Any Cake Left? - Twin dobermanns

The Illustration Friday 'Identical' topic prompted me to post a variation of one of my cards from the Beestycard Zazzle shop.
This is not exactly an original illustration as it is appropriating a 19th century etching that I found.
This expression on the pup's face reminded so much of my childhood dog that I couldn't go by it without somehow stealing it, reworking it and giving it a new 21st century life.

The Sketchbook Project

The Sketchbook Project is at the Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia, PA, USA from August 23-25.

The Sketchbook Project is a mobile library of artists’ sketchbooks contributed by thousands of creative people from across the globe. It encourages artists from diverse backgrounds — working artists, full-time parents, busy professionals, students — to share their process with each other and the public.


My Encyclopedia of Grim effort is in this shelf somewhere.

Offshore Breeze - Suspended in blue

Between the sky and water.
Warming westerly supples the spine.
Gently held by rolling swells.
Waiting for the perfect.
Suspended in blue.

Sprinkler

I remember when this photo was taken.
A very hot summer Sunday. Hair freshly combed.
As Mom took this photo she said, "Don't get wet."
We were going to my cousins shortly.
I stood there silently, not doing anything wrong.
Mom said a little louder, "You better not get wet."
I was just standing and thinking, geez.
"Go put your shirt on and don't get wet!"
What? huh, all this talk and standing in the sun makes me feel warmer.
Walking in through the back door Mom yells, "I'm warning you!"

Heartspace - Encyclopedia of Grim

The heart space a space of infinte richness or infinite emptiness.
Love found can make it feel like it's filled with the wonders and joy of the universe. Love lost can make it feel like it's filled full of nothing.

This is a drawing from the Encyclopedia of Grim.

The Rabbit Star Shining Bright

This one is for the kids.
On the way to the rabbit star.
Statistics:
• Name: T Leporis
• Type: Vitamin B class star – visibility good.

Abbreviation	Lep
Genitive	Leporis
Pronunciation	/ˈliːpəs/, or colloquially/ˈlɛpəs/; genitive /ˈlɛpərɨs/
Symbolism	the Hare
Right ascension	6 h
Declination	−20°
Quadrant	NQ2
Area	290 sq. deg. (51st)
Main stars	8
Bayer/Flamsteed stars	20
Stars with planets	3
Stars brighter than 3.00m	2
Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly)	3
Brightest star	α Lep (Arneb) (2.58m)
Nearest star	Gliese 229 (18.83 ly, 5.77 pc)
Messier objects	1
Meteor showers	None
Bordering constellations	Orion Monoceros Canis Major Columba Caelum Eridanus

A3 Show 2012 - Illustrators Australia

Top, Shaman Mask - Angry Red
Below, Shaman Mask - Antler


Illustrators Australia will be holding it's annual A3 Print Show in June this year and I'll be one of the exhibitors. (see image below for dates and times)


I'll be showing and selling the two images above as Glicee prints. They are professionally printed on Acid Free Canson Edition Etching paper, 310gsm and printed using the Epson 9900 series. 
(Limited to an edition of 40 signed prints). 
Image size 297 mm X 420 mm. Paper size 330 mm X 455 mm.
Prints signed, titled and editioned in pencil at bottom. The electronic signature seen on the above images will not be on these prints.
Contact me by email  if you are interested in obtaining one or more. 
The email address is at the top of this blog.


These artworks are based on my Shaman series skateboard designs (See them in the beestycard zazzle store). I was interested seeing if I could apply the rich ornate vertical design of the boards into a more standard print format proportion for this show. It took awhile to work out but I have finished the digital artwork this morning (with a break to sit outside to observe the transit of Venus). When the sun became obscured by clouds in the afternoon I had the first prints from the edition professionally printed by Angus Benham at his printery called Gusha Visual Media over in Brookvale NSW. Thanks to him for such great quality work.

Shaman Mask Old School Skateboard design

Artwork

http://www.zazzle.com/shamanmask_old_school_skateboard-186794250456317721?CMPN=addthis&lang=en&rf=238666164147056874



This is another Shaman Mask illustration applied it to a skateboard deck design. Here it is as it appears in the Old School style at the Beestycard Zazzlestore.

Skateboard design at Beestycard

AngryRed - Mini Skateboard by beestycard

I've had a big play around with my Angry Red Shaman Mask illustration (top) and applied it to a skateboard deck design. Here it is as it appears in the Beestycard Zazzlestore.

Riding Around on my Rooney

What a great old day this Sunday. Sun's out, .......not in much of a hurry really, as it is the weekend. Just enjoying the day and having a ride around on my Rooney. 

A little drawing from the Brownsnake2 Sketchbook.


This has become an intriguing drawing for me because of a odd little coincidence. I drew this fellow on his chopper tricycle while in my bed before drifting off. The following day I spotted an article in the online Sydney Morning Herald newspaper announcing that the designer of the first chopper bicycle the 'Raleigh chopper', Alan Oakley, had passed away from cancer at the age of 85.
Here's a DailyMail article link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2147366/Alan-Oakley-designer-Raleigh-Chopper-bike-dies-aged-85-cancer.html

Fade to Black

Fade to grey. Then to black.

ImpBoy Hitched

Walking down the banks of the River Styx I came upon this little ImpBoy.
He told me the Harpies stopped him on his the way to the Calgary Stampede and hitched him to a post.
Since the Harpies didn't bother to tell him why he was hitched to a post on the beach of the River Styx Impboy was finding it all a little undignified and was kind of embarrassed.
I decided to tell him a story about me, the Calgary Stampede and Muhammad Ali but since he wasn't in the mood to listen he just sat and sucked on his tail.


A little piece from the theatre of the biographically absurd and the Brownsnake Sketchbook.

Jumping Pup

Jumping Pup

A jump thru hooping hands.
A leap of joy and freedom.

A jump into my owners arms,

for love and protection.

Jumping Pup is from the BrownSnake Sketchbook.

Return of the Cat Juggler

This kind of activity could return to haunt anybody.

It seemed appropriate for this image to be posted under Illustration Friday's 'RETURN' topic as it was prompted by a little mental nostalgia trip I had a few weeks back to when the comedian Steve Martin did a little cat juggling. Here's at a short little video of this comedy moment that has stuck in my brain for the last 30 odd years or so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ99O8Pjs2c

Cat Juggler is an image from the BrownSnake Sketchbook series of collage.
PS. No kittens were harmed in the production of this image.

Humanity, high yielding - self seeding

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

by John McCrae,

May 1915

Loitering with Intent

This Gumshoe detective seems to be in two minds about what to do next.

Standing, waiting, thinking, what is this guy intending, in his film noir - Mickey Spillane attire to do next?
Is that a street post in Papua New Guinea he's leaning on or is this Gumshoe's Pacific equivalent of the Maltese Falcon. I wonder if he's not hiding a precious, fragile intent in his heart which he shields as he scans his psychological landscape.

Gumshoe is another from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series of drawings.

SBY - Capable hands

When I had a look at the IF topic this week of 'Capable' it immediately reminded me of an article I read in this saturday's issue of The Australian newspaper. 

SBY shepherds Indonesia into a modern society.

by Greg Sheridan, Foreign Editor - The Australian - Feb 25, 2012.

Sheridan writes an interesting and insightful piece about the Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The first line of the very positive story goes; The presidency of Indonesia now fits Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono like a warm glove on a winter's day.

The story goes on to describe the leader as comfortable in his own skin and having a very capable rule in Indonesia. It talked about his initiatives with the rulers of Burma and the relationship between Indonesia and Australia. It was a good read and timely as had recently been thinking a bit about East Timor and the politics of Indonesia since the fall of Suharto.

This collage from the Brownsnake Sketchbook was one I had started last week when thinking about that subject.

Fluid

'Fluid' is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series.
Fluid, a word that can describe many qualities beyond its liquid origin. Here I'm just trying to portray the fluidity of music, motion and a joyous soul.

Popularity

The trouble with wanting to be popular and attracting attention to yourself is that you have no control of who succumbs to your attractions. You have no control over their thoughts and actions. It is a double edged sword.

This image is also from The Encyclopedia of Grim. This image was actually one that was highly dependant on the random paint marks of the background. I pulled the figures out of the shapes of the colour blocks. A skull shaped yellow area was the catalyst for the leering figure on the left. The white facial area block sitting on the pink body was the catalyst for the figure on the right. The concept developed gently from the ongoing theme of the The Encyclopedia of Grim sketchbook which was the grimacing mouth shape.


Apologies for messing up and submitting two links to the Illustration Friday site.

Encyclopedia of Grim

Winston appears on page one of The Encyclopedia of Grim which is my submission to the Brooklyn Art Museum's Sketchbook Project 2012.
I've uploaded all the pages from my sketchbook to their site and they are available to peruse now.

The project will be touring various cities in the USA starting April 14th 2012 in New York City. The Australian creations will also be shown in Melbourne November 10th - 25th at the NGV Studio, Federation Square, Russell & Flinders Sts, Melbourne Australia. Submissions from the UK will be shown in London sometime in 2012.  DATES and LOCATIONS.

http://www.arthousecoop.com/submissions/59324-encyclopedia-of-grim

Suspense

Hi all, if you are looking for the 'Popularity' post for illustration Friday. It is here: POPULARITY

I kinda stuffed my copy and paste. My apologies.

There wasn't any extra time for drawing this week so I'm publishing this image from the 'Encyclopedia of Grim' of my Brooklyn Art Library Sketchbook project 2012. This fellow is a water cooling tower from a coal-fired power plant. He awaits his fate with some suspense as the world changes and looks for a more sustainable human and planetary existence.


Two years ago a group of us had an interesting tour of the Mount Piper power station outside of Sydney. The cooling towers are a sight to behold close up as they have open bottom edges which, as the steamy heated water rises, draws in cool air and creating a powerful up flowing aircurrent that would suck you up and fling you out the top if you had a good parasail. Possibly a new adventure pastime could happen if a good anti-scalding supersuit was invented. I'll try and get onto it soon.

FORWARD_IF

Since I've been fairly voracious with working in my sketchbook this past year I've put together one for the Brooklyn Art Library Sketchbook project 2012. Just finishing up the last few illustrations for my sketchbook this week.
Above is one of the pages that fits the 'forward' theme for this weeks Illustration Friday challenge. This is our friend Ganesha who has been asked to 'perform' by someone just out of view thus the circus-like image. Since one of Ganesha's skills is his ability to remove obstacles, the request is one asking him to help so that the requestee can move forward in their endeavour.

IF TWIRL - Eddy Rides Maelstrom

The word 'twirl' immediately put me in mind of a story and illustration that kept my minds eye spellbound for weeks after having read the story as a child.
Therefore as part of the background I've embedded the beautiful pen & ink maelstrom (whirlpool) illustration by the artist Harry Clarke from Edgar Allen Poe's story 'Descent into the Maelstrom' included in the 1919 publication Tales of Mystery and Imagination.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maelstrom-Clarke.jpg
This image relates to a job I had after graduating from the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary Canada. To cut I long story short, after helping film a TVC for the Calgary Stampede, I ended up with a press pass that I used quite freely by spending a couple of days taking photos of the rodeo through the rail of the infield fence. This drawing recalls that time.
The twirl relates to the bulls movement as it tries to throw the rider off it's back. A bull may twirl or spin in circles. It may whirl and then reverse its direction of spin. If kicks out as well it's a harder ride and if the cowboy stays on for a full the 8 seconds the ride receives higher points. Maelstrom here twirls, whirls. spins, leaps and kicks to get that dang cowboy off.

'Eddy Rides Maelstrom' is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series of drawings.

Caterpillar Prep

– Sensing it was now time, Onno began the preparation. –

The story before this moment.............,
and after................

Caterpillar Prep is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series of artworks.

Preparation Lepidoptera larvae

What's going on? IF - Grounded

'What's going on?' is from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series of artworks. It is inspired by the Illustration Friday topic 'Grounded'.  This is an illustration about the research theory called Grounded Theory. 

Grounded Theory is a general research method ; which guides a researcher on matters of data collection (where you can use quantitative data or qualitative data of any type e.g. video, images, text, observations, spoken word etc.); and details strict procedures for the data analysis. It is a research tool which enables you to seek out and conceptualise the latent social patterns and structures of an area of interest through the process of constant comparison. A bit like being the x-ray machine of the social world.
More info on Grounded Theory can be found here http://www.groundedtheoryonline.com/what-is-grounded-theory (Thanks to Helen Scott PHd) 

How it relates to the above illustration is that it starts with listening, asking questions, and hearing what the little bird told you as data rather than hearing it as a story. Then you ask the bird another question getting further data, and again etc.

It's abstruse, I know, so please enjoy the image and interpret it as you wish.

From wikipedia: Grounded theory was developed by two sociologists,Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss.  Their collaboration in research on dying hospital patients led them to write the book Awareness of Dying. In this research they developed the constant comparative method, later known as Grounded Theory.

IF_ Highlight

Reflecting on 2011 there were a couple of highlights and lowlights moving me in and out of the din of the background noise of everyday life. A trip to Queenstown, New Zealand in May and an intentionally adrenaline-laced adventure there was the one highlight that jumps out at me. The trip was one where I could dare myself out of the background-noise comfort zone and push myself on to try what were previously very intimidating experiences. Paragliding started the adventure and the bungy jump concluded the adventure. The jump is somewhat recorded in this sketch from the Snakeskin Sketchbook series here.