Wednesday, December 31, 2008

A New Year

Howdy folks. Been rather sleepy around here, but not because I haven't been busy! Keeping and updating a blog is something that requires devoted weekly attention, and this one has been sorely neglected. It's not that I haven't been drawing or creating since my last journal doodle; I'm just terribly lax in getting things scanned, resized, and uploaded.

I completed the Schoolism Basics of Caricaturing class as taught by Jason Seiler. I got to meet Jason at the most excellent International Society of Caricature Artists (ISCA) convention held November 2008 in Raleigh, NC. There were a couple hundred of the most outrageously talented, interesting, and friendly people all in one lovely hotel. A giant ballroom was filled from floor to ceiling, wall to wall with hundreds of faces. So many dazzling colors, styles, and approaches to the human face! From masterfully painted portraits in acrylics, oils, and gouache, to highly stylized layers of colored papers, painstakingly cut and assembled. It was an eye-opening experience, leading my mind in all kinds of inspired directions. Meeting such great artists as Roger Hurtado, Marlo Meekins, Jan Op de Beek, Stephen Silver, and Court Jones, to name just a paltry handful of notables, was such an honor. It turns out Roger Hurtado did my very first caricature back in 2001! I remember analyzing that drawing all day afterwards, and studying my own face in the mirror. That was shortly before I began my first job as an airbrushed tshirt artist. To think how far I've come, and all thanks to the vast library of knowledge found on the good ol' internets.

Speaking of acquiring knowledge, I'd like to say thanks again to JohnK for critiquing my work. Some folks reading this might have come from there so HELLO and I hope you stick around :)

I am in the middle of preparing for a New Years Eve wine and appetizer party at our home. So I'm off to vacuum and do some prep on the mini stuffed potatoes. Too bad we don't have caviar to put on top but I think capers and bacon crumbles will make an acceptable substitute.

Tomorrow morning I will spend some time updating the art on this blog, so please check back on New Year's Day! Have a great night everyone. See you in 2009 :D