USED, but nearly new. Man, that compressor is TINY. But that's standard, and it's quiet. The color cup and jars were all clogged (with old paint from the previous owner), but I'm making headway cleaning it all up. (Think SPRAY PAINT REMOVER.) The airbrush is a Paascha VL, and I've taken it apart and put it back together a few times already. The pic shows my messy new set-up and toys. Woo-hoo!

Spray Paint: Version 2.0: Airbrush and Murals

Ah, the airbrush. I love the "look" of good airbrush art. "Like a dream," I heard one artist say. Sweet. But I've never used one. Sure, I've used spray cans a little, but am unsatisfied. What I've discovered recently is that airbrushes can produce VERY fine lines, and can be manipulated like any DRAWING instrument. Yet they can produce perfect soft fades. ...So, yeah, I bought one. OK, OK, it's just a super-cheap airbrush, and I'm using a pressurized air can as the air source, but that's all I could afford at the moment. (Actually, tomorrow, I'm getting a whole, nice set-up from a friend: professional airbrush, quiet airbrush compressor, and a bunch of paint. I'm stoked!)
Anyway, so I've played-around a little with the super-cheap set-up, practicing making dots, lines, fades, whatnot, and then I "drew" a quick face, which took about five minutes, and stands about 4 feet in length. Fun! I mean, this lousy airbrush only produces a THICK line, but practice is practice. Any new instrument has a big/steep learning curve. Then again, this feels darn natural. (As my friend Mike says, I haven't found my artistic "niche" yet. Perhaps murals [in airbrush] is it. We'll see. I hope so!) ...So I continued to practice, but I had to stop. The air line kept freezing-up with the propellant, so you must stop after a few minutes, and let it warm-up. Frustrating!

Murals!

Ok, ok, I PROMISE I've finally figured-out what sort of art upon which I wish to concentrate! I've often thought about murals (and faux painting) as a possibly satisfying artistic endeavor. That's why I started studying acrylics and color theory a few months ago. There's a real market out there, and I like the ego-boosting idea of this BIG art form out in the public (or in a home). (Plus, it pays well.) But, man, as I collected several books and videos on the subject, the whole project appeared so complicated, well, I just felt defeated before I even got started. But, the other day, I decided, Dammit!, I REALLY need to get on with SOMETHING. (I don't feel comfortable with the idea of house, boat and pet portraits, so I've abandoned that idea.) Anyway, so I started clearing-out my utility room. And then, as luck would have it, I ran into an old artist acquaintance who does murals. She said she needed help with murals on a regular basis, and was basically willing to teach me what she knows. Wow! So, I finished cleaning-out my utility room, and bought a couple of drywall sheets, and bought some house paint and craft paint (to go along with my acrylic artists paint) and started on my very first mural this weekend. You can see it, half-finished, in the photo. And, gosh, I really enjoy working at this scale, I realize. The REACHING over my head bothers my shoulder, so I'll need to be careful there, and use step ladders and scaffolding and whatnot to reduce the strain. (I can also use my left arm for a lot of the "dumb" painting.) But this is COOL. I'm VERY happy happy happy. And with my friend helping me, I do believe I've found my "niche," and a kind of new career. We'll see. I have a lot to learn!

Sailing Photos

Me and my friend Alex (www.alexdellagatta.com) went sailing for a couple of days in his new Macgregor 26 (last week). (His girlfriend doesn't like to come along all the time, so he's usually eager to get some crew.) We started at Fort Desoto Park, near the mouth of Tampa Bay, then went out into some open ocean sailing (the Gulf of Mexico), and then around Egmont Key. We decided to have dinner in Cortez, FL., at the Fish Shack, so we docked down there, and ended-up staying the night at the dock, rather than "anchoring-out" somewhere. The next day we had a great sail back up to Fort Desoto. 10 knot wind on the beam. Sweet. ...Alex snapped a couple of photos of me at the helm. In fact, I did 90% of the helm work, which was great because Alex was exhausted (having been out all week already) and because I have such little experience on these bigger boats. Almost all my experience is on sailing dinghies and sailing canoes. And since my Islander 24 is almost ready to go, I really needed to get some more exposure to handling these larger craft. "Good times," says Alex. Indeed.

I got a hug tonight!

This girl took one look at her picture, then looked at me, then looked at her picture, and then looked at me again and put her arms around me for a couple of seconds. I think her mother cried. Nobody said anything. Man, I'm a shy person, but moments like that make me want to keep drawing caricatures forever. There was a large crowd around, and everyone was quiet. Haunting.

Ruined?

A little accident happened last night. I was holding my technical pen in my hand as I wiped away some eraser fragments, and got mad because the little fragments wouldn't get out of my way fast enough, so I really pounded the board, trying to sweep 'em away, and then I realized it: some ink had been dislodged from the pen, and my manic hand movements SMEARED it all over the drawing. See those long strokes in the upper right of the pic? Those ain't seagulls! Ouch. Maybe when I color it, I can add a dark cloud...? Man, I have many hours already in this particular work... My first sailboat! ...New rule: Always use brush to sweep-away eraser fragments.

Pet Portraits (and other things) in Pen and Ink

If anyone wants a portrait of their pet, just let me know. I'm doing 'em for free right now, to build a portfolio. I just finished this kitten (from a photo on the Internet) as an example of my work. ALSO: If you have a home or boat, I can do portraits of them as well. All FREE for now. I've included a photo of a "practice" house I did a few weeks ago (and previously posted).

Pen and Ink!

Technical pens, hooray! I'm really liking this. Got .25 and a .50 Rapidographs. Sweet. ...
These are two works-in-progress, all ink. I love what can be done with these things. Boat, house, pet portraits, people portraits, nice. I may pursue this.... And watercolor can be added.

Recent Caricatures

The two little kids are from tonight. On the little Mermaid in the tub, the mother had requested "something I can hang in the bathroom to look at while I bathe her." The little girl was 16 months old, but looked older, actually. Cute!

I guess I need advice

Anyone else (caricaturists) have shoulder problems? Or HAD them? What did you do? I've met some guys who have had surgery, but that's not financially viable for me. Heck, even going to a doctor for a simple visit seems too expensive, because, I'm thinking, what's he gonna say? "Stop doing that which is causing the problem." That's what.
I don't know. Man, last night I went to work, all positive and happy, and had a fairly steady evening after a slow start, and I was careful, and then, afterwards, as I very lightly reached forward **CRACK** went my shoulder, and a shooting pain nearly floored me. I wasn't holding anything, touching anything, nothing, just reaching forward a few inches, and BAM! Wow.
I've been reading a little about shoulder injuries. Sounds like I have a rotator cuff tear. Has anyone else had this? Is this what caricaturing does? Or is it something else? I have the impression that it WILL continue to get worse if I don't stop drawing the way I'm drawing, that is, hours of reaching to a vertical plane (the easel). But how long do I have? A few months? A year? I'm trying to draw much more slowly, unless I get busy. ...If it were up to me, I'd use a drawing table. I would no longer need to LIFT my arm with my shoulder, as my drawing hand/arm/shoulder would be largely supported by the table. I've heard guys say they LOVE their drawing tables after years of using an easel. But that's not possible for me. It's not in my control. Oh, well.
...I have some decisions to make. Any advice would be valuable. Thanks all.

A strange and mysterious thing happened...

Yes, something strange happened last night. I was sitting at All-Star Sports, doing nothing, and then I decided to SKETCH BODY SITUATIONS. Now, for three years, I've tried to wrap my mind around FACES. I've poked and pinched and prodded my brain and my arm to understand and to render FACES. But rarely have I thought much about BODIES and the ACCESSORY OBJECTS of the craft of comic illustration. Oh, I've seen my fellow artists work hard and produce brilliant animals, vehicles, anatomy, et cetera, but I simply let "familiarity" nurture my own efforts (as I continued to dote on the face itself). Now, if you show me something, I can draw it. But that's not the same as remembering it or being creative with it. But, last night, I was thinking how sick I was of drawing lousy race cars and tigers and fish, to name a few of my lowly efforts (which I whipped-out from a flawed memory). So I started drawing on my lapboard. Hmm... I thought. ...I'm seeing immediate improvement on my old designs.... Hmm... And then it happened: I drew a cool-looking race car, and then a cool-looking female, and I was absolutely THRILLED. "Wait a second!," I thought. "I can do this all the time, with all the body situations! I can develop (and remember) excellent designs for each situation! For everything in life, actually! All sports, hobbies, characters, animals, et cetera, et cetera!!!" Wow. I didn't know how much fun I was missing. Man, I DRAW for a living. So, dude, DRAW. Work on that motorcycle, and when you get it good, and get that "thrill," draw it like that every time. And then, when someone wants to be drawn on a motorcycle, instead of cringing, I'll say GREAT! and whip-out my latest knock-'em-dead creation! Wow. Now I see it, now it SEE IT. Why didn't somebody tell me??!!! (By the way, thanks to Keelan for HIS designs. The race car I'm working on comes from his body situation display [as well as a few others]. I'm going back to the "source." lol)

Two Sisters

More from Sports tonight. I was able to get a photo of the older sister (the ACTUAL girl, that is), too.