Sometimes it is far more important to quickly sketch down an idea than it is to figure out the perfect composition. I’m going to try and squeeze in a painting of a haggard Cupid into the show, but I’ll first make sure to rectify the chaos of the wing/arm/bow/cigarette combo I have going on right now.
I drew this up today while waiting in a doctor’s office. Consider it a sneak peek at a new piece for LoveSick.
Is it weird that I’ve never actually seen this movie yet I’m making a parody painting of it?
Silly Sketch Saturday
As I was doodling a Puff Bun as Tobey Maguire as Spider-man, when a precocious six-year-old named Jake started asking me about what I was drawing. He was literally the smartest person to ask me about my sketches all day, and he was the only child to talk to me… but that is a story for another day. Jake told me about the only monster that scares him.
Dog Monster.
I had never heard of Dog Monster, so I asked Jake where Dog Monster was from. He replied, “the cemetery. DUH.” I responded, “well, that makes sense, but I mean what story is he from.” “Dog Monster is real.” “Oh, gotcha. I’ve never heard of Dog Monster, so tell me about him.”
Dog Monster is very tall. If he bites you, you will turn into Dog Monster. Dog Monster dies in the sunlight. Dog Monster has a button that if he presses once he’ll turn into a superhero as camouflage, but if he presses it again he turns into a GIGANTIC DOG MONSTER. Jake has a lot of dreams about Dog Monster. Sometimes he dreams he is a superhero, and when he is he can run really fast and Dog Monster gets really tired when he as to run so Jake always outruns him when he dreams he is a superhero.
I did a quick doodle of Dog Monster in honor of Jake. Jake, you are a close-talker, but you were eating a candy cane so I forgive you.
Day of the Dead Show Sneak Preview:
First up is a sketch of part of the postcard I made for the show (which you will be seeing the final of very shortly).
Layout sketch for a painting that is going in Happy Serum.
Maybe I’ll be sweet like Kill Taupe and give you some sneaks of finished paintings in these final weeks leading up to the show… maybe.
Like I said the other day, I can’t really post too much of what I’m doing right now. This is a taste of something for Meth & Hot Dogs 2. If you want to see the completed piece you’ll just have to come to Lift on April 30th… or wait until May when I can post it online.
Sketch for part of a new painting I’m working on that *gasp!* doesn’t include bunnies or anything else cute.
As I get ready for my show in June I’ll probably be posting a lot of process work and not a ton of finished art. They’ll be some final pieces, but I want to keep most of them under wraps until the show opens.
During the Superbowl I was hanging out at the bar with a group of guys who work for various different law enforcement departments. They are a gregarious bunch with a great sense of humor. I come to find that they have an annual get-together at Walloon Lake, and one of them was supposed to have a banner made. He sighed heavily about having a hard time getting the art together and didn’t think it was going to happen. He didn’t know where he could get the illustration done.
Well, I told them they were in luck because (and I quote) “I have a degree in that shit.”
They had a detailed concept already thought up. All they needed was someone to execute it. They wanted a take on the poker playing dogs, but with a sole loon playing poker in a green visor, chomping on a cigar, and generally carousing about. They also wanted the words “Walloonatic Weekend” and the letters “B.A.G.” to be on the banner. They only had a little bit of money set aside for the project, but something about it was cracking me up too much to let it pass by. I immediately started a thumbnail that they loved. We set up a meeting date for final approval, and I told them their vector illustration would be ready by that date.
However, there is a hitch in that plan now. I have no desire to do a vector illustration. I had every intention of doing it for them. I really did. I can’t, though. I just can’t do it.
Because I have to paint it instead. Have to.
I don’t know why I feel so strongly, but I do. I have fallen in love with this little loon. Hell, I think this is actually going to be one of my pieces for Meth & Hot Dogs II. It is going to be quite the adventure, though. They want a 3’x6’ banner, and although I will be painting this larger than what I normally do, it will still be nowhere near that size. I think I have found a solution to the size issue, but only time will tell if it will all come together.
In the meanwhile, keep your fingers crossed for me. Adventure!
