E. M. Gist Illustration/ Dead of the Day

Tough Mudder Update

2011-12-13T17:27:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,
I just wanted to throw a quick update to those who have been following along. The current total on the Wounded Warrior donations contributed on by behalf for the Tough Mudder race I will be doing in July is at $876, which exceeded my wildest expectations in the beginning and is now within $125 of my revised goal of $1000. I want to thank all who have donated: Earl Dove, Kathy Owens, Bryan Tipton, Jeffrey and Krista Watts, James Moore, David Myers, Debbie Gist, Michael McKeown, Tracy E Flynn, Richard DeDominicis, Ben Barker, and last but not least Brad Jones. Which brings me to the other reason for this lengthy post. Brad, I am afraid I am not sure who you are, please send me an email to remind me so I can thank you properly and get your address to send you your sketch. I have begun sending and delivering them to everyone else, most of you should get them by the end of the month.

Watts Atelier Winter Schedule 2012

2011-12-05T08:28:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

Here is the new schedule for the next session at Watts. There are so many fun classes I am getting to teach this session, but chief among them are Illustration Techniques, Torso Anatomy, and Reilly Method Painting.

Tough Mudder & Sketches

2011-11-09T09:26:00.000-08:00

Hey all, if you have not heard I am running in the Tough Mudder Next summer. The worthy cause associated with this event is The Wounded Warrior Project. The goal is for each participant to raise at least $150 each in donations in their name, but I would like to get at least $1000 . I will offer one of my printed sketchbooks, or a Kolchak print (signed with a doodle) to anyone who pledges $20 or one of my finished sketches to anyone who pledges $50 or more on my behalf. Here is the link to donate.

Just so there are some images to accompany this post here are some sketches I have done recently. Some of which were done on my recent trip out to Altoona, Pa for Illuxcon, which was once again one of the highlights of my year.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a frightfully safe weekend.

Outdoor Sketching: Tractor

2011-09-02T14:41:00.000-07:00

Here is another demo I did in my outdoor sketching class. We went to the Gas and Steam Engine Museum, on of my favorite spots to draw and paint.

Plein Air Sketching

2011-08-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I took my outdoor sketching class to Balboa Park. This was our first week using gouache, so I did this little demo. It is about 5.5 inches tall and 3.25 wide in my recycled paper sketchbook.

Watts Atelier Fall 2011 Schedule

2011-08-29T06:00:00.001-07:00

Hey all,

The new Watts schedule is out. Some points of interest for me are the Spectrum Illustration class, and Composition class as well as the Reilly Painting on Friday. Also there are about three spots open in the Boot Camp running in September. I hope to see some of you in class soon.

Click here to download a PDF of the brochure

Life Drawing Studies and Demos (August 2011)

2011-08-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Hound

2011-08-24T14:38:00.000-07:00

I have long felt that one of my weakest points is my ability (or lack there of) to render armor or metal convincingly. So with that in mind I have decided to commit my sketchbook work to the improvement of this shortcoming.

Speaking of my sketchbook, some of you may have noticed the addition to the sidebar on the right where I have a couple items now for sale, including copies of my convention sketchbook.

One of my favorite characters from the Game of Thrones series (the books not the tv show, he is a bit shorted there) is The Hound. So I decided to start with him.

From a still from the show.

Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes

2011-08-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Awhile back I did two illustrations for a novel set in the 1960's PotA movie continuity. The second illustration was a double page spread of Milo, who while searching the "Icarus" discovers Stewart's corpse. The image was edited and cropped in the book, so I thought I would post the full image for your enjoyment.

Captain America Commission

2011-08-18T23:29:00.000-07:00

EDIT: Here is the thumbnail I did prior to the final sketch. I only did one thumb in this case because what I was drawing was so heavily based in the original cover.

To finish up commission week here is a sketch for a painting I have been commissioned to do for a collector who hires artists to illustrate "One Minute Later"s. Basically he picks a comic cover and has the artist paint what happens an instant after.

The Nyarlathotep Event

2011-08-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

Here is another commission I recently finished for Jonathan Wood, author of No Hero from Nightshade Books. Awhile back I was hired to illustrate the cover to No Hero and since then Jonathan and I have gotten to know each other over the internet. So when he agreed to do a serialized short story for the GEEKDAD blog on Wired.com he asked if I could do an illustration for it. The story revolves around the further adventures of the characters from No Hero, go check it out.

The original pencil sketch

and a bit of digital polish

The Doctor

2011-08-15T09:58:00.001-07:00

I apologize for the long absence, I have been very busy lately. This week I will be posting some fun commissions I have done lately. I have been stockpiling commissions for awhile, and have made a pledge to myself to start really putting a dent in the list by the end of the year.

Commissions are fun because you get to do things (either stylistically or subject matter) that you don't usually get to do. In this regard I am starting the week off with a job from across the pond. I was contacted by a collector in England that has commissioned several artists to execute illustrations based on Dr. Who. The catch here is that he has them done on a page in a Dr. Who compendium. So he shipped this very nice collector's book, full of great info on the long history of the show, out to me. I was stunned by the quality of the work that has been painted directly onto the pages of the book, and was glad to add my own contribution.

Step X Step: Necropolis

2011-07-12T11:44:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

Here is a little step x step of the cover I recently completed for the novel Necropolis by Michael Dempsey, published by Nightshade Books

R.I.P. Gene Colan

2011-06-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

EDIT: here is a really nice article remembering Mr. Colan by Scott Allie. (CLICK)
I woke up this morning to more sad news, Gene Colan has passed away. From the first time I saw Gene Colan's work I was a fan, the fact that he was the standard bearer of horror comics through the seventies and into the eighties only added to my appreciation. Years later I discovered he was a student of Frank Reilly's which cemented him as on of my favorite comic artists. He will be missed.

http://thecliffordmethod.blogspot.com/

Watts Atelier Summer 2011 Schedule

2011-06-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

Sorry for the shortage of posts lately, I have been slammed with work. Hopefully I will be able to post about that soon. I also have some instructional posts in the works, so stay tuned.

In the mean time here is the summer schedule for Watts Atelier.

R.I.P. Jeffrey Catherine Jones

2011-05-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

A very sad day, one of the most influential illustrators of the past 40 years has passed on.

Frankenstein's Army

2011-05-05T07:54:00.000-07:00

First it was called "Worst Case Scenario", then "Army of Frankenstein" and now "Frankenstein's Army", but whats in a name? that which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet.

This smells pretty damn sweet.

"Toward the end of World War II, Russian soldiers pushing into eastern Germany stumble across a secret Nazi lab, one that has unearthed and begun experimenting with the journal of one Dr. Victor Frankenstein. The scientists have used the legendary Frankenstein's work to assemble an army of supersoldiers stitched together from the body parts of their fallen comrades - a desperate Hitler's last ghastly ploy to escape defeat."

Thanks to Pierre Fournier over at Frankensteinia for bringing this to my attention

More WoW ills

2011-05-03T19:32:00.001-07:00

Lance Henriksen

2011-05-02T09:03:00.000-07:00

EDIT: So I forgot to mention, the reason for this commission was that the collector is attending a signing for the release of Mr. Henriksen's biography (official website), which is being released this week to honor Mr. Henriksen's birthday on the 5th. So happy birthday Sir and many more.

Here is a drawing commission I recently finish for a collector. I enjoy Mr. Henriksen's work quite a bit, and thought his "look" fit well with my style, so I had a lot of fun with this one.

Monsterpalooza 2011

2011-04-20T08:29:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

A little over a week ago my buddy Dug and I had a booth at one of my favorite conventions of the year, Monsterpalooza. It is a show geared primarily towards the arts in horror, spanning from the early movie make-up work to the modern collectible model and sculpture market. It is a show I plan on exhibiting at as long as they keep having it, in its third year it is already growing and getting better each year. Highlights of this years show were getting to meet Guillermo Del Toro (and having him buy two of Dug's original inks) and Mike Hill who exhibited several of his works in the booth next to ours.

Also just a quick reminder that Wizard World Anaheim is next week, I will be there as well.

our booth

Me posing with Mike Hill's rendition of Werewolf of London

Mike Hill's life size Monster

Mike Hill's silver screen sized Monster and life size Curse of the Werewolf

More work from Mr. Hill

one of the many fans in costume.

From Dusk Till Con Interview

2011-04-16T08:11:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

The folks over at From Dusk Till Con did an interview with me a bit back. If that sounds like something you would be interested in reading head on over.

Painting Demo

2011-04-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

Another semester has started this week at Watts Atelier. Here is a demo I just did for a painting class. Done from the live model, approx. 3 hrs

Life Drawing (follow-up)

2011-03-21T08:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday was our last day of the winter session, so I drew along with everyone. Here is my effort, about 4.5 hours. It came out okay, but I am definitely rusty on longer drawings.

Life Drawings & Demos (March 2011)

2011-03-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

25 min figure demos from life

25 min head drawing demos from life (yes even the Abe)

5 min quicksketch warm-ups and demos

Anatomy demos

Figure invention demo

New Warcraft card art

2011-03-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hey all here are a couple new cards done for the WoW TCG

Sketch Redux (No Hero)

2011-03-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a piece I just finished for Nightshade Books called "No Hero"

Description:

Action flick meets cosmic horror/alien invasion. Cover should mimic an ensemble cast action movie poster.

British suburban street. Oxford. Shops, apartments. A few cars. A "WWKRD?" (What would Kurt Russell Do?) bumpersticker on the closest of them (undercover Ford Escort). Something exploding (double decker bus?). Tentacles (maggoty, pale) creep in from the distance, wrapped around buildings/cars.

first pass at thumbnails

The A.D. had this to say

Hey Erik, LOVE the action movie feel on these, I can totally picture Jack Burton in there :)

I'd go with the middle comp on the left side, but if we could add in the exploding of the bottom left corner? Tie that level of drama and action into the middle left composition. Let me know, thanks!

thumbnail revision

Awesome, looks great!

Final Sketch

Hey Erik,

yeah, just had to get notes from the editor. Sketch looks awesome! I have
a few notes to keep in mind for the final:

Tabatha (with laptop) is Pakistani, dark-complected with white ink
tattoos: angels, devils, & heavy metal icons, and Kayla (the
swordswoman) wears her bangs so they cover her eyes

Also, There's concern over the car looking "British" enough. NBD on this
one, but maybe just to keep in mind.

But yeah man, looking fantastic! Thanks!

Final Illustration

Hey Erik,

So I do have one note on the piece from (the editor in chief).
Basically he just wants to see some details fleshed out a little further. I
know we were pushing you on this one with a short deadline and I think the
piece looks fantastic overall, but his concern is the tentacles. Basically
just love em up a bit more, particularly those in front of the explosion. I
love the finish on the main figure and the buildings, and his concerns are
mainly just the disparity from those areas to the tentacles (what with them
being a compositional tool and story delivering focal area). Thanks Erik!

This was actually music to my ears, because I wanted to give the whole thing one more pass. Especially the things mentioned and the explosion.

Final Illustration Revision

so awesome, we are fully approved!

Watts Atelier Spring 2011 Schedule

2011-03-01T14:33:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

The new Watts schedule is out. Some points of interest for me are the Advanced Figure Drawing, and Long Figure Drawing on Monday as well as the Reilly Painting on Wednesday. Also there is still room in the Boot Camp running this Fall. I hope to see some of you in class soon.

Figure Painting Demo

2011-02-16T09:35:00.001-08:00

Here is a demonstration I did for my figure painting class this semester. I cannot say I am particularly proud of this piece, but I promised my class I would post it.

Rondo Awards

2011-02-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

Hey All,

Every year the "Rondo Awards" are held to celebrate the best in classic horror. Now I always do a lot of horror illustration, but this year has been particularly good for me in regards to classic horror, what with my illustrations for Kolchak and Planet of the Apes. There are many great nominees that worthy of recognition so go over and cast your votes, it is easy just copy and paste the category and your selection into an email with your name and send it to taraco@aol.com by March 27th. Oh, and the best pro artist category is by write in only, so if you feel I am worthy of a nod I would appreciate it.

New Robert Fawcett Book

2011-01-27T08:46:00.000-08:00

Sorry that I have been absent from the blog for a bit (and it will probably be a bit longer) very busy with freelance right now. I should have lots of new stuff when I am back to posting regularly.

In the meantime here is a new book Auad is publishing on Robert Fawcett. He is yet another artist that my young mind was unknowingly influenced by. You see I was a huge Sherlock Holmes fan growing up, I was often let down by many illustrations of Holmes until I saw Fawcett's. The subtly of character and mood bubble over in what I feel are his greatest works.

You can purchase now from Auad Publishing

Or pre-order from Amazon

Master's of the American West 2011

2011-01-10T11:36:00.001-08:00

Hey all,

Just a quick notice and reminder, The Masters of the American West exhibit is coming next month to The Autry Museum in Burbank, CA. Also, they recently posted much of the artwork on the official site. Even if you have little interest in "cowboy art" I cannot recommend this show enough, many of the best contemporary realist artists can be seen in this show.

Morgan Weistling

Jeffrey Catherine Jones Documentary...

2011-01-05T14:27:00.000-08:00

...needs your help

I was introduced to Maria Cabardo by Jeremy Cranford at a group dinner during San Diego Comic-Con last year. I had heard about the docu being done on Jeffrey Catherine Jones (an artist I respect immensely). Hearing about the passion she, as the driving force behind it, has put into the project it made me even more anxious to see the end product. Well apparently the project needs a little help in funding the post-production. You can help out with a donation over at kickstarter.com. You can give as little as a dollar, but with a $50 donation you are essentially pre-ordering the dvd and movie poster.

Wizard World Anaheim and other appearances

2011-01-04T14:04:00.000-08:00

Those of you who pay attention to such things may have noticed I list my convention appearances in a widget to the right. If so, you may also have noticed a recent change there. I was invited to attend Wizard World Anaheim this year, and due to time constraints I had to drop out of Horror Hound Weekend Indy. While I am sad to miss out on Horror Hound I am looking forward to Wizard World.

Just prior to Wizard World I will be appearing at Monsterpalooza in Burbank, and I am happy to announce I will be once again exhibiting at IlluXCon in Altoona, PA in November. If you have the time and inclination, it would be great to meet some of you at any or all of these great gatherings.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

...well eve, but that is when everyone really celebrates anyway. So here you go, this one is a little obscure. Since I have not run a competition lately, the first one to guess the movie wins a signed copy of both the Kolchak: The Night Strangler comic cover A and cover C. Enter by posting a comment with the title of the movie.

and a bonus sketch of zombie DIck Clark

(because once Jeremy Lewis mentioned it I knew it needed to be done)

Video Tutorial: Avenger Ep V-VI

2010-12-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

episode V

episode VI

Video Tutorial: Avenger Ep III-IV

2010-12-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Episode III

Episode IV

Video Tutorial: Avenger Ep I-II (Test)

2010-12-27T07:34:00.000-08:00

Hey All,
I am planning on doing some drawing and painting video tutorials. So I thought while I am out of town this week it would be a good time to run a test. I did a quick edit of a live online demo I did a while back, and I will be posting this footage this week. The quality is not the best, and there are gaps in the footage, but it is a glimpse into how I paint. So without further ado...

episode I

episode II

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T10:33:00.001-08:00

and Happy Holidays!

Photo Reference: Part 2

2010-12-21T15:48:00.000-08:00

For this illustration there wasn't a specific actor,but there was an established look for the character. That look was Peter Caras' and later George Gross' interpretation of Steve Holland, the ubiquitous "action man" template/model for many of the 1960's and 70's pulp cover illustrators. So of course I went to my go to "action hero" and fellow Watts Atelier instructor Jim Hahn. Jim has the square jaw and steely gaze that is requisite for a pulp hero. So I dressed Jim up in a ridiculous costume and had him pose in a variety of heroic poses that fit the

rough thumbnail I had decided on.

Once I had the reference I liked, I then proceeded to the sketch phase where I turned Jim into Richard "The Avenger" Benson. This actually wasn't that hard because he already bears a passing resemblance to Steve Holland.

First I wanted to give him more heroic proportions so I broadened and rotated the shoulders more towards the camera, I shrunk the head, narrowed the waist, and enlarged the hands. Next I went to work on the head, here I squared off his jaw a little more, added the chin dimple, and gave the eye a bit more of a blank stare (as befits the character), I also thinned his lips some and sharpened his cheek bones.

One last think I modified was the left hand. I rotated it some and spread the fingers to get a stronger silhouette.

Photo Reference: Part 1

2010-12-20T08:54:00.000-08:00

I have many different ways of working from thumbnail, to sketch, to final. In this instance I had the added challenge of getting a likeness of a character linked to a specific real person. So I gathered reference after the thumbnail (which I do not always do). When I got this job I was very excited because I am a fan of the Kolchak tv series and Darren McGavin. However, I knew this was going to be a challenge because both the A.D. and I wanted it to look like Mr. McGavin. So after coming up with a thumbnail I liked, I went and got the DVDs of the

first two Kolchak TV movies (much nicer

looking and cinematic than the later series)
and combed it for shots that would fit my thumbnail. I couldn't find the exact shot I wanted, but I found two that when pieced together would work. The next step was to shoot myself in a similar pose to Kolchak because I wanted more information to work with than the screen shots gave me. I also searched the internet for the camera that he used, I never found the exact one, but I did find a similar model.

I have now put together the reference I need, next the trick was to get what I needed out of the ref. I started with a rough lay-in from the screen grabs. Then, using the photos of myself and my own sense of idealization I began to redesign and render. I wanted to push a bit more of a tough rugged Clint Eastwood, or Tommy Lee Jones look, so I added a bit more structure to the face (especially the nose and chin) and squared off the jaw a little more. I also wanted more of a stern look to his squint, so I furrowed the brow and deepened the creases. I used the ref of me quite a bit in the hands, and tilted the shoulders to give a sense of movement. The challenge was to do all of this while maintaining the likeness.

After finishing up, I then paint the final illustration primarily from the final sketch. I only refer back to the photos if I need a little more information. This was a pretty tight sketch so I don't remember doing that too much here.

EDIT:

I was asked about the "zombie", here is the reference for him. It's me again, and an anatomical head used as ref to help zombify me. I normally just make up the zombification, but I wanted a very real, almost clinical look to this guy. I also distorted the proportion in the shadow to give him a quirky, supernatural vibe.

Anatomy Studies from Life

2010-12-15T09:06:00.000-08:00

While studying anatomy from books and photos is very informative, to start to master it you need the 3D aspect. So, for the final session of my anatomy class I had our resident "anatomy model", Rob Donaty come in and take two poses, one back and one front, each for about an 1.5 hours of 20 minutes on 5 minutes off.

Even after an intense 10 weeks of anatomy study (maybe because of it) it was difficult for the students to focus on the big picture. Remember you don't draw a brick wall one brick at a time.

Zombie Sculpture

2010-12-14T09:11:00.001-08:00

I have suppressed my love of sculpture for long enough. So, much like a 1980's Kevin Bacon I am going to cut footloose. At least that what I thought before I started... this s#!t is hard. Help me Jordu Schell, help me! Maybe I should do a sketch.

Christmas Relay Demonstration

2010-12-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

For the last five years, at the Watts Atelier Christmas Party six of the instructors have done a "relay demo" from the live model. This year we were fortunate enough to have Fred Vrabel pose as Santa for us. Each instructor does a 15-20 min sitting on the painting and then passes it on to the next instructor.

picture of our model Fred

Erik Gist 20 min

Stan Prokopenko 20 min

Ben Young 15 min

Lucas Graciano 15 min

Meadow Gist 15 min

Jeff Watts 15 min

Alla Prima Friday (Dec 10)

2010-12-10T17:22:00.000-08:00

1.5 hours +/-

4.5 x 7 oil on canvas panel

Best Art Books of 2010

2010-12-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

I was inspired by Dan Dos Santos' "Top 10" list of best art books for 2010 over at Muddy Colors and thought I would put together my own. There are many fine books over on Dan's list that are not on mine, but easily could have been.

#1 The Legend of Steel Bashaw by Petar Meseldzija: The first "Dan Dup" TM shows up early . I had been hearing a lot about this book, and finally got a chance to check it out at IlluXCon 3. It is a perfect fairytale (of which I am a huge fan).

#2 The Art of Drew Struzan: A great book loaded with comp work. I am a fan of Mr. Struzan's work, but I flip for his sketch stuff. His design and compositions really go to another level when unfettered by the constraints of the market place. This is a man who truly takes commercial art to a fine art level.

#3 The Art of Hammer: The Official Poster Collection From the Archive of Hammer Films

This a dream come true for fans of horror films and European style movie posters. I have always preferred the Universal films to the Hammer films, but Hammer gets the clear nod in the poster department.

#4 Middle Earth by Donato Giancola: The astounding first collection of Mr. Giancola's Tolkien inspired paintings. An beautiful look inside the creative mind of a modern master storyteller. You can also order this at Donato's website

#5 A Sketchy Past: The Art of Peter De Seve- If there is one regret I have this year it is that I did not pick this up when I had a chance. Now it is sold out and the aftermarket price is upwards of $250. Luckily there a second edition coming soon. I will not make this mistake again.

#6 Color and Light by James Gurney: One of the most informative books to come out since... well, Mr. Gurney's last book Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist. Both of which can be purchased from Mr. Gurney's website Dinotopia Store.

#7 Framed Ink by Marcos Mateu-Mestre: An absolute must have for all visual storytellers. Geared towards the storyboard/sequential artist there is more than enough information here for all artists.

#8 Spectrum #17: Another "Dan Dup" TM. Not really to much to say here, other than every year there is one art book you can order sight unseen, and this is it.

#9 James Bama Sketchbook: A great look into the prepwork of one of my favorite illustrators. It is especially informative to see the looser gestural work of someone who normally works so tight. The addition of some of his life work while studying with Frank Reilly made this a must own for me.

#10 Harvey Dunn: Illustrator and Painter of the Pioneer West: The last "Dan Dup" TM, this is because this book should be on everyones list from the most jaded of career illustrators, to the young novice, to the aficionado. There is something here to remind everyone that we were fanboys first.

Warcraft TCG: Worldbreaker Illustrations

2010-12-09T10:43:00.001-08:00

Hey all,

Here are my newest WoW cards released today in the Worldbreaker expansion

all oil on panel 11 x 14

Inside the Artist's Studio: Anatomy (Torso Back) part 3

2010-12-08T07:39:00.000-08:00

Here is the final installment of a 6 month cycle of studying and teaching academic anatomy. I feel I have learned a lot about drawing (not just humans) and teaching anatomy. I hope this will make my anatomy classes even stronger the next go round.

I thought this might be a good time to list my favorite books for the academic study of anatomy. Next semester I will be teaching a "Bridgman Studies" class, I will write more about the books I reference when studying the visual side of anatomy at that time. I definitely consider these two different fields of study, and have yet to find a single book that covers both well.

Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form by Elliot Goldfinger

Artistic Anatomy (Practical Art Books) by Robert Beverly Hale

Andrew Loomis

2010-12-06T09:56:00.001-08:00

While making a recent purchase on Amazon.com I stumbled across a new listing for Figure Drawing for All It's Worth by Andrew Loomis. About two years ago a listing for Creative Illustration popped up by the same publisher, Titan Books, sadly this never came to be so don't get too excited. Still, This is a staple in the library of the figurative artist, so it can't hurt to pre-order.

Alla Prima Friday (on Saturday)

2010-12-04T08:10:00.000-08:00

Actually I did paint this on Fri, I just didn't get around to shooting it until this morning

2-3 hrs 9 x 12 oil on canvas panel.

Inside the Artist's Studio:Anatomy (Torso Back) Part 2

2010-12-01T05:01:00.000-08:00

Materials: Stretching a Canvas

2010-11-29T13:40:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

Many of you probably already know this, but my wife is also a painter. She recently started a blog, and she is doing a series of posts on how to stretch a canvas. If you are at all interested in such a thing go check it out.

Watts Atelier Winter 2011 Schedule

2010-11-28T09:34:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

The new Watts Atelier schedule is out. Some points of interest, from my point of view, are the figure painting and character design classes I am teaching.

Click here or the image below, give it some time it is not a small file.

Alla Prima Friday (Nov 26)

2010-11-26T15:46:00.001-08:00

After last weeks painting being ruined by a mediocre head I thought I would take a shot at another portrait. I still need to work on my edges, amongst other things.

9 x 12 on canvas panel.

Life Drawing Studies and Demos (Nov 2010)

2010-11-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

25 min +/-

5 min quicksketch

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T22:15:00.000-08:00

Inside the Artist's Studio: Anatomy (Torso Back) part 1

2010-11-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Torso Back

The Reilly Papers

2010-11-22T11:49:00.000-08:00

Portrait artist and student of the Reilly lineage, John Ennis has recently set up a blog "The Reilly Papers". This blog will focus on revealing and exploring the first hand notes of Frank J. Reilly for the first time in a public forum. I am beside myself with excitement. I encourage any and all aspiring artists of any kind to follow this blog closely.

Alla Prima Friday

2010-11-19T14:46:00.000-08:00

2hr+ figure gesture

8x10

Inside the Artist's Studio: Anatomy (Torso Side) part 3 & 4

2010-11-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm Back

2010-11-16T06:49:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

After a long week of fun and art at Illuxcon (more on that later), I am back. I spent that last week with a great group of old friends, Lucas Graciano, Mike Hayes, Ryan Schutter and Tom Babbey, and one new one Arthur Loftis. I have known Arthur in passing for awhile now,
but this is the first time I have spent any time hanging out with him. He strikes me as an easy going young man who can blend into many different situation and make those around him feel at ease. Now you may ask why I am writing about Arthur, well he is participating in Movember. This is charity in which men (and women I suppose?) grow mustaches to raise money for prostate cancer treatment. So please, click here and head over to his page and support this worthy cause

photo courtesy of William Sentman

Inside the Artist's Studio: Anatomy (Torso Side) part 2

2010-11-09T09:02:00.000-08:00

I am heading out IlluxCon tonight, so posting for the next week may be slim to non-existent. I am not sure what the Wi-Fi situation will be and most everyone I would want to do a guest blog is going to be there as well.

Gesture Portrait part II

2010-11-05T14:40:00.000-07:00

Here is another quick painting I did today about 2 hours. I experimented with a new palette today that has a chromatic and tonal version of each primary. Cad Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cad Red, Transparent Red Oxide, Ultramarine Blue, Ivory Black, and White.

oil 9 x 12

Inside the Artist's Studio: Anatomy (Torso Side) part 1

2010-11-03T08:02:00.000-07:00

Side view skeleton, over the next month of Wednesdays I will able to show (more clearly) the muscles, such as the serratus anterior, that move from anterior to posterior (or visa versa) on the torso.

Preview: The Spider & Domino Lady

2010-11-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

This is a prose comic that I just finished the interiors for, coming soon from Moonstone Books.

Top 7 Horror Films: #1

2010-10-31T23:00:00.000-07:00

#1 Alien
Everything about this movie is brilliant. The movie poster, the creature and tech design, the acting, and of course the brilliant direction. One of the few perfect films out there.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

Top 7 Horror Films: #2

2010-10-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

#2 The Thing
I am telling you, I don't think another director has ever strung together a series of movies like John Carpenter did in the 70's and 80's.

Top 7 Horror Films: #3

2010-10-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

#3 Psycho
Do I need to say anything about this one?

Inside the Artist's Studio: Quick Sketch part 4

2010-10-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

Design, sorry this to so long, but it is a complicated subject. I found simplifying it into a blog post difficult. There may be more coming on this topic. Click Here or on the image below.

In the meantime check out these books

Art of Color & Design by Maitland Graves

Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang

Top 7 Horror Films: #4

2010-10-28T23:00:00.000-07:00

#4 Audition
This is the only movie on my list that I have only seen once, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I had to take a "silkwood shower" the last time just to feel clean again...nope not because of that at all.

A New Blog to Follow: Muddy Colors

2010-10-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

My buddy Dan Dos Santos, who was nice enough to fill in for me a few weeks back, has started a new communal blog with a whole group of great illustrators. For the aspiring illustrator, illustrator, or fan of illustration it is a must read. Muddy Colors

Top 7 Horror Films: #5

2010-10-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

#5 The Exorcist
Not to many horror films straight up scare me, but this one gets me everytime. Probably the only film on this list that if I watch it right now it will make me scream like a little girl... ya know in a manly way though.

Inside the Artist's Studio: Anatomy (Torso Front) part 3

2010-10-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Top 7 Horror Films: #6

2010-10-26T23:00:00.000-07:00

#6 Halloween
(again to me this really includes both 1 & 2, they are so seamless in my mind)
As a kid I was a much bigger Nightmare on Elm Street fan, but I have to admit that this film has aged much better. As have all John Carpenter films up to and including In the Mouth of Madness.

Top 7 Horror Films: #7

2010-10-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

In honor of Halloween, over the next week I will be posting a one a day countdown of my favorite horror films. Each post will go up at 11 pm.

#7 Bride of Frankenstein (in my mind this includes Frankenstein, because you can very easily watch them back to back as one movie. #6 will include the same qualification, can you guess what it is?)On the right day this list could easily be nothing but James Whale movies. Did I mention I like James Whale?

As a foot note, checkout Gods and Monsters

Reilly Method Painting

2010-10-25T08:49:00.001-07:00

I posted a demo I did for a class I am teaching based on the "Reilly Method" of painting. Frank J. Reilly had a very controlled method of painting that has been well documented in three books.

1)Student's Guide to Painting by Jack Faragasso- currently of print, but I was told by Mr. Faragasso that may change in the near future

2)Values for Pictures Worth a Thousand Words by Apollo Dorian- Also technically out of print, but you can send away for it.

3)Mastering the Craft of Painting by Angelo John Grado- Also out of print but affordable

In short the "Reilly Method" utilizes a form of controlled palette in which you mix up to 10 values of reds, yellows, grays, fleshtones, and sometimes blue. I generally limit it to 5 to simplify for my student.

In Reilly's teachings he would preach a way of calculating value accuracy through a combination of local value and a given planes angle to the light source. This requires a long term dedication to the study of form and its ability to refract light. To simplify I tell my students that on the average person the general value of flesh in the light is a 2 (if numbering 1-5, left to right on the chart above) halftone (planes at an oblique angle to the light) are a 3, general shadow(planes facing away from the light source are a 4, dark accents a 5, and highlights a 1. This of course is a huge over simplification, but a good way of learning to control your values when beginning to paint in color. You can increase accuracy and precision by adding more values, but this will also add complexity.

Once you have established the correct value (often done using a burnt umber pick-out form of grisaille or underpainting) you can adjust the generic flesh tone by mixing in the corresponding red, yellow, or gray.

Scott Altmann Artwork Stolen

2010-10-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

While exhibiting at NYCC Scott Altmann had a portfolio of original drawings go missing. Go to his blog to find out more, and help in anyway you can. If you know the person who took them please say something. Regardless of what you think, anyone who does this sort of thing is nobodies friend.

Gesture Portrait

2010-10-22T15:20:00.000-07:00

A quick study done in between helping people today.

Inside the Artist's Studio:Anatomy (Torso Front) Part 1 & 2

2010-10-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

Anatomy demos/handouts for the torso anatomy class this semester at Watts Atelier

Oil Painting Demo

2010-10-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

Here is a demonstration I did for my Reilly Method Painting Class at Watts Atelier. I will discuss this method a little more in depth in the coming weeks.

Reilly Abstraction

2010-10-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. I am still working on the next entry in the quick sketch series, but I have been swamped with work lately. In the mean time, "The Reilly Abstraction". More on this later.

Spectrum 17 Preview

2010-10-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

They just posted a video preview for multiple books including Spectrum 17 over on the Spectrum website. Go check them out

Hey check at 1:25

Men at Work (Sargent)

2010-10-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

I always enjoy finding pictures of great artist's working, even (sometimes especially) if they are staged.

The more authentic pictures can be more informative, it is fun to try and identify the work habits of the greats. The staged ones are great too because they are often so silly and obvious.
So to that end, I am starting a new semi-regular. Send me photos of any artist you admire working on a piece of artwork. In the vein of Ain't It Cool News feature Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day "I’m looking for the iconic, the rare or the just plain cool behind the scenes shots to feature here." These can range from rare B&W photos of artists long past to young turks caught at a workshop or convention. You can email your photos to me at emgist@erikgist.com

To start us off, who can tell me who this dapper gent is? Unfortunately this one smacks of the staged variety, with one of his most famous paintings openly displayed.

Art History Scavenger Hunt (Oct 2010)

2010-10-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

WOW! Okay, so I knew I was starting off with an easy one, but this is ridiculous. Two winners, and it is not yet 8 o'clock. Next month I will clearly have to post later, and make it harder, to give the west coast guys a chance. Congrats to Scott Altmann and Kurt Aspland

Hey all,
About a month ago I posted my influence map, and ran a scavenger hunt competition to name all my influences. Enough people had fun with this that I have decided to make a similar regular feature. So witness the birth of "Art History Scavenger Hunt", each month (or so) I will post a visual riddle and the first person to post in the comments with the correct answer wins a prize. This months prize will be a free copy of the Dead Reign RPG core book from Palladium Books signed with a sketch. Please be patient with the prize, I just mailed out last months today.

Here is the hunt for October (see what I did there). Name each of the artist's responsible for the paintings below, as well as the mystery artist that continues the pattern.

Inside the Artist's Studio: Quick Sketch part 3

2010-10-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Structure and mass, enjoy.

Inside the Artist's Studio: Quick Sketch part 2

2010-10-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

For quick sketch part two, I am going to cover establishing the gesture. The most common mistake people make in drawing the gesture is they try to get too specific to early. Do yourself a favor and draw the simple action and relationships of the figure. Detail only interferes with getting the big picture and capturing the energy of the figure.

Inside the Artist's Studio: Quick Sketch part 1

2010-09-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

Let me start by thanking Dan and Jeremy. Great job guys, I owe you both a drink or six at IlluXCon.

I meant this post for yesterday, but I ended up getting sick over the course of our entire trip. So, while I am feeling better I was exhausted when we got home.

Anyway, I have never done a thorough dissection of quick sketch in handout form. So in honor of this semesters qs class filling up so quickly I am going to do that over the next few weeks. I am starting with a reconstruction of a handout that was initially given to me some 15 years ago by Jeff Watts, and then later by Glen Orbik. Both of the copies given to me are in pretty poor shape so I have recreated it with a few changes in terminology, and using samples of my own drawings.

Starting tomorrow I will be essentially breaking this handout down in to more in-depth explanations. Look it over, and if you have any questions post them in the comments, and I will do my best to answer them in the upcoming posts.

Click the image to download a PDF

Guest Blogger : Jeremy Cranford

2010-09-27T17:31:00.000-07:00

Erik asked me to write a blog post while he’s out having fun on vacation.

He said I could write about whatever I like. After starting to write a great post about chupacabras, I remembered that this was suppose to be an art focused blog.

So instead of the chupacabra post, I’ll write about something we were discussing in the office the other day. I opened up a box that had just been shipped to me by a freelancer. Inside was a painting that was to be used in a trading card game so I was a bit surprised to see a blue skinned creature on a blue background. It was really difficult to read when I printed it out at a small size. The problem was that there was note enough contrast.

While I love good composition, anatomy, brushstrokes and color harmony as much as the next guy you cannot forget about contrast when creating images that will be reduced down to the size of a stamp or a trading card. Remember that a strong silhouette is your friend. Define a great shape, make sure you don't loose it and you're half way done.

Here are a couple ideas to keep in mind the next time you want contrast in your illustration:

1) Use a dark figure on a light background.

2) Use a light figure on a dark background.

3) Use a warm figure on a cool background.

4) Use a cool figure on a warm background.

5) Use a complicated figure design against a simple background.

Here is an example of a warm figure against a cool background by the man himself Erik Gist.

Here is an example of a cool figure against a warm background by Efrem Palacios.

Here is an example of a dark figure against a light background by Michael Komarck.

Here is an example of a light figure on a dark background by Matt Cavotta.

Here is an example of a complicated figure against a simple background by Jesper Ejsing.

If you haven’t seen them, Drew Struzan’s Star Wars stamps are also a great example of an illustrations with strong contrast: http://www.freewebs.com/cebustarwarsclub/stamps.htm

I know it sounds obvious but you’d be surprised and how many artist I see though out the year putting blue figures on blue backgrounds or dark figures on dark backgrounds. I mean, come on, do I really need to remind people of this? Really? >Smile<

Have fun and keep painting!

Guest Blogger : DAN DOS SANTOS

2010-09-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

About a year ago, I was asked to do the cover for a novel called 'Black Blade Blues'. As usual, I asked the Art Director to send me the manuscript so that I can get some insight as to what the book is about. Upon reading it, I was really excited to discover that not only was the story well written, but that the subject matter could not be cooler. Here was a story about a rugged, female Blacksmith, with a white mohawk, who dons a black sword as she slays dragons in modern day Seattle! Very cool. Pleased as could be, I went about doing sketches.

I usually do my sketches in Photoshop. At this point, I do not use any reference. I am merely trying to convey a concept, and am not overly concerned about anatomical accuracy or realism. If the AD can tell what's going on, it'll suffice. Of course, it doesn't hurt to polish up those sketches that you really want them to pick.

I typically do anywhere from 2 to 4 sketches for a job. In most of these, I kept exploring the idea of these glowing runes that have mysteriously appeared on the heroine's face and sword. The Art Director and I both had favorites, and deliberated over the phone as to which would be the most appropriate for the cover. Eventually we concluded that even though we felt some sketches had stronger compositions, it was sketch #3 that would sell the story best. Which brings us to Fantasy Marketing Rule #1: If there be dragons in the story, there better be dragons on the cover. Unfortunately, both the AD and I felt that having the Heroine's back turned toward the viewer gave the dragon more importance, and took away from the character driven aspects of the story. The AD requested that I do another sketch, similar to #3, but this time depicting the woman facing the viewer. I quickly got back to work, producing another sketch composed of bits and pieces of unused sketches and paintings from old jobs. The result is a bit 'frankenstein-ish' (as well as derivative), but it meant I could do the sketch VERY quickly, and email it to the AD before the work day ended. Slapdash or not, it got the idea across, and I got sketch approval before the weekend, giving me substantially more time for the final art.

Once I have sketch approval, I then book a model and proceed to shoot all the reference I will need for the painting. Having the approved sketch as a guide, I can shoot very efficiently, since I do not have to shoot a whole lot of alternate concepts. Rather, I focus on the pose, lighting and little details like the subtleties of her hands and facial expression. For things like dragons, where live models are not an option, I often times build crude models out of a piece of Sculpey, or even my kneaded eraser, so that I can get a rough approximation of the lighting.

Once I have all my reference, I recompose my sketch in Photoshop and begin to draw in all the elements that are missing or no longer work because of a perspective or lighting shift. When I am happy with the results, I print out my new comp and begin graphing out the final painting.

I do my final drawing directly on my gessoed illustration board. Unfortunately, this means that I have no original drawing left preserved. On the upside, I can get a very fine level of detail that will help me immensely when I paint the image. By doing a rather refined drawing, I can apply the oil paint very thinly, permitting the pencil to show through and do a lot of the work for me. This is particularly helpful when painting things like wood grain and denim jeans. Just a little glaze of color, and it looks completely done. Things like the face also start out very thin, as to preserve the drawing for as long as possible, but eventually become opaque as I grow confident in it's accuracy.

Once completed, about ten days later, I have the painting scanned and submit it to the client. In this case, the AD didn't feel the dragon looked mean enough, so I had to alter it's head a little in Photoshop. I gave it horns, added some decay, and altered it's facial structure a bit to make it look less dinosaur-like. I later decided I liked it better that way too, and decided to revise the original painting to match.

For more information on my oil painting process, as well as a hi-resolution wallpaper featuring this art, check out my website HERE.

Cobweb Detective Club

2010-09-22T18:44:00.000-07:00

Edit: Okay so I am sitting here in the airport and I got to thinking "I wonder if my blogpost helped get the word out for CDC?" To help me out, let me hear from you. You don't have to post your name, but leave a comment on this post if you bought Dug's graphic novel, and if you want to, leave a little review. If you really liked it post a link on your Facebook, blog, Twitter, whatever.

One last thing before I take off for a few days. My buddy Dug Nation completed a real labor of love earlier this year. As an artist I have known a lot of guys (myself included) who have talked about doing their own graphic novel, but very few have ever followed through. Dug not only followed through, but produced a top notch 75 page festival of cool.

Granted as someone who is not only good friends with the creator of this book, but also a great lover of all things pulp and horror, I sit smack dab in the heart of this books target demographic. This is why I have remained fairly quiet about this project, but it has gone criminally neglected long enough. For only a $1.99 you owe it to yourself to check out this amazing book. Check out a preview here. Then go over and buy it here.

Materials: Gouache Sketching

2010-09-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

I am about to leave on a trip to Charleston, SC. As I will be doing some sketching out there I thought I would use this as an opportunity to go over the materials I use to sketch in color. I have a Masterson's Stay-wet Handy Palette, that doubles as my carrying kit for my materials.

In this I have a very limited palette of Winsor & Newton gouache colors, permanent white, lemon yellow, golden yellow, flame red, ultramarine blue, ivory black. For brushes I have a limited assortment of synthetic sable rounds and one .25 inch flat. For the sketchbook I have a random 5 x 7 spiral bound with heavy, lightly toned paper. I don't remember where I got this thing, so I will be very sad when it is full because it is great for water based media. I also have a spray bottle, because it is compact and multi-purpose. To lay-in my drawing I use a mechanical pencil with a hb lead

Just for fun here is a landscape gouache I did from reference, probably 10 years ago.

As I mentioned I am heading out of town for the next five days or so. I am honored to have two guest bloggers, and they are Dan Dos Santos. Dan will be filling in on Friday, if you don't know Dan's work, shame on you and click on his name. On Monday will be Jeremy Cranford Sr. Art Manager at Blizzard. Thanks Dan and Jeremy.

Life Drawing Studies and Demos (Sept 2010)

2010-09-20T09:18:00.001-07:00

Edit: I forgot to mention, I have had some people over the last year or so express an interest in buying some of my life studies. I have started up an Etsy shop for just this purpose, so go and check it out. It is a little sparse right now, but as I catalog the better drawings that are still in good shape I will list them. Quicker studies will list at about $3o and longer studies at about $50.

30 min +/-

1.5 hrs +/-

40 min +/-

25 min

5min

4 hrs +/-

James Gurney Workshop

2010-09-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

As many of you may know I teach at Watts Atelier. On behalf of The Atelier I am pleased to announce that James Gurney, creator of Dinotopia, is doing a workshop/demonstration on October 15th 2010. This is what Mr. Gurney has to say about the workshop on his blog

"October 15, Encinitas (near Carlsbad) California

Come join me for a special half-day workshop at the Watts Atelier,founded by academic master Jeff Watts. I’ll be offering an information-packed afternoon with two lectures and demos, and lots of discussion and Q and A.

Lectures include:
“Plein-Air Pioneers.” History and modern practice of plein air painting and sketching, with detailed illustrations of my oil, watercolor, and oil set-ups. 

“Color and Light.”An hour-long illustrated talk covering the key concepts most useful for realistic painting. I'll have an advance copy of the new book, but sales copies may not be available quite yet.

Plus, a portrait demo using water-soluble colored pencil sketching and water brush technique. 
The fee is $45.00. Space is limited and quickly filling, so be sure to sign up soon. Watts Atelier can be reached at (760) 753-5378."

For anyone who can make it, I can't recommend this enough. Plus I will be there, and it would be great to meet any of you that I have not met before, and to see any of you I have not seen in awhile.

Inspiration: Mike Hill

2010-09-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

I have done some sculpture, but I am not a sculptor. I love the work of many of my contemporaries, but I am more often inspired by those who have come before. So this months inspiration will probably seem out of place, but what is more inspiring than something that gives you a greater appreciation for something outside of your comfort zone? All that being said, Mike Hill's monsters do kick unholy ass.

Keep in mind, these are all sculptures, with the exception of the fellow standing in between Lon Chaney Jr. and his alter ego below. That is Mr. Hill himself. You can see more of his work on his outdated webpage Mike Hill Artworks

Biography

Michael E. Hill was born in Cheshire, England. From an early age he developed a passion for the fantastic whether it be comic books, television or movies. Escapism wasn't a word he knew then, but he dreamed of a fantastic world filled with masked vigilantes, men who transformed into wolves and Islands ruled by giant apes. From the age of four Mikes artistic ability started to shine and he began to draw the fantastic images he adored.

Mike's one unique trait was to question how and why these characters looked and behaved the way they do, always over thinking!

"I would ask myself and others crazy questions. What did King Kong do all day, when he’s not fighting dinosaurs and wouldn't he be scarred from head to toe, with all those prehistoric creatures he had to battle? And really puzzling details like, how come we can’t see Spiderman’s web shooters beneath his costume, or his ears…or his underwear? Or stuff that still bugs me to this day, when a werewolf turns back to a man where does all the fur go? Does he lose his teeth fillings? People looked at me as if to say, "Son, you've really got problems"

Mike's passion still remains the same...over thinking the impossible! Through his art, Mike hopes to share with his audience that little boy's dreamland and maybe answer some of his own questions.

New Warcraft TCG set: Icecrown

2010-09-14T12:43:00.001-07:00

A new Set for the Wow TCG was released today, these are my contributions.

Tor.com Zombie Article

2010-09-14T08:45:00.001-07:00

Illustrator Dave Palumbo, recently contacted me about being included in an article for Tor.com about the the influence of zombies in illustration. At the time I thought it would be fun, and now looking at the other people included I am incredibly flattered to be amongst them. Go on over and have a read. http://www.tor.com/blogs/2010/09/favorite-zombie-art-a-gallery.

Illustration by Dave Plaumbo

Interview: Brad Kasten

2010-09-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

After posting pictures of my new easel last week I had a lot of people asking me questions about it, and showing interest in purchasing one. I thought the easiest way to handle this was to do an interview with my longtime friend and the designer of the easel Brad Kasten. Brad designs all of the studio equipment for the Sienna Plein Air, Artisan, and Ultra series for Crafttech International. You can purchase them from a variety of retailers including Madison Artshop.

Dead of the Day- When did you first start drawing and painting?

Brad Kasten- I started when I was very young, like most artists I know. I was absolutely obsessed with Star Wars and Legos when I was a kid. Both are probably the reason for being an artist as well as a designer. I would draw and build spaceships, fighter jets, robots, guns, the usual kid stuff.

DotD- What first inspired you create and build your own designs for studio equipment?

BK- I was broke. Early in high school I wanted an easel but I couldn’t afford anything, so I built one. I used scrap wood my Dad had in the workshop, it wasn’t pretty but it worked. In college I shelled out the cash for my first French easel. Five minutes after I had taken it out of the box I was modifying it to fix all the problems I found. After that I decided to just build whatever I needed in the future.

DotD- How does you own background as a painter influence your designs?

BK- I think being a painter is absolutely essential for designing equipment used by painters.

You have to know what painters want and need. Having a painting background gives me the knowledge of the functionality I have to put into all my designs. Knowing what I like as a painter also helps me design new innovations in my pieces. It also helps when you have a lot of very successful artist friends you can bounce ideas off of.

DotD- What was the first piece of studio equipment you built?

BK- The first piece I built was a simple wood easel in high school. After that I built a more complicated painting/drawing desk and taboret for myself. The first piece I built and sold was a wood painting palette.

DotD- Do you have a favorite piece you have designed?

BK- I have a couple. For pure design the Ultra Series Drafting Table is my favorite. I love the combination of straights and curves. I think it’s the most unique drafting table you can find. As far as a functional design I think the new Multimedia desk/easel I built for you is my new favorite. It’s a very versatile all in one unit, the culmination of all my other designs rolled into one.

DotD- Do you have design theory/philosophy that you start with when you start on a new project?

BK- I think every design has to have something new that isn’t available already. If it already exists why bother. What problem can I solve with this design is another vital question. Once I have a basic idea of what I want to accomplish I work on the engineering to make it work properly. I do this with drawings initially but iron out all the bugs with physical prototypes. Once I have the function down I work on refining the design into its finished version. I usually go through three to five prototypes to get it right. By the end I’m surrounded by a pile of mutilated parts laying all over the place. It’s pretty messy business.

DotD- How did you learn to design and build furniture?

BK- My Dad had a woodworking business when I was very young. I was always building things out of scrap wood. I learned to use hand tools and then power tools. By the time I was in high school I had a very good education in woodworking.

As far as design and engineering go I always had a knack for it. It probably goes back to the Lego days. Designing art equipment is actually a lot harder than furniture. A chair or table doesn’t have to move, you just build it and there it is. Painting easels have a lot of moving parts and have to adjust to the user. A lot of my engineering experience came from trial and error.

DotD- How do you approach going beyond form simply following function?

BK- That is an interesting question. Function must always be in the forefront of any working piece of equipment or furniture. If it doesn’t function properly no one cares how beautiful it is. But to me form is absolutely essential in anything you design. I don’t look at my designs as artwork necessarily but I try to make them as pleasing to look at as to work with. It’s always a compromise between functionality and beautiful form. That’s the challenge with any design whether it’s easels or sports cars.

DotD- What are your long term goals?

BK- A few years ago I began working with a company who now manufactures all my designs under their name. It offers me more time to just focus on designing products and not dealing with all the day to day business obligations. In the future I would like to continue to develop new products but also get back to using them as an artist. I have put my painting on hold for a long time; it would be nice to rededicate myself to it.

DotD- To your knowledge, who is the most famous person that owns one of your easels?

BK- James Brolin, Barbra Streisands husband is probably the most famous person. Michael Whelan the fantasy illustrator also purchased my easels. There was also a United States Senator who bought an easel, I remember that the shipping instructions were very complicated and a huge pain in the ass. That’s what happens when you work with the government I guess.

DotD- What is your favorite cartoon?

BK- That is a profound question with a complex answer. I love cartoons and have many favorites. Batman and Batman Beyond, a wide range of anime, and I love every incarnation of Tenchi Muyo. Any cartoon where five hot alien girls shack up with a teenage boy has to be good.

But my all time favorite cartoon is Robotech. I remember racing home to watch it after elementary school. It was by far the most amazing thing I had ever seen and had a profound impact on me. It is probably the main reason I fell in love with art, and aside from Star Wars is why I love Science Fiction and Fantasy so much. I haven’t seen it in years but to this day I can clearly remember almost every episode. That show will always have a special place in my heart.

Palette Layout

2010-09-10T10:31:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to lay out a palette, the most important things, in my opinion, are order and consistency. I generally like to have a warm and cool of each primary (red, yellow blue), and at least one of each secondary(orange, violet, green), tempered with a few earth tones(raw umber,yellow ochre, etc.) for convenience. Here is my current palette and how I lay it out.

I like to lay-out my palette from right to left, warm to cool. While the colors may change slightly from painting to painting the lay-out always remains the same, so that I do not have to dedicate part of my thought process to finding colors. Starting on the right (all colors are Winsor & Newton unless otherwise noted) titanium white, cadmium lemon, cad yellow, yellow ochre, cad orange, cad red, permanent magenta, transparent red ochre (Le Franc), raw umber, winsor violet, french ultramarine, cerulean blue, space blue (Le Franc), cobalt turquoise (Grumbacher), sap green (often replaced by viridian if I need a more chromatic green), ivory black. I sometimes lay out a separate worm of titanium white off to the side for pure highlights.

I have the postcards there to help me key my colors (this is a total lie, I am just a geek who really likes Mike Mignola's work)

Inside the Artist's Studio:Anatomy (Sept 2010)

2010-09-08T11:13:00.000-07:00