Dreaming of Saguaros

For the past few months, I have been working as a graphic designer. Since my job is only part time, I've also been doing lots of freelance work. There is a HUGE difference between art and graphic design. There is a great article at webdesignerdepot.com that addresses these differences.

This particular piece is interesting, because I was inspired to create this image.I saw something similar to this image in my mind last night as I was getting ready to go to bed. I decided to get up and make it happen. I will change the colors and the shapes later, but this is the idea: a mosaic illustration of cactus. Typically, when I am inspired to do something, it's painting or drawing and sometimes it's sculpting. This time, the image was a vector graphic. It was colorful and simple and I really needed to get my finger on a mouse and click at some shapes.

This doesn't mean that I am going to stop painting. In fact, I have started a YouTube show, where I share videos of my painting process. I am still doing commissions once in a while and I also paint for leisure. Check out my Etsy page. I've working on a series of mountains and landscapes. 

See In Part

 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 

-1 Corinthians 13:12

This scripture has been running through my head recently. The difference between what we see and what there really is, is vast. When we see something close up, we think we know all we need to know. Then we pull back and see the full view...and we wonder how we didn't see the truth that was there all along. 

This is a 1" × 1" square picture taken of a canvas I'm working on. When you zoom in and focus on this square, you might think the piece is focused on the clouds. In fact, there is a very different focus in this painting, which you will see posted very soon! 

Contrasting Colors

I recently got married, and my bride and I used our favorite colours as the theme for the day. Hers is teal and mine is red, which makes a cool contrast. So I created some larger pieces to display at the reception to create a unique experience for the guests. Here are two examples of the artwork used for our day. Both of these were created using acrylic on 2' × 2' wooden pieces.  

Groove

I've been regularly posting on Instagram, follow me @abeoverthere. I'm planning on posting work on this website again. Hopefully, sometime in May, I'll be able to start another Daily Sketchbook Challenge. 

Strange weather

dried leaf (charcoal drawing)

Here is a leaf that I drew a few months ago. I found the leaf on the parking lot and just loved the way it curled and twisted. As I drew it, I experienced every part of it. I took the picture below just a few minutes ago. There is a small part of the longest portion of the leaf which broke off. The drawing is meant to capture the beautiful movement of the leaf, which probably wasn't curled that way while it was still green. As it dried, the leaf on the top left somehow twisted around the middle leaf. The leaf in the bottom does a wonderful lift, then a spiral in the end: almost like a wave. Just lovely. I captured as much as I could in the charcoal drawing. Enjoy.

Giraffe licking ginormous floating stone.

Sometimes there are images that appear in my mind that seem so interesting and symbolic in some profound way. This is one. I don't know what it means, unfortunately.

Square Sketching

Da moon.

This is loosely based on the moon. I say that because all the craters aren't exactly where they should be. Also, there are several craters missing. It's not a 100% accurate, but I it works. I used a set of Staedtler pigment liners to get the details down (.01, .03, and .05), then I used a brush with india ink to fill in the dark spots. For the color, I actually used this cheap set of soft pastels that I found Walmart for about $6. I scraped the pastels into a fine power, then used a piece of cloth to wipe in the pigment. I learned that trick from Ms. Hing Wah Hatch from Drawing 101.

Pinecone

I spent my Saturday doing homework and drawing a pinecone. I'm happy with this. 

Project Completed!

What was I looking for?

They will go on a journey now.

substitute sanity

antisocial, complicating

Failed Disk

Pineapple Who?

irreconcilable differences

Shapes and shades

Recently, I got myself a protractor and compass. I haven't really used these tools since high school, but lately, I've been very appreciative of straight lines, perfect circles and triangles. I like equilateral triangles. It is easier to draw an equilateral triangle when you have a protractor. 

I took this picture on my 1.2MP camera, which is on my tablet. These are the bottom of the stairs that go down during my lunch breaks. I love the color combination and the graininess of the photo. I am not a photographer and I don't claim to know much about taking pictures, but I think that this is pretty cool. 

Happy Friday!

My attempt at Hyper-realism.

So...photorealism. This is, to me, the stuff that I see at art galleries that completely intimidate me. Drawings and paintings that look so realistic that you are sure that it is a photograph, until you see that it says "graphite pencil" or "oil on canvas". Recently, I've been trying to approach that style. What better way to learn something than by YouTube-ing it. So I YouTubed some stuff and came up with this video:

I can't afford to do oil paintings, plus I'm not very good at it, so this colored pencils method really seem ideal. Here's what I was able to come up with in about 4 hours collectively:

I got a original photograph from google image searching "apple". Surprisingly, you get more Apple logos than actual apples.

Here's the original photo:

Original Photograph from Wikipedia

My apple drawing created using colored pencils .

In the end, it isn't perfect. When you really look at it, you can tell that it's been drawn, but I'm trying. Oh well. It was a fun little project. I'll post more as I get more time. 

My Top 7 Art Project resolutions.

Welcome to 2013! I believe that this is going to the best year for me. There are so many goals that I have. Many of them involve art, but not all of them. Most of them I'll keep to myself, because I've learned that when I reveal my goals to others, I start to loose sight of them. That's just me. So this year, I'm going to keep my most important goals to myself.

Here are the art projects that I wish to complete before the end of 2013:

1. Finish my mini comic and post it online and/or publish it in a comics journal.

Last year a started a really interesting story that I didn't finish. Unlike many of the stories that I start, I actually really like this one and want to continue it. Unfortunately, I had to put it off, due to the fact that I deleted 2 weeks worth of work off of my computer. This year I hope to finish this miniature story and possibly work on chapter two. I will post the story here on my website as soon as it is finished.

Note: this is not the mini comic that I'm talking about. This is mini that I did for girlfriend as a gift. 

2. Do at least 5 portraits

I love doing portraits, because they make good gift (if they look okay). I don't necessarily drawing people that much, but it is nice to get it right. This year, I want to do at least five, so that I can use them as Christmas presents at the end of the year.

3. Complete the old sketchbook and start a new one.

I started a sketchbook on this blog and I still have a few pages left on it. I want to finish it, so that I can start using the moleskine sketchbook.

4. Do a large scale painting (really huge)

The biggest paintings that I've done are not really that big. I have always wanted to do a painting that requires the viewer to take a few steps back. I have seen paintings like this in art galleries. They are mesmerizing. I am not really sure what I'm going to paint yet, but it's going to be awesome.

5. Paint a landscape.

I don't do that many landscapes or sceneries. This year, I want to give it an honest try.

6. Finish a project that involves lights.

I have so many ideas rolling around in my head, but there is this particular one idea that I've had that involves lights. I have flirted with the idea in my mind for a while, but this year, I hope to execute the ideas.

7. Sculpt something functional and beautiful with cardboard

Cardboard is such a useful material, yet we throw it away all the time. For Christmas, I had to make a custom box for a gift. This inspired me to create with cardboard again.

I made this in Art 101. It supports up to 200 pounds. 

Cyclops!

I used to not have a good computer and also did not have Photoshop, so I would go to the computer lab at my old university to use their iMacs and high quality scanners. I had scanned the line art for this comic, colored it digitally, saved it then I left the original in the scanner. I completely forgot about this, because this comic was just a personal, non-school related project that I took upon my self to get some practice. 

I get an email two days later from a faculty member. They apparently looked me up by my name and found my email. They told me that they have my drawing and that I can get it if I come to the office. I didn't even remember what I drew. I went to the guy's office and got the picture. He kinda laughed and gave me the drawing. 

HEART

A few weeks ago, I had some severe chest pain, so I left work early to go to urgent care. The chest pain was on the left side, so I was concerned that there could be something wrong with my heart. They did an EKG and an x-ray and found that my heart was perfectly healthy. Turns out that I had probably pulled a muscle in my chest by singing. Weird.

The whole incident scared me. It is interesting how much of a difference such a small part makes. I was inspired to start project that would help me think through the concept of the heart and heartbeat.

I used mostly color pencils. I used the Prismacolor Verithin Colored Pencils and the Koh-I-Noor Progresso Woodless Colored Pencils. I just recently got the woodless color pencils. I'm sure that I'll be using them some more.

 And, yes that is Hey Arnold! playing in on the screen. I have rigged a GPS holder onto my drafting table, so that it can hold my tablet on the upper right corner. Now I can draw even longer with the power of awesome cartoons from the 90's. I honestly don't know how kids these days are putting up with the Annoying Orange... Don't even get me started.

I used a cotton swab, dipped in India Ink to cover all the black areas.

If anyone is interested in purchasing this for a reasonable price, please contact me at abesmailbox@gmail.com

Good night!

Catnip

Something about cats and the internet. They just belong together. This drawing is actually pretty old. I would say about 2 years old. I didn't even finish coloring it.

Dang me.

I wish that I was paid to draw things and post them here, but unfortunately I still have to keep my day job and continue to study. I'm not really proud of this creepy drawing that I did, because it is a little lacking in detail. I guess it is better than not uploading anything at all. I hope you are doing great. Good Night!

3Dish!

Some great artist have the capability to draw on flat surfaces, objects that have the illusion of being 3D. Here is my attempt to draw a small rock.

SQUID IN THE CITY!

Here is a squid that I drew on Sketchbook Pro with a Wacom Tablet. It took me a good 2.5 hours, so look at it and LIKE IT! I'm new to the digital drawing thing, but I've been messing with it here and there. I recorded myself drawing this, so I'll have a chance to make one of those speed painting video. I'll post it up here as soon as I'm done with it. Good night!

SketchbookX

So, I recently inherited an iPod touch from my brother. Being the "sketchy" fellow that I am, I promptly downloaded a very wonderful free app. It is called "SketchbookX". It is a very fun app to play with. Whenever you get the itch to sketch, this app will do you good.

So far I've only tried the free version. I have Sketchbook Pro for my computer and it is a very full software. I am sure that I've only scratched the surface.

A school-bus with legs, why not?

I started this project yesterday and finished it just a few minutes ago! If anyone wants to buy it, let me know. I may also make prints. Good night!

Small Press Expo!

I am very lucky to live here at the East Coast. Last weekend, I had a wondrous time at the Baltimore Comic Con and this weekend, we have the Small Press Expo! I am looking forward to meeting new people and doing some networking. 

In preparation for the weekend events, I got myself busy making some business cards. I didn't want to really spend much money on them, so I order only a few. Also, being a quiet introvert, I'm probably not going to walk up to hundreds of people and give them my card. I wanted a square card, so that it would stand out and a QR code would look all nifty and stuff. I personally don't have a smart phone, but these QR codes always looks so neat.

The art on the back of the card is a painting that I did specifically for the card. I wanted to our something on the card that displayed my art style a little. Made the QR code for free here, and created the ABE emblem on MS Paint (Eeek!)

While I was reading the GoMediaZine blog I spotted a sweet promo for these cute little mini cards. These cards are made by a company called MOO. They are well made little cards and plus they only cost me shipping for 100.

Watercolor, and Pigment Markers.

Change of pace.

So, I've decided to give the sketchbook a rest for some time. I have nothing against the sketchbook or the whole idea of drawing in it everyday. It's just been a little repetitive and monotonous. I'm still gonna be drawing everyday, but just not in the sketchbook. I need a change in the format. I draw to escape from the monotonous, so here I am, drawing on napkins that I found at 7/11. Feels good.

I drew this face less than an hour ago while at work. I was on the phone with an elderly man and I think his voice goes well with this face here. Not sure why his eyes are closed, though.

COMIC CON!

I went to the Baltimore Comic-con yesterday and today. It was so much fun! As you can see, people were dressed up! I met Phil LaMarr, who signed a picture of Hermes. I also saw Paolo Rivera, who signed a few things for me. Overall, it was a pretty exciting weekend! I saw a lot of art and artists.

I saw this wonderfully hypnotic poster and got it signed by the artist, Rafer Roberts. He called it "Squid-Lincoln".

A lot of ALMOST nudity...

Phil LaMarr! He was kind enough to let me get a picture with him.

Paolo Rivera. I like his art working skills. He's the one sitting down, drawing.