ROKSTARS FINAL

Final painting and proof for the upcoming Rokstars mixtape from Manerok and DJ Awhat. The final proof also contains the Rokstars custom logo created in Adobe Illustrator. I will post the final details and product photos once the album is released at the end of February. Keep an eye out.

SHOESHINE 4.0

Final images of the custom Nike ZF-1 Boots I painted in collaboration with Karma Leigh for the latest installment of Shoeshine. The theme was the solar system and we chose Jupiter to create, going the mythological and astrological direction, utilizing the astrological symbol, and classic ideas of Jupiter and Juno's relationship. The turnout and feedback from all in attendance this year was great, and with the SIA tradeshow in town their were a few more voices to hear and listen to. Look for this event to be a formidable exhibition in years to come. More event photos and progress photos on the next few posts.

PBR ART CONTEST ILLITERATE

Here are my process thumbnails, and preliminary sketches, and final for the PBR Art Contest being held nationally. I went with inspiration from 40s, 50s, and 60s Pabst advertisements that contained some kind of traditional illustration. I found through my research interesting tidbits about the Milwaukee brew, such as the 33 fine brews that are blended into one to create the Blue ribbon taste, and more than a few other things, such as tongue in cheek racist ads, and others that were evident of the era and its context. My theme took the direction of the blender can and its contents, with a classic style. The show at Illiterate was a blast, great turnout, great vibes. The contest winners are picked in summer I believe, so I will keep the blog updated as I hear more.

DISPENSARY LOGO

With the gargantuan amount of dispensaries opening in Colorado, it seems as if there are a few folks out there looking for medical marijuana artwork. I recieved a call from a local dispensary with this very basic, but effective concept they had in mind. I worked up some quick thumbnails, and knocked this out in Illustrator. Silhouettes are great, and if you didnt hear me, silhouettes are great graphic tools.

Daily Paintings Progress

So I havent quite maintained my painting a day idea, but have still been creating imaginative ideas on boards, with plenty of time to paint them once I have my plate cleared again.

Here are two of those ideas, the first being from MLK day, and my thinking to myself that I had yet to do a portrait of the man. The second being the one and only Brock Samson, I suppose this is only appropriate that I would be posting a civil rights leader and the leader of the henchmen killers in one post, but here goes. Look for the finals soon.

GREEN SPACES LIVE PAINTING

I recently got a call from Josh over at GreenSpaces Colorado to request live painting on a youth night aimed at youth awareness and workshops. The SoulAju Youth Jam is an event geared towards high school students, but is open to young people of all ages. College students are encouraged to attend. The purpose of the event is twofold: 1) to create a safe, fun, and dynamic environment that brings together youth from across the city for a night of art, entertainment, and community education; 2) to get young people of diverse backgrounds interested in green activism and sustainability issues. The event will feature art and entertainment by internationally recognized spoken word artist The Original Woman, poets Ara Cruz and Jozer of Café Cultura, Hip-Hop artist and producer DJ Cavem, local women’s Japanese drum group Mirai Daiko, and Hip-Hop/Neo-Soul fusion duo Molina Soleil & Aju, who will be releasing an album with DJ Icewater later this month. Workshops will be facilitated by permaculturist and activist Shannon Francis and educator and environmental activist Neambe Leadon, among others. The event has been organized by Molina Soleil & Aju and Josh Watkins. Josh is a local youth advocate and organizer who works with Flobots’ Fight with Tools organization and Challenge Day Denver. In addition to Green Spaces, other event organizers include the Woodbine Ecology Center, Challenge Denver, and Blue and Yellow Logic.

With multiple workshops and focus groups in attendance the night was a great success and will surely produce more exhibitions at GreenSpaces. The live painting I put together was from sketchbook ideas and concepts, and strangely enough as I was working through the piece an attendee who was speaking with me told me to research The Fourth Estate, by Guiseppe Pelizza da Volpedo, that my piece reminded her of the Volpedo painting. When I got back home I looked up the piece and Twilight Zone jingle was going off in my head a bit. It was very inspiring to see this piece and see the direction my painting was taking without having any knowledge of the Fourth Estate. I will post the final painting in a few days. For more info and insight into how we can all be more earth friendly visit Green Spaces on 26th and Walnut or visit the site.

HERSTAL FLAKES VECTOR

Vector print ready editions of the previous post of ink weaponry. These are going to have use in cut and sew and direct printing, think I will do many more of these exploring the positive and negative space effects. The tessellation type geometry that is created is intense, cant wait to see them go to print.

ROCK N LOAD: ARTORDER

Process thumbnails and rough comps for my first ArtOrder Challenge. The challenge was to create a concept for an upcoming video game themed with the idea of a leather clad rocker, bent on denying the evil General Records from shutting down his studio, set in Tool City. I focused on creating a concept that involved the idea of Jimi and Slash's child, fending off corporate suits. The concept for Tool City was one built of tool accoutrements such as screws, wrenches, screwdrivers, and drab colors.

The character design I put together include details about power ups in the game, such as guitar cord plug ins holding cyclops eyes, and electric chair caps, for use in later levels.

ArtOrder is the blog of Jon Schindehette the
Senior Art Director at Dungeons & Dragons® Wizards of the Coast. It is a very insightful and informative blog showcasing the amazing talent at D&D, and the priceless opportunity of having AD feedback, critique, and challenges that offer looks at multiple concepts of the same theme, and some that offer work, which is always a plus. Look into it, beneficial in many ways for artists at any level.

MASONRY MURAL COMMISSION

Some progress photos of a mural in North Denver. Myself and two other artists were commissioned to create a vision for a longstanding Brick masonry company based on the teams of men in masonry construction. I am still working on the main figure seen here, and some other final details. I am pleased with the overall feel of this "Working Man's Mural", and the story that can be told through the tools of ones trade. Mural is near completion and I will post the final images and info when the project is completed.

ROKSTARS PROCESS

Mobile progress photos of the Rokstars Mixtape oil in the working stages. From the color studies a few posts down I had taken the direction of the warm sky, using the simultaneous contrast to pop the colors and composition. The painting is complete, getting scanned soon, I'm excited for this cover to go to print, I have a really nice Iron Maiden style logo that I have drawn up for the title as well. Look for the final next week.

WEEK 1 PAINTINGS

Here is one small watercolor, and the pencil sketch of another of the daily paintings from this week. Will post the remaining paintings on Mondays post. I did get to the five painting goal that I want to achieve for each week. A few are studies, others have more of a finished quality, and more to come.

HERSTAL INK DRAWINGS

Current ink work, Herstal police issue weaponry for use in apparel designs. Four of seven weapons shown here, the post displays the process as well, loose brush and wash using Faber Castel Pitt Pens, and dipping them in water to build up dark and middle tones. Final details applied with Black Pitt Pens. I will post the final graphics in a later post, for use in cut and sew apparel.

ROKSTARS PREVIEW

Happy New Year, here's to the new decade. Color studies for upcoming Cd cover in the works. I will post the entire process once the project is going to print. The scan seems a bit overexposed, hence the subdued version. The final painting for the cover is in oil which I will post with the process sketches.