Monday, April 03, 2006

Painting



Wow, I've been busy... BUSY NEGLECTING THIS BLOG!!! Lots of stuff going on and this time it was the blog that got a bit lost in the chaos. Since I last posted my car was stolen, recovered, and poorly "fixed" by the dealer. Insurance has been fun. Work has been quite busy as well. I have been designing characters and posters for future films and, I wish I could post something because some of the designs I think are the best I've ever done. Hopefully, my design skills can continue to improve.

Also in the last month I have learned that due to my visa status (I'm Canadian) I am not allowed to make a book. Well, I could self publish one, but I couldn't sell it because my visa is employer specific, which means I can only make money from them. I was really bummed out with this news as I think I had a potentially interesting twist on a way to present a selection of stories and sketches. I will still work on it, and when I get a green card and can finally publish something, the book will just be that much bigger. With even more art for you to laugh and make fun of. If it takes long enough, you may even be able to use it to heat your house in the winter. Burn baby burn. Huh?

Any ways, I'm working on a painting right now, but it isn't quite finished yet. I hope to post that by the end of the week. Until then, how about this.

The painting above I did last spring for one of my best friend's wedding. This spawned an idea that I want to explore more, and below you will find a selection of sketches for further paintings with these big stone figures. A lot of the times I'm asked what a certain painting I've done means. Something that certain sectors of the art community are obsessed with. I don't really like to say, mainly because I am more interested in what other people interpret the painting to be about. I prefer to think more in terms of story any ways and one is forming with this set of paintings. More on that later. Any ways. I hope to begin painting more regularly. After painting a poster at works and working on my current painting, I've really caught the bug. I've never done a series of painting before... should be interesting... hopefully a progression will become apparent in the execution of them. I hope to become a better painter.

12 comments:

Gerald de Dios said...

John, absolutely amazing painting! How big is that by the way? Man, sorry to hear about your car and the red light on your book production. But I'm glad you've created another path of creativity to keep the mo-jo going. Best of luck to you on your painting series. I too wish you could post the work you've done at your job...but I guess that's the way it goes...Argh.

Emma said...

That's really cool looking. The sketches remind me of the Giants Orbiting from Mirrormask... what media?

craig said...

dude!...diggin it. I remember this sweet little number, but glad to see the new sketches also.

Marlo said...

neato drawings, friend. loce your cartoons and observational stuff.

=)

Jeff said...

Very cool painting. It is very Venus of Willendorf-esque but in that protective, fetal pose it gives a very different message. So, that's my take.
I really dig your drawings, too.

monkeyfeather said...

Thanks Gerald. I don't remember the size of the original, maybe 9"x12". Not very big.

Hey Emma, thanks for stopping by. Oh yeah, I forgot to post that it is Acrylic on Illustration Board.

BER!

Thanks for checking out the blog Marlo. Your caricature work is GREAT!

Hey Jeff. Cool, I haven't heard that one, now that I see the little stone sculpture that was found, I can see the similarities.

Martin Wittig said...

John--sorry to hear about the bad news, but that painting is GREAT! I only wish that you could post some of those designs that you were talking about!!!

Unknown said...

AWESOME painting!! Those drawings are really cool too!!

monkeyfeather said...

Thanks Martin and Alina. Depending on how things go, maybe somewhere down the line I can post those designs... but probably not for quite some time.

MIKE THOMAS said...

Great painting, John. I remember this one, you've got a good handle on real media. I'd like to see a painting of the sketch on the far right, looks like a couple mashed together.

What kind of interpretations have people come up with?

monkeyfeather said...

Hey MT. I intend to paint all of the sketches so, at some point I'll post them all.

My Aunt had a really interesting interpretation, I'll see if I can find it and post it. I won't be able to do it justice from my memory.

Lubomir said...

These are amazing man. They tickle the collective consciousness.