Tribute x4 (a.k.a. my artiest and wordiest blog post of yet had times)

I have been trying to grow in a few different directions lately ... as well as have fun.

To do this I decided it would be good for me to find a few different artists to emulate.

This is something I hope I always have time to do.

I have for your viewing pleasure my recent accomplishments along this line.

In this post you will find my work as I emulate, copy, redo, and hopefully pay well-received tribute to four other artists.

Each of these persons had been chosen for a different reason though each in an attempt for myself to grow as an artist.

Person #1 - Shel Silverstein

I have chosen to re-draw the painted monsters from Shel's Dont Bump the Glump book (his first published collection of poems in fact). If you have seen my blog lately this should not come as a surprise to you. Perhaps he is not largely known for being a visual artist per-say BUT ... there are paintings in the book! Buy the book, read the poems. They are like good things ... in that they are awesome.

I chose this little project for three primary reasons.

1) I am a fan of doing drawings in a large set but usually take on projects far to vast for me to finish - this was an opportunity for me to not fail on that front.

2) My wife bought me the book at the start of our wondrous marriage. Thus I own it. Thus the research required by this project is minimal and easy.

3) An excuse to draw monsters!

and without further adieu ...

The Gursdee!

Its like a bird with like a language and stuff.

The Lop-Eared Panda!

Now in red! (arms not included)

The One-Legged Zantz!

Can't dance, CAN prance!

Person #2 - Zach Heckert

Zach goes to school with me. He draws stuff (often involving horns, bullets, crooked teeth, and awesome) and says high to me in hallways. Also, his hair does this cool poof thing in front. The drawings that follow are fan art of the art that he posts on his blog - Mind Dump.

The reasons I am posting this tribute to Zach are ...

1) He is honestly the one who motivated me to really get crackling on this blog in the first place

2) He is the only one who ever comments on this blog ... so far.

*Fingers crossed for a someday larger friend AND fan-base*

3) He draws demons, sharpshooters, and laser-horses, who wouldn't want a piece of that action?

4) I think he is a right righteous dude.

and without further further adieu ...

Please see, stare in wonder, and be inspired to donate money here ... and here.

and here ... and here.

Person #3 - Jason Bowen

Honestly I am not sure how famous this guy is. He is an oil painter in the vein of Bob Ross and he lives inside of YouTube. It is a Tron thing I am pretty sure. Anyways, seeing as how I want to be better at painting (albeit digital not oil) and I can actually almost keep up with this guy AND he is kinda funny AND he has pretty hair ... I decided to follow along with a few webisodes!

I have no idea if that is the right term or not.

The reasons I am ... hmm, actually I already told you. Nevermind. Though I will say I spent less than 45 min on each of these ... which compared to my earlier digital painting class is no time at all.

and without further further further adieu ...

So I posted this once before and this has only minimal updates.

The full length original video is found somewhere in this sentence.

I did it again ... this time without the fun added fantasy bit. why? I dunno.

Click on this to see it as a good painting!

This looks SO MUCH EASIER WITH A PALETTE KNIFE!!!

Proven here.

J.K. its here.

Person #4 - Mark Kistler 

He is my earliest remembered art hero and inspiration. His drawings are simple, cartoony, and fun.

They build joy and encouragement in children and his 12 main rules of drawing are the best art lessons I have had until my second year of collage. This is his page, markkistler.com. The following drawings are silly little things based on the first lesson in his book Draw Squad.

The reasons I am drawing from this book are ...

1) Mark Kistler is my #1 art hero

2) I like nostalgia (sp?)... and pistachio pudding 

3) I have owned four of his eight books and I think of them this is the oldest. I love it.

4) If I dont make use of my book my WIfe threatened to loan it out ... and I am sentimental ... about everything.

and without furthest adieu ...

LESSON 1! FORESHORTENING!

I messed up a bit ... but this was just a few minute warm up, not a series ... thing ... like a walrus.

CONTEST 1! TERMITE OPERA!

A title I don't understand, but fun-ness I do!

THE END

or is it?