"On my Doorstep, Singing Sweet Songs"

I finished. Yesterday it did not seem possible, and now I really have to wonder how I was ever able to stay up all night trying to finish things. The only thing that I can come up with is youth, or maybe that I just didn't care as much about the quality of my paints. I don't really know now.

But here are two updated pieces and one which you have not seen at all.

"I Hear you Knockin' ". Titled after Little Richard's song. This one has come a long way since it began. Last night I just started trying to use my paint up on the surface and it started getting really thick, and before I knew it, I was just painting, and I wasn't paying much attention to the subject anymore. This was a pleasure to work up.

"Initiation of the Young". Not as much contrast in this piece as I might have liked, because I got a little carried away with the color. As it stands though, I'm pretty well satisfied with it.

"On my doorstep, Singing Sweet Songs". Couldn't help the Bob Marley reference, because as I was finishing this piece and looking out the window, Three little birds just popped in, stay puff marshmallow man style.

Hope everyone has an awesome day in the sun. Take care.
-Mike

Behind the Eight

Having trouble breaking out today. I've got one more show of birds and bird houses here, and the paintings are looking awesome. I'm amped on them, but mainly because I am pushing my color back to where it once was, (on the brighter side that is), and trying to be a little less anal with my brush strokes. I don't want Murray Tinkleman finding me and telling me that I've already gotten constipated. FYI Tinkleman was one of my college professors, and he was awesome.

I'm making progress, but nothing is really done yet. This one is close, and is breaking up some of my stuffiness. Let me know the ol' thoughts folks.

I've got three others that I am tag-teaming with this one. So expect more posts later today. We're rolling British Bulldogs or Demolition style. Consider me Ax.

Peace
-Mike

Moving Right Along

I made it up for work after the long night of painting and I even had time to scan in the second piece that I have been working on for the Hive. I've been using color a little bit more unabashedly on this show. It feels very satisfactory to be using pinks and yellows. Back to the frosting paintings that my friends and I would talk about in college.

Here's the newest. It needs a little bit more work, but not much I don't think.

I'm also quite a fan of the bulls eye headphone look. Let me know what you think. I'll be posting more very soon.

peace
-Mike

Killing it to the Sword

I got home from work tonight and started to tear up my panel. I don't know what got into me. Maybe it is my deadline, which is fast approaching. I am not really sure. All I know is that after the Seattle trip I have zilch time to finish up this show, so I am so stoked that I had all of the drawings out on panel.

So today I finished one, and got almost there. Unfortunately, right now I'm exhausted and have only scanned in one of the two. I'll try to drag myself out of bed tomorrow and scan the other. It's in pieces, so not as simple as some. But until then here is the first one that I rocked out today.

I hope you like it. Definitely a little bolder than some of the stuff for Blue Bottle.

It's titled "Up on the Roof", though I was not listening to the Drifters during its creation. Rather a bit of symphonic metal from the Sword. Have a good one folks.

peace
-Mike

Digital? Illustration?

Today I threw together my first ever real digital painting of a drawing. Nothing complicated, just a little color on a sketch that I had put together the other day. Thought it actually came out pretty strong.

Going to Seattle for the week. Be back soon.

peace
Mike

Keep yer horse before Descartes.

Lately at work I have had quite the opportunity to sit around and do nothing, which as you well know turns into me drawing. Usually at work I start to get pretty elaborate with my sketches too. I think it is in response to the monotony of 18 cheeseburgers and nothing else, but recently I came up with some ideas involving robots and type.

I have been interested in type ever since I first started to pay attention to graffiti and concert posters a la the flat stock art scene. So when I started thinking about pairing robots with quotes that were quite obviously boiled down explanations of human philosophy, it gave me a chuckle and I had to start to bring it out a little.

Here's the first. There are more to come.

Gotta go. Going to be late to my big day of not much.

peace
mike