Work in progress Japanese garden watercolor

     I got this image in my head and just started sketching out the rough with a watercolor pencil. I have been working on this painting locking in sections of color and shape little by little on my lunch breaks and fifteens at work. It feels so calming to paint and i really needed that release today. I have been feeling so much joy since my daughter was born but at the same time tons of anxiety over things I cannot immediately impact like my current state of employment and my personal goals. 

     I know this much I am a starving artist and not in the literal sense. I starve for creativity and the connection I feel with my self when I paint or draw. One day I will be able to let that passion out but at present these little paintings help me feel reassured not to let my dreams or creativity die

New paintings

     I recently took up watercolor painting again. I cannot believe how much I missed this paint medium as well as just winding down to paint in general. It is so therapeutic to hold a brush in my hand and be in a quiet peacefully solace. I love the way it allow me to remove stress and just breath. It has really brought me back to a passion for art and pulled me from the poison of being stuck on perfection. 

     I am painting with a pentel water brush and a cottman travel set of winsor newton field paints. I also have begun mixing in gauche and watercolor pencil. This freedom of field sketching and painting is amazing. I hope to soon practice some painting en plen air as the French say maybe at Lewis Ginter. Hope you like

Secret Santa Gift to my Cowoker Sherise - A painting of her and her beau as Owls

     I painted my coworker Sherise and her BF Alan as cartoon Olws for a secret santa christmas gift, and the painting was recieved with great thanks and surprise. Her favorite animals are owls and she has recently been redecorating with some owl paintings at home unbeknownst to me when I started painting the piece, so it really worked out great as a coincidence. 

      This project was so much fun as a break from the technical and less creative graphic design work that I have been working on lately. My favorite parts are the little worms, the moon, and the fact that the expressions of endearment came accross well on the Owl faces.

Thanks to Richmond Friends of Animals

    MI wanted to take some time to thank Richmond Friends of Animals for the shout out on their website in regards to the upcoming Fur Free Friday event 11.25.11. This is a cause that my wife cares about deeply and though the process of setting up a protest on her own she was able to hook up with Richmond Friends of Animals (who were already organizing and had worked this event years before) to be a part of organizing and publisizing the event to protest the fur industry on the biggest shopping day of the year! As an aspiring freelance designer the opportunity to design a pro bono event flyer was a wonderful experience. http://richmondfriendsofanimals.org/

Fur Free Friday

E-Book Cover Artwork

   MmI recently completed the artwork and cover design for my friend Jessica Samuel's E-Book of poetry titled "The Darkside of Human Nature". It was an interesting challenge being able to take the feelings I got from the book and translate them into unique cover art. She wanted something that communicated the way the book had to do with revenge, sadness, suicide, anger, rage and betrayal. 

      I really got the vibe that the poems were somewhat a catharsis for her and came from experiences or at least inner turmoil she had experienced in the past. The image of a crying girl came to mind so I ran with it in a comic book style. I also thought of the quote "Sticks and Stones will Break my Bones, but Words will Ever kill me" as an underlay to go with the art of straight razors patterned in the background as well. Check out the E-Book at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/95472

RunCool Hummer Hood Louvers Full Page Magazine Ad

I have recently completed a full page advertisement for RunCool Hood Louvers showing off their new Hummer Hood Louvers stock replacement product. The ad was fun and challenging. It took so many forms and changes throughout the design process, but I think in the long run my client got what he wanted, and I have another solid design piece to show off in my portfolio. It is really exciting working with ad copy and coming up with interesting and catching sales slogans for title and subscript text to sell a product. What is really ironic about this whole experience is that I have been watching the AMC original series Madmen almost religiously over the past weeks and each time I worked on the ad I couldn't help but feel the witty/classic inspiration of the advertisement history littered though the show. I have also rediscovered my interest in the progression of Graphic Design and advertisement over the years. People like David Ogilvy and the classic ads from Doyle Dane Bernbach. Well here it is and I hope it is the start of greater ad experience to come.