Mexico Lindo

Here is the Final piece from my last Illustration 251 Class. We had the assignment of choosing from a list of nursery rhymes to choose from and to illustrate it in a different time era or culture. I chose the rhyme "My Black Hen" which goes like this:

Higgledy Piggledy,
My black hen,
She lays eggs
For gentlemen;
Sometimes nine,
And sometimes ten,
Higgledy Piggledy,
My black hen!

I knew at once I wanted to do something Mexican, with a color scheme "south of the border". The ideas came easily, I just had to adjust them to explain the rhyme. I drew around 20 thumbnails, colored them in Photoshop and worked from there. I loved the style so much I continued to make similar images. I just recently painted a watercolor version of the picture that had come to my mind in the beginning (the Adelita in the sombrero with braids [see below]). 

Viva Mexico, el cielito lindo! Hasta la proxima! 

My little brother Ty is leaving on his mission this coming week. He will be sorely missed for these next 2 years, but I know he will be doing the right thing, and I couldn't be more proud of him. He is my go to guy in all things art, design, and fashion...and I'm not sure who Ill consult with him gone! This is something I made at his request. As much as we try time marches on and now my little brother is turning 19 and headed to South Africa. Time Passes Along.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year to all!

2012 Year of the Dragon

Moleskine

I got some moleskines for Christmas and this is how I decorated the cover of one.

Painting 450 Final Completed

Here are some stills from when I was working on this piece. I started out by making a mock up on Photoshop. I took the mock up, put a grid on it and sketched it on the 3' x 3' board. Then I did an under painting in brown. Then it was just brush to the canvas. After a good 10 hours it was finished. We were assigned to work on a piece that was conceptual in nature that was at least 3' in the smallest dimension. I started working on lies, or facades that people put up (like politicians or high school students). I decided to take it more to the facades people are creating on the internet and how technology is de-humanizing us until we are unrecognizable. By using these tools of media we can blur who we really are, or even become what we are not. I decided to make the faces blurred into pixels, which has standard "digital" use. 

It Runs in the Family

Ty has been working on some typography too. I guess it just runs in the family. I did the top one for him, and he did the rest.

Here are some mock ups for a my Painting the Human Head 430 class. We were supposed to do something more conceptual and this is all I could come up with. I had sketched a few ideas and after discussion with my teacher I chose these two to make mock-ups of. I think I will be doing the pixelated faces and talk about the anonymity with the internet and social networking.