Marker Drawings 30 - LAAF Thank You's

Envelope drawings

Sharpie markers, Magnum, fine point, ultra fine point, 2016

(top) envelope 3½" x 6½" (8.89cm x 16.51cm)

(bottom three) envelope 4¼" x 5¼" (10.795cm x 13.335cm)

More marker sketches drawn at Laguna Art-A-Fair. I have done some watercolor painting in my booth too but I do enjoy doing these for their quickness.

I draw directly with the markers without any pencil lay-in. It's a good way to work because it forces me to think differently than painting. Similar to working traditionally in watercolor I really have to plan ahead to preserve the whites.

I generally have some vague idea of what I will be drawing and just start blocking in the large dark masses to find the graphic shapes for compositional purposes. From there I look for suggestions of smaller shapes and forms and let it develop on its own somewhat. Drawn from my imagination, and of course plenty of experience in industrial subjects, I am using no reference of any kind.

Satisfying simple drawing.

The top one done on a white envelope (my photo is off a little in its tint) and as the large Magnum marker begins to die I can get these great soft edges. Love it.

The other three were done on a heathered putty gray envelope.

Why am I drawing on envelopes and signing them unlike the sketchbook marker drawings? Because these were given as Thank You's for various reasons. To collectors, a supporter of Art-A Fair and fellow Art-A-Fair artists who did me big favors.455,456,457,458

Last weekend for Laguna Art-A-Fair! Don't miss your chance to pick up some great art or just visit and have a relaxing day near the beach.

Marker Drawings 29 LAAF

Sketchbook/pamphlet drawings

Sharpie markers, Magnum, fine point, ultra fine point, 2016
LAAF pamphlet 4¼" x 11"(10.795cm x 27.94cm)
sketch page 5" x 8"(12.7cm x 20.32cm)

More maker sketches done while down at Laguna Art-A-Fair.
The top one done on the cover of the LAAF pamphlet simply because it was what was at hand.
I do like the yellow showing as it does in the drawing.
The other sketch was done on a page torn from Moleskin sketchbook.453,454

Laguna Art-A-Fair Seal Sculpture

Thanks to artist and friend Amanda Fish for the pic of me painting the seal sculpture at Laguna Art-A-Fair yesterday. The seal was donated then brought to the fair so artists could donate their talents to embellish the seal as a tribute and to raise awareness for the health of our oceans.
There are additional pics of various artists at work on Art-A-Fair Facebook as well as a contest to name him.

This Saturday August 20th the seal will be moved to its permanent home at The Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach.

I'll post some pictures of my work and the other artists later so stay tuned.

*I added a second pic from Amanda.

New Work Cityscape at Laguna Art-A-Fair

"Old LA 1"    SOLD
oil on board, 2016
6" x 8" (15.24cm x 20.32cm)

You can always find the mix of the old and the modern in the city.
It is endlessly fascinating, richly layered and textured from time.

I left out quite a bit from the actual location, which was far busier, like wires, clutter on the left sidewalk and a huge railroad crossing signal in the background. Instead I focused more on the vertical strip compressed between the power pole and building with all the intricacies of the fire escape, the hint of the yellow sign, the AC unit hanging from the side of the building, the stop light and pedestrian crossing light and especially the strip of sunlight piercing the buildings shadows. That was where all real visual action took place.

The freeway, multitude of yellow poles and fencing, signs, streetlight and utility poles, antennae and left side buildings have a similar intricacy and although laid out across two-thirds of the composition are dwarfed in scale by the entire right third of the painting.
I played down the whole left side slightly while the deep shadow, high contrast, harder razor-like edges gave the right side the punch it needed to describe the compression of time I was seeing crammed into such a small area of the scene.452

National Watercolor Society Paint-Out

This Saturday is the National Watercolor Society Paint-Out  at artist Rirkrit Tiravanija's water pavilion in Van Nuys as part of The Los Angeles Biennial Current: LA Water, a citywide summer event held at various locations.

The paint-out is open to all NWS artists as well as anyone who wants to participate.
When:
Saturday August 6, 2016 from 2:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Where:
Sepulveda Basin, 6300 Lake Balboa Hiking Trail, Los Angeles , Ca 91422

I will be there painting away the day along with the site co-ordinator Juliana Lujan from Tiravanija Studio.
Come on out and join us for some plein-air painting or just to see artists at work.
Hope to see you there!

You can read more about this cultural event here.

Thanks go out to Rirkrit Tiravanija and his studio from all of us at The National Watercolor Society for his invitation to this unique Public Art Challenge.