my new postcard

I had mocked this up previously - but this is the final one - unless you can see anything wrong with it - I originally had the cat character in there - but have since removed it because I couldn't fit her into the jumping dog one without it looking too awkward.


Let me know what you think as I want to print these as soon as possible!

Of course it won't have a grey square there but I just don't want any of you coming to my house.

And anyone going to the LA conference?  I probably should have (for the second year in a row) especially considering it's right around the corner from me...but maybe next year...I'll have even more stuff to show at that time...

1 hour alla prima

oil on paper
5 X 7

Found this portrait picture in a National Geographic magazine and though I'd do a one hour painting again. The likeness isn't really there, but maybe with practice it'll improve...

Pixar painted...

oil on paper
10 X 10

Here's the final. Learning, learning, learning...

What is it?

Something I saw on vacation at the Jersey Shore you might want to check out.
[LINK]

going down a different path...

So this is for a brand new idea I have - I have to pitch it to my partner to see if it's even something she'd want to develop a story around...but, if nothing else, it was a fun little drawing that was outside of my usual.

Sort of...I guess I put a lot of what I usually do into this one as well - like the stumpy arms and the eyeballs...but the color and stuff...what do you think?

Nick Jr (Nickelodeon for lil' kids) is coming back to town in the fall and I want to pitch them something crazy.  I started with the three characters - one is a circle with a toe on it's head, another is a triangle, and the third is a one eyed square.

And i always seem to draw my characters running down a path...I need to broaden my bg drawing a bit...

Not sure about this one.

I found this in my files. One of my many unfinished works. I kind of like it and I kind of hate it. I don't know where I went wrong with this so any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks,
Steve

The saga continues...

I did a painting for the IF title, "Diary." Sadly, that painting ended up in the trash. In that version I tried to use flat acrylic colors underneath the oils, but the colors all competed with one another. Then I started contemplating the underpainting more...and I came to the realization that I really like my burnt umber underpaintings (even the acrylic ones) more. I always enjoy seeing the stage where the light is planned out and tone is stated in one color. I continued reading and looking for online references and ran across the schoolism website (as recommended by Steve).

One of the current teachers, on that site (Thomas Fluharty) is running a class about oils, so I looked into it further. I watched a quick video segment in which he suggested the importance of the underpainting. I continued thinking. What is it that I like so much about the underpainting and why am I still struggling color? Well, I think I found the answer. I destroyed and currently destroy my underpainting my working too opaquely. On top of that, I'm going to way too much detail too fast. I'm overdoing it.

I think I'm still stuck in the "I better get this paint down as fast as possible before it dries" mode of acrylic painting.

I'm going to do this screenshot from one of my favorite Pixar movies while trying my hardest to preserve the underpainting while glazing in color layers. The goal is to still see these values and to trust the underpainting.

I've also decided to give up creating anything original myself until September 1st. I'm going to steal and copy paintings I like while focusing entirely on oil technique. Hopefully at the end, I'll have a method to apply to my children's art that will allow for more creative freedom...instead of frustration.