Holidays-daze

I was a little swamped with work and other projects going on during the holidays. Cranked this skateboard deck out in a weeks time for a client.

silver soul

Just got an Intuos 4 from the family for xmas. Decided to take it for a test run in photoshop. This is the result.

Bring it on back

I've had a few people ask me "why are you so against digital art/printing?" I think this video alone helps sum up my reasoning. There are intricacies, delicacies, and a large amount of love and dedication to your craft to be able to produce something original and as "pure" as this. There is a certain level of intimacy involved in this process that so many have discarded over the years in order to make things quickly and easily. For so many it is not about the product or the process but about time and profits. It's depressing to see our origins in print and art and look at where we are now. I don't ever want to be thrown into the mix....become one with the pack of wolves that eat, sleep, and breathe "quantity over quality. This is everything I've ever wanted in my life. One day I will be doing this sort of thing on my own; this is my life's goal....to make beautiful illustrations, designs, and prints completely by hand and to never let the human element leave art. Machines/computers are supposed to help augment the process and the outcome.....not replace the creators thumbprint in the search of the mighty dollar. I say it's time we take back our souls, redeem art and print, and preserve it's beauty for future generations. Stop sitting behind a computer and regurgitating 1's and 0's pretending to be an artist. You sold your soul a long time ago you cold technician. Robot. John Dyre Baizley is another one of my favorite illustrators alive today (as well as singer, songwriter, and guitarist). He's immensely talented and should not be overlooked. You can see his work at www.aperfectmonster.com Artists, designers, printers, illustrators..... Let's bring the soul back like James Brown!

True Grit

Holy cow! I need this!
My favorite Illustrator released a wood-etched variant of his True Grit movie poster. This thing looks sharp!

Mondo X Horkey X Moon from Patrick Kawahara on Vimeo.

Ouroborous

Laid down the base for the marble filagree this evening.

Praise and horn tootin'

So after I submitted my layouts for display pride over the holiday floorset I got alot of attention and praise from the higher-ups. I just thought I'd share my submissions with the masses as well (so now you can see what I do all day long).

Paper switchblade

One. Step. Closer.

Before it breaks you.

So took last night off to keep from going too stir crazy on this...as for tonight's progress I was able to get all of the gold foil damask pattern over the fabric done. I'll let that tack up over night and get to glazing all the variations in light and dark over top of the gold and really make it "pop".

Out with the old.

I felt it was time for a default image update.....since the last one was up since I started this back in April. 'Bout time if you ask me!

I love gooooollllllldddd

Started the iridescent gold damask patterning tonight. All free hand.....ya know, because I'm crazy and self-loathing.
Haha

I don't know if you have figured this out by now or not but I don't use stencils/tools/references. 100% my mind/eye/hand.

Like I said before, the pattern will cause the fabric to look flat so once all the patterning is finished I have to complete it by adding glazes over top to make it feel like it moves with the folds and rolls of the purple fabric.
That's all I have in me for tonight. 5 straight days of painting and a creative day-job really wear you out.

I'll take colors that end with "urple" for 500.

Just for the record; purple is one of the most difficult colors to paint with. So are iridescent metallic paints. And I love myself so much I thought that I would treat myself to attempting both in one painting.

Truth be told I do enjoy a good challenge. And I am delivering just that in this go-round.
There are shiny solid surfaces, soft textile surfaces, reflective traits, transparent materials,  as well as patterns and rough textured surfaces to come. I'm pulling all the stops these days!

The purple filigree/fabric is far from done. This is merely the base-coat. Come tomorrow I will add the iridescent gold foil over top of the fabric in a "damask" style pattern. Yes, over top of all those rolls and folds. Then once that tacks up I have to glaze the shadows and highlights over top of all of it so that the gold pattern doesn't make the surface look flat. Then I get to glaze a few highlights from the fabric reflecting onto the marble sphere in the background. Crazy? There's a reason I was given the nickname "Mad Man" you know.....just living up to it.

Longing

Update from todays progress. Added more depth and shadows, cracking on edges of the marble and more definition to the honeycomb. Began work on the iridescent gold "gills" and purple fabric.

Sementis Tempore

"the sowing season"
This painting sort of manifested itself of via my subconscious.
Tuesday afternoons I usually have to join in on the conference calls at work though 90% the discussion doesn't pertain to me. Just started scribbling lines on my notepad and ended up with what became the overall flow of the final painting.
Just yesterday I decided that maybe the sketch would make a good painting...not painting ONLY what was originally drawn but embellishing upon the flow and composition.

The sphere was added right as I started sketching it on the sanded ply board. I thought marble would be a good surface material to experiment with on this one since I've never painted it before and it has a nice semi-reflective gloss to it as well as many detailed intricacies in the organic lines.

I will go more into detail on the various elements found in the painting once it is finished and I can better explain it.

xmadxmanx.carbonmade.com