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March 20, 2011

Here, have a horse.

Filed under: Uncategorized — tb @ 5:19 pm

Last week I went ahead and posted a page of lion sketches, with the rather cryptic promise of “I’ll explain all in time!” in regards to a scrawled, half-finished skeleton at the bottom of the page.

Well, the time for explaining…Is not here just yet.  A rather busy week that included friends visiting from out of town delayed the preparation of my explanatory post.

So here’s a horse instead.

 tomhorse.jpg

 

 Oils on board, from photo reference.

That promised post..?  Yup, it’s still coming, fret not.

 

• • •

March 13, 2011

Now, just why is this sketch page unfinished…?

Filed under: Uncategorized — tb @ 10:55 pm

 

Nothing much in today’s post;  Just a few lion heads drawn from life at the San Diego Zoo, and an unfinished skeleton scrawled from not-life at the computer monitor.

 

unfinishedlions.jpg

 

You may be wondering why I didn’t finish the lion skeleton before posting this sketchbook page..The answer will be revealed later this week in a future-post.

 

Stay tuned, folks.

-tb

• • •

January 6, 2011

Better Things: The Life & Choices of Jeffrey Catherine Jones

Filed under: Uncategorized — tb @ 2:19 pm

     If you’re a regular follower of this blog, you may remember my Influence Map, posted a few months back…I’m going to revisit it for just a moment, with an added emphasis on one artist in particular; Jeffrey Catherine Jones.

 jeffreyjonesmap.jpg

      Had I bothered to read and follow the Influence map instructions, (and made each tile on the map itself correspond in  size to that particular individuals “influence” on me) The block representing Jeffrey Catherine Jones would have been larger.  Much larger.  Like, nearly as big as that Greg Manchess block in the top left-hand corner of the map (Which, coincidentally, probably is at the correct “influential size”).

     Jeffrey Catherine Jones’ paintings really hit a cord with me.  I’m a sucker for the way she remains representational in her work, even while pushing far into the gestural realm.  The juicy highlights in her paintings, alongside the large, interlocking dark shapes, are simply gorgeous and wonderfully designed.   And of course, there’s her dinosaurs; They have all the ye-olde-timey charm of Charles R. Knight, with a healthy side of Robert E. Howard pulp that reaches out and smacks paleontological accuracy in the face….And paleontological accuracy forgives it and buys them a beer later, because Jeffrey Catherine Jones’ dinosaurs are just that cool.

    I recently discovered that this hero of mine and illustration heavyweight is the subject of an upcoming documentary that delves into the importance of art in one’s life, and explores how it defines the artist as an individual and can go so far as to save one’s self.  I won’t go into the personal struggles of Jeffery Catherine Jones here, but I will tell you to go and watch the trailer for the film over on Kickstarter.com.

     If you like what you see (and I’m sure you will) pledge as little as a dollar to help get this film off the ground.  If you pledge 50, you get yourself the dvd and a movie poster when it’s released.  This is a pledge only; Payment is not taken unless the entire pledge amount is reached.  Throw a couple of bucks down to help get this  promising exploration of self-identity and the importance of art up-and-running…Judging from the trailer alone, I’m sure you’ll be glad you did.

 

 

• • •

December 28, 2010

Holiday book Review

Filed under: Uncategorized — tb @ 8:02 pm

    As is the standard for the holidays when it comes to gifts given to me, I’ve gone and acquired a great number of new books for Christmas.  Really, nearly every single gift I’ve received is a book.  I love it.  I’d have it no other way.  Seriously, books are the perfect presents;  I never get bored of a good book, and I always find an excuse to revisit them.  They’re kind of like friends that don’t ask you to pick up the lunch tab or drive them to the airport.

Without further ado,  I’d like to share with you a few of my new acquaintances, in case you’d like to go so far as to make them your friends, too.

Color and Light, by James Gurney

 

  bookpost1.jpg

 

If you check out anyone else’s “best art books of the year” list, you’ll find this on it; And with good reason.  Covering everything from light sourcing, to palette set-up, to surface and atmospheric effects, this book has it all.  If you’ve ever thought “Why does that look that way?” while painting your subject, you’ll more than likely find the answer beneath this book’s cover.  I’m always an advocate for understanding the “why” behind the “what.”  I’m a sucker for wanting to know how things work, and that is why I find this book a joy to read through and reference back to.  That, and the dinosaur paintings.  Really, throw a nice dinosaur painting in anything, and I’m bound to go back to it.

 

Hellboy Library Edition; Volume 3, by Mike Mignola

bookpost2.jpg

 

I’ve always been a fan of Mike Mignola’s work (both when it comes to his writing and his art) and I am overjoyed to finally own the third installment in his “Library Edition” series for Hellboy.  While this gorgeous hardbound book is most certainly worth owning, it’s a mixed bag for me;  It contains both my favorite Hellboy storyline (Conqueror Worm) and my least favorite (Strange Places).  That said, don’t let this discourage you from picking it up…While the “Strange Places” storyline isn’t my favorite, I *do* love the “origin of the world” myth that’s told within it.  That bit of the story is jam-packed with old-timey mythological goodness…Forging dragons out of mud, primordial creatures betraying one another, ancient artifacts of doom being passed down through the ages….All that weird, mildly nonsensical, grand-scale goodness I love about all creation myths is there.  If the inclusion of a neat creation storyline alongside Conquerer Worm isn’t enough to get you to pick up this book, the “sketchbook” section at the end of this volume should do it.  I adore Mignola’s sketches, and highly recomend owning every book in the “library edition” series, if for no other reason than to have a complete collection of his published sketch work.

 

Middle-Earth; Visions of a Modern Myth, by Donato Giancola

 bookpost3.jpg

 

Donato Giancola;  A name that (to me) has always been linked to Tolkien’s world of Middle-Earth.  This book shows just why that is the case.  Donato’s gorgeous, Vermeer/Rembrandt-esque handling of Tolkien’s characters is only one of the many reasons I love his work.  More than his rendering skills, I love Donato’s “between the action” storytelling/illustrative choices.  As Gerome had shown with his “Death of Caesar” illustration (and many more aside), some of the most powerful storytelling moments lie just after or before the “Action.”  Donato embraces this concept, Choosing to illustrate Sam helping a wounded Frodo up from the floor of Cirith Ungol, an orc hand lying severed in the foreground.  To have Gandalf, with Glamdring drawn and embers surrounding him from off-canvas, proves to be a more emotional image than choosing to show the balrog outright.   I’m also a sucker for seeing an artists process (could you tell from how I gushed on and on about Mignola’s sketches?) and hearing just how and why they approach a subject in the way that they do;  This book contains more than a few of Donato’s compositional studies and prep work for his paintings, as well as his personal insights into the subject matter.  Simply put, if you like any of the following;  Well-painted images, great storytelling, the process behind a painting, elves and what not…Then pick this book up.

 

 

• • •

November 26, 2010

Someone once told me….

Filed under: Uncategorized — tb @ 5:49 pm

gurneythreat.jpg

 

     Someone once told me, in not so many words, to work hard, lest the ghost of a deceased icelandic ram (by the name of Flynn) would come for me.

 

    That said, consider this post a bit of an announcement; Over the coming week or so, Your’s Truly will be kicking it into high-gear, and this blog will undergo a focused re-launch.  This relaunch will feature weekly post-days, specific topics, and a snazzy, oh-so-grand header.

 

    Why the refocus/relaunch of “Rusty Innards…?”  Recently, I had the opportunity to attend Illuxcon and talk to many wonderful artists on their process, goals, and what makes them tick.  It was a great experience, and after many late nights and talks with friends over the course of the convention, I have come to better realize what my art means to me, and where I would like to go with it.  So folks, that’s the reason for the upcoming re-launch of “Rusty Innards,” the relaunch I have and will be so diligently working on over the next week.

 

That, and because I’m also terrified of spectral ungulates.

 

-tb

• • •

October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween, with Anung Un Rama and friend

Filed under: Uncategorized — tb @ 5:40 pm

 

hellboypumpkin.jpg

 

Happy Halloween, all.

• • •

October 27, 2010

Surly Pup

Filed under: Uncategorized — tb @ 12:48 pm

 

surlypup.jpg

 

It’s been to long since I’ve posted a painting here.  That said; Here’s a gesture painting of a french bulldog, done from a photo and live model.

 My thanks to Bubba for being such a good-natured subject, even while recovering from his vet visit.

 

• • •

October 19, 2010

Fowl play. Yup, that pun just happened.

Filed under: Uncategorized — tb @ 12:49 pm

A page from the ol’ sketchbook to kick off a class at Watts, taught by one Meadow Gist.

 birds_domestic.jpg

• • •

September 15, 2010

Influence Map; That is to say, a Map of my Influences.

Filed under: Uncategorized — tb @ 5:10 pm

  influencemap.jpg

 

    The “influence map” game has been making the rounds on blogs as of late, so here I am;  Jumping on the bandwagon.

I found the task of narrowing down a group of artists to include on this chart simultaneously maddening and refreshing.  It’s impossibly difficult to try and decide who to include on a chart of my influences, as one can appreciate something from nearly any artist…but the influences listed here are artists, individuals, and ideas that I feel have shaped my picture-making decisions, and will continue to influence my artistic endeavors into the future.  I’ll echo Lucas Graciano in saying that it will be interesting to see the changes in this chart when I revisit this exercise in a few years.

 

Ah, and as an added “Fun Bonus..!”    The first person to correctly identify everyone/everything on my chart will win yourself an animal sketch (extinct or otherwise) of your choice.  This isn’t so much a challenge (as the chart is filled with pretty recognizable images)as much as it is a “whoever posts first wins” sort of thing….So get identifying, folks!

• • •

June 11, 2010

An elephant never forgets…even if I forgot to post this elephant.

Filed under: Uncategorized — tb @ 3:31 pm

An Asian elephant bull, done for the Elephant Drawing Day announcement a little ways back.  Ah, and Keep your eyes on the blog, folks…I’ll be announcing another sketch day Creature Feature very soon..

asianelephant.jpg

• • •
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