Guys & Gals

I've a problem illustrating men. They aren't as fun as women. If I do illustrate a man, however, I tend toward some sort of ceremonial man. They're more ornate, flashy, and mobile. Here's my latest. I'm rather fond of this one. I love the fringe on his leggings. I love native American, actually. Everything about them intrigues me. I've a dear friend who's part native, and I'm amused and fascinated by him. This one reminds me of him, actually.

My next work will be a commissioned piece for my friend Ashley. I'm excited to see what comes out. She's given me full license to do whatever I want on this one. I'll keep you posted!

Unsure Direction

I haven't produced in weeks. I've meant to, but have been feeling slightly frustrated with my work. I feel differently now. I'm not sure what it is, but I feel unsatisfied by my artwork. Okay, that's not entirely true. I still love so many of the pieces I've done; I just feel that I've thoroughly explored my current style and method. At first, I was satisfied with an image that "snapped" and/or "popped". The line of the figure was enough. Now, though, I feel a need to delve deeper into my brain, pushing the envelope beyond it's current capacity. The image of my piece needs to be so much more than my current ability can produce.

Here is one such example. I started this piece a couple of weeks ago. I love the lines, the contrast, I LOVE the hands, but there is so much that is missing....and the most frustrating part about it is, I don't know what it's missing.

This has happened before. I've been able to push through it. I'm confident that I'll explore enough, until I find what it is that I'm looking for. Here's a basic idea of some of the attributes I'm looking for: I'll continue with black, white, and red, but I will begin to incorporate colors. Heavy patterns are a must. More motion and flow to the figures and clothing will definitely develop. Detailed backgrounds, I feel, will be the next step.