GarSeeYa!!! Random Lines.

New Brush Pen Doodles.

2012-01-30T22:33:00.000-07:00

Breaking in the new brush tips...

sharp, fine lines now, but broadens

with use. Still love to work with them.

Colours are done with Photoshop.

Always done different ways, never

settled on a "method", continuous learning.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Sketch Bag.

2012-01-28T20:52:00.000-07:00

Another experiment. Sharpie on acrylic paint,

colour fabric marker. I have to think of a better way

to use a "spray fix" or another option, it smeared

when I applied the KRYLON over the black line.

GarSeeYa

Coffee Break Doodles.

2012-01-28T17:41:00.000-07:00

It has been a little while since the last post...

very busy at work, but I get a few minutes to sketch

on my coffee breaks.

These are done in a wide format sketchbook.

No structure form beneath, straight inks, red tones added after.

Next month (February) I'll be attempting a doodle/sketch a day.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Lastly, this is my new sketchbook bag on the side flap.

I am debating on adding spot colour. What do you think?

Sketchbook Box and Sky Photo.

2012-01-15T15:52:00.000-07:00

Another box on the go...this one for a sketchbook.

I started with a base of white acrylic wash

over a rough pencil sketch.

Followed by pencil crayons blended with

turpentine and a brush.

Details in black pencil crayons and lines

applied with brush and India ink.

A high gloss varnish will be applied on the finished image.

Hardware and other features to follow.

A beautiful sunrise on a Monday morning...

I had to take a few pictures and have a little fun with

Photoshop today.

A friend of mine was also taking pictures at about the same time...

I hope she had a "Happy Birthday (MCS)"

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Pencil Box and Drawing Case.

2012-01-08T22:51:00.000-07:00

It has been sometime since my last entry...busy over the holidays

and drawing time was few and far between.

I've taken up woodworking.

Starting with simple boxes for my drawings

and supplies.

This is my first pencil box.

Wood is cut from picture framing

molding(scraps mostly) to make up the sides.

Hardboard panels make up the front

and back. Gesso is applied after sanding,

followed with a base coat of black

and brown acrylic paint.

This particular image started with a red pencil

drawing for structure. Gesso washes provide

the illumination, adding black pencil crayon

sharpens the detail.

This is the back of the box.

The blue circle is a cap for hairspray gel ,

makes a good container for ink.

This is the base fore my drawing box,

starting with the washes again.

This is a work in progress,

colour to follow...yeah this was

totally experimental, no paint to work with

at the time. I made it work with gesso and

pencil crayons.

Thanks for visiting and Happy New Year!

GarSeeYa!

Beauty & Beast 2 WIP.

2011-11-12T22:20:00.003-07:00

Another week with limited drawing time, but I have this on the board

to keep me busy. No inking time this week, gotta find more time.

This is Beauty and the Beast again, going for a little more energy

and more finished pencils, going for a cleaner ink finish.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Simpson's Box.

2011-11-09T07:23:00.001-07:00

More fun with Photoshop.

Another page for the photo

book...going for a comic

book feel.

Boys are wacky!

GarSeeYa!

Frank & Wolf Inks.

2011-11-06T20:41:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon inking...working with the brush

and nibs again. Loose lines, keeping the energy.

GarSeeYa!

Sea Spiral and the Digger Boys.

2011-11-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

I finished off the colouring page, got a little behind this week

due to some extra work.

I'm putting together a photo book for the Family...

having some fun with Photoshop.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Sea Spiral-WIP.

2011-11-02T20:05:00.000-06:00

I ran out of ink in the middle of this page, gotta pick up

a few more fine liners. This shows my process of creating

colouring pages, starting with blue-line pencil and finishes with

fine black lines. Nothing too complicated...keeping it fun.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Halloween Parade

2011-10-31T21:31:00.000-06:00

Got this done Halloween day. Not something I've actually seen,

but would be really fun to experience. A little fun with costumes

and props, and architecture.

Happy Halloween.

GarSeeYa!

Fast Food.

2011-10-26T22:44:00.000-06:00

I did most of this page on my lunch and coffee breaks.

Blue pencil straight to ink, quick and easy and keeping it fun.

This was inspired from a coupon flyer from a burger joint...

leading to FAST FOOD and Wacky Races.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Nursery Rhymes

2011-10-24T07:36:00.000-06:00

I like working in two different styles. The clean lines for the colouring books

are more relaxed. While the brush pen and nibs requires more control to vary the line

weights. I juggle between the two and keep the drawing board entertaining.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

OZ Warriors-Inks.

2011-10-22T16:24:00.000-06:00

Sometimes we have to "raise the bar" and strive for something better,

set a personal goal and work towards it. It gives me personal satisfaction

to see this work at this stage, colours is the next challenge.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

WIP Sketch Out.

2011-10-20T20:00:00.000-06:00

Here are two versions of OZ Warriors...getting a little more

elaborate and involved. I started the inks at the last show,

will post the finished page on the weekend.

I am playing around with a few more characters and the story

to tie it all in. Below are Frankenstein and Werewolf.

Having lots of fun with these posters.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Angel with Swords.

2011-10-16T09:38:00.001-06:00

I started this one a week ago and finished

inking at the Tattoo Show. (A little slow

for traffic on the first day- I made use of

the time.) This month is turning out a lot

of ink work..."Inktober" is something

I heard coined, for a group of Artist

producing inked work for the month.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Beauty and the Beast Inked.

2011-10-12T22:51:00.000-06:00

Sometimes you start a drawing with a few odd shapes,

a whisper of an idea and things fall into place.

I dug out my pen and nibs...and things flowed from there,

the lines dictated direction and energy.

This was a fun little project, and this gives me more ideas

and inspiration to draw more.

Thanks.

GarSeeYa!

Beauty & Beast Inks (WIP)

2011-10-12T06:33:00.000-06:00

Couldn't do this in one sitting...about one hour of inks done.

I'm tempted to pick up the crow-quills now. I'll have to finish

this tonight. I take a lot of freedom at the inking stage, there

is spontaneity in the lines keeping things entertaining.

(The hair thingy on Beauty might have to go.)

GarSeeYa!

Snake Charmer Inks.

2011-10-11T07:27:00.000-06:00

This was done with the #0 Windsor Newton brush

with Faber Castell finishes for detail. I was trying to make

pin ups with little or no backgrounds...props suggesting more

of a story. Sometimes things get away from me and the drawing

asks for more. This was the case on this piece, I kept on adding snakes

growing organically like the brush strokes.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Pin-Up 2.

2011-10-10T22:06:00.001-06:00

It has been a productive weekend, giving up a bit of Family time,

but I am making more art.

"Snake Charmer" has me on the right track,

more developed and involved.

This is my take on "Beauty and the Beast".

The weaponry and props adds a little more

to the story.Could be fun to tell.

Inks take a little longer...check back later.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Pin-Up 1.

2011-10-09T10:20:00.000-06:00

I have the Tattoo Expo happening soon, we have an artist group

set up, selling pin-up artwork. I am making some last minute

additions to my inventory.

I don't like to rush things, but deadlines have to be made.

The final inks are done with a Widsor Newton sable brush,

instead of the Kuretake refillable (which has started to loose its point).

I paid extra for those brushes, but well worth it. Dipping into ink,

loading the brush does take longer. Getting into a rhythm is key.

I am happy with the result.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Colouring Pages.

2011-10-03T21:29:00.000-06:00

I've had these pages sitting on the back burner, finally got

to inking them...more for the next show I'll be at.

The bottom one is a work in progress.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Words on the Go! (Added some pictures too.)

2011-09-29T20:21:00.000-06:00

I cheated a bit...adding pictures to

"Words on the Go." another travelling book

from the Calgary Public Library.

I try to keep things entertaining and hope

a few people will like the entry.

Look out for the book at your Public Library and

maybe make an entry for yourself?

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Travelling Sketchbook 2.

2011-09-24T12:44:00.000-06:00

This is the finished entry.

There is a Travelling Book/Journal also circulating in the Calgary

Public Library system. It asks for contributions: journal entries,

notes, poetry, short stories about Art & Culture.

GarSeeYa!

Calgary Travelling Sketchbook 2011.

2011-09-20T21:35:00.001-06:00

The Calgary Public Library has three sketchbooks circulating in the city,

I managed to grab it today. It invites the public to contribute art work

(doodles, sketches, paintings...etc) directly on the pages. Anyone with a

CPL card can reserve the book. (Book code 39065096364458 )

The one I have is from the Southwood branch, the other two are at

Crowfoot and Shaganappi.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Bug Town Doodles 2.

2011-08-23T23:53:00.000-06:00

Little bug transportation...they can fly or crawl,

but giving hem something to ride in is more fun.

I'm still finding my way through this one, looking for direction

and see who pops up with a good story.

This is me at play on my lunch breaks,

looking for a story to tell.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Back to Bug Town.

2011-08-14T10:17:00.000-06:00

I've come back to something I started a couple of years ago,

developing for a new book project. Taking it one page at a time,

and designing characters and environments as I go along.

I'll keep everything at a rough stage for now,

let the story grow on it's own. Keeping it fun.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

X-Lizard.

2011-07-09T22:16:00.000-06:00

Drawing at Comic-Kazi on a bright and windy,Saturday afternoon.

I think there was some kind of a race playing out on this picture...

rooting for number 57.

GarSeeYa!

Umbrella: Inks

2011-07-05T07:11:00.000-06:00

Inking can be fun.

Lighting effects can really change

a picture.

GarSeeYa!

Draw Calgary: Inks.

2011-07-04T20:28:00.001-06:00

Some changes made, no Talisman Center,

hand moved, eye brows gone.

Little houses were fun to do.

Mostly brushwork with added fine liner.

GarSeeYa!

Wishes & Dreams Version 1.

2011-07-03T10:06:00.001-06:00

This was the initial sketch for my CCEE 2011 Art Book

contribution. I went a simpler composition on a second

version, but there is still like the dragon on this one which was

replaced with a gryphon.

Inks are done with the Kuretake brush pen.

GarSeeYa!

CATerpillar & Mushroom Man: Inks.

2011-07-01T16:18:00.001-06:00

Finished inks done mostly with a Kuretake brush pen.

I find the lines are smoother with this brush, than the

Windsor Newton sable hair and the ink flow is more

consistent. Bonus, no dipping in ink.

Starting on my 12 page comic this week,

so posts may slow down a bit.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Cat-erpillar and Mushroom Man.

2011-06-30T17:35:00.000-06:00

This is my current favourite. Started with the

Mushroom Man, then cat and Faerie. Just like the flow

of it. I'm building up a backlog of pages to ink.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Poe & Umbrella.

2011-06-29T18:31:00.000-06:00

I have started taking 11"X17" sheets of paper with me to work.

I draw in transit ,and on coffee breaks and lunch. I can actually

get a lot done in that time.

Inking is another thing altogether,

I have to really concentrate on the line work for that.

Not something I want to do on the bus.

The pencils are pretty loose, enough to get the energy

and ideas down.

A lot of times, I just lay the shapes down

and see what comes out on the paper.

Almost like magic, I add everything, little by

little, developing like a Polaroid picture...

except its all done in pencil, then ink.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Draw Calgary.

2011-06-28T07:40:00.000-06:00

Pencils on a new one. still moving some of the elements

around and playing with scale. This is the second version.

I've always liked drawing the Calgary Tower,

a city landmark, a constant on the skyline.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Serpent Fire: Stage 3 Inks (WIP)

2011-06-26T09:36:00.001-06:00

This is the inks over loose pencil lines. Much of the finishes

are dictated by the ink and brush. I go with the flow,

let it bloom and grow, line by line. I use very few

touch ups to clean the lines (with gouache or opaque white).

Earlier versions of colouring pages were done with

a technical pen, fixed width. The brush lines offer more

volume, variations in the line.

I had to stop close to the bottom...normally I would

finish a page at one sitting. I will finish this today.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Finished inks,combination of Kuretake brush pen

and Windsor Newton. More control over the W.N,

but takes a little longer, having to dip into the ink and

longer drying time.

GarSeeYa!

(9:26 PM.)

Serpent Fire: Stage 2.

2011-06-24T22:21:00.000-06:00

I worked on top of the original CCEE sketch,

adding and taking away some of the elements.

Inking stage to follow, more refinements to the line work,

spontaneous development.

Thanks.

GarSeeYa!

Serpent Fire.

2011-06-23T21:54:00.000-06:00

This was the last image I was working on at CCEE.

A continuation of the colouring book project, the pages

were popular at my table...sold them all as well as the

collected book. I'll be working on new designs.

GarSeeYa!

Wishes and Dreams CCEE 2011.

2011-06-20T23:47:00.000-06:00

This was my contribution to the 2011 CCEE

Art Book. I think I signed more books than last year.

Fun to and love to share the work.

The original inked page went up for auction to benefit

Make a Wish Foundation. I hope it has found a good home,

with someone who really appreciates the work I've done.

Thanks for stopping by and actually visiting me.

Awesome to see so many good friends I've made

in this creative community.

GarSeeYa!

Artist Block Party.

2011-06-15T00:05:00.000-06:00

Artist Block Party represents artists (mostly) from Calgary and Edmonton.

We have come together for a project called ILLUSTRATED CLASSICS,

collecting work inspired by literary classics. We are comic book artists, illustrators,

concept and game designers, looking to share the work we love to do.

Please come visit us at Artist Alley at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo 2011,

to see and talk about our work .

Thank you.

GarSeeYa!

Sea Salt Black Bird.

2011-06-14T20:15:00.001-06:00

With a very wet brush, blue and black pigment

was applied on the board. Coarse sea salt was sprinkled

on the wet surface, creating a lighting effect as it dried.

It was a "big black shape" before it transformed

into the bird. Black, white and brown conte crayons

added accents. Finished with a pencil for fine lines,

then scanned and a little more work on Photoshop.

A starting point for more experimentation.

Thanks for looking.

GarSeeYa!

Pancake Fun.

2011-06-11T17:50:00.000-06:00

We are stuck inside on a rainy day.

I made pancakes and got a little creative.

Ghost Pancakes.

Hellboy pancake.

A little bit of fun with the kids.

One week away from CCEE, gotta get more stuff ready.

GarSeeYa!

Goblin Market Process

2011-06-04T17:52:00.000-06:00

Preliminary sketches were done. Elements moved around.

After settling on layout, tighter lines were done

then printed in blue line on 11" X 17" comic board.

Inking, keeping it loose and spontaneous.

Colours took the longest, since I can be overly

picky about choices, leading to many retouches.

I am happy with the results.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

DC Heroes/Villains

2011-05-29T21:38:00.001-06:00

Getting a few doodles done. (ABP book goes to print June.)

Taking some drawing time for myself.

I haven't picked up a recent comic in months and I am totally lost

in the DC Universe now. I still think of the characters in their old

costumes, and doing some guess work on a lot of it.

Still fun to do. I haven't done a serious/realistic figure in years too,

might have to try it again soon. Gotta mix things up, once in a while.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Rainy Day Sketches.

2011-05-23T21:50:00.000-06:00

Getting back to ink brush drawings. I've been busy putting the book together, really missing some drawing time. Spent an afternoon playing with the brush and pushed the ink.

I have dark fantasy images, stuck in my head, mixed

in with folklore and myth.

Batman and the Villains are always fun to do.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Artist Block Party-Cover 1

2011-05-11T11:39:00.000-06:00

After months of work...finally getting it ready for print.

We will have it available at Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo 2011.

Thanks to all who contributed their amazing work.

GarSeeYa!

Goblin Market: Colours.

2011-04-22T16:53:00.000-06:00

It has taken some time to get to this point,

lots of other things happening lately. The image is getting there,

I just need to step back and get fresh eyes to finish it off.

Let me know what you think?

This is for the Artist Block Party Project.

Thanks.

GarSeeYa!

Lil' Bot.

2011-04-11T20:06:00.000-06:00

More experimentation, colour mixing is what makes painting

really interesting to me, how the colours react to one another.

The whole thing changes with a different palette...lots to learn.

I have to start thinking about what to have for the CCEE convention.

Prints and other artwork for sale. Any requests out there?

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

The Iron Mask.

2011-04-08T00:07:00.000-06:00

Late night painting, the kids are in bed all is quiet.

"The Man in the Iron Mask" is a book I've not read.

I saw a couple of the movies, but nothing too memorable.

I started with shapes, then refined details on the face

and came out with this.

Thanks for looking.

GarSeeYa!

LEGO Punisher-Sketch.

2011-04-06T10:39:00.000-06:00

My kids have been playing with LEGO

every day, especially with the new

Star Wars Clone Wars video game in the house.

I have LEGO on the brain...makes for interesting

sketches. This is just a quick one.

Thanks.

GarSeeYa!

Blue Bear.

2011-04-01T22:45:00.000-06:00

A little change from the grim stuff, something cute

and cuddly. A little more time on the background,

taking it over the hour mark.

Thanks for looking.

GarSeeYa!

One Hour Painting: Armour.

2011-04-01T06:00:00.001-06:00

More experimentation with effects.

I've used maybe ten percent of the tools on the

Painter program. It can do so much and there are

so many little quirks to get used to...it can be frustrating

when it won't do what I'd like it to do, but that is part of

learning.This is the only way to improve, practice and

draw. Work at it a little at a time, and you will see

results, one drawing at a time.

Keep drawing.

GarSeeYa!

One Hour Painting: Wolverine.(My Take)

2011-03-31T22:08:00.000-06:00

Still having fun with the tools.

I'll have to do a sustained painting on one of my days off.

This one is done on the fly, started as a rough black figure,

with no one in mind. Play as you go.

Thanks for looking.

GarSeeYa!

Playing With Fate.

2011-03-30T23:21:00.000-06:00

Okay last painting tonight. This is getting addicting now.

Always best when you have fun with the work.

This piece was inspired by a conversation/e-mail with

Richard Grezela.

Thank you.

GarSeeYa!

Painting Flesh...sickly.

2011-03-30T21:21:00.000-06:00

Experimentation with Painter 11. Still so much to learn with digital tools,

going through the basics and learning something new every time I use it.

Playing with line and volume, mixing pastels and conte...a little

creepy result. What the heck am I thinking about?

Thanks.

GarSeeYa!

Kid Roughs: Painting.

2011-03-19T23:12:00.000-06:00

Almost done, a few more touch ups to do.

GarSeeYa!

Kid Roughs: Re-do.

2011-03-17T08:52:00.001-06:00

Step 1: loose sketch.

Step 2: clean up pencils.

Step 3: Inks.

Three separate sheets of paper.

I wanted the figures to "read" more clearly, separated

from the background. I think I have it now.

Moving onto colours.

GarSeeYa!

Colours added March 18th.

Kid Roughs: Inks.

2011-03-16T14:49:00.000-06:00

A combination on the rounded and angular thing.

Not totally happy with it, so I'm trying another

composition. Same theme and elements.

GarSeeYa!

Goblin Market: Inks

2011-03-14T13:27:00.000-06:00

Inks at about 75 percent done. Still more black to apply and

work in some white with gouache. More to do...or leave it as is?

Preliminaries here.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Old Sketchbook:1999

2011-03-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

A horned Yeti?

Experimentation hybrid of machinery

and fantasy creatures.

Once in a while I dig out an old sketchbook,

and rediscover old creations that still have

so much potential and ask to be given a chance

to bloom and flourish. This would take a lot

of time...but then it becomes a personal challenge.

Last year I took on a challenge of creating an image

everyday. I had a few friends take on the endeavour,

many of them dropped out within three months.

I was about a hundred days shy of a year.

The goal might have been too ambitious.

I will attempt a new challenge taking some images

from old sketchbooks and doing a complete

illustration. One every month, for one year.

I have a few illustrations to finish this month,

but I will do some exploratory sketches,

using the creatures I've shown above.

So it starts.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Kid Roughs 1

2011-03-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

More poster work. A peek at a segment of the work.

First attempt is rounded forms, softer elements.

Second take became more angular. Same subject matter,

two different "flavours"...which one works better?

Help me choose?

Thanks. GarSeeYa!

ABP: Goblin Market Layout.

2011-02-25T15:12:00.000-07:00

I did some roughs before this stage. This is the preliminary pencils.

I'll print this off in blue on heavy paper, and do the ink work refinements.

There is a lot happening on the page, but I try to keep the focus

on Lizzie. This is the most involved work I've done in a while,

I hope you like it. Colours will be done after inks...should be a while.

There are a few artist working on the Pin-Up Book, all with a take

on Illustrated Classics. The final product will be made available

at the 2011 Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Artist Block Party 2.

2011-02-21T15:04:00.000-07:00

Still playing with this one. It is a collective effort,

but not a communist party.

Many colours of collaboration.

The first image is inspired by a pencil sharpener, the second

hints a nib pen and the third a painters pallet.

GarSeeYa!

Goblin Market: Preliminary Sketches.

2011-02-13T21:13:00.000-07:00

There are a few sketches for the Pin-Up project.

Getting a feel for the characters and setting.

I am still influenced by Frouds, Rackham and Housman's goblins.

I'm trying to find something that suits me. I'll do a few more

pages of sketches and work out a composition layout.

GarSeeYa!

Artist Block Party.

2011-02-12T16:19:00.002-07:00

I will be at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo,

June 17th to June 19th. There will be lots to see and do.

The Artist Alley and Small Press exhibitors are putting together

a pin-up book under the theme of "Illustrated Classics".
It will be a full colour, perfect bound,

comic format book. Details are yet to be finalized.

If you would like to participate, please contact me.

We are looking for the best quality image you can produce.

Think "Book Cover or Movie Poster" standard, there are

no guarantees that your work will be selected when you submit.

The publisher requires first printing rights in this collection. Artists

retain all copyrights to their individual work. At some point we may see

some royalties of sales and complimentary copies.

There are more discussions happening on Maple Ink Forums.

Thank you.

GarSeeYa!

Paint Exploration.

2011-01-06T21:36:00.001-07:00

I finished very few coloured paintings last year.

The goal for the new year is to create more finished work,

and improve, learn more about my tools.

The picture above is an image from my sketchbook,

playing around with paints on Photoshop.

I've never taken a formal course, so everything is

trial and error. I've got to explore more artist

resources on this program. If you have any recommendations

for tutorials, let me know.

Thanks.

GarSeeYa!

Second one, done tonight on Painter 11.

GGG.

Jet Pens Ripped?

2011-01-05T13:46:00.001-07:00

I got a package from Jet Pens, that I ordered just before Christmas.

The whole top section was ripped off. Someone really wanted pens.

Luckily, I got all the contents( minus the invoice)

replacement brush and pencil extender.

This was having a little fun with coloured plastic candy

wrappers, used as filters on the camera.

Combined with Photoshop,

Zach can play with light-sabers.

(Now Caleb wants to be "Dark Vader")

GarSeeYa!

Happy New Year! (Cheese Man)

2011-01-01T01:04:00.001-07:00

"Happy New Year!"

The cheese man said, sitting in his cheesy car

thinking of the many possibilities and promise

of a new year, before the mold catches up

to him smothering his wheels and choking his engines.

" You never know your expiry date..." he thought,

"...best to lay on the crackers before you taste bad,

and always keep close with the olives and pickles"

Later on he woke beside a carrot stick,

in a creamy dill dip. He'll have to do

some explaining to the little Cheese Miss.

GarSeeYa!

(256) Wind Mobility Mural.

2010-12-24T00:33:00.001-07:00

This mural work kept me busy for a few days.

This was a team effort, led by William Lazos,

who has done some amazing work.

This was the building after two days of work.

Conditions was less than ideal, low temperatures

thickened paints and brushes, duct tape into shreds,

and adhesives not to stick. Heat guns came in handy.

Paint would start as a liquid, then the consistency of

yogurt, then tooth paste,then glue, then hard ice cream.

We got it done in five days. It warmed up enough

on the very last day. I would do it again, but

maybe wait for warmer weather.

This was the last bit of detail we finished off.

Elana Busan and I got it down to the wire,

with enough time for clean up. Additional

help was provided by fellow Calgary

Artist Dale Bott.

The painting will be up until Spring, another one

will follow...could be a surprise?

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

(255) Sketches.

2010-12-14T22:01:00.000-07:00

Sketches done while half watching a movie with my Wife,

sometimes I need a little bit of distraction while drawing.

Letting the shapes fall into place organically, spontaneously.

Just having fun.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

(254) North Pole.

2010-12-11T21:06:00.000-07:00

Originally done with a fine point pen,

converted to an even vector line.

The image comes out much cleaner,

but more mechanical.

I might colour this one...

what do you think?

GarSeeYa!

(253) Alphabet: A

2010-12-10T00:20:00.000-07:00

This was something I'd been thinking about a while back,

and giving it another round of experimentation.

Twenty five more to think about.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

(252) Sketchbook Dec 9th, 2010

2010-12-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

A few sketchbook pages here.

I'm working on a pitch, experimenting with a few

characters and concepts. I like to get the characters

down on paper as it develops.

The images also feed the story ideas.

Always keeping busy.

GarSeeYa!

(251) Strawberry Head Colouring Book.

2010-12-07T21:46:00.000-07:00

The colouring book has a very limited printing.

I am still looking for better paper to print on,

but keep the cost down.It measures 11" X 17"

spiral bound, including ten pages.

The boys have a snack and colour.

This was at the Children's Book Fair & Conference.

This is the last set up at Braeside Craft Show.

GarSeeYa!

(249) Tentacle Cat.

2010-11-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted from my sketchbook in a while...

here's one coloured in Photoshop.

GarSeeYa!

(247) Bubble Head.

2010-11-24T08:14:00.000-07:00

I've had this little project on the back burner,

too long,time to finish it off.

A couple more to go to compete the set.

This is a "free floating" drawing,

no preconceived ideas, just drawing what

comes to mind and letting the line flow and play.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

(246) Power Up! Party Time!

2010-11-21T11:14:00.001-07:00

We are celebrating our sons birthdays today!

They are SUPER boys!

GarSeeYa!

(244) Roller and Stencil.

2010-11-20T13:23:00.001-07:00

I used the paper cut out, from one of the stars, as

a stencil, applying tempera paint with a roller

on white card stock,

I painted ten to make two sets of stars.

Check out the finished product at Paperworks.

GarSeeYa!

(243)Show Set Up: Design and Construction.

2010-11-14T21:44:00.001-07:00

I have a few shows to do, late into this year.

I decided to work a little bit on the presentation,

starting with a few sketches.

My budget is limited, so I took full advantage of the dollar stores.

The biggest piece are two coat hangers for the basic

upright structure. They are collapsible which is a plus.

I bought a couple of aluminum flag poles after Canada Day,

they are the horizontal sections of the display.

Three pieces of lumber covered in black hockey tape,

to hold the frame together, along with screws and wire.

I bought a collapsible wheeled carrying case

and a hang up fabric sweater storage.

Cardboard in between the storage sections

gave it more support, giving me individual cells

to have product and hardware in.

I covered the cardboard with a vinyl table cloth,

with staples, tape and twist tie.

A black shower curtain, layered with a starred

table cover provided a backdrop.

A few sticks of bamboo, twine, paperclips and a few more

do-dads make up the display. (This particular one

was a very narrow table.)

I used the sweater storage as a base for my drawings, sitting on the floor.

Everything in this display fits into the wheeled carrying case.

I keep trying to reduce the amount of hardware

I bring with me, the more I can compact my set-up, the better.

Practical problem solving is always fun for me.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

(242) 2010 Halloween: Tank and Rocket.

2010-11-01T14:03:00.000-06:00

Compacted stage.

Twist tie assembly

Assembled base.

Finished.

Another happy Driver.

A little awkward on the stairs. Lights were added to light their way.

We only did a few houses, but it was plenty of candy for the year.

It took about three days to assemble both vehicles,

but I'm always tempted to add on new parts

and keep improving.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

(241) Halloween 2010: Rocket

2010-11-01T13:48:00.003-06:00

Testing out the lights.

Lights are plastic food containers

The covering on the ship is a combination
of packing paper and a plastic table cover.
The plastic was almost transparent, so the paper
gave it a white finish.

Lots of tape and glue was also used
to assemble both constructs.

Added black lines with Sharpies marker.

Compacted stage.

Assembled with twist ties.

A happy Boy!

(240) Halloween Tank.

2010-10-30T16:16:00.000-06:00

This is stage two on the vehicle construction.

I took a $2.00 vinyl green shower curtain and covered

the outside of the tank. The turret was the most complex

section. The sides fold in to compact it.

I covered the whole thing in vinyl, using staples, tape,

and twist ties (accumulated over the years by a crafty pack rat.)

(Special effects done in Photoshop.)

Reflective decals attached.

Acrylic brown paint applied for the camouflage.

A happy little boy woke up excited and happy,

to find a tank on the living room floor.

Friends and classmates surround the tank

at the Halloween Dance.(Superman wanted to keep

punching the tank, until Mom stopped him.)

C. was pretty happy dancing in his tank.

Rocket is almost done, we got the basic model

to the school dance. Still some upgrades to finish.

More to come.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

(239) Cardboard and Twist Ties. (Halloween Costume)

2010-10-28T02:04:00.001-06:00

I worked on the sketches a while back...

finally got to work on the actual costumes.

They are more like mini vehicles to step into.

The boys have spent a bit of time just sitting in them.

These constructions are light cardboard held together with twist ties.

The truck I did last year had nuts and bolts, and was made

of heavier cardboard. I wanted to lighten the load this year.

The ties makes it easier to collapse the vehicles for

transport and storage. They take up a bit of room.

The covering goes on soon. I'll post more pictures

after Halloween.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

(Day 238) Pop-Up Card.

2010-10-21T12:05:00.000-06:00

A small project done recently.

The client did a small pencil rough of what he

wanted on a greeting card.

I followed his directions, in my own

interpretation. The POP-UP was

my idea, and a surprise for the client.

This is my first pop-up card.

I will do more.

Thanks.

GarSeeYa!

Day 237. Halloween Costume Ideas.

2010-10-11T21:04:00.000-06:00

My boys have decided on a tank and space rocket

for Halloween costumes this year.

Last year was the truck and solar system.

The bulky costumes made it hard to get and down stairs,

walk in through doors and simply get around.

Soft sculptures might be a way to get around that,

but still a lot of work. Stay tuned...this

is a work in progress.

GarSeeYa!

Day 236. Doodle.

2010-10-09T22:27:00.000-06:00

A little play time on Sketchbook Pro.

GarSeeYa!

Day 235. Reservoir

2010-10-08T21:56:00.000-06:00

A warm Autumn day out by the waters edge. Extra careful with the boys.

Always within arms reach, give them room to grow.

GarSeeYa!

Day 234. Mechano Do Hickey.

2010-10-05T07:55:00.000-06:00

I was watching NOVA last night, about the Hubble telescope rescue.

Astronauts learned, rehearsed and performed repairs on the space telescopes.

Amazing how bad screws can cost millions and jeopardize an entire mission.

I had machine parts floating around in my head, while drawing....

images, not literally.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Day 233. Bat and Brain.

2010-10-04T18:50:00.000-06:00

Back to drawing. (A few stars still to finish on the order, had to slow down on

the blog.) I'll get back on track. I miss pushing the pencil and brush.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Day 232. Old Sketchbook 1991.

2010-09-30T09:22:00.000-06:00

Comp for an Illustration assignment.

Doodles in ink.

GarSeeYa!

Day 231. Old Sketchbook 1995.

2010-09-28T13:02:00.000-06:00

I'm finally getting my books out of boxes and into shelves.

More sketchbooks to be discovered.

GarSeeYa!

Day 230 Ink Brush.

2010-09-21T08:03:00.000-06:00

A time to play, no direction or preconceived

subject matter. Letting the ink and line flow.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Day 229. Nocturnal Ink Emission

2010-09-20T14:34:00.000-06:00

It has been sometime since I've done an ink brush drawing.

My old Kuretake brush lost its tip a couple of months back, and

I finally put on the replacement brush. I should have done it sooner.

Last night was a reminder of how seductive a simple line can be.

A liquid line that blooms and whithers, like flowers and smoke,

a midnight sky and forgotten dreams.

This is a heart that pumps ink.

Follow its rhythm, feel it course through the veins.

Let it out as simple black marks on paper.

Let it live and breath.

Draw.

GarSeeYa!

Day 228. Cut Paper.

2010-09-10T22:10:00.000-06:00

My days at Stephen Avenue are winding down. Rain has put

a damper on sales. I've had a couple of days to play with

new designs. Latest ones are constructed without glue.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Day 227. Western Tale Spinner.

2010-09-07T19:25:00.000-06:00

The Western Tale Spinner is the newsletter for SCBWI

(Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators-Western Canada)

I did layout and illustrations this issue.

The Society is always open to new members. They are inviting

more Illustrators to the group.

Thanks for visiting.

GarSeeYa!

Day 226. Rust.

2010-08-30T17:57:00.000-06:00

Playing with photographs.

GarSeeYa!

Day 225. Toys.

2010-08-29T10:14:00.000-06:00

Kids toys and digger at the park. The Smurfs have had better days,

showing the wear of many years, but happy to be played with...

and they have a movie coming soon.

GarSeeYa!

Day 224. Robot + Collapsible.

2010-08-26T22:41:00.000-06:00

I get to doodle and work out ideas, while sitting at my Artist tent.

More gift boxes and ideas for a collapsible table.

GarSeeYa!

Day 223. Airplane.

2010-08-25T18:54:00.000-06:00

More paper gift box designs.Some of the limitations I've set for myself

on these little projects: 1-no more than two sheets of paper. 2- it has to fold

flat.3- it has to be strong enough to hold solid treats/candy.4-functional,decorative

and collectible. Keep things simple, but challenging.

GarSeeYa!

Day 222. VW.

2010-08-23T18:10:00.000-06:00

Part of a set I shot on the weekend, doing touch ups on them.

A very interesting discovery in Calgary. Thanks to Chuck

for showing me around.

GarSeeYa!