ILLUSTRATION FRENZY

Just when I was about to yank my head off from all the stress this week, FIT canceled classes due to the snow storm...if that's what we call it.  So I took advantage of "time", which is a rarity, and caught up on some work that had to get done.  Right now I'm working on 2 projects which I will tell you all about once I finish---but as I was working, I realized I hadn't updated my blog and that there are pieces that I worked on recently that haven't seen the light.  More to come next week!

Madama Butterfly Opera

Angela Davis

 

Cesar Chavez

GETTING ANGRY AGAIN-- IN A GOOD WAY.

Today most of my creative energies have been spent on a private commission I've been working on this week, but for some reason I got into this trance and wouldn't stop making stuff.

While I was waiting for my soup to cool down, I did a quick sketch of my uncle watching TV.  His arm is off....oh well, I blame not being able to erase ink and feeling famished.

Then I started catching up on some reading and my Art and China's Revolution by the Asia Society seemed to appeal the most today.  I loved that exhibition so much, I wish it were part of the permanent collection so I could visit it a couple of times a year.  I know this kind of art is not China's proudest of moments but what appeals to me is the youth during this time.  Regardless of how Mao is viewed, the younger generation saw hope in him and had this interest in making serious change in their country through art.  There were lots of restrictions, but for those who really believed in this movement, it was deep...and more importantly it was for the masses.  And it all shows in the art: gestural drawings, bold and saturated colors.  People saw themselves in those posters, not some lame upper class people drinking champagne.

I love the idea of art being a necessity for survival.  Not only for artists but for everyone: literate and illiterate alike because it's as important as language, a way of communicating with each other.  For me, I constantly have this frustration with this society.  I don't want to hear about who's Britney's new baby daddy or exactly how many women "he" cheated on his wife with-- C'mon.  I want to know why the Bronx is still the poorest area in the country...why these kids have the highest rate of asthma...know what I mean?  This is the part where I get angry and for me, it's a good thing, because just like those kids in China, I'm also fed up.  Why can't I also express this anger through art...to inspire, to motivate...or share information, educate?

Of course, every once in a while, I have to sell out...we all do.  I mean, we gotta eat, you know?  But this is my motivator, what drives me --enough to have some extra will left to make those pieces I don't want to do but will hopefully pay this month's rent.  In the meantime, I'm going to keep getting angry and riled up and produce work that speaks to me...and hopefully others, because I'd like to think I'm not the only one out there.

Promise I'm done with my rambling.  I've been wanting to keep working with linoleum and move farther away from digital for now.  I love the little accidents made in linoleum, where the paint didn't pick up.  Anyway, here are some prints I made today-- I might redo some and re-post.

PATTERN FRENZY

This past month has been quite revealing for me in many ways-- personally and artistically.  Aside from having to deal with external influences...I've found this battle with myself and my own expectations.  Sometimes, after a while, you kind of forget why your expectations are what they are.  I think when that happens it's time to stop a moment and re-evaluate why you chose those expectations.  Are they really because that's what you want to do?  Or is it because all of a sudden you find yourself having to fit that role and succeed?  Maybe the intent was there but it just went in a direction you didn't want it to go?  Tons of possibilities and situations.  In the end... this is the position I'm finding myself in.  In a way it feels like going a step back but I know that it'll be a huge step forward--in the right direction.

That said, in my sketchbook lately, I've been having this urge to make patterns....drawing things over and over again.  It sounds boring, but I found myself having fun with it and really getting interested in this other way of making art.  I think I like it because it can make a message so clear...because it's so redundant.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll snap out of this slumber of pattern frenzy soon...so don't worry about me TOO much.

QUIMBAYA MAN IS BACK...

And you're gonna get in trouble-- HEY-YA HEY-YAAA QUIMBAYA'S-BACK! ...

As promised, Quimbaya man is back!  Once a drawing of an Indigenous character, it is my latest linoleum print avec Chine- Collé method applied.  It's the colored pieces of japanese paper glued to it.  There are different ways of doing this but I just glued one side of the colored paper and placed glue-side up on my already inked block...put it through the press and VOILA! 

I've been into traditional media...stuff that was basically technology back in the day.  Don't get me wrong, I love digital art and what it can do, I use it myself.  But it's nice to understand the past and try to incorporate it into today's technology.  It's my philosophy for everything, really-- and it applies to my view on art as well.  It's nice to know that I could've taken this print and make a green and orange shape and fill it in on photoshop...but it was 10 times more fun to get my hands dirty and get something more "handmade."

Anyway, this is a oil-based ink linoleum print, using Chine-Collé on Colombian Bark paper.

MORE DOCUMENTARY SKETCHES

 Grand Central Terminal

I enjoy drawing from life.  Not really the whole art school thing where you have a nude trying to mimic roman sculptures or the Art Renaissance... Honestly, I'm quite sick of it.  I like going out there and drawing regular everyday people, with clothes on...you know, because that's what people do.  They wear clothes and walk around...they eat, drink, sneeze, laugh.  They move!  The hard part is trying to capture a moment as quickly as you can-- because we're not machines--we see, process, choose a color and then, while still trying to remember what you just saw, draw it.  It sounds like a lot to do within less than a couple of seconds and well...it's because it is.  It's a challenge but it keeps you on your toes and things like "mistakes" don't matter.  It's a pure art form, I think.

Chelsea Market

Astor Place/ St. Mark's

BIRD WINE

Started as images for a critter wine label, I took inspiration from some of the world's ugliest birds and made them aesthetically pleasing in some way. I changed colors around, simplified or highlighted some of their grotesque textures and overall had fun with it. Wasn't too crazy about the wine label idea or the typography for this, I'll include it if you're interested. I like the way they are without the lettering. Mixed Media.

THE BEES ARE DISAPPEARING MI GENTE!

Yes, yes-- you read correctly. The honeybees are disappearing at an alarming rate. They are responsible for 85% of pollination and one third of fruit supply. It is unclear why they are disappearing. Some have pointed fingers at invasive species, other animals killing them, global warming, parasites, pesticides and habitat destruction (basically us). Some ways in which people are trying to help solve the problem is by improving nutritional resources and commercial beekeeping as well as planting plants that attract honeybees.

Imagine a world without honey in your tea...honey glazed anything...!

Anyway, this was for our "Illustrator's Workshop" class. I'm still working it out because the "missing piece" to this image is a puzzle outline to be layed on top (the idea is that this whole thing is a puzzle and we are starting to miss pieces). It's a work in progress but I'm pretty happy with what I've got so far.

DOCUMENTARY ART

I'm taking a Documentary Art class this semester which so far has been fun. Our professor takes us to a new location every week and we well... document the scene. We were told that we should focus on people and make an interpretation on the surroundings or living conditions they are in. In a sense its making a statement about that particular environment. I thought that was pretty interesting and hopefully every week I continue to keep that in mind. This sketch was done at 23rd street and 5th avenue. I think the hot dog vendors with the colorful umbrellas are fun to draw and add to the already earthy and sometimes dull color palette of NYC.

LATEST FINISHED PROJECT: A GIFT

Still trying to save some bucks and make things extra special I once again have made my own gift. This was for my 4th year anniversary with my bf (+ homemade chocolate, chocolate chip cupcakes with ganache frosting). I could sit here and explain to you the meaning of this thing but then it wouldn't be as special anymore. So I'll just let you have the fun of trying to figure it out and enjoy looking at it.

It's acrylic paint on wood, it was a relatively smooth sailing project for me. I sketched out the faces and played around with shapes and what would go in the middle. Worked on a couple of color comps. Then scanned my final drawing on tracing paper, printed and mounted it onto the board. I bought some good smaller brushes, which made all the difference for smaller projects like these, when I want to use thick and thin lines.

SKETCHBOOK UPDATE 08/09

A brief update on my new sketchbook entries in the last week or 2. Some random and others not so random...

CUIDE SU MADRE! TAKE CARE OF YOUR MOTHER!

This was for a poster assignment at the end of the Spring semester. I liked this one so I decided I'd post it up for your viewing. Inspired by the KOGI indians, still going strong in Sierra Nevada, Colombia. They are extremely concerned with the earth and "Little Brother", their way of referring to "us"...the people outside of their culture, the since colonized bunch that has moved on in some way from this simple and unselfish way of life. The urban and the suburban. The KOGI has recently let us into their world so they could spread the message of taking care for our Mother Earth:

"You, Younger Brother, will soon destroy the balance of life on earth if you do not change your ways."

They see the damage we have caused and see the end if we do not do something about it. Kogi Mama, leader, stated: “Up to now we have ignored the Younger Brother. We have not deigned even to give him a slap. But now we can no longer look after the world alone. The Younger Brother is doing too much damage. He must see, and understand, and assume responsibility. Now we will have to work together. Otherwise, the world will die.”

They are really fascinating people who I think we all could learn from. If you're interested, youtube.com has some videos from a BBC documentary. CLICK HERE FOR LINK.

I'll post up some sketches I've done recently mañana.

DAD PORTRAIT STUDY

I'm calling this a study for now because unlike many of the stuff I do, I didn't sketch any ideas out on separate pieces of paper, I didn't work out a color comp nor did I entirely know what to expect when doing this altogether. I just wanted to paint. I wanted to paint something interesting and I wanted to do it my way without any rules or restrictions. I didn't really record my process for this one. Maybe because it went by pretty smoothly and quickly. I did have some hesitations with the background but in the end I decided to leave it as is. One thing I am currently thinking about is his left shoulder. I purposely didn't paint it because I liked the shape he was creating on the canvas. I might make a dark outline of what is "missing" but then again...I may not. I'm just glad I got this out of my system and am in the swing of creating new stuff.

I have tons of pending projects right now and my frustration right now is, "Where do I start?" Pray for me.

FACES & PLACES

Goodness! It's been a while since I posted...And it's not because I haven't been working on some art-- laziness gets the best of us sometimes, I guess. I've been filling up my sketchbook like nobody's business. 80% because I've had the inclination to draw and 20% because I want to finish this sketchbook and buy a new one I've been thinking about too much. More on that in a later post. Right now I'm wrapping up a study/portrait and will talk more about it tomorrow.

In the meantime, I thought I'd post up some recent sketches of faces and places and keep the habit of posting. The first 2 are from the same date and the others well...aren't. I love drawing people...I don't know what it is but it never gets old. No matter how many times I've drawn people I still manage to mess up. It's very rare that I get someone's likeness down the first time. I guess that's the pressure one has when drawing someone specifically. That's why you'll find me reaching for a pen rather than a pencil. Once that mark is down, it's down there permanently--no turning back. So if you make a "mistake" you don't erase it, you work with it. If it's that wrong, I'll try again and sometimes it'll even be easier the 2nd time around. The pen gets rid of "technicalities," those little details that one can easily be absorbed in when using a pencil. With a pen, I focus on more important things. Like mood, thickness of line, etc., etc. Architecture is a little different for me. For the most part I found it boring but lately I've been trying to change it up and find something about it that interests me. Sometimes it's color and sometimes it's shapes and their shadows. These sketches represent those interests. Enjoy.

PORTRAIT--LINOCUT

Low on budget, for my brother's birthday I decided to make him a birthday card. I've been wanting to work with linocut this summer and took the opportunity to make a portrait of my brother. So I drew the portrait in my sketchbook, traced it and transferred it onto my linocut and carved away. The size is 3 by 5, I think.

After my first print, I decided to carve in some lines into the black shadow for the finish. I used the back of a spoon as a press--I realized I didn't have an extra roller aside from the one with ink. Gotta do some more supply shopping. Anyway, I'm looking forward to working in this medium some more. I have a thinner surface coming up next, slightly bigger, as well as some different colored inks. Maybe eventually I'll be working on wood--ooo la la.

SUMMER CAMP

Summer Camp. Well--not for me, for the kids. It's what's been up with me the last 3 weeks. I'm one of the counselors for the 17 kids ages 3-4 in my classroom. It has its ups and downs but most of the time it's pretty comical. I bring my sketchbook with me wherever I go, but I normally wouldn't take it out while I work until one day, the kids were given blank white canvas sketchbooks---yes! Sketchbooks at the age of 4! Sure, they were a lot smaller than the ones we usually carry around but they got to decorate the front and work in it everyday.

Every morning I'm in charge of the "writing center"--really art center because 4 year olds can't write more than their first names. Anyway, I was sitting there one morning watching them draw and color pretty amazing stuff in their little books (I can already see the future artists stick out). So I thought it was the perfect time to take my sketchbook out and draw these kids that NEVER sit still unless they're drawing or being read to. I used whatever was handy that day: one day crayons, another washable markers, and today, cray pas. The kids enjoyed getting drawn (contrary to people on the train). I even had one girl ask me to draw her again: "But this time, don't draw me so serious..." Another kid drew me--I felt so special! :) Although sometimes they can be a pain in the behind, I do enjoy the happiness they find in simple things. I especially love their art-- it amazes me everyday.

TRAIN SKETCHES

I always get paranoid when I sketch on the train-- there are always people that I'd like to draw and I feel the need to whip out the sketchbook and sketch away... I wonder what they think when they see someone drawing them because getting drawn is different from getting a picture taken. Do they feel self-conscious? Annoyed? Proud? Weirded-Out? Do they feel like I have invaded their privacy? It's difficult for me to be in their shoes because I am on the inside, I know what is happening...

Then there's the part when you get caught. I've once been told to stop drawing--they seemed offended...or I'll get dirty looks. I guess in fear of this happening again I always go for the ones sleeping or really into their books and crossword puzzles. Sometimes I luck out and get a really interesting face or two. I'm not sure what to call this whole thing... you know, the unwritten rules on the train and in New York in general-- Don't get caught in the act of staring at someone. Which is pretty much what someone drawing is doing...Don't make eye contact...If you get caught, "WHATCHU LOOKIN AT?" And, especially in the Bronx, I've seen many fights start over "the stare"--which is almost as bad as stepping on the latest kicks. So I say "Hey, hey, make Art, not War." Then the other obstacle: timing. On the train, you gotta be quick, because you never know when they'll get up and leave or wake up and change position completely. I like this part better than getting caught which is probably why I still do it anyway.