Thursday, August 13, 2009

Greetings and good readings

The best part about looking at other artists' work is that it motivates me to do my own stuff. unfortunately today though, I have work right in the middle of the day. Hopefully I'll have enough lingering inspiration to carry me over until later in the evening. So here's another little installation of examples of work I really enjoy.

This first one might look a bit familiar because one of the activities in my life drawing sketchbook was to look at him as an example of how to evoke certain emotions through close-color harmonies. Apparently he's from the bay area too and does some really cool figurative work. Ladies and gents: Nathan Oliveira


I forgot to get the titles for all of these, oops.


These next ones are from Richard Diebenkorn, another Bay Area artist. If you compare the first one here to the first example I gave from Shaun Tan in one of my earlier blogs, you can see the striking similarities and make a good guess on Tan's influences. I really love Diebenkorn now which is strange because my freshman year of high school we did a project emulating some of his architectural work and I've known his name since then, but really haven't appreciated him until 8 years later.




This guy is one of my favorite illustrators. He came to speak at SCAD as part of an alumni panel earlier in the year and I've been following him ever since. He works constantly and maintains a good balance of both an illustration and fine art career which is so amazing and something I wish I could do! Keep your eye open for Steven Tabbutt, he really knows his stuff.


His website is http://www.steventabbutt.com.

Another artist I look at who does really beautiful figurative art is Burt Silverman. I learned about him in my watercolor class because he does some really awesome gouache paintings, but
all my examples of him are oil. I'll post those later as well.



In other news, I finally get paid this Friday and I think a good chunk will go towards art supplies, or a scanner. . .or a moped. I have trouble saving money.
Also I'm finally starting on my website. It should be up and running somewhat soon?


Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Summaaahh

My next door neighbors have a son who's around ten years old. Every day he and his friend set up two chairs, a blue canopy that looks like it's about to fall down at any second, a folding table, a pitcher full of lemonade, some mismatched disposable cups and a crumpled piece of computer paper that tells you that you can get a cup of lemonade for 25 cents. I'm sure they haven't made very much money, our street hardly gets any traffic, but there's something about summer that stirs up the entrepreneurial spirit in kids. When I was younger every day brought a new opportunity to make money. And we sure did the damn thing: garage sales, pulling weeds, lemonade stands, collecting cans and bottles to recycle, car washes, selling candy, etc. We even tried making our own clothes one year, soap in water bottles another with neither venture bringing in much money. I don't know what I'll do if my parents ever move and I couldn't revisit and stay in the place I spent my childhood.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Fuck microns, bics are the shit

So I went boating the other day and the rope got caught around the prop and got all fucked up and twisty. I was helping my friend get it back in working order and he was taking the task just a lit-tle too seriously. Then the thought struck me: I've never had to make a life or death decision and I don't really no anyone who has. Especially in my generation some of the hardest decisions we've had to make are whether are shoes match our belts. OK, that's an exaggeration, but besides from a few people who've had to go through great trials, most people my age and younger act like entitled, spoiled pricks. Even those who aren't spoiled, can anyone imagine making a decision where the outcome is you live or you die?