Harlot Trampling

So this one is another acrylic with a little bit of ink over the top. Once again, I'm trying to be more daring in regards to light and shadow, and experiment with the colors a little more. Color theory is so deceptively difficult. I'm also trying to play around with forced perspective more in my drawings - lately I've become extremely enamored of Eric Canete's work, and one of the big reasons for that is just his astounding perspective. Even in some of his static drawings, the lines and perspective gives such an amazing sense of movement to the pictures. If you're interested, take a look : www.kahnehteh.blogspot.com
I would also be remiss not to mention that these ladies were also inspired by my friend Heather Louise's amazing dolls... take a look see.....

Was Kirk Douglas handsome?

I'm sure it's obvious to everyone that this was inspired by 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I always loved the idea of that story. The only thing that ever really disappointed me about it was that lack of a female character and also just the loss of Captain Nemo and his amazing submarine at the end. I mean, I know the loss was sort of the point of the story, keeping this amazing technology out of the hands of barbarous humankind because really, people just can't be trusted to use anything responsibly. Ever.
Anyway, I won't get all philosophical and start some diatribe about why this is or isn't true. This is all acrylic, with a little bit of ink over the top. I'm happy with this for the most part, I think that it's one of the first paintings I've done where I've played to my strengths in regards to drawing.... And I'm still trying to be better about the lighting; you know, making it interesting and not using 'sculpting light' for everything...

Snowball's Chance

Yeah, yeah, I know I've been a little lazy in regards to updating. I feel like it's almost a prerequisite for having a blog though - I mean, every blog I ever read there's always some hiccup of a month or so where whoever is writing misses writing. So here's mine....

Anyway.

Been experimenting with some new processes, I'll let you judge for yourselves just how successful they've been. This is marker with ink and acrylic paint.....

Amsterdamned!!!

Well, I ended up giving the whole print-of-Amsterdam a shot again.... I've had too many people (you know who you are) trying to convince me that an Amsterdam print would be more commercial, and blah blah blah. Of course they're right, but it's not what I feel passionate about, or even what I would buy, so the challenge has been to find some way to make it interesting for me as well as for a customer. My first attempt was done with a digital photograph, and I was really unhappy with the results. Not only was it boring to look at, I just really didn't consider it 'doing art' (whatever that means to you). I was making xerox copies, and it was just kind of dumb, as far as I was concerned. So this is my second attempt, hand-drawn and then hand-printed (silk-screen) by yours truly. Granted, this was Steven's idea, and he thought to make it interesting, I could do the print of Amsterdam, and then on a few I could add a little 'something' to make it interesting for myself (this is why there are tentacles in the images that you see - I also have quite a few that are 'monster-free'). The idea came from a Dutch movie made back in the '80's -something was killing people in the canals of Amsterdam, and the movie was called 'Amsterdamned'. I always envisaged some crazy tentacled monster pulling people into the canals and couldn't wait to see it. Sadly, it ended up being just a regular old serial killer wearing scuba equipment. I know, bummer, huh? Great name, great setting, and that's what you come up with? A disfigured twin in a scuba suit? C'mon, people. So this is sort of my fantasy of what 'Amsterdamned' could have been.....

Home on the Range

Still experimenting with different mediums - this one is a combination of inks, markers, and pastels used 'traditionally' and as watercolors. I like the control the markers and inks give, but i think the images end up feeling a little flat sometimes - so enter the pastels. Difficult for me to control, or get any sort of 'crispness' out of, but they do add a great texture, if one doesn't go overboard....

the Ursula 01

Well, this one came about when a friend challenged me to meld Cuddlefish and Chitty Chitty Boom Boom - so here it is, Heather. The Ursula o1! Named after that fantastically tentacled baddy from Disney's "The Little Mermaid" - c'mon, she was amazing. So this image is another blend of markers and india inks - for the water I tried to use some of my acrylics as water-color - I was reading on the back of one of the tubes this was a possibility and thought what better way to test out the waters.... pardon the pun. ugh.
Still trying to stay focused with a specific set of related images though, so once again, Steampunk inspired.....

Dame Hammink-Horstink

alright, so once again, it's not the best photograph... and yet again, I'll use the same old excuse that I'm just trying to keep myself moving.... until I get a scanner. Or a photographer. Or learn how to take a decent photo. Personally, I have a feeling that the most realistic is going to be the first option. But of course funds play an important role, and I really want a flatscreen TV. Sadly, I'm not really at a point where I should be affording either. So for now you'll have to deal with middling quality photographs taken by yours truly. Hopefully the work doesn't suffer too much in translation.

Yeah, yeah, still on the whole steampunk trip. Playing around with the idea of doing some sort of a webcomic with this aesthetic. Yes, I know what you're thinking; it won't happen until I get that scanner. Guess the large screen television will need to wait a little longer, huh?

Can't take a good picture to save my life....

Good God, am I the only person who seems to have this problem? Why can I not take a decent photo of anything? Well, so whatever, here are another couple of crappy ass photos of work that I've done. If I ever get my shit together and put up a website, perhaps I'll be a little more discerning of what images I use, but I'm gonna go back on my whole procrastination reason again; if I don't just post these now, it'll never get done. So these are a bit fuzzy, and the colors are off...
So a little while ago, I took a screen printing course, and over the last few months have been attempting to tweek my drawing style and create something that would translate well using my new medium. Well, I've had varying rates of success, mostly due to me being really, really challenged in the color-ing arena. And let's face facts, when you're working with a print that's only using two or three colors, choosing the right colors is important. Slowly I'm progressing. These latest images are my most successful, although there are still things that I see that I would and will change in the future....
So this one is called "Prosthesis"....

I love laputa

So I've always been mildly obsessed with Studio Ghibli (I think that's how you spell it), ever since a friend took me to see Princess Mononoke in the theater back in New York. And then of course I kept renting everything I could get my hands on. One that I went mild for in the beginning was Laputa, "Castle in the Sky". I dunno, something about the animation was a little too manga for me at the time, I guess. But as the years have progressed, I've just fallen more and more in love with it. Who knows, maybe it's related to my ever progressing love of Steampunk.... improbable airships, blimps, and steam power? Count me in.


Anyway, I finally broke down and bought it the other day... and since I'm still playing with markers, I sort of did an homage. The picture's crap, but I know that if I don't just post it my procrastination will kick in, and then it will never get done..... so hopefully you like it.

Chitty-Chitty Boom Boom

A friend of mine recently introduced me to the wonderful world of markers - this is the first thing I tried doing with them. It's sort of a steampunk ode to Transformers.... what can I say, I'm a geek..... sorry about the picture quality, but I'm terrible with cameras. I like to blame it on shaky hands, but....

Cuddlefish

I'm a bit obsessed with tentacles these days, and I've always loved mermaids.....
All are acrylic on canvas, 40 x 60 x 3.5 cm

Won't Hurt a Bit......

One of the first paintings my partner didn't groan loudly about when I finally revealed it....acrylic on canvas board
20.3 x 25.4 cm
2007

Brace Face Series #'s 3-5

I've done five of these paintings so far, and for some reason continue to think they're absolutely hilarious...
30 x 30 x 4 cm
acrylic on stretched canvas

#3#4
#5
but number 5 is my favorite.

Pioneers

My favorite part of this painting is the grandma.... I love the idea of older women being 'handsome'....
acrylic on stretched canvas
120 x 80 cm
2007

Junkyard

I won't lie - this painting is my favorite ever....well, so far anyway.
acrylic on stretched canvas
60 x 80 cm
2007

Carbon Copy Cat

acrylic on canvas board.....
35.6 x 45.7 cm
2007

Evicted

And the goldfish even sparkles a little.....

acrylic on canvas board...... 35.6 x 45.7 cm
2007

Diet Coke

I just thought this was funny.....
acrylic on canvas board.....12.7 x 17.8 cm.......2007

Wonder Woman Allies/Rogues

For the same piece I also created some pictures of Wonder Woman's allies as well as a Rogue's Gallery.

Wonder Woman

This was one of my first attempts at putting together a comic strip. It was done for a friend of mine before I moved away from San Francisco. I created a whole wall of Wonder Woman for him, and did alot of experimenting with different media, from pencils to pastels to computer-coloring and effects.

Skirtsteak

"Skirtsteak"
This was a series of images I did for a restuarant in San Francisco called "Night Monkey"... sadly the restaurant no longer exists... hopefully the art does, somewhere. The brief was once again for sexy women, but this time it was supposed to be all about the legs and the shoes. Once again, this was done in ink and then colored on the computer.

Buxom Babes

While still living in San Francisco, I was commissioned to do a series of "sexy, ample chested women". I wanted some sort of a theme, and for me whenever I can't think of anything good, I always return to the elements. I had two ideas for water, and she chose the redhead. I'm still torn over which I prefer. Thankfully, I don't have to choose. And in the end, her sister chose to keep the first "Water" for herself.