txt based illo:

Client: The Mule (Manchester, UK)
A.D. : Mule Collective, The
Medium: Ink on shirtboard
Dimensions: 8" x 12"

Trial of text-based illustration, for a story about the recent detainment of 12 Pakistani students, one a British National, in a suspected terror plot. All were released about 11 days later on no charges with no evidence, and the local Muslim community expressed their unease and distrust at round-up and detention for 'congregating while Brown."

Having just been to the Barron Storey journal show at SI, I ended up writing and lettering an experimental illo-parable of wrong organ removal, a medical phenomenon in which the wrong organ is extracted by accident. Ex: "You have cancer of the kidney. We tried to remove it, but we got the wrong one. Now you're down to one kidney. Oh, and by the way, you still have cancer." (Oops.)

Trouble in this situation, though, is that British local law enforcement is staunchly refusing to apologize for any wrongdoing, and so the debacle ensues.

The End.

-rz

Joe Montana: Sketch Painting #2

Portrait: Joe Montana
Private Commission
Medium: Oil on Paper
Dimensions: 16" x 20"

Oil-sketch portrait of Legendary San Francisco 49er's QB, Joe Montana, commissioned by an old friend from way back.

-rz

Joe Montana: Sketch Paintings-Progress shots

Here's where I'm at with my two sketch portraits of Joe Montana-- one's close to done, the other is still washy and neglected, but both will be decidedly done tomorrow and set to dry. On the one at which I been working, I've been trying to understand the mechanics of Manchess-ian application of oil paint, which I gather requires a steady hand, a healthy amount of confidence, and 100 more paintings under my belt. Meanwhile, I'm glad to learn from his example, and to do my best to emulate.

The second one, I'll finish tomorrow in a decidely Forbes-ian style, and trust that I'll find a buyer for whichever one I don't send to the client.

Best,
-rz

Sketch Portrait: Joe Montana, sketches

Client: Ravi Balu
Medium: Charcoal, Digital
Dimensions: 16" x 20"

Got a commission to do a sketch portrait of Joe Montana, legendary QB of the SF 49er's. Never having done much sports stuff before, it's a treat to welcome new content into my book. I decided to do two versions to let the client ultimately choose from-- one in the Bridgman/Tepper/Cornwell/Dunn school, and one in the manner of sports illustration legend, Bart Forbes. The Bridgman, I worked up the drawing from the skeleton outward, while the Forbes-style foundation was simply transferred to the working surface with graphite paper. Both were then dropped into Photoshop for rough muddling to help me work out the value scheme, which could of course be pushed further.

Anyhow, that's what's doin' today. They'll both ship out by Monday, and I'll post both finishes by then. Meanwhile, swing by my new site if you haven't already, and I'll see you shortly.

Heart,
-rz

Baseball Pitcher- paint/sketch/playtime

Client: n/a
Medium: Gouache, Ink
Dimensions: 8" x 12"

The other day, I got in touch with a Ad firm looking for sketch drawings of sports-related blah blah for a sports-related client, and I said, I'll see what I have on hand and send it right over. Not flush with sports stuff, I whipped up two drawings, one of a football player and one of a baseball player. The Ad firm replied, "not what we had in mind... keep you on file... thanks." Chapped as one's hide can feel from unfruitful self-inflicted spec work, I now have on file a drawing of a ball-player that I enjoy and can send out when "sports" samples are requested in the future.

Meanwhile, I enjoyed the simple pen/brush drawing of the baseball player, so I xeroxed it a couple times and mounted it to some shieze paper-boards for morning painting exercises. Edel Rodriguez once told me that when time permitted, he would do two to four renditions of an image, and send the best one to the client. With that in mind, here's the one I liked best:

Safe shooting, #3- Bathroom Stall

Client: Undisclosed
A.D. : Undisclosed
Medium: Ink, Digital
Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"

Final batch of spots for this pamphlet on safe shooting in public spaces. Good gig-- lots of healthy practice with the brush and ink (i.e.- brush pen,) and rudimentary self-tutelage in the implementation of half-tones in Photoshop.

While the Brush pen provides a healthy framework of composition and value, I'm looking forward to returning tomorrow to washy paint and non-digital means.

Heart,
-Li'l zim

safe shooting, #2- back alley

Client: Undisclosed
A.D. : Undisclosed
Medium: Brush-pen, Photoshop
Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"

This set being my 2nd effort for an informative pamphlet on safe practices for IV drug injection in public places. As I've learned working with my client, for all the dangers of IV drug use, things can get really hairy if done improperly. Everything from gushing arteries to collapsed veins, not to mention overdose. This scene, behind a dumpster. Tomorrow, in a bathroom stall.

I've been enjoying the process of roughing out the drawing in a non-photo blue pencil, inking directly on top, and then passing it through a copier to remove the pencil underneath. Again, the reproduction will likely be xeroxes of xeroxes for ease of sharing among under-funded harm-reduction clinics, hence the heavy line work and coarse half-tone. Raise your hand if you just learned how to half-tone in Photoshop! [hand raises sheepishly.]

On a side note, I managed to complete this set, from the reference comp to final delivery in four hours, which is my deadline for a new portfolio I'm working on entitled 'Quick & Dirty,' containing only work done in four hours or less.

More to come tomorrow.

Cheers,
-rz