The Great Satchmo

Here is my attempt at Louis Armstrong...Enjoy!

Gone With the Wind

Wow...the blogger format changed on me.  Alright...hope you enjoy!

Miracle Max and Valerie

Here is another one from "The Princess Bride." These two characters are played by Billy Crystal and Carol Kane...but that hardly matters with all the makeup they have on.

Hope you enjoy!

Gomez and Morticia

Here is Gomez and Morticia from the television show, "The Addams Family."

Christopher Walken

Here is my version of Christopher Walken. He has done many films, but I first saw him in the film "Communion," a movie based off true incidences of alien abduction. The film is fascinatingly creepy, but it is also hilarious to see Christopher Walken being Christopher Walken with Aliens... ... ...Christopher Walken.

Ms Jessica

This is a caricature of my friend, Jessica. I am pretty happy with the way this turned out...especially the hand in relation to the rest of the body...I completely pulled it out of my imagination, but it still reads convincingly to the referenced portions. I usually feel like the hands are kind of thrown in half-hazard, but these feel better to me, and the rendering was loose and quicker than usual. Finally starting to feel the confidence as a result of long studies. I may finish another one from this series...we'll see. Overall, these feelings will probably change in time, but for now, I am enjoying it, and I hope you do too!

This Here is Rocky

This is a caricature of my uncle-in-law and his family. They had been wanting a caricature from me for a while, and now they have one...I hope they enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it.

3 Lost Circus Performers

Here is a scene from The Princess Bride...yet another movie with endless great characters and faces to draw from. More to come soon...enjoy!

Some Shine, Some Don't

Here is a spread of the movie caricatures I am working on currently...The Shining. I only like one of the Jack Nicholson designs...as for the other caricatures...I am fairly happy.

There are at least 3 scenes that I would like to caricature from this movie, so I hope to have some more samples soon.

I am also working on some studies of a couple other movies that I will be doing some final designs for.

Enjoy.

Salma Hayek

Hello blog...it has been a while. I have been doing a 30 day challenge on facebook, so I was dedicating most of my time to drawing there. If you would like to see, check out my profile on face book.

Here is another drawing of Salma Hayek. I still don't feel this is what I envision...but I like it anyway.

I am going to be posting more celebrities and movie based caricatures...it is time to start doing things with mass appeal. I don't really like drawing celebrities, but there are some classics that I will enjoy to work on. Also, I am going to link my blog to my facebook, so hopefully that will help those who are interested to see what I have been up to.

Sometimes I feel like such an art whore doing promotion like this...but I guess it is necessary.

Anyway...hope you enjoy!

Brother James...This One's for You

This is a work in progress of a fellow artist, James Hungaski. I don't think I am going to finish this one off...I do like where it is heading, but I want to push the exaggeration in another direction. Hope you enjoy it brother.

Seekers Philosophizing

Here is the finished version of that illustration I started a while ago. It was completed about a week ago, but I was waiting until it reached it's mailing destination before I posted. This is my former roommate (Nick) and myself from 2007 while I was living and working in San Diego. I had two other roommates (Steve and Kyla)...it was like a small family. These are some of the greatest times of my life thus far. I didn't have a car or a bed, and life was great. I was a bike ride away from the San Diego Zoo (where I worked) and Balboa Park...so I had free admission to those places. There was a life drawing workshop just 4 blocks away from where we lived, and every day there was plenty of stuff to do. There was an energy and a life that felt very similar to my childhood. After work I would go to this really great Mexican take out place and get a gigantic breakfast burrito with hot sauce, bike home, eat it, and fall asleep for 2 hours. Then I would wake up and bike to the coffee shop for some coffee and drawing, and sometimes we would all get together for a meal or a night out somewhere.

There are many more stories, and I may do some more paintings like this. I wish I was feeling better so I could have more of these adventures...hopefully soon.

Enjoy.

Sketchez

Here are some more charcoal sketches of people I know. Enjoy!

Blast from the Past-1998

This is a straight attempt of a photo from 1998-99 from my senior photo book. The photo was not the best one of myself, but I found it to be interesting, so I drew it.

My right eye, in the drawing, is sliding down my face a bit...and I don't really have such a bass mouth as I put in the drawing...but I still think it works out to be an interesting illustration. If I decide to paint this one, I will most likely adjust those elements accordingly.

Enjoy!

Defeat Does Not Exist in this Dojo

Here are some portraits of some characters from the movie The Karate Kid. Say what you will about the eighties, but this movie is a classic. Pat Morita's face is so weird. Each one is about 1-3 hours...accept for the one in the middle (with the chopsticks), which was more like 5 hours.  Also, check out this classic commercial from the 80's.

Enjoy!

White Boys Progress

Some progress on the latest digital painting I am working on. I don't know how professional illustrators who work in this style do it...they must be getting paid a lot of money because I can tell you...it is quite labor intensive. Just the painting portion of this illustration that I am posting here is already at least 24-30 hours in.

I think if this project were an actual illustration I most likely wouldn't have made such an elaborate pen sketch under painting, but even so...just seems like a lot of work. I like how it is turning out so far. I am basically selecting the color right from the photograph, so don't be fooled. I find that I learn quite a bit more about color correctness this way. Some of the colors, like the greens in the shadows, and the greys here and there, I would have never guessed...I don't know how some artists can see that...or maybe they know by experience of having seen it the same way I am (with photoshop) enough before to make that decision clearly. Either way...my color needs work.

Other than that, I am starting to have heart palpitations again...thanks Jesus. No, it could be worse I guess...and it most likely will be. Just kidding...sort of.

Enjoy!

Old Timer

Been pretty busy, thought I would post a drawing I have just finished...working on it between all the chaos around here. I don't know what movie this is from, but I am pretty sure it is a still from a movie. I really liked the character of this chap...as well as the mood, lighting, and posture of the entire pose.

There is so much to do, and so much I want to do...I feel tired as of late...I hope that doesn't last too much longer.

Enjoy!

Beachings

Here is the latest work in progress. It is based off a photo from 2007 from when I was living out in San Diego with my roomate, fellow artist, and good friend Nick Navatta. I think I am going to change the scale to help out with the relationship and perspective a bit before I start the color...Should be another week or so before I am done, as I have a lot of things going on at the moment.

Enjoy!

Orange Pen Character Studies

Here is what I have been up to as far as regular sketching goes. I really want to create something that is more finished...but I just love sketching like this too much. I get a bit sidetracked with this and just the amount of ideas and things that I want to bring to a finish that I kind of sabotage myself a bit.

This orange pen is money...I hope I can find more when this one runs out.

Enjoy!

Bruce Lee Studies

Alright, so here are some studies of one of the greatest people of all time...Bruce Lee.

The bottom, right corner is more of a failed attempt at a portrait. It was a really awkward spot/angle the drawing board was at. It felt like the drawing was in my lap...I guess I need to invest in an easel or a drawing table or something. I will need to redo a portrait of him again at some point. These are drawn in charcoal on 18x24 inch smooth newsprint.

Enjoy!

Family Times

Top: Sketch samples for a prospective book project.

Bottom: Caricatures out of my family photo albums.

Well, just trying to mix it up on the bottom one...trying to exaggerate more, and approach things much looser...still not pleased.

I really hope that I am picked up for this book project...it is something I would really be interested in doing. The book is a how to draw tutorial on various subject matters. I want to become a teacher in the near future, and I think this would be a great start into breaking down/perfecting my teaching methodology into a clear, concise manner. We'll see what happens.

Speaking of great instruction/tutorials...I just bought Tom Richmond's book, "The Mad Art of Caricature: A Serious Guide to Drawing Funny Faces." My assessment after just looking at the art and tutorials...this book is a must have for every artist, illustrator, and especially, caricaturist!

I plan to use this book as a reminder and inspiration to help further my understanding of exaggeration as well as core principles.

Next on my list...Ron Lemen's DVDs on portraiture...must have.

Then...Joe Bluhm's book...long overdue.

Enjoy.

Christmas Gifts

Here are some Christmas gifts that I made for some people this year. I might be posting a couple more for new year too.

Merry Christmas!

Teacher with Students

A quick illustration...enjoy!

Gangsters and Such

I am doing a lot of character sketching inspired by 1920's-1940's style, especially gangsters. Here are some examples, along with some random animals and creatures.

Enjoy!

Cheap and Convenient

...that's how I roll. Hello again, back with some more explorations of art. The top drawings are out of my imagination unless otherwise specified in the drawing. The bottom is an exploration using a water brush pen and a good ol', 50 cent, Crayola Marker. The images were from photographs I searched on the web. I am doing some research for a hopeful series of film noir illustrations. I really like the genre and era most associated with film noir. These bottom drawings were 30-60 minutes a piece, with more of an intention to explore a different medium then to actually learn anything new about drawing itself.

I will have some more film noir studies and such coming shortly, so stay tuned, and enjoy!

Practice, Practice, Practice

The bottom page is a compilation of various artists redrawn in a linear, wire frame style...all the rest are mine.