Dan from Indianapolis

Black and white

2012-01-20T14:58:00.000-08:00

I've been working on some murals and some really fun concept work which I plan to share soon.

In the meantime, I finally ordered a case of Presto correction pens. Now I can get back to the ink drawings I love so dearly.

Sometimes I feel like the guy. Other times I'm the cat....

2011-06-20T14:16:00.001-07:00

New markers, new drawings...

2011-06-10T08:30:00.000-07:00

I recently visited the Blick store in St. Louis. There were tons of cool products but the one I had to have was a silver Sharpie marker. I also got a black one and later a red one. Just getting my character chops back again...

Concepts

2011-04-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

From my Industrial Design days. I've been looking for jumping off points to get some toy concepts together. I have found it most inspiring to see some of the ideas I cranked out that were never used. So, here's another page of rejected concept sketches. This time for a fantasy bubble machine....

More sketches....

2011-03-28T08:43:00.001-07:00

I don't even remember what this was for. I do recall that I wanted to create a pose that made welding seem as cool as a comic hero stunt. I don't think anything ever came of it.

Sketches and Concepts.....

2011-03-25T14:48:00.000-07:00

Some personal, some not.

Family-oriented art

2011-03-23T14:53:00.001-07:00

I was asked recently to design a lady character for a mural project. Based on my experience with the all-male ownership of the client company, I went all out.

Not surprisingly, I was informed that this would be a family establishment and that i might need to come up with something that is more family-oriented. This was actually the safer of 2 drawings. maybe I need to shake my moral compass and make sure it's still pointing me to the up and up.

Creepy character

2011-03-21T10:24:00.000-07:00

I sold this illustration to a friend a few years back. I just saw it again after a long time and I must say... It is quite strange.

Oldies but Goodies...

2011-03-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

These little cuties are fast approaching 10 years old. They're relics from my past life in toy and game design. I loved my job, but ultimately my ideas tended to be too 'out there' and thus not appropriate for our target demographic (children that shop at Wal-Mart).

After so long, I had almost forgotten that I used to draw pages like these all the time. None of these characters were ever used. Some of the designs were later outsourced to other artists.

More lunch drawing

2011-02-23T13:55:00.000-08:00

This time I borrowed a brush pen. Those things are just incredible. I should have been using one my whole life...

Keeping it real...

2011-02-22T12:27:00.000-08:00

A little piece I have been working into for a few months now. I have wanted to create something to thank my friend Dave Combs for his help with a video last fall. I think this will do the trick.

Paint marker, varnish pen, permanent marker, ballpoint pen, watercolor marker, colored pencil, spray paint on masonite panel

And the black and white...

Lunch drawing

2011-02-17T10:55:00.001-08:00

One enduring blessing I enjoy is the group with whom i work. The studio I work in (thebasement.tv) is made up of 100% solid people. Good artists, great to talk to and always so much fun. Sometimes we spend our lunch together at the table drawing.

Today I drew this. He's a brute with a flair for acoustic guitar.

More drawings....

2011-02-16T10:28:00.000-08:00

As 2011 ramps into full speed, I am happy to have concepts due for multiple mural projects at once. Although I have done little illustration as of late, I have been busy drawing a lot of different stuff for use in concept sketches. Much of what I'm working on now is not public knowledge so I'm keeping most of it under wraps. Just a few sketches to, hopefully, spark the imagination....

More Turtles...

2010-10-28T14:37:00.000-07:00

The mural for which I drew these guys has been postponed until further notice. Fine by me. The experience has literally taken me back to a place in my childhood. I have been using my talents to make a living for several years now. This can lead to the total absence of drawing in my free time. I just got away from drawing as a habit and allowed it to become a service.

It's nice to have my hobby back.

Tortoise Power!

2010-10-18T06:42:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked to be a part of something really cool and the organizer wanted the theme to be, uh... adolescent misfit karate tortoises. I only agreed to partake if I could draw my own characters. These are really just warm-ups, but it's so fun to draw characters I have loved for years.

Larry Hurt portrait

2010-08-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

An honor and a privilege.

Larry Hurt 1952-2010...Artist, Teacher, Musician, Friend

2010-07-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

Today I said goodbye to my hero.

In the Indianapolis art community, it often seems like a small number of people are doing a great number of things. You hear about the same leaders moving from one organization to another and it sometimes seems as though you see certain people at every opening in town. As an artist by lifestyle, I see art events as a chance to catch up with people and see what's new in their work. If I never hung another show in my life, I would still feel invested in the art scene here because of the relationships I have to show for it. It's a privilege and an honor to say that I am a member of my city's local art community. That honor is thanks to Larry Hurt; one person who did a huge number of things.

Here is the not-so-short version of how he came into my life.

When I was growing up in Indiana, my family didn't really encourage me to pursue a career in the arts. Drawing was a big part of my life, like sports or any other hobby, but I had no idea how to cultivate that. I loved Disney animated films and anything that included a fun character (Ninja Turtles were the best). I eventually discovered the world of comics and thought for many years that I might illustrate them one day. But as I grew up, more and more people were asking me when I would start thinking about how to make a living. And, of course, teachers were always angry with me for drawing instead of whatever else they had in mind. I felt a very real sense that people were working against me or trying to show me that there is more to life than art. Because I didn't care about sports and wasn't much of a girl-chaser, I felt like an outsider among kids my age...at every age. I simply had no identity. The isolation I knew as a child fed my highly active imagination.

As a teenager, I found my identity in a community of skaters and party kids (ravers). You could say they accepted me, but it's more accurate to say that I gradually evolved to become more like them. We went places most people didn't go and did things I was always told not to do. My father recognized some pretty scary patterns in my behavior and decided to move me across town. He gave me a few options, but none of them included staying on the east side where I had grown up so I passed on them all. At the age of 15, I was starting from scratch and I resented my dad for it.

My first day at Ben Davis High School, I met with my guidance counselor to fill out my schedule. I had been in the band at Lawrence Central but I knew I couldn't hack it at BD without some serious work, which I was totally unwilling to do. I had already sworn off art classes because of one I took in 7th Grade in which we drew a plant for several weeks. I just didn't want anything to do with something so stiff. Luckily, Ben Davis had a pretty serious Journalism curriculum and my counselor encouraged me to take the intro course to help with my writing. With one more elective left, I weighed my options and agreed to take the school's prerequisite art class.

What I found in the A hall at Ben Davis was a truly comforting environment. It seemed all the teachers had such strong ideals and went out of their way to create a safe and inspiring place. That first semester re-invigorated my love for drawing and gave me a taste of how broad the world of 'art' really is. It was also the first time I recognized how well, and how naturally I could draw anything. My teacher, Mrs. Stoner (real name), encouraged me to take Mr. Hurt's Drawing 1 the following spring. I still needed the elective, so I went for it. This is one decision that my ignorant, fearful, teenage self got right.

Mr. Hurt's class was so incredible. I realized quickly that the sensation we all felt in that hall with every art teacher was one created and fostered by Mr. Hurt and that all the teachers were following his lead. In that classroom, I met students who were deeply troubled and others who had it all together; all of whom were drawn to Larry Hurt. The lighting, the music, the art paraphernalia, the freedom to share ideas... these were the intoxicants Larry used to ease everyone into a place of peace. He literally fine-tuned every detail of the experience to allow students to settle in and work through our separate ethos. When I think about that time, it isn't the artwork itself that I remember. For me, it was the beginning of my 'real life'.

Among the sea of teachable moments that amounted to Larry's abundant life, were some that made a sobering difference to me. When I told him I didn't really care whether I went to college or not, he told me I had to go and study art: "You don't go to college to do what you want, you go so you can learn what you want to do..." He got me my first paying job as an artist when I was a senior; then when I fell short of his expectations he used that as a teachable moment too. When I showed interest in graffiti, Larry recommended I check out the first all-graffiti website, Artcrimes.com in 97 (which years later would feature some of my work). As if that weren't enough, he made it possible for me to paint one of my first murals in his classroom (a piece of which was on display at his funeral and now belongs to me). He then connected me with our school crisis counselor to paint a mural in her office (all with spray paint, in the school) . I told her about a mural event in St. Louis and she got me excused from school so I could go. I now host a mural event myself in its 8th year.

All of this is deeply meaningful to me, yet it says nothing about the perspective he gave me through his actual teaching of art. I once told him that I didn't see myself as an artist so much as a person who appreciates it. Larry's response: "You will find as time goes on that that will change." When I rejected the work of Picasso, he showed me that Picasso did the same thing with form that graffiti does with letters: move all the edges in a way that he found more interesting. The sketchbooks we prepared in his class gave me discipline. He had every art implement you could ever want to learn about and it was all there for the using. He crafted assignments designed to challenge any artist, then he shared what he expected me, personally, to do with it. "To be an artist is not just to be able to draw," he once told me, "it's a way of seeing and understanding the world around you..." Upon studying the Futurist movement, he opened my eyes to the fact that a true cultural movement is always a response to change (just like hip-hop in my lifetime) and that it can encompass every creative discipline. Larry was also a doodler and he taught me that for people like us, doodling is how we listen and even learn. Right on all counts.

The friends I have from that period are still the dearest to me now. I've shared the most important moments of my adult life with them and they are all people I admire. We discussed everything in Larry's classroom; love, friendship, art, politics and anything that mattered to us. He was there to chime in, never to dominate the discussion, only to say exactly what was needed to steer us toward our own self-discovery, then fade back again until he was needed. We all shared stories this week about that time in our lives and it is clear that Larry Hurt shone a light in all directions, even shedding light on those that seemed to glow already. He just had no filter when it came to pouring himself out. If he had it, he gave it in abundance to us all.

The most beautiful thing about Larry Hurt was not the way he handled those of us with great talent, but the way he handled everyone. As countless people attested at his funeral, he could see into every person he met. As Tom McTamney so eloquently stated in his eulogy, "Larry saw the very best you had to offer and made you see it too. And once you saw it, he would accept nothing less." Although I felt special in his world, I know now that I am special not because he favored me more than anyone else, but because he favored everyone, period. He did the work that we usually thank God for.

This week I cried shamelessly with grown men and women, threw my arms around people I had never met and shared my gratitude with his beautiful family. I drank to his memory and recounted his lessons. I felt a greater sense of loss than I knew possible, and yet wallowed in the good fortune of his legacy. As the tears rolled down, I felt a jarring fear inside. I fear a world where I can never thank Larry Hurt or ask him another question; but I fear much more that I could never be the man he was. The friends I shared with him drew near to me and we huddled close, looking around as if we all knew it was time to do something. Whether we say it out loud or in a glance, we all wonder now if the next Larry Hurt could possibly be one of us.

Whomever can fill his shoes, we all agree that person cannot rise up soon enough.

Rest in paradise, Larry. If there is a heaven, you are there; and if you are not, there is no heaven worth seeking. Thank you for never giving up on me and the others who had given up on ourselves. You probably never knew this, but my life became incredibly meaningful when you entered it.

Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School

2010-04-28T14:35:00.001-07:00

Locals Only Art & Music Pub is host to all kinds of local talent and Friday night was no disappointment with the release of the Indy Webcomics Group's anthology, Welcome To Indiana: A Comic Anthology. The bar was filled with comic paraphernalia and artwork and, naturally, showcased some fine musical talent. My man Shawn P is a cartoonist, member of IWG, contributor to the anthology, and was a featured performer along with his group, hip-hop trio The Dirty Thirty. All great excuses to hang out at Locals' for an evening.

BUT, they didn't stop there. the night began with a Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School figure drawing session featuring the ladies of Crem De La Femme burlesque. They had created (then acted out) a comic of their own in which they confront the evil and sexless villain, the Cock Blocker. Very funny, very fun. I got in late with the crew and was stuck all the way on the side of the stage behind a massive PA speaker, but still managed to get a few good poses from the rear.... Coincidentally, these are all of the same model.

Up There......

2010-04-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

This short documentary really speaks to me. For several years, I have worked in some capacity as a muralist. There is a staggering sense of freedom and, at the same time, responsiblity that comes with the scale of the tools and the piece itself . It becomes a performance for no specific audience.

Work like this is so satisfying to some that it's possible to forget how dangerous and demanding it really is. I have the utmost respect for these craftsmen.

UP THERE from Jon on Vimeo.

Visions of the future

2010-01-15T05:18:00.000-08:00

My first mural commission of the year/decade is interestingly enough about the future as imagined by the minds of the the 1960's. I did the pencil sketch at about 2" x 4" and scanned it to add color in Photoshop. The wall itself is 8' x 16' so this is essentially a thumbnail. It shows basic color palette and overal composition.

The client saw these and immediately responded with further direction that makes this initial concept obsolete. I'll be going back to the drawing board with a lot more to be excited about. More on this sometime....in the future!!!!!

Interview on The Avant Garage blog

2009-12-17T12:48:00.000-08:00

I was positively thrilled when my friend (and fellow TOYS 2009 artist) Aaron Scamihorn asked to interview me and show some of my work on his new blog, The Avant Garage. This site is a very cool effort by Aaron as well as Nathan Shinkle (both very, very good designers) to give some exposure to his fellow creatives. I'm grateful to be featured to say the least. I took the opportunity to show some recent illustrations and wax philosophical on my journey thus far.

Please check it out if you haven't read enough blogs today.

TOYS 2009 Drawing - Must Have(s)

2009-12-13T14:39:00.000-08:00

The TOYS show was a smash. The head count is rumored to have exceeded 500 for the opening evening. Many, many of the visitors were familiar faces and even some old friends; just a fantastic vibe in the Art Box gallery that night. It goes without saying that all of the art was good work as TOYS is an invitational show.

This was the first year that TOYS was a one-night-only show. Although the food drive to benefit Second Helpings has always taken place on the opening night, the artwork typically enjoys a month-long exhibition. Due to this unusual circumstance, the artists were invited to show our pieces the following Friday, December 11 in the annual Be Indypendent Holiday Art Sale. I took advantage of this with the help of Hugh Vandivier (Primary Colours) and Shannon Linker (Arts Council of Indianapolis). Thanks to all of the people behind the scenes, it was easy and very cool for me to participate in these events.

Four years of Jelly and counting

2009-11-23T06:39:00.001-08:00

I keep this little memory stuck on the fridge by a magnet. I liked the drawing when I was finished, but I didn't expect it to be any good in particular. After all this time, I still believe that a ball point pen is the most freeing drawing tool around. There is no temptation to erase; only a much stronger forethought into each line. Still loose enough to be be forgiving, but permanent enough to make a person think twice.

I drew it while waiting for a batch of jellies to stew. It was dated 10-3-2005. Man we used to really get a jump on this...Haven't even cut one pear for this year yet.

TOYS 2009

2009-11-12T12:48:00.000-08:00

Lucky me! I have once again been invited to participate in the annual TOYS show presented by Primary Colours. I was honored to be a part of the 2007 show and very proud of the piece I created for it. The theme is toys...just broad enough to be dangerous.

This show is filled with great artists and supports a totally worthy cause. It's good to be involved.

PSST...Pass It On 3 screening at Big Car gallery

2009-09-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

Indianapolis-based studio The Basement Design & Motion has partnered with the great folks at Big Car Gallery to share a truly contemporary piece of art with our community. PSST Pass It On is an international project that can best be described as an 'exquisite corpse' of contemporary video, animation and motion graphics set to music. 17 short films were created using this concept and placed end-to-end in one encompassing sensory adventure.

Anyone in the Indianapolis area can view this masterwork tomorrow night, September 11 in the Big Car gallery on Virginia Avenue. For those who don't know, it's in the Murphy building in historic Fountain Square.

This film has screened in major cities across the world and showcases the work of some prominent studios. Tomorrow night's screening is truly an opportunity to partake of a global demonstration of concept and collaboration. Please take the trip to Fountain Square for some serious elbow-rubbing as this is sure to be a treat not only for creative minds of all disciplines, but also a breath of fresh for the local creative market. Simply put, this is a chance to be exposed to some of the foremost innovators of what we have come to know as the digital age.

Having seen this film myself, I urge everyone to see it. Illustration, typography, motion, music; everything is represented in a multitude of styles. It's like a buffet for your brain, you like buffets don't you? Check this out so you can correct the next person that says Indy is cut off from the creative world at large.

At $5 it is already looking better than a night at the movies.

APRIL - Monster Mashup

2009-08-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

Yet another retroactive post!

This was a fun one indeed. I am always pleased to work with the my friends at Fundex Games. I recently attended their annual picnic (a luau theme) and was filled with gratitude for the relationship I enjoy with the company and its people.

A while ago I got an email about some character designs for a game called Monster Mashup. The cool thing about this game for me is that I had redesigned it once already about 8 years ago; when it was called I've Created A Monster. I did this time what I did before: took the existing game and, with direction from the art director, tried to give it a new personality. When I got the old game for reference I opened it and saw spread before me a small collection of my VERY FIRST vector characters. I remember my enthusiasm when I did them...which was nothing compared to the horror of seeing them years later. It was humbling to say the least. Sooooo, in order to be proud of them in another 8 years I wanted to give it a solid effort.

I went to town on some sketches. I was limited the first time to giving all the characters two arms and two legs. This time, that was not the case although most of my multi-armed monsters looked a little too monstrous. I just drew for a while and weeded out the ones I didn't like. We (myself and the project's designer) revised those a few times, switched a couple out, then I went to color. Eventually, I came up with some drawings I am now very proud of. The process was refreshing and challenging. It was nice to do some really goofy stuff.

Here are a few gems from this rewarding exercise in character design. Once again, not all of the art is here. If you wish to see everything (monsters, scientist and package art) you must get the game...and play it.

These guys made the cut and were eventually 'vectorized'...

These are some rejected concepts...

March - Asher Roth album art

2009-07-22T05:23:00.000-07:00

This is old news now, but at the time I was up to my ears in work and not really itchy to talk about it right then. I was once again called on by my friends at HDU Creative to collaborate not only with their designer Damon, but also my good friend Ben Long. The three of us went to Herron School of Art & Design together and have been friends for several years; it's cool to work with people you know and respect.

I submitted concepts for every face of the 10-page fold CD jacket as well as art for the inside and back of the CD case. After many rounds of conceptual revisions, I ultimately handed over some clean and stylish illustrations. The imagery was geared specifically to support the themes Asher Roth has established in his music to this point: good times, intelligent rhymes and of course, many rows of white bread.

A lot of fun, a lot of work. All sketches were done in pencil then scanned in for any changes or modifications. All final art done in Illustrator. NONE of the art posted here is final. If you want to see the completed designs, you will have to see the disc itself. Seriously, it's impossible to find all the jacket art online.

2 sketches for inside art

And some of the vector work...

This was a great gig. I hope to do more work with artists in the future.

Pickle Punks A Puny Pod

2009-02-28T04:38:00.001-08:00

OK, I'm cheating here by posting something old but at least it's something no one has seen! I ran across this as I was collecting samples of my character work from my machine for a piece I'm working on now.

These little dudes are characters I drew up for some hand made jelly labels. For the last few years, my girlfriend and I have made jellies and jams as Christmas gifts for family and friends. Each year we have introduced new recipes for which I will make a new label in the style of 'fruit with humanoid face and tiny cartoon limbs'. This was my second design for our pickled green beans. I was told by my jelly partner that the first was too mean-looking and that was true. This is one of many in my collection.

Asher Roth mixtape: The Greenhouse Effect

2009-02-17T16:03:00.000-08:00

I worked with Heightened Designs Unlimited (HDU Creative) on this project. I did a lot of research for this one as to the likeness of the subjects and their respective bodies of work. These DJ's have a steep reputation as you will find if you look. Asher Roth, on the other hand has really surfaced in the last 2 years and is all he is cracked up to be when it comes to rapping. He also has a social community, a myspace page (both of which are beautifully designed my HDU Creative), and a growing list of TV appearances and articles, both in print and online. Basically, the collaboration of these 3 is a big deal and has created much buzz which you will notice if you haven't already.

The name and uh...theme..of this mixtape cover were already in place when I got the call. I submitted 3 concepts in the style of 'mad' scientists, this one not the most mad, but certainly the best portrayal of Don Cannon, DJ Drama and Asher Roth.

Asher Roth can really rap. Check it out (Explicit), download it for free...HERE

Thanks to Heightened Designs Unlimited and everyone on the Asher Roth team. This was a real joy for me.

Jelly Bean Jumble

2009-01-15T17:52:00.000-08:00

While at Fundex Games, I worked on their line of Lunch Box Games. I did illustrations for the boxes as well as components for Cookin Cookies, The Storybook Game and Wormy Apples. Although I left the company a few years ago, they thought of me when they expanded that line with another game called Jelly Bean Jumble. It was great getting back into that way of working after a long break from children's art. Below are sketches and final art for the box illustration as well as the Jelly Bean cards themselves...

6 Rough Concepts (composition predetermined to adhere to brand standards)...........................

1 Final Pencil Sketch - 2nd of 2 revisions (combination of favored elements of the roughs)...........

1 Color Sketch (with layers so the designer could adjust)........................

1 Final Illustration (this is the art I sent that was adapted later to the approved package design)...

And the Beans:

4 Groups of 6 concept beans (4 options)

6 Final Beans (to be printed on cards and die-cut).............

As usual, simple won and won big in this project. Good fun and always an honor to be the guy for the job.

Cover illustration for incredible metal band Ghost Of Maine

2008-12-01T10:31:00.000-08:00

Ghost Of Maine were voted the best unsigned band on Myspace in 2008. They're locals and they asked me to draw a man being ripped in half by a werewolf for the cover of a forthcoming album. I did so with little hesitation.

Check them out on Myspace and hurt so good.

When It Rains, It Pours

2008-10-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

HotBox Pizza Headquarters
I have enjoyed a great relationship with HotBox since I designed their logo in 2006 and painted the first of their stores, now three and counting. The latest project was to bring some of their store flavor into their offices. I am grateful to be called upon time and time again by a client that I truly like and respect. We established the 'street art' style characters and the burning background for their look in the beginning to stand apart from other pizzerias and appeal to their young customer base.

Other
In general, I have been busy. There are other projects but I'll keep it brief. But, I am quite pleased to present the latest character work I've been doing. A friend asked me to help out with T shirt design he's doing. Once he told me what he was looking for, I had to do it. This is a ferocious werewolf. Neither are final.
There is plenty more in the ways of music and painting but everything in moderation. It's busy, very busy. Too busy, in fact, sometimes. All good though, better to be tired than bored.

Lego Me Ego!

2008-08-19T08:32:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, you just find meaning in the strangest places.

Officer, that man stole my boots!

2008-05-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

Well, they must be stolen because they obviously do not fit this man. This is the result of yet another meeting. Although they are necessary to further some aspects of a project, I relish meetings for the drawing time they often yield. Since most of my meetings at work are of an administrative nature rather than a creative nature, I usually bring some paper and pens. I do take notes of course, but occasionally I will draw something memorable.

This dude is a good example of some of the things I like to draw as well as things I like about the work of others. I have always liked running poses because of the implied action. When a person is running in a situation that matters, they act with abandon. The movements are too fast and powerful to be graceful. Such is the case with this fellow; he is more or less stretching every limb in order to fling himself further.

Another thing I like about this sketch is all the drapery. I never understood as a youngster why so many classical paintings featured excessively robed figures. Over the last several years it has become one of the most enjoyable things about interpreting life in drawings. The way fabric shows the shape of the object supporting it is very elegant. Even the most geometric object becomes fluid and organic when adorned with drapery. Although the underlying structure is obvious, a draped surface is faceted and ever-turning.

This sketch also hearkens back to my days as a Jim Lee fanatic. His work on the uncanny X-Men and later X titles featured some cool costume designs. I give a subconscious nod to his work with this basic 2 tone shirt.

Lastly, I think the face of this man is a direct influence from the work of Chris Sickles of Red Nose Studio. His characters always have a very aerodynamic quality, particularly in the way the nose protrudes from the face. Again, not intentional, but I think I took this guy's profile directly from the Red Nose work I have seen.

Okay, A Skull Warrior

2008-05-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

My love affair with fantasy art is once again in full swing...maybe it's just the spring air. At any rate, I have reached the culmination of my impromptu series of skull-related drawings and paintings with this, my Skull Warrior. I have drawn skull masks for years but never gave one a body. I did this sketch because my friend Joseph Cross (Cross's Studio) asked me to draw a character that he could model in 3D. After a few attempts, this guy above was what I eventually came up with. I drew this much by hand, then scanned it and finished it in Photoshop.

This is what it looks like now:

And, of course, if it is to be modeled then I have to also provide 3 views. I did the views in Illustrator; I prefer to do anything that must look clean in AI. Plus, with views it's great because I use smart guides at all times so it's easy to turn a figure and adapt it's features to the same height or position from many angles. I had also hoped that Joseph could import the vector curves and work from them as a basis. I don't think I have figured that out yet, but man if ever do!!!!

Fictional Transport

2008-05-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

As a welcome change from skulls and fire, I have slipped back into fantasy mode. I have always enjoyed imagining the way things work. I think it started with all the helicopters in the 'army' of military thrillers that proceeded through my childhood (Rambo, Commando, American Ninja, Predator...and a bunch of other terrible classics that feature situations which require a chopper). The thing that intrigued me about a chopper is that many of its mechanics are exposed; not hidden like with most of our cars and other conveniences. My limited knowledge of geometry and physics were enough to rekindle this fascination in high school and it has stayed with me in some capacity ever since.

Roots

2008-04-07T17:04:00.000-07:00

March was a scarce month for blogging with little action going on in the studio. I participated in the Pivot Gallery farewell show which was an honor. The Pivot Gallery has presented SubSurface the last two years for which I could not be more grateful. The farewell show was an exceptional privilege because I had the pleasure of hanging alongside my favorite local painter, Brian Myers and well known illustrator, Chris Sickles of Red Nose Studios. Both are people I have looked up to for some time. As I have said before on this blog; it's an honor to be invited to join such company.

Another very important thing I did last month was to document some of my favorite sketchbook drawings. It was so exciting! It's no revelation that I revel in the life of a sketch. It's where all the stuff really starts to happen. I learned long ago that everything beyond a sketch is labor; Labor I can live with, but nonetheless a finished piece is not the reason I draw. So, here again are some of my favorite sketches.

The above drawings are just plain silly for the most part. The top is the result of a 'humanoid' phase I experienced and is, obviously, a different perspective on pet ownership. The second appears to be a commentary on drug abuse although I had no particular reason to address the subject at the time.

This last one is one of my most faves because of its relative completeness. It really looks like a book cover waiting to happen. Maybe because I had been reading more fantasy at the time. Either way, there is a narrative here. He seems to be a spy-ish fellow seeking cover behind a poorly endowed tree (whose species is otherworldly) and ready to toss a futuristic explosive device. Balanced and rendered, it almost appears that I had a plan for this one...One day.

A Painterly Line In The Sand

2008-03-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

The following is more of an essay than anything else. There is no image for this post, only words.

I just got off the phone with a friend of mine who is also an artist. He is actually finishing his BFA right now at the school I attended. I had called to ask him a question about a show we're both in soon and he told me that he had just seen a slide of one of my pieces in his practical concerns class. This is a capstone course that is intended to acquaint the student artist with the professional word of Fine Art. Although I found it funny and kind of nice, I never thought to ask him why the professor had shown it.

I later called him to ask why my piece was shown. His answer soon became irrelevant as he elaborated on his own thoughts about the piece. Being that this was a piece I did a few years ago, it was done in a style that has since evolved into a pretty different look. He said he liked the drawing because it was more of a drawing and less like an illustration. I laughed to myself and asked him "What do you mean 'less of an illustration'?"

"In school they teach you that the head is round and there is a shadow under the bottom lip...an illustrator seems to just use that and generalize the figure. It's like they draw every ear the same instead of looking at each ear and (interpreting them differently). It's just interesting how all illustrators seems to be out to suit a really wide audience and fine artists like me could care less...what the manager at Kroger thinks." My only defense is that I have yet to be hired by Kroger or any of its employees. And I bet that if the manager at Kroger offered to by one of his pieces, he would care just a little bit about what that person thinks.

This conversation reminded me that the illustrator (which I now know definitely means me) is discriminated against by the fine artist. Despite what even my closest friends tell me about my work, we will never be equal to some. In school, it was very obvious that illustration and graphic design in general were seen as lower forms of expression. I even felt this way at first. I struggled a lot with the fact that I had no idea what my work should be about. This was a crippling conundrum because it led me to make no personal art. I did school projects and always had the mural stuff going on but I never really had a clear vision of myself as an artist. It was very frustrating because I developed a lack of respect for commercial artists but at least they knew what to draw and were getting paid for it.

One day I was with a friend in his apartment and I told him exactly that: I have no idea what my art should be about. He was studying graphic design at the time and said "That's because you're an illustrator dude." I was a little shocked that he would know that because I had not considered a career in illustration since the fifth grade (when I also wanted a pet cheetah). After some research I realized there was a world of opportunities for people like me who get a kick out of showing others what their thoughts look like. I had done it my whole life just for fun. In the fourth grade I hung an envelope on my desk marked 'drawing requests' and took all comers.

Now, as a career commercial artist, I have a different opinion about art. My professional work is what led me to an understanding of the artist I am. I eventually learned that I do have a perspective and a voice. But, I have also learned that there is a legitimate tragedy in making images I would never dream of doing without the promise of money. I still think that the truest form of expression has no dollar amount attached. Also, to a degree, what I do during the day is not art because its intent is not artful in nature. I generally have to meet the demands of a client that has never met me, has no concern for my creative relevance and little or no knowledge or appreciation of art at all. That last part is the hardest pill to swallow but it does not change the fact that I am filling a creative need.

In a world where we are literally faced with ads and propaganda all day long, it's nice to know that i can make less of it suck to look at.

As an in-house artist, it's not about what I want or believe (although I rely heavily on what I know and think to get the job done). Most of the time, I make work that has little personal significance and I usually forget about most of it because I tend to move quickly. I think fine art is about challenging ideals and always exploring but that's not what pays my bills at this point. I am not offended when people don't understand my personal art or even if they don't like it; I have dealt with that from the start. I don't expect people to get it or even care about the stuff I do in my free time. During the day, though, I have to care what others think because it's not my opinion that matters most. Someone with a real creative need depends on me directly or indirectly to know what to do when the time comes.

By comparison, Fine Art prides itself on not having to please anyone in order to be justified. While that is a great reason to be an artist, there do not seem to be any artists buying my work or hiring me for anything. Although I care very much what they think, pleasing other artists has not been nearly as profitable as pleasing those who simply need some kind of art. If that sounds like selling out, well it kind of is. But art school only gives you a degree in a hobby, it's up to you to make it a career and this has worked for me so far.

I have been invited by other artists to hang art in group shows. This is the highest honor I have received as an artist. There is no promise of money or future work, but it's proof that I am respected by my peers. It's proof that I exist in the community and that I have my own ideas. That's what we're all looking for in the end: a place in the art world. It's good to make a living doing what you always wanted, but there is no shame in just having a job where you draw stuff for people. I say get in where you fit in; a lot of other people never even had a choice.

I later told my friend that we need to talk about these things more often.

Fun With Characters

2008-02-11T09:19:00.000-08:00

Character design is a huge part of me. I did not know it at the time, but my childhood was all about character design. I loved the look of people and things and the way you can assign different attributes to a character to make it 'speak'. Sometimes my job requires me to design characters. Although this is not a service the company offers, it is sometimes involved in the work we do. Here are a few examples I did for recent animation. It has to do with heat and cold....

Living In The Now

2008-01-14T06:22:00.000-08:00

I hated digital art for a long time. Like all forms of hatred, mine was born out of ignorance. Once I entered the 'professional world' I saw very quickly that I didn't stand a chance of working without embracing computers.

Having spent most of my life drawing with my hands wrapped around a tangible drawing tool, I have never had the desire to convert to digital. I actually still don't. I see many pros of working in the machine: speed, convenience, transferability, cleanliness, etc. However, for me to truly make something I have to get my hands dirty and maybe even break a sweat.

Since I started learning to use the computer as a creative medium, I have become rather infatuated with Adobe Illustrator. The reason is that I see it as a way to do things that would not be possible by hand. Hard geometry, infinite scalability, easy duplication; these are the reasons I choose to use the computer. Inevitably, though, my colleagues began and continue to encourage me to use Photoshop. I say, "Why would I use that when I can draw a real drawing with a real pencil...don't you people ever get tired of sitting on front of a computer screen? Sheesh man, you act like we were supposed to live this way; as if it's okay to do everything in your life 'virtually'. I think the real virtue is in the physical relationship between the artist and their work...blah blah blah."

Alas, the inescapable truth is that the industry (as well as many artists) favors computer-generated work for many reasons. So, here's a 'drawing' I did completely in Photoshop. Even though I did it with a modern tool, I developed it the classical way: building all the tones in grey and layering color translucently (which the great masters call glazing).

Thinking Inside The Box

2007-12-28T07:42:00.000-08:00

Here it is! Or at least a web friendly version of it. The image below is of Toy Box, the drawing I did to hang in the TOYS show December 7th. The show was a blast and very rewarding for me. Not only did I see a lot of great work on the walls around my piece, but I had a great time seeing many old and new friends. The drawing sold too which is always gratifying.

I cannot say for sure whether I am more pleased with the poster illustration or the drawing. It's the first time I recall wearing two of my hats at once: commercial artist and fine artist. Also, each piece is made in a totally different way. In a certain way, though, they are the same piece. Different formats, different content, different moods yes but each are depictions of places where toys are perpetually stuck and always waiting to get out.

My favorite part of this drawing, of which I am very proud, is the folded paper under the 3d glasses. Mainly because I think paper is a hard but very fun material to interpret; but also because I remember somehow always finding magazines or comics in my own toy box.

It's a BOUT time...

2007-12-27T08:23:00.000-08:00

Another very cool thing I was asked to do recently was a poster illustration for the Naptown Rollergirls. I have become connected to the Rollergirls (Indy's own bloodthirsty babes on wheels) through relationships within the art community. Jim Walker of Big Car, Masterpiece In A Day and Indy.com is very involved with the team and has invited me to judge the MIAD the last 2 years. In particular, though, this opportunity came to me from Jason Pitman, my friend and designer of the Big Car website and Rollergirls graphics among other things (and husband of my longtime friend Julie Pitman). I was honored and excited to be involved.

Initial sketch of final poster concept

Round 2 of approved concept. This was the sketch I 'vectorized' in AI.

The event is coming up this weekend and I plan to be there. The process of creating the illustration was a blast. I usually go with Adobe Illustrator for art that will be used in print. This allows total freedom for the designer to modify the art without sacrificing visual integrity at any size. With this piece, though, there is a grittiness to the nature of the scene that I wanted to preserve. So, I used the approved sketch and modified it in Illustrator. It's all vector, and there are lots and lots of paths.

It was fun to draw a badass babe in boxing gear because, obviously, I do not get called to do such a thing every day.

Jason came to the TOYS show and handed me hard copies of the printed poster. It looks awesome; I am quite proud. Jason took it the extra mile with the design of the poster.

Toys!

2007-12-07T11:20:00.000-08:00

I am once again honored and very excited to have been included in a really cool event. the Toys Show is an annual art exhibition presented by Primary Colours, an art organization here in Indianapolis, in which all participating artists contribute one piece each dealing with the broad theme of 'toys'. It's an honor because, first and foremost, this is an invitation-only show. This means that you have to be asked to participate; and with no shortage of local talent, it's flattering to be asked. Also cool because it's a food drive for a local organization that feeds the homeless during the holidays.

On a personal level, there is a certain feeling of validation that comes from this experience. The only post-school art show I have had to do with (with the exception of Oranje where we usually do a live painting) has been SubSurface, which I co-organize. Members of Primary Colours include some of my favorite local artists (not to mention gallery owners/operators and other members of the local arts community). They have always been supportive of what I do and have attended both SubSurface shows. I respect the group a lot and I believe that I would not have been invited to show in TOYS if I had not won them over with my pieces from the SubSurface show this year. In short, this invitation suggests that the art community includes me as a gallery artist.

I have always been known in town for the large, bold murals I paint with friends from Indy and other cities. These have always been recreational and generally in less appealing parts of town (these are the places where they embrace my art the most it seems). We have, however, done some work in more high-profile parts of town that has been noticed by lots of folks. Although I studied fince art, it was always clear that my true passion was painting walls. I enjoyed this distinction but eventually realized that it was a limitation people placed on my work. I don't think many people thought I was a legitimate gallery artist. I would not have blamed them; I never thought of myself as much of a gallery artist.

The cherry on top of this sundae is that I was also asked to do the illustration for all the event promo materials. Until I get a good photo or scan of my piece from the show, here's the flyer. Lucky me, I still blush.

Puzzle Pieces

2007-11-15T07:10:00.000-08:00

When the pencil is moving, thoughts are happening. Art is constructed on paper and later embellished elsewhere. After all, it's the aesthetically boring frame that holds a house up, not the beautiful exterior.

I actually believe that sketches are random clues into oneself. Small pieces that, from a distance, combine to reflect something about the artist. I don't know what the following images reflect about me exaclty, but they definitely contain motifs that I have dabbled in consistently for many years. I think some of them were inspired by obvious sources.

This is the stuff, friends. I am a huge fan of sketch/preliminary art; anything that has 'bones' you can see. For me, that has always been where the magic happens. After all the early decisions are made, the rest is just execution. The irony of this is that sketches are the first steps of what usually is a long journey toward a finished piece of artwork. By the time the final piece is 'complete' the raw spirit of the sketch is long forgotten. Rough drawings contain real life; once you pass the sketching phase it's just a constant attempt to preserve that life.

My favorite sketches come back to me from nowhere. I have kept good sketchbooks at times in my life but now is not one of them. For the last year or so, I have drawn mainly on loose pages. I think it's good because it makes everything less precious. However, it is also very, very bad because the odds are not in favor of me every drawing inspiration from the little bits of magic.

I recently found a whole stack of such pages. I was elated! It's like finding a journal I never remembered writing. I don't know what the drawings are 'about' but there seems to be a strong narrative to some of them. These drawings were drawn at the office during various different discussions. All this time I have wondered where my sketching alter ego has been and it turns out he was tied up in meetings.

It Takes A Village

2007-10-18T14:28:00.000-07:00

I have found lately that the best subject matter for my art is people. Specifically, though, I am happy to find that I am most inspired by the scenes on the street that borders my neighborhood. I live near downtown and drive on 10th St. nearly every day. The things I see in my neighborhood affect me in several ways. This area would often pass for the inner city. However, in Indianapolis (and other cities I'm sure) there are strange places where it seems that the city collides with the suburbs. This is certainly one of those places.

The house in which I live and most of the homes in my neighborhood are well maintained and appear to be very inviting. There always seems to be plenty of family and community activity. This is a little bit new to me having spent many periods of my life in apartments. What is a little more familiar to me is what is see on the streets that border the neighborhood: people everywhere, walking to the store, waiting for the bus, sitting on their stoops or in front of a dilapidated storefront, etc. Yesterday I saw this guy:

I relish these moments. This guy was pacing in front of one of the aforementioned storefronts, wearing only a pair of unflattering sweatpants (a little underdressed for October) and playing a recorder. Yes, the instrument used to introduce children in thousands of elementary school music classes to the frustrations of learning to play Mary Had A Little Lamb, is this dude's instrument of choice. Naturally, the resulting sounds were horrid; reinforcing my theory that a recorder is used as a 'worst case scenario' teaching tool: if you can bear to listen to a song played through this big pipe, your experience with music will inevitably get better.

Several posts ago, I posted a photo of baby Isaac Pitman in front of a yellow illustration I did called "Indianapolis Street." That piece was also inspired by what I have seen around my neighborhood. I grew up in apartments, many of which were in low-income areas. When you live in this environment, lots of things are communal. Everyone uses the same porches, hallways, street corners and open spaces. Also, the community is more intertwined for this reason. It was not uncommon for me to come home and find that my friends were waiting for me or that a group of friendly strangers was using my furniture. Lately, I recall that way of life often as I drive home or walk to the convenience or liquor stores. Looking back, I am much more perceptive of the way others interact with art; like this guy with the recorder. This is him in the act of creating...

Drawing for drawing's sake

2007-09-14T10:02:00.001-07:00

As my commitments dwindle (which always happens near the end of summer), I find myself with a small surplus of 'free time'. This has allowed me to get back to drawing as an excercise. This usuallly consists of several pages filled with miscellany of all sorts. Some characters, some simple doodles of nothing, and lots of writing. Eventually, I stumble onto something that could stand alone. This little guy seemed pretty funny at the time.

These sketches hardly ever become anything more than random thoughts, the lucky ones end up being inspiration for something else. I find that it helps me to have a lot of sketches laying around because over time, their meanings change which allows me to see them differently. The silly drawings are important not because they are strong art, but because they can always lead me to something new.

Of course, sometimes I do start with the end in mind. I have embarked on a series of pieces (undetermined number in the series) that feature my artwork as a dominant element of the environment. These pieces have to have human characters in casual poses in order to work.

I drew this guy to have when it's time to finish the third piece.

I make real art too!

2007-09-13T07:20:00.000-07:00

Typically, I contribute to different phases of short animations. They begin with a script, then are storyboarded, then the full color, moveable art is created, audio is attained, and then finally it is animated. There are other smaller steps as well that are involved in the process. I have done all of these tasks to some degree except animation. It’s all web-based, so when we finish, the animation goes to a developer to deliver via the Internet. All of this, for me, amounts to hours of sitting at a computer. It has become very rare for my company to use anything hand-made.

On occasion, however, I get to put a real pencil to real paper. I drew this in pencil first and transferred it in ink using a light table.

This is what it's all about. I believe that one can only be so close to his or her art without actually touching it or the surface on which it lives. I spent what felt like my entire childhood
drawing pictures. I still remember the first time I noticed the bump on my middle finger that would remain a permanent callus from the pencil rubbing into my skin. Anyway, I think this is a pretty cool drawing.