Caricatures at The French Lick Springs Hotel

I was called early saturday afternoon by a friend, who also does caricatures, to fill in for her that evening because she was double booked. I agreed and started to make my way down towards Orange County. I hadn't been to French Lick/West Baden in a few years but I remember it being a beautiful place right out of the turn of last century. It is said that French Lick was a popular weekend getaway for Chicago mobster, Al Capone back in the 1930's. They have recently renovated it and added a new casino. If you get a chance to visit there I would recommend it.

The Caricatures went well and I was in and out of there in two hours. The the place was so nice I kind of wanted to stay longer. Everyone had a great time and I made some nice quick cash (always good for an artist) on a saturday night where I had nothing planned but drawing in front of the TV.

The Dahlia Coven

This was a book cover that I had done last fall for an AH book titled The Dahlia Coven. It was for one of Authorhouse's British authors and even though I was satisfied with it, it was quite an education in frustration. I did learn a lot from this particular assignment though, and the next digital painting I attempted was much easier and more enjoyable because of the trial and error of this one. I started with my photo reference of Petra Nemcova and Maria Sharipova and sketched out my composition. From that, I began painting over the sketch in Photoshop. The original cover has the same fiery background but in red instead of green. The Author chose red for the book cover but I display it here as it was meant to be shown,,, in all its ethereal greenness! Click Images To Enlarge

Jeremy Buck & the Bang

This was a piece done for my friend's band out in California. Jeremy (big hair) and I go back to grade school so I was happy to help him out. I've seen the band play a few times here in Indiana and they put on a high energy show. If you get the chance, check them out at: http://www.jeremybuck.com/

Click images to enlarge.

Farewell Sopranos

It was a long road but the Sopranos have ended. Will there be a movie follow up??? Who knows? I must say I was a little disappointed in the final episode. It should have been at least a two hour finale to tie up some more loose ends. It's the least they could have done for all the viewer's long time loyalty and support but, as they say, forgit a bout' it! Even though, I still got lots of enjoyment from the show and out of respect to the "Bing", I post this homage to a great run.

Breeze

This was a digital painting for a book cover I had completed a few weeks ago. Its for a nifty little vampire yarn entitled "Breeze" by Authorhouse author, Scott C. Johnson. I really enjoyed working on it and any practice I can get doing a digital painting is a plus in my book. Much thanks to Deante Tolliver and Christian Kelly for posing for photo reference. I use Photoshop because its what I have at work and at home but I'm very interested in using Painter just to see its effects. I was told PS is just as good as Painter but I think that it may just be a matter of taste. I'll find out eventually.


In an earlier post I said that I liked to use mutiple layers. It was told to me that using too many layers makes one's work look stiffer and by using fewer layers forces the artist to work "without a net" as it were, ending in a piece with a more traditional, painterly, feel. this is something that I experimented with here. Click on images to enlarge.

Teaching Pt. 2

Earlier I had posted a blog about my experiences helping teach an art class to at-risk kids a few weeks back. When I was asked to come back and teach again I jumped at the opportunity and it was well worth it. We spent the class cartooning Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. I had tracked down some lessons online and used them as a template for the kids. (http://www.malanenewman.com/donald_duck_fullface.html)

The children seemed so happy and excited to be able to apply, immediately, what I was teaching them in class.

After the lesson I drew their caricatures. The ones who I didn't have time to draw, had their pictures taken on my camera and were drawn at home. I've worked with art around kids many times and I've been told that people can really see a reaction out of the children when the drawing starts. I'm glad that I still keep that enjoyment for art and can share it with youngsters too. This especially for kids who may be troubled and don't have much else.

Below was a letter I received this morning from the Director of Art With A Heart:

Dan ,
These (caricatures) are great and I could identify almost all of them with out the actual photographs which means they were very well done. Thank you so much for following through on this. It teaches the children again that people do care and they can count on us to do what we say we are going to do. That is so big for our children at risk. I have printed them out and will have them by the children’s art work at the art exhibit on April 22 from 1-4. If you could stop by we would love to have you as our guest. The children usually feel really good about seeing their art work on exhibit.

Artistically,
Carol Conrad
Executive Director of Art With a Heart, Inc.

The Value of Teaching Pt. 1

A few weeks back, the girlfriend and I volunteered to help with an art class for disenfranchised youth on the east side of Indianapolis. I've had very little experience with teaching but that was fine because we would not be by ourselves. we were two of about six volunteers, not including the instructor, that would work with the children that early Saturday morning.

I was very surprised to see the enthusiasm and vigor that these kids displayed using their pastels and paints, making works that even I, as an adult professional artist, was taken aback by. I've read that children have a wonderfully inherent sense of design and composition till around the age of eight or nine, then a stage of brain development kicks in and "POOF", its gone. Its up to that child to find it, reactivate it and nurture it later down the road. Now I was seeing this first hand.

I left feeling very fulfilled even though I hadn't much time to work with the Children. Seeing the potential and the excitement these kids had, I thought; what could I offer a youngster who had artistic inclination and a real enjoyment for it? Could I teach him/her the tools to choose art as a career? Could I teach them how to be better than me?

This weekend I have been offered another unique opportunity: Teaching the class how to draw cartoons and caricatures by myself. I will post pictures and continue this post in part 2.