Joys of suburbia

101 sketch page entries later and here I am with a visual commentary on the joys of living in suburbia where we still should mow the grass one more time and rake some leaves- all the while snow is upon us already. Joy.

Art Fitzpatrick at CCS

Just recently we at CCS were blessed to have famed car illustrator, Art Fitzpatrick come by and talk to our students prior to his lecture. Not only is he CCS' oldest living alum, he's been working professionally for over 70+ years. His stories were amazing and his wit was still evident as he regaled us with his stories of drawing so many cars over the years. His drawing and painting style set the bar to how cars will be drawn for decades.

http://www.fitz-art.com

Dead Files & me

A few months back I got invited to be the sketch artist on the Travel Channel's Dead Files TV show. It's a show that features a NYC homicide detective and a psychic who do paranormal investigations. They both conduct their investigations separately from each other and at towards the end of the show, Amy- the psychic investigator will sit down with the sketch artist (me!) to draw what she saw. This is one of the images that I was asked to draw for the episode.

http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/the-dead-files/episodes/evil-within

Dancing Minotaur

This is also #100 out of my Sketchbook series. It was just a fun little doodle about the infamous Minotaur- the legendary Greek character that lived in the Cretan Labyrinth. I'm not exactly sure why I made him dance but why not?

Characters to draw from.

Just some of the characters one meets in a lifetime. Amazingly interesting people and just as equally interesting to sketch.

Summer people.

I love seeing some of the outrageous wardrobes on some people, especially during the summer months. Every now and then an outfit just stands out. It leaves an impression that's tough to shake and as someone who loves to see this and documenting them, it's a guilty pleasure of mine to draw.

Subtle tribute to my dad.

This is what I picture happening in Heaven right now.

Another take on vampires.

No particular thought here other than another one of my takes on Dracula or any other vampire. It just started out as a set of spooky eyes, then it morphed into the vampire ears, the shoulders, and then the ragged cape. I'm not so sure about the Colonel Harlan Sanders' Kentucky colonel bow tie though.

The drudgery.

So many times people are stuck with their every day grind and routine that they wear it like a heavy burden. It shows in their poor posture, the droop in their arms, their long drawn out expressions, and just the way they carry themselves in general. I tried to capture that mood in this sketch as I also remind myself never to be in that mode. Life's too short to have a miserable outlook on life.

Opportunities realized.

I posted this photo and the following text to my Facebook page a few weeks back when my dad passed away:

Earlier today, my dad went upstairs to be with my mom and God. Since coming to Canada in 1954 with $10 in his pocket, he had worked tirelessly to not only raise our family but to raise his seven nephews and nieces in rural China. I never knew him to take a day off of work from his 10 hour a day, six days a week, 50 weeks a year job nor did he ever complain of his job. He gave me my life, my morals, a work ethic and an ability to fend for myself. He supported my artistic endeavors from early on and imparted his sharp business acumen to me over the years. My dad was an inspiration and lived an epic life.

My mom called him home for dinner and he answered the call this time

Knowing what and where he came from, I really have a greater appreciation of the man now. He raised me and will forever be a guiding force with regards to how I live my daily life and how I'll chart my career.

My dad will be missed but his spirit lives on within me every day.

Diversity

One of the best things about America (as we just got done celebrating its Independence Day) is its diversity of people. I've always been a fan of drawing oddball crowd scenes like this- whether they're waiting at the airport, bus stop, in line at the neighborhood deli, or wherever.

Happy Independence Day

Iconic Uncle Sam sketch in the wee hours of the morning. My doodle will never be anywhere near the classic James Montgomery Flagg Uncle Sam painting in grandeur and stature.

1980's style throwback

Just for kicks, some oddball late 1980's grid work, circles and styling. Toss in a little bit of shmarmy and I think we're there.

Centaur in motion

This centaur sketch is a subtle homage to Ray Harryhausen who passed away recently. He was a very young 92 when he passed. He was a man with a vision and a way of making thing believable for the masses. He could imagine the impossible and make them move. I met him a few times over the years and he'll always be an inspiration to me not just with his talent but his happy-go-lucky personality.

Art school kids

Based upon what I see waiting at the shuttle stop at CCS nearly every day, these are typical sort of art school kids. They're fashionable and yet practical; a little stand offish and a little unsure of themselves with regards to their talents. Tackle boxes full of supplies, large pads of paper, and a little enthusiasm goes a long way in art school.

Sophia Pappas' prints & such

I just have to pimp & promote one of my students here. This is just some of Sophia Pappas' amazingly gorgeous prints that she's been pulling as of late. She's a recent grad, talented, driven, and hungry to help anyone out on their projects. Go check out her stuff at: http://sophiamariepappas.com/

The Desperado

The urban desperado- complete with glitzy vest.

A giant of a day

What did the villagers in fairy tales ever do with the giants they killed? I can't imagine how long it would take to de-compose- and are giants good eating??

Crazy bagpiper

Not to say that I've ever played the bagpipes nor do I even comprehend how they're played but I've heard them nearly all of my life and have always had an odd fascination with them.

Sketchbook barrage

Here's a smattering of what's been going on in my latest sketchbook. Recently the school bookstore had a huge sale on sketchbooks and I couldn't pass up the deal. Needless to say I bought a huge amount of them and I now feel the need to complete them with whatever quirky idea jumps out of my head and onto the page. Enjoy.

Skull Island art

For about the last six, maybe seven years I get asked to do a menu design for friends who throw one crazed Super Bowl party. This year's no different as they chose the classic King Kong/ Skull Island theme for me to illustrate. They're always fun to draw as there's also a story that goes with each image and a special drink or two for the evening inside the menu.

Only in my homeland.

A few days ago right before Christmas I was over in Ontario running some errands. Now I know my adored homeland of Canada has some pretty amazing quirks and cultural oddities, but this one stuck. It was snowing lightly and most folks out that day were bundled up in their jackets. This gentleman was out shopping in full holiday regalia. I couldn't help but admire his Santa Claus beard but was more intrigued with his fur lined red cowboy hat, bright red muscle tee, and snappy red leather belt to hold the entire ensemble together. It took some serious swagger and some thick skin to walk around a balmy Canadian day that afternoon!