21 Jul 2017

Journal Sketch

by | Posted in: Sketches | 3

I was looking at a photo of a bird skeleton in a book, “a North American species that lived some 60 million years ago”. This bird was seven feet tall, flightless, and a carnivore, with a head the size of a donkey. Yikes!
I started wondering what it might look like with it’s skin on. Also was wondering what it used that beak for. Definitely breaking things open. Yikes again!
My drawing is on the fanciful side, but I had fun imagining things.
My version isn’t very ferocious-looking. Mine lives in tall grass and eats hard-shelled reptiles. I also gave it a beard which acts as a bib to keep it’s dinner from ruining it’s pretty green neck.

The reference book is called “The Life and Lore of the Bird: In Nature, Art, Myth, and Literature” by Edward A. Armstrong

7 Mar 2017

The changing journal cover

by | Posted in: animated gifs., Visual Journal | 2

I found a white feather on the street the other day, in the middle of the sidewalk, while coming home with groceries.
It felt synchronistic, because I saw the hint of a white feather in the paint of a painting I was working on in the studio, and I wanted to paint it in, using a real feather for reference.
So this morning I added a drawing to my journal cover. The cover is getting all smudgy and used.
The colour in this gif is more accurate to the real cover, except that the dark green spiky-things look black.
I’m really enjoying making the gifs as much as the drawings.
The challenge of the drawings is to be unhesitating about following the next step, without worrying about how it’s all going to come out, and to work on it as long as there are signals to add something else, without concern for adding too much. It’s kind of like using something up.

12 Dec 2016

Illustration for Robbie Vergara

by | Posted in: Illustration | 3

Robbie came up with a great new concept for his latest shirt design. I helped to make it happen by creating the graphic image he needed to realize it.

The design celebrates and pays tribute to the genius of the late David Bowie by merging the iconic lightning bolt from the cover of Aladdin Sane with this graphic representation of Michelangelo’s David.

The name of the screen printed shirt design is “David”.

 

 

30 Sep 2016

Big Draw Vancouver

by | Posted in: The Big Draw Vancouver | 0

The 2016 Big Draw Festival, world’s biggest drawing event, happens annually on October 1.

I am participating in this celebration of drawing, by facilitating a free drop-in drawing activity at The Britannia Drawing Jam.

The activity I’m offering is based on one of The Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, developed in the 60’s by psychologist Ellis Paul Torrance. The Incomplete Figure test challenges a person to make a drawing from a given linear shape.

Using my partner and my son as guinea pigs, I gave them the Torrance Incomplete Figure test, with the help of some sticky notes, and while sipping smoothies at our local sidewalk cafe (Best smoothies!).

torrance-incomplete-figure-test-2

Of course, artists knew about this process long before Torrance.

This activity is doodle and game-oriented and draws out the inner-magination.
In my version, we give each other the challenge by making up our own marks.

And for anyone who wants to come to my table and do their own thing, on this day of celebrating the joy of drawing, I say,  “More power to you!”

Creativity is our birthright.

Check out the city-wide Vancouver Big Draw events.

 

 

8 Jul 2016

Drawing on Hornby Island

by | Posted in: Plein Air | 4

Little Tribune Bay

If not for my new beach umbrella, I would have been burnt to a crisp.

I was happy to have the drink holders on the arms of my chair. They worked beautifully for holding my pencils.

It’s so satisfying to immerse myself in visual perception, just looking and collaborating with the limitations of the chosen medium to create a document of that experience.