Another new page - my Techniques! Kicks off with an interview courtesy of www.patiencebrewster.com

Soooooo....this will be a short announcement here! To read more, click on my Sheboygan's figurehead :)

Finally getting back to it!

  Sitting Nude Figure Study - July 2015, 42X38in, Charcoal on Co-Mo Sketch

Well, it's July of 2015 and its about time I get hot and post something! And post I have to this poor blog. Most all of my pages have been updated, with the above one of four posted in my Works in Progress page. Three of these are from this month, and one of which is from Fall of last year and is just under six feet high!!!!!! Should be doing even more larger work in the future, so stay tuned...


Also updated is my Sketchbook page. Two models from two different sessions at Spokane Art Supply.

The Gallery page received two newly posted pictures as well; one robot named Maynerd on a wild retro lawnmower from hell and one recently sold figure drawing.

Just added a new page titled Intaglio Prints - I've started learning this process from the very talented Sarah Shears. I've given a rough description to the process...more to come on that!

Also please check out more of Danny Caldwell's ABSOLUTELY AMAZING ROBOT ART and much more robot fun at his page/gallery, Zero Uno Zero Robotics.

And finally, any and all are welcome to attend Julie Suchanek's Figure Drawing Studio, held the third Saturday of each month at Spokane Art Supply at 1303 N. Monroe Street. Click here for more info!

Psssst...hey...WANNA SEE SOME COOL ROBOTS!!!!

Hallo! Welcome to Zero Uno Zero!

Today was the grand opening of my good and longtime friend Danny Caldwell's gallery and gift shop, Zero Uno Zero, featuring a wide assortment of ROBOTS!!!!! And holy snike are they some robots to see :) Danny has been kicking out, and continues to kick out, outstanding one-of-a-kind robot creations (please see exhibit A - Hawkeye - below), all of which are viewable on his site at http://www.zerounozerorobotics.com/. And I need to keep up with him ;) More art, including t-shirts, pillows, and some charcoal and pencil drawings, will be posted there (including prints - which I'm very excited about!) in the very near future. Feel free to drop by the FB site at https://www.facebook.com/ZeroUnoZeroRobotics and give Danny a like as well!

Also, take a peek at the videos - the Zero Uno Zero team has come up with some pretty fun stuff! Particularly the robot picture above, who is in his very own silent movie adventure!!!!

A big thanks to Danny for bringing me in on a team of fantastic artists, including Kenneth Shinabery, Tom Caldwell, Ruby Lee, Nikai Birchler, and of course Danny Caldwell and Daisy Hall. You guys rock!

A small peek at the gift shop and gallery -

Daisy and Danny!

I think this is my very first selfie...

Danny and Tom!

Hawkeye and Rocket, 18X24in, Charcoal and Pastel Conte on 80lb Co-Mo Sketch

One of my favorites thus far...Hawkeye and Rocket

Riley the Robot, 18X24in, Charcoal on 80lb. Co-Mo Sketch

Working in the Sketchbook once more :)

Here is a peek at my recent work from Julie Suchanek's Figure Drawing Studio at Spokane Art Supply! Once again I broke out the sketchbook - click here to take a look-see. Had a few challenges this last session which kicked my butt; which is good, cause you never get any better unless you dive in, right?

 I've also been working on a project with an old friend who has asked if I could draw some absolutely fantastic robot sculptures he's created - look for a link here in the near future!

Finally a very large figure drawing, one about six feet tall, has been hanging in my garage/studio on the back-burner; high-time I gots to working on it! So be looking for some progression pics this summer!

Thank you for looking, and happy spring ya'all!

More figure drawings added to the old sketchbook!

2014 Feb 30 Min. Pose, 11X8 in., Charcoal

I'm very happy to report that my sketchbook is getting use! Most recently from a Saturday Figure Drawing studio at Spokane Art Supply! This, plus three more have been added to my Sketchbook 2013/2014 page on my blog, accessible by clicking on the link in this post or the link to the right of the page.

I'm continuing to get used to such a small format. No more getting my hands completely covered in charcoal! It's been a good exercise in measurement, proportion, and precision laying down lines. By the next figure drawing studio in March I hope to apply what I've been learning to some really, really big drawings...maybe 6 foot high, if I can manage it. We shall see :D

Take care ya'all, and Thank You for looking! If you're interesting in acrylic painting, it looks like my sponsor has a free ebook out - click on the add to check it out!

New page added - Sketchbook for 2013/2014

Here we go! It's high time I kept up with a decent looking sketchbook :) It's going to be multipurpose - everything and anything will go into this, most notably drawing completed with the Spokane Sketchers group (look us up on Meetup.com if yer interested) and figure drawings from Spokane Art Supply. Here is a quick peek at some work so far; much more on the page, accessed from the panel to your right.

Thank you for looking! And wishing you all a very happy and productive NEW YEAR!!!!

New work completed last night - prego Melissa!

Melissa, 30 X 36 in., Charcoal on 80 lb. Co-Mo Sketch

I was finally able to buckle down last night and finish a drawing started back in September. My good friend Melissa and her husband Karl are expecting their first kiddo, and she was kind enough to let me draw her! It was certainly an honor to be asked, and I enjoyed drawing this one very much. Congrats to Melissa and Karl - I am so excited for you guys :)

Busy Weekend - Terrain 6 and Spokane Art Supply!

A big Thank You to Spokane Art Supply for hosting me!

The boys stopped by and helped me out!

Outside Summertime Bath - WIP, 36X30 in., Charcoal on 80 lb. Co-Mo sketch

Doug, Don, Colley, and me! All the artists that were there demonstrating were fantastic, and I felt very honored to be working the canvas next to them :) I've got a link to Don's stuff below - absolutely addicting is how I'd describe his sketchbooks and work...it was such a pleasure!

Terrain! Was packed!!! Here is a view from the balcony overlooking the 1st floor.

3rd floor was open this year as well - such a fantastic space and event, all around. Great variation of media, very talented fellow artists, lots of inspiration, great music, and absolutely fantastic patrons make this such a one-of-a-kind event. Go Spokane!

If ya got here after 8PM or so....here's the line :)

What a weekend, folks! Thank you to everyone who stopped by and saw my work at Terrain 6 on Friday and who visited Spokane Art Supply on Saturday for the Great Art Adventure. It is absolutely inspiring to display with and work alongside artists, of all genres, and talk art with everyone under the sun. Particularly at Spokane Art Supply - got to meet several regional and one national artist and not only see their work, but see them in action. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity. A big Thank you to Victor, Betty Jo, and Julie for hosting me at SAS and to the folks at Terrain!

To check out the artists, you can go to Spokane Art Supply's FB page here (and don't forget to like them!) - Spokane Art Supply on FB.

I had the pleasure of meeting Don Colley of Chicago, whose sketchbooks I can't even begin to describe to do them justice. Unique, lively, with some downright beautiful figure sketches, vivid landscapes, shady characters from a psycho rail union, courtroom sketches and deadly clowns...all of it captivating! I could have spent hours pouring over the work, most of it done in ledgers and record books from before the 50's! Absolutely loved it! To check out Don's work, here are two of his pages:
         buttnekkiddoodles
         doncolleysroadtrip.com

Have several projects in the works right now; still have to draw a tattoo for a friend, I was commissioned to draw a figure drawing for a friend, which will be posted soon, and I've got three other figure drawings I've been itching to get at, along with the work I started with Big T and Little T in the tub...phew! I'd better get hot!

Upcomming show...Terrain 6!!!! Come join the fun :)

Two of my works will be on display at Terrain 6, located on 1010 W. 1st Street of Spokane, WA. Very, very excited :D

Date: Friday, October 4
Time: 5PM to 1:30AM

For some background on how large Terrain has become, click on ze link below!

Shawn Vestal: Arts community grows its roots through Terrain - The Spokesman-Review

www.spokesman.com

When Luke Baumgarten, Ginger Ewing and Patrick Kendrick were growing up, they understood that there was one thing young, creative, artistic, ambitious people absolutely did not do in Spokane. Stay.

Work from this summer!

Figure Drawing JUN2013-02, 31X36 in.,Charcoal on 80 lb Co-mo sketch

Figure Drawing AUG2013-01, 32X36 in, Charcoal on 80 lb Co-mo sketch

Figure Drawing SEP2013_01, 31X36 in., Charcoal on Draft Paper

Figure Drawing SEP2013_02, Brown Water Soluble Graphite on Draft Paper

Hello! It's been a bit since my last post - here is what I've been up too art-wise this summer. All of the above are from the Open Figure Drawing Studio hosted by Julie Suchanek at Spokane Art Supply. I'm branching out a little with the water soluble graphite...I found that draft paper and water don't mix quite well...lesson learned :) Otherwise, sticking to my favorite - charcoal. A couple of these I will be going back to revisit, as time permits.

Worked with some new media today - WATER SOLUBLE CHARCOAL!!!! Oh my!!!!

Figure Drawing JUN2013-01, 14X16 in., ??? on thicker drawing/water color paper

Yep - I kinda like them water soluble charcoal sticks. I totally botched her face...draw draw draw, line line line. Then I started spreading it around via a really big brush. The only real success from this piece, I think, is the breast. Spreading out the charcoal and leaving certain areas undefined really defines certain areas. Does that make sense? Anyways, much thanks to Julie and Lincoln for letting me try it out. I think I will be getting me a set soon :) This was a really fun departure! Will let you know what they are when I get 'em.

Was going to spread posts out...will post my current work in progress within the week (fingers crossed)!

Thank You for looking!

Dave

New work completed for my June 7 First Friday show at the 1900.

Outlook, 2013, 29X36 in., Charcoal on 80 lb. Co-Mo Sketch

Anguish, 2013, 30X36 in., Charcoal on draft paper

It about time I started posting again - so here are two completed works now on display with five others at 1900, 114 W. Pacific Avenue, Spokane, Washington. Anguish is brand new, from a May 2013 figure drawing studio at Spokane Art Supply. Outlook is one I started back in February or March of 2012 and was one I had meant to get back to.

I had a few inquiries on how long it takes me to complete a finished work. It starts in the studio, with a thirty or forty-five minute pose. Back at home, I spend about seven to ten hours adjusting and adding details, finishing out forms, and adding background, pedestal, and chair information. Here is what I started with on Anguish, straight from the studio:

I had a bit of good feedback from my figure drawing amigos on this one - part of the reason why I selected it! It already had a decent mood to it - I just needed to bring it out more and attempt to define him in his surroundings. You'll note some really quick strokes on the pillow to annotated the pattern and how it (and any cloth or pillow the model is resting on) bends, covers, and folds with the body.

So the first hour and a half were spent bringing out that mood with the subject and figuring out his contours:

From that hour-and-a-half I got quite a bit defined and my light sources worked out. I was able to start picking out details on his right hand, and rough in parts of the chair and cushion pattern. Part of this time was also trying to figure out the right leg  in relation to his body and the stool; didn't get much information on it from the first sitting. Rolling right along, the  next couple hours I had this:

I worked mostly on the left hand at this point, modeling from my left hand as I didn't get anything down other than a rough placement. More definition on the stool and pillow, started working on his hair, and played around a bit with how his left foot falls. A nice layer of black around him - chunky charcoal is so good for that :) I also started thinking about what the heck he was sitting on....could have been a mushroom, a wedding cake, or a medium sized dog. I decided to go with a black pleather stool with a roundy support frame underneath...

More work on the hands and pillow, more definition and shape correction on the ear, put down more charcoal over his hair and redid that to add more depth, and started figuring out more regarding the stool and his right foot. I was also able to define the chair legs, much thanks to my nice long steel straight edge ruler!

The last couple of hours saw a major left forearm correction (made it a bit thinner close to the wrist and better defined the bottom as it hovers above the left thigh), finishing the chair and stool, better defining the right leg and foot, and a last minute decision to include a cloth handle on the pillow.

So, start to finish, this is generally how  my process works. With this piece I used one type of charcoal - chunky charcoal - which comes in a compressed stick about 3/4 inch in diameter, a triangular stick eraser, and a standard run-of-the-mill stick eraser.

Thank You for looking! I will be posting again very soon, as I was able to come out of today's figure drawing class with a couple pretty good starts. Adios amigos :)

One of the drawings I'll be working on for June 7th

Figure Study, WIP, from January 16, 2012, 42X30, Charcoal on 80 lb.

Okay - here is the priority to get finished for the show.  Thinking about making some major changes to expose more of her face (thanks to some gesture drawing reference from the same session). If you'd like to see the completed work, I guess you'd better make it down for the show on June 7th ;)

I'll be displaying for First Friday in June at the 1900!!!

Wow! Here we go :) Thank You Deborah for the opportunity to display my work!!!! Thank you Sarah and Nikai for your support and encouragement, along with my family and friends. I am reeeeally looking forward to June 7th!

I should be displaying six works, possibly more. Four pieces are set for display, and I've got two more to finish up. Depending on how figure drawing studio goes this Saturday, I might be subbing or adding a new and unseen piece...will keep a better blog on the march to get ready!

Etching from earlier figure drawing work

5X7 ink  on 8X10 220 GSD paper

Thanks to a very good friend I was able to try etching and subsequently printing one of my earlier figure drawings using a press, which turns out to be kind of addicting...

Have some changes to make on this particular plate, and I'm looking forward to working more with this process. I will post more as I get em' done!

Figure Drawings from 9MAR SAS Studio

Figure Drawing 9MAR13, 10 min. pose, charcoal on BP, 30" x 36"

Figure Drawing 9MAR13, 30 min. pose, charcoal on BP, 32" x 36"

Figure Drawing 9MAR13, 40 min. pose, charcoal on blue 80 lb., 24" x 17"

Here are the latest from Saturday's figure drawing class at Spokane Art Supply. I ended up not trying water colors again, but instead had the opportunity to try white chalk on dyed paper. My technique changed with it...I ended up with a starting point, just under our model's lower lip, and worked out from there, whereas I generally try to get a framework for the body before I even think about putting in details (as the first two poses above ze blue one). It was a very good exercise in observation; made me look hard at how light was falling on the model and applying those values, slooooowwwwlllly, on my drawing. Very challenging!!!! Thank's for the push, Julie :)

Starting off this post is a ten minute pose - a good example of how I usually work; head and spine first, then angel of the shoulders and hips, then trunk, limbs, hands. I made very sure to gauge the model, more-so then usual, going back and forth and making more reference marks then usual. This would have been a great pose had I more time!

I was off a bit on the head measurement versus the rest of the body on the second pose, but charcoal is fairly forgiving it won't be a hard fix. I would like working on the hands more, if anything...got quite a bit of information on them this time around. But, I think I will be working on drawing from last figure drawing class first, and another project for a friend. So, me goal is to get both done before next figure drawing class on April 6th....tick, tock, tick, tock :)

Some spring weather would help....

Thank you for looking! If you have any questions or comments about my work, please feel free to email me! I generally don't check email until late afternoon or night, and will get back to you then.

Figure drawings from 16FEB SAS studio

Figure Drawing - 30 minute pose, Charcoal on 80 lbs, 36" X 30"

Figure Drawing - 45 minute pose, Charcoal on 80 lbs, 36" X 30"

Howdy everybody! Here are two of three drawings from yesterday's figure drawing studio at Spokane Art Supply. Didn't feel on my game, but at least came out with two I might be working on later. I kept getting caught up with small details before I worked out major lighting and structural concerns. You can see in the 30 minute pose where I hastily put in some cross contour lines on the legs and waist, and on the 45 minute pose where the model's face has been worked over quite a bit and other parts are, well, missing-in-action. I certainly need to work on getting more back ground information in, and define more dark and light areas! And I think for next studio, which be March 9th, if your interested ;), I will be trying something new. Maybe watercolor, which scares the crap out of me. Sign up quick, cause there was a fantastic turn-out Saturday!!!!

Thank you for looking!

Raw figure drawings from today's studio

It is Saturday, January 19th and I was finally able to get some figure drawing accomplished, much thanks to Julie Suchanek and Spokane Art Supply for hosting their live figure drawing studio. I was very happy to start back! Here is what I was able to come out with, one of which I will be working on in the near future:

Figure Study, 10 minute poses, Charcoal on 80 lb., 30" x 36"

Detail of Figure Study, 10 minute poses, Charcoal on 80 lb., 16" x 17"

 These first two were from 10 minute poses. I decided on the close up of the face to get some practice. Should have also sketched hands and feet - will save for the next session :)

Figure Study, 30 minute pose, Charcoal on 80 lb., 30" x 36"

Figure Study, 40 minute pose, Charcoal on 80 lb., 30" x 34"

 Of these two - the 30 minute pose will be the one I'll work on in the future. I actually didn't botch the proportions too bad and I've got enough light and background detail to fudge the rest of the piece.

Thank You for taking a look! Also, if any of what I post peeks your interest and you'd like to join up for a figure drawing class at the Monroe Street Spokane Art Supply, click HERE for ze info!

And, for questions and inquiries, I can always be reached at me email by clicking HERE!

Gig Poster for House of Ghosts and the Hoot Hoots

The Hoot Hoots and House of Ghosts at Jones Radiator

I had the opportunity to design a gig poster, much thanks to Eric, funktastic base player, and the House of Ghosts. Here be the final design! I used charcoal on 80lb, with a reductive technique to carve out most of the detail. I found a variety of reference for the owls online, which allowed me to give each of the stack a bit of character.

If you navigate down to my previous post you'll see two potential ideas, one of which is the final gig poster in concept, the other a rainbow emitting owl attacking the third castle in Kurosawa's Ran on some desolate many mooned planet.....yep.....

And check out the House of Ghosts and Hoot Hoots website, or better yet, COME TO THE SHOW Friday, November 16th! No cover - eet ees freeeeeee! Jones Radiator is at 120 East Sprague Avenue, Spokane. And feel free to download this picture, print it, and post it everywhere around you; telephone poles, eating establishments, your mailman, maybe a sandwich board for your dog. Sky's the limit :)

Thank You for looking!