YOU GET THE IDEA:

Dog Portrait - Andre

2012-01-16T20:13:00.000-08:00

An x-mas gift portrait of the family dog.

mishka solnishka

2011-02-03T17:35:00.000-08:00

little drawing for my nephew's 3rd b-day.

dumb head with horns

2010-12-30T13:42:00.000-08:00

Dimensions: 8" x 10"
Medium: Acryla-Gouache on card-stock.

I saw a picture in my head of a gentleman with ram horns. Did this paint sketch of it. I think it came out pretty terrible, but kinda ok for an exercise. Wish I had something better to show for it. Oddly, the universal response has been, "why's his head so wide?" No mention or query as to why a gentleman might have ram horns protruding from his skull.

The End. -rz

heads: #05

2010-12-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

medium: acryla-gouache on paper
dimensions: 8.5" x 11"

Been fooling around with red-brown lines after seeing Rockwell at the BK Museum recently. I think he woke me back up. I'm forever grateful.

Exercise is just doodling at my desk until something appears to me. Good times.

Heart,

--rz

Heads: #04;

2010-12-13T10:17:00.000-08:00

8.5" x 11"
Acryla-gouache on paper.

Based loosely on this Rodin bronze that hangs out in the lobby of the BK Museum, though it started to look like me without a beard, as does happen. By now, I sit at my desk in a relatively jerk-water office job. Not much doing. So much so that I've got time and space to knock out little studies.

heads;

2010-12-12T14:33:00.000-08:00

Morning portrait exercises with my students.

Poster: Andrew Cuomo for Governor, NY, 2010

2010-08-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

Client: Cuomo 2010
A.D. : Harvey Cohen Creative
Dimensions: 22" x 28"
Medium: Acryla-Gouache and Photoshop

Poster for prospective NY State Gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo.

Details of the portrait and a sample vignette included below.

Heart,
rz

Sketch Drawing: Portrait, 07/'09

2010-07-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

Client: none
A.D.: self
Medium: Ink and water on shirt board
Dimensions: 8" x 12"

Gearing up to ink panels of a comic book that I'm working on, and I found this messy ink drawing that I did all of a year ago, facing me in a pile of crap old work.

No idea for what it might be worth, but it's a look at what I'm looking at while I'm charting my next move.

Inky man hearts,
rz

Portrait: Obamas, Inauguration night, 2009

2010-07-16T16:07:00.000-07:00

Client: Private Commission
Medium: Oil on Masonite
Dimensions: 24" x 34"

Detail #1:

Detail #2:

Raccoon

2010-07-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

Client: Earthwatch / NYC Parks Dept.
A.D. : Amanda Johnson
Medium: Pencil on Paper
Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"

Sketch drawing for a series of informative placards about local wildlife in Van Cortlandt Park at 242nd St in the Bronx, NY. Others in the series include a white-footed mouse, a possum and a chipmunk. Thanks again to A. D. Amanda Johnson for the opportunity to break from overt politics and portraits and spend time drawing savage but cute and fuzzy creatures.

Best,
rz

Possum

2010-07-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

Client: Earthwatch / NYC Parks Dept.
A.D. : Amanda Johnson
Medium: Pencil on Paper
Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"

For a collection of sketch drawings of local wildlife for informative placards in Van Cortlandt Park at 242nd St in the Bronx.

White-footed Mouse

2010-06-08T23:32:00.000-07:00

Client: Earthwatch / NYC Parks Dept.
A.D. : Amanda Johnson
Medium: Pencil
Dimensions: 8" x 10"

Sketchbook: Conor at the Piano

2010-06-08T21:37:00.001-07:00

Medium: Ink on Paper
Dimensions: 5" x 7"

My friend Conor, an amazing piano player and all-around phenomenal guy, at his piano. Followed by smoked pork shoulder, apricots, beer and cookie dough. champion day.

-rz

Chipmunk

2010-06-07T16:32:00.001-07:00

Client: Earthwatch / NYC Parks Dept.
A.D. : Amanda Johnson
Medium: Pencil
Dimensions: 8" x 10"

Vignette drawings for informative placards in Van Cortlandt Park, up in the Bronx at 242nd St, about local wildlife. Still to come this week: Raccoon, White-footed Mouse and Possum. Inspired by some terrific pencil drawings of walri by Ted Lewin that I saw when I 1st came to town. Thanks, Amanda. Thanks, Ted.

Heart,
rz

Comics: 1st storyboard and cover: pencil roughs

2010-06-02T18:36:00.000-07:00

Client: T.B.A.
Medium: Pencil
Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"

Poster Vignettes

2010-06-01T22:13:00.000-07:00

Client: n.d.a.
Medium: Acryla-gouache on paper
dimensions: 8.5 x 11"

A sampling of wee vignettes that that came together like voltron to form a massive poster for a candidate running for public office, which'll be released to blog just as soon as the poster itself is public.

GRIEF

2010-05-24T06:07:00.001-07:00

This happened. This ugly drawing happened. I think it was therapeutic. I don't care if you like it or you don't, but I hope I do it more often.

Spider-monkey Birthday card

2010-05-18T21:08:00.001-07:00

Client: Downstairs neighbor, Age 11 yrs.

Medium: Pencil and Ink on paper

Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"

Birthday card for my neighbor, Savion, on his 11th year. The subject is known as Ultimate Spider Monkey, by request, from the cartoon "Ben 10 Ultimate Alien". As seen from the reference I gathered below.

As I gather, this Ben can change into 10 different incarnations of man-imal alien, and wyld out further into Ultimate forms, which are supremely bad-ass, or so I'm told in much gentler language.

Coming before what appears to be a foray into comics structure, I found it to be a fine exercise in drafting from the noggin.

Best,

-rz

Portrait - Cantinflas

2010-04-21T17:52:00.000-07:00

Client: Private Commission
Title: Cantinflas
Medium: Oil on wood panel
Dimensions: 16" x 20"

American Journal of Nursing

2010-03-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

Spot illo for a story about a Nurse's recollection of having to take home a frog to dissect back in high school.

Painting/Drawing Lessons: Savion, week 1

2009-12-27T02:36:00.000-08:00

Medium: Pencil, Acrylic on Shirt Board
Dimensions: 9" x 12"
Subject: Timmy Turner

My downstairs neighbor, a young gentleman by the name of Savion, aged approximately ten years, found a key that I had lost. In thanks, I offered a brownie or a drawing lesson. He took the drawing lesson. We had our 1st visit today. We selected a subject, one Timmy Turner from a cartoon with which I'm not familiar. We printed out reference for our subject, selected pencils and set to work on basic principles of blocking, spatial relationships and value. Paint came in as a way to push values further, as the shirtboards that I have in huge supply don't take kindly to charcoal. While paint dried, we had a 10-minute intro. to electric guitar.

For myself, it was an exercise in transmitting information, and a good usage of the 1,000 or so shirtboards I've yet to go through. (Apparently they're only sold in 50 lb. quantities.)

Next week is Donald Duck.

-rz

Etudes: floral studies

2009-12-14T12:44:00.001-08:00

Client: Chartpak
Medium: Acrylic on paper
Dimensions: 8" x 10"

I queued up a gig doing acrylic demos for Chartpak, a supplier of, well, art supplies, to paint for an audience in art supplies stores, showing how to knock out a floral study in 2 hours.

Having never done such a thing, I plucked two flowers out of the neighbor's garden residue of that which has thus far survived the settling of the Brooklyn Winter and pinned them to the bulletin board facing my desk.

Each was knocked out in 90 minutes, one with flowers fresh, and one two days later, having dried out. The 2nd one, I shot in 20 minute intervals to show stages for a hypothetical audience. I think I might make a habit of these little etudes, selling them off on etsy or something for $50/pop.

Heart,
-rz

Asian-Americans in Obama's cabinet

2009-12-11T09:44:00.001-08:00

Client: Hyphen
Medium: Acrylic on wood. Dimensions: 15" x 23"

Hey, gang,
Long time, no blog. I've been shifting my office/residence and un-packing coupled with dodgy internet has prevented me from updating with my recent work. Here's a double-page spread for Hyphen Magazine, regarding Asian-American members of Pres. Obama's cabinet, and their 'supporting' roles in the President's sundried agendas, as well as those of their respective communities. Haven't done a spread in a while, and it's fun to work with the off-center composition. I left a big block of fuzzed-out tree to the left upon which to drop the opening paragraph of the article. Sketched out by scrubbing around and cropping my reference in photoshop, transferred in pencil and banged out in acrylics. I didn't realize until after it'd been sent to print that the lower-right-center windows are totally a cluster-flock of brush mess, but hopefully the viewing audience won't notice. Heart, -rz

Sale to Benefit Rob Suarez Fellowship Scholarship

2009-11-13T16:11:00.000-08:00

"La Greca" and "Foaming Hand Soap"
Acrylic on Wood.
9" x 12", framed.
$125 each (S & H incl.)

Sale of either one of these two little paintings, $100 of the proceeds goes to benefit the Rob Suarez Fellowship, which will assist one young man of color and single-parentage in San Jose, CA in attending and paying tuition at Bellarmine College Preparatory, my high school alma mater and place of solid upbringing.

The fellowship is named in memory of my beloved mentor, Rob Suarez, who gave many of us good counsel through the tumult of our adolescence.

Each piece is handsomely mounted in a hand-painted, recessed pine frame (shown here). and wall-mount ready. Will ship anywhere in the U.S.

Best,
-rz

Reception at Sirani Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA

2009-09-14T15:05:00.000-07:00

Drove with friend and co-gallerist Jeff Faerber to Pittsburgh for a reception for a group show in which we're each showing about a dozen pieces.

Show will be up for another 3.5 weeks.

Best,
-rz

Scenic texture: Old Brick

2009-08-25T13:04:00.000-07:00

Dimensions: 2' x 2'
Medium: Acrylic Latex and Tints

One more etude for the Scenic section of my site. Meanwhile, my little 6'5" x 8" studio is taking new shape. Chip brushes and purdy's replacing oil brushes and the like on my peg-board wall, remnants of spatter outline the ghosts of panels past on my luan floor cover.

I built myself a lining stick and procured a number of mop handles.

In other news, the Summer swelter dictated one more Summer cut and that I should finally shave the broom that was my moustache.

Heart,
-rz

Scenic: Knotted Hickory Slat Floor

2009-08-17T16:19:00.000-07:00

Dimensions: 2' x 2'
Medium: Acrylic Latex

Wood grain sampled from my bedroom floor. My apartment was built ca. 1890, and retains the original broad hickory slat floor with ample spacing in between each board, as evidenced here.

Meanwhile, in other stupendous news, I've been hired on as the Scenic Designer and charge artist for the Domestic Crusaders debut performance here in NYC at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, and will design and craft a set for them in approx. 3.5 weeks. Super stoked to be on board for such a monumental production.

Best,
-rz

scenic textures: cracked concrete wall, green slate

2009-08-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

Dimensions: 2' x 2'
Medium: Student-grade acrylics and interior house paint

Once I have enough of these to make a set, I'll slap them onto the new scenic section of my site.

Heart,
-rz

Scenic Textures: Marble

2009-08-13T08:09:00.000-07:00

Dimensions: 2' x 2'
Medium: House Paint and Pigment tints.

Prepping for the Union local 829 Scenic Artists exam in October, and further filling out my portfolio with sample textures and finishes. Last night was marble, veined and red.

On deck: slate, old and new brick, a number of wood grains, rough and smooth granite, and concrete, pitted, cracked and stained.

-rz

Capulet Grave: Tomb Sconce

2009-08-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

Client: Interlochen Arts Camp
Designer: Rich Mason

Part of my job as a scenic this summer was to carve these skulls from a dense blue foam with a rasp and a hot knife, that love child of a razor and a soldering iron, and then paint them to match the altar which we'd built for the Capulet tomb for a production of Romeo and Juliet.

Tons of fun.

Meanwhile, back in Brooklyn, I've been tinkering with my site-- just made all the images bigger for your viewing pleasure. On deck, a portrait of our president and 1st Lady for a private commission, and a fresh batch of wee gallery paintings for a group show in Pittsburgh, PA at the Sirani Gallery.

Cheers,
-rz

Domestic Crusaders on NBC!

2009-08-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

Hey look, everybody, I'm on TV!

My Poster for the Domestic Crusaders was used here as a backdrop for a 4-minute interview with Playwright Wajahat Ali.

The Domestic Crusaders opens 9/11/09 at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe.

www.domesticcrusaders.org

Domestic Crusaders, Theater Poster

2009-08-02T10:38:00.000-07:00

Client: Nuyorican Theater, Before Columbus Foundation
A.D. : Wajahat Ali Medium: House-paint on Muslin
Dimensions: 2' x 3'

Pleased to report that before the show even opens on 9/11/09, the poster is already being called on for purchase, and was featured as the backdrop for a televised interview on WNBC with the Playwright and A.D., Wajahat Ali.

Working in a scenery shop I had materials and tools for working larger than usual, and so I built four supports, 2' x 3', upon which to work (with the help of carpenters Brian Elston and Clara Balliet.) I painted on the floor while walking around my work with a 3" foam brush, gaff-taped to a mop handle. The fractured house and moon were rendered through a shirtboard stencil with spray cans.

The A.D. called for bold color reminiscent of a Rothko, which matched in format some of my early sketches. Just before I set to painting, though, I saw that a local theater was showing 'Anatomy of a Murder,' known for it's stellar poster design by the late, great Saul Bass. Being a natural evolution from the Rothko format, I politely looted from the Bass estate, and do hereby give credit where credit is due. The Domestic Crusaders opens 9/11/09 at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe.

Thanks to Wajahat for having me on board for this production.

Joe Montana: Sketch Painting #2

2009-05-14T22:29:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-12T22:07:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-06T22:26:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-22T22:29:00.000-07:00

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

Safe Shooting in Public Places-Pamphlet illos

2009-04-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

Client: Undisclosed;
A.D. : Undisclosed
Medium: ink, digital

Sketches for a collection of spot illustrations for a pamphlet illustrating safe IV drug injection techniques in public places (bathroom stall, phone booth, back alley.) Printing will likely be xeroxed for mass-distribution, hence the coarse half-tone and heavy line work.

Theater Poster, Guys and Dolls, Final

2009-04-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

Client: Starting Arts
A.D. : Mike Boston
Medium: Watercolor, Acrylic
Dimensions: 19" x 29"

Thanks again to Kurt and Zelda for "dolling up" for the reference shoot.

Heart,
-rz

Mule Newspaper, Manchester, UK

2009-03-20T03:21:00.000-07:00

Client: Mule
A.D. : Mule Collective
Medium: pencil, digital

First off: a BIG borrow from the color palette of friend and phenomenal artist, Jeremy Forson. Would that I could have called him to do the whole thing for me-- I make a pale stand-in for the ominous atomic sunset crowd.

For an article about the corporate and governmental powers that run Manchester. The editor requested ominous figures looming over local landmarks. I went for ghosts and monsters.

Tech-wise, I've got big, clumsy hands. When I've got a lot of small elements to combine in a picture, I like to draw them at a scale that's cozy for me, and then 'shop them all together. Comfortable way to assemble segments, but lacking somewhat in over-all cohesion. will paint next time.

Still lots to learn, but I had tons of fun drawing. Thanks to the Mule for the fun assignment.

-rz

Headphones, Water Tower

2009-03-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

Morning exercise:
Medium: Pen, gouache, digital:
Dimensions: 4" x 6"

Took a page out of my sketchbook , born from one of Barron Storey's exercises to get the gears working, of making marks on a page at random until a discernible image begins to emerge, hence the fellow walking naked, tuning in on his headphones, waist deep towards a water tower (who can say?)

Dropped it into Photoshop for 1.5 hours of glazing fun, and made a grisaille version to get an idea of how I wanted my values to pop.

In hindsight, the color looks stupid, but the b/w version has a handsome faux-etching appeal, I think.

More of these to come.

-rz

Guys and Dolls, edit

2009-03-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

Client: Starting Arts
A.D. : Mike Boston
Medium: Pen, Digital

While researching the process of 'comic book flatting,' I also had a revision to a sketch due for Guys and Dolls (1st sketch only had one guy-- what was I thinking? This picture needs at least one doll-- maybe even two.)

So I took my fella, sketched him out a-gain, and fabricated a doll to go on his arm, then overlayed the tracey-trace paper and clumsily blocked it out in line work, attempting to seal off pockets where different tones would lay.

Then, into the computer for flat fills and a little rough-up for texture and what Springsteen referred to as 'that human touch.' The process made me feel like a stained-glass window maker. Useful new tool-- will come in handy some day.

heart,
-rz

New Tools: Adobe Illustrator: day 1

2009-03-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

Client: Self
A.D. : Self
Medium: pen, digital

Shameful admission: I don't know how to use my own computer.

Somehow, through the course of my curriculum in school, I never learned how to use the foundational programs of the Adobe Creative Suite. There was no required computer coursework during my tenure at CCA. After school, I determined to muddle my way through Photoshop, and at present my knowledge of the program is still rudimentary at best. We had one assignment in which a brief overview of Quark was required, but even then we saw InDesign on the horizon and wondered why this then-"next-generation" layout software wasn't being stamped into my skill-set. Only in the final months of my schooling there did I begin to lament my cloudy understanding of Graphic Design, typography, fundamentals and programs.

Finally, I've set about learning these programs that have lain dormant in my Applications folder, and begun with a 30-day crash course in Illustrator. I opened a page out of my sketchbook/calendar to yesterday's drawing of a fat young man in a puffy jacket, texting in the waiting room of the dental clinic. (I also got a surprise filling-- thought I was just there for a cleaning, and the lady stuck a drill in my mouth.) This is the product of the tutorial thus far, followed by a "coloring book" overlay of Photoshop futzing.

Portrait- Yumi Wilson

2009-02-21T15:49:00.000-08:00

Client: Hyphen Magazine
A.D. : Erica Loh
Medium: Acrylic, Ink.

Portrait of Yumi Wilson, for an article discussing how the author's perceptions of her own mixed race (African-American and Japanese) shifted in light of our new President's own self-identification.

Seen here in it's final stage of color, and it's b/w foundation of black and white inks on a gray 'Gruger' board.

Guys & Dolls, Poster: sketches

2009-02-19T07:21:00.001-08:00

Client: Starting Arts
A.D. : Mike Boston
Medium: black and white Ink, digital

Two sketches and a collection of lettering studies for a "Jr." production, performed by middle school children. My sketches are based largely on the 1955 film adaptation, starring Sinatra and Brando. After this, I'm off to Lincoln Center to watch video recordings of broadway productions.

Studio DIY Storage Rack:

2009-02-13T08:38:00.000-08:00

Here in the new office, my new work space measures 6.5' x 8'. Most of the clutter in my old office was made up of past work, piled up, so I decided to build a storage rack to hold paintings in the living room. Here's how it went down:

The cluttered space was evaluated:
A crude architectural rendering was mapped out:

A work station was established in the kitchen:

Legs measured, holes drilled and 'counter-sunk':

Horiz. slats were cut and pre-tacked:

Completed, modeled by new neighbor and fellow illustrator, Kurt Huggins, 1/2 of the illustrious 'Teetering Bulb':

Loaded up and done:

Alarm Clock- revisited.

2009-02-03T09:39:00.000-08:00

Alarm Clock #2
Mixed Media on paper.
5.5" x 8.5"

Dag. Shameful to see it's been so long since I've posted. Been busy moving my home/studio to Brooklyn this past month. To new beginnings, and to a more fervent and disciplined practice, here in the new home.

-rz

My Sister- Sketch portrait

2009-01-12T07:29:00.000-08:00

Medium: acrylic wash and ink on watercolor paper
Dimensions: 11" x 14"

My sister, Erica, stopped in for a 16 hour layover at JFK between Paris and SF, during which we had an hour to kill before she took off for the airport again, so we sat for a quick sketch portrait. She cozied up on the couch with the dog quietly at her feet, while I fumbled through moving my studio to the living room for a quick alla prima sitting before the car came to take her away. We had such an enjoyable time doing it that we've agreed to have a portrait sitting every time we cross paths, which should serve as a fine record for both of us.

Heart,
-rz

x-mas present: sunset, guanacaste, costa rica

2008-12-15T06:41:00.000-08:00

Impressionist [read: loose] little painting on a sketchbook cover, for a friend giving the book to her parents as a guest book for their home in Costa Rica. Apparently, this is the view from the porch, through a guanacaste tree, at the sunset over the hills. Triangles on loan from Barron Storey. I hope to see it, myself, one day. And thanks, Frank, for keeping me on task. -rz

ST2: progress shots

2008-11-20T13:47:00.000-08:00

Client: Ken Jones Jr. Gallery, Easton, PA
A.D. : Self
Medium: Mixed on Wood

Underpaintings in gouache and matte medium. I've also foregone any preliminary pencil work, preferring lately to draw with paint and brush. "Lemon Ginger" and "Une Torche du Pommes Frittes" (Mon Petit Adel)", a heavy nod to the fine-art side of our man, Dan Adel. Also, a remembrance of the tutelage I picked up from Mark Eanes. I'm gonna lay into these in oils tonight, but I'm really enjoying the textures and loose brushwork of the underpaintings, so I wanted to post a record herein before it's covered over with so much opaque nonsense and rigid adherence to a notion that tightness = quality and completion. Lately, the work of Rick Berry has been making a lot of sense to me-- the seemingly fast and loose brushwork, and the tension b/w finish and un-finish. Anyhow, that's where I'm at.

--rz

ST2: recent small paintings

2008-11-20T13:41:00.000-08:00

Client: Ken Jones Jr. Gallery, Easton, PA
A.D: Self
Medium: mixed (gouache, acryl. on wood)
Dimensions: 5.5" x 11.5", 5.5" x 8.5"

ST2: Beginning a new batch of small paintings

2008-11-12T12:19:00.000-08:00

Progress shot:
Ultramarine underpainting wash of gouache and matte medium, of a "precariously stacked" [read: imaled on a spike] pile of limes. I'm turning out a dozen new small paintings for the Ken Jones Jr. Gallery in Easton, PA for a group show in Dec./January. This is the first of a series of stacked edibles. The challenge will be to turn them out before the food either rots or falls victim to 'what's for dinner.'

Restaurant Signage: Crescent & Vine

2008-10-28T06:45:00.001-07:00

Client: Crescent and Vine
A.D. Fernando and Sue Furboter
Medium: sign painters' enamels on MDO board
Dimensions: 2' x 12'

Exterior signage for a local wine bar, built on a previously rendered design in an old sailor tattoo style. I fattened up the skinny arms of the letters for maximized readability from a distance, and stretched the over-all format from 3' x 8' to 2' x 12' to fit a recessed area in the exterior wall above the main entrance. I used the previous design, which had degraded on account of being made from sub-standard materials not built for exterior usage, as a color blueprint and a departure point, not deviating much.

The board itself didn't fit in my office, and so had to be worked up in the living room, using my standing bicycle rack as 1/2 of my make-shift mega-easel. When Richie and his crew showed up to pick it up yesterday, that was physically the 1st time I had a chance to step back from it at all.

Now that I've got some distance from it, I have to go back and fatten up a few contour lines on the outer tatters of the banner.

On the whole, the job was educational, working on such a large scale, with a new medium of paints, wearing a ventilator mask for the fumes (my poor dog had to be chained up each day to a cozy chair by the window to ensure he got plenty of fresh air.) I'll gladly do it again, though for the sake of my home-life, any project that doesn't fit in my office has to be done outside of the home. Thanks again to Fernando and Sue for the great gig.

--rz

Unpublished Election '08 Portrait sketches: Obama/McCain

2008-10-24T00:32:00.000-07:00

Client: To be determined.
A.D. : Self, Stephen Kling
Medium: Pencil, digital.

Sketches of Obama rendered for Stephen Kling at Avenging Angels, Inc. Though as their needs changed, these remain unpublished at present. Based on the premise that someone's gonna need a portrait of one or both of these fellas in the next two weeks, I turned out a couple of McCain on my own to round out a package of portrait sketches to pitch around.

Canadian Elections swing to the Right

2008-10-21T15:04:00.000-07:00

Client: The Indypendent, #127
A.D. Frank Reynoso
Medium: Pen, Digital

On the advice of friends, I kept it simple.

Sketch: 2008 Canadian Federal Election: Leaning to the Right

2008-10-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Client: The Indypendent
A.D. : Frank Reynoso
Medium: Pen, Digital

Sketch for a spot re: the right-leaning shift in the Canadian Government in their recent elections. I'm not sure as to whether or not to include the wee figures, tugging the maple leaf over to the right, or to simply leave the implication of leaning to the fulcrum beneath the flag. what do you think? Cheers,
--rz

Exhibition: wee paintings, Re*Pop, Brooklyn, NY, Oct. '08

2008-09-30T10:58:00.000-07:00

Reception this Friday, October 3rd, 2008.
7:30 - 11:00pm
Refreshments will be served.

Re*Pop
68 Washington Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11205

My batch of wee paintings that I turned out back in June is still making it's way through the 5 boroughs. For the month of October, they'll be at Re*Pop in Brooklyn, down by the Naval Yards. Whatever doesn't sell from there will move to the Ken Jones Jr. Gallery in Easton, PA for a group show in December/January.

Side note: Now in possession of 42L(iter) bike panniers (read: saddlebags,) I was conveniently able to ride my bicycle with 14 little paintings nestled safely in t-shirts and towels, all through brooklyn and queens to deliver my work to the gallery today, while my co-gallerist, Jeff Faerber, took a car service with his two big boxes of paintings. So, even if you've already seen my bag of tricks, come out to see Jeff's work, a drink and the piles of kitch at Re*Pop.

Cheers, -rz

Self Portrait, exercise

2008-09-24T13:40:00.000-07:00

Medium: Pencil, Acrylic, Gouache on Paper
Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"

My sketchbook got waterlogged on a recent trip outdoors, and I thought it best to play on the remaining warped and wobbled pages, free exercise, recreation and all that. I hadn't sat for myself in a while, and so I dug out my old mirror, tooled about for a couple hours and hashed this out. I've got wonky eyes, a stretched head, and an excess of sienna undertone, but the drawing had a comfy feel, so I scanned it before I killed it with paint. The Paint sketch didn't turn out wicked bad, either.

In other portrait news, my portrait of journalist Naomi Klein has been getting a lot of good reviews and re-usage, and can currently be seen HERE.

Cheers,
-rz

Restaurant Sign rough, Crescent and Vine

2008-09-23T16:00:00.000-07:00

Client: Crescent and Vine: Wine Bar, restaurant, Astoria, NY
A.D. : Fernando and Sue Furboter Dimensions: 2' x 12'
Medium: Acrylic on Medium Density Overlay Board (Sign Painter's Board.)

Rough brush drawing, stretching a previously conceived design in an old sailor's tattoo style, complete with copas, corazon, nautical stars and the hand of rockness. To be completed this week in proper sign-painter's enamels for exterior usage.

How to Stave off 9/11, pt. II: Atomic Holocaust

2008-09-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

Client: Self.
A.D. : Self.
Medium: Pen, digital.

In response to Op-Ed contributor Jeffrey Goldberg in the NY Times today, regarding the odds of a Jihadist nuclear attack on American soil, and the importance of either presidential candidate to neutralize such threats before they occur.

----
Mr. Goldberg,

I was caught by this thought of yours in the Times today:

"But does he understand that this threat cannot be neutralized mainly by law enforcement; that it must be anticipated by intelligence agencies, and eradicated by the military? The paramount goal is not prosecution, but pre-emption."

Here's what I keep coming back to: How can we, as a Nation, address the root causes of Jihadi anti-American sentiment? Perhaps the pre-emption we require is to pre-emptively turn a mirror on ourselves, determine who's toes we're stepping on with our foreign policy, with our perennial bases over-seas, and with our reckless military action that, too often, results in the deaths of innocent civilians in occupied lands like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine. Rather than financing a never-ending war of anticipating and eradicating an amorphous and constantly evolving 'enemy,' we would do well to adapt our global behavior to a less caustic and abrasive relationship to our neighbors, thus creating less enemies for the future and dissolving the rationale for hatred and easing this so-called 'clash of civilizations.

As to the recognition of grievances, I'm also of the mind that much of the trouble in this world comes from the inability of both people and nations to admit when they're wrong, or when they've wronged another. For example, for the U.S. to field a complaint of a bombing mission in Afghanistan gone awry, with 70-some-odd casualties of civilians, mostly women and children, and to respond to the "emerging evidence," more or less with a reply of "We'll get to the bottom of it," contains not even a semblance of an apology-- not to the families of the deceased, the figure-head [Karzai] that we've placed in supposed "charge," nor to the world at large for grossly over-stepping our bounds in our self-appointed role of judge, jury and executioner of "terrorists" and "insurgents" everywhere. As I see it, this pursuit of anticipation and eradication-- this is where it's gotten us thus far. I, for one, say we try my approach, simple as it is:

1) Say we're sorry. [I can only imagine the gasp of shock and outrage, had these words been spoken last week at the RNC.]

2) Put ourselves in the shoes of those who claim grievance with our global behavior.

3) Unconditional Diplomacy (the soft-handed approach that dare not speak it's name): Meeting to discuss what actions both sides can take to ameliorate the situation and prevent further disputes. [I can feel the hurled tomatoes.]

Those are my thoughts on the matter, anyhow. Thanks in advance for your time and consideration in reading.

Cheers,

--rz

Rusty Zimmerman is a freelance illustrator and painter based in New York City. A partial list of clients includes The Wall St. Journal, The Nation magazine, Nokia, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Wells Fargo. More of my work can be seen at http://www.rustyzimmerman.com.

Poster, Cincinnati New Light Festival

2008-09-04T14:15:00.000-07:00

Client: New Light Festival
A.D. : Taylore Mahogany Scott
Medium: Ink and Acrylic Wash on Rives BFK.

Poster for a Festival of new and emerging playwrights, based in Cincinnati, OH.

Naomi Klein, Portrait

2008-08-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

Client: Goatmilk Press
A.D. : Wajahat Ali
Medium: Pencil and Digital.

Ms. Klein is an award-winning journalist, syndicated columnist and author of the New York Times and international bestseller, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. Published worldwide in September 2007, The Shock Doctrine is set to be translated into 25 languages to date. The six minute companion film, created by Alfonso Cuaron, director of Children of Men, was an Official Selection of the 2007 Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals and was a viral phenomenon, downloaded over a million times.

Her previous book No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies was also an international bestseller, translated into over 28 languages with more than a million copies in print. A collection of her work, Fences and Windows: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the Globalization Debate was published in 2002.

Naomi Klein writes a regular column for The Nation and The Guardian that is syndicated internationally by The New York Times Syndicate. In 2004, her reporting from Iraq for Harper’s Magazine won the James Aronson Award for Social Justice Journalism. In 2004, she released The Take, a feature documentary about Argentina’s occupied factories, co-produced with director Avi Lewis. The film was an official selection of the Venice Biennale and won the Best Documentary Jury Prize at the American Film Institute’s Film Festival in Los Angeles.

She is a former Miliband Fellow at the London School of Economics and holds an honorary Doctor of Civil Laws from the University of King’s College, Nova Scotia.

Bike Ride: August, 2008: NYC to Pittsburgh

2008-07-24T23:34:00.001-07:00

The Story thus far has burgeoned into a blog of it's own, and can be seen here:

Two Wheels and a Tent

Cheers,
--rz

Gallery Exhibition, Small works, Chelsea, Reception this Saturday

2008-07-20T22:13:00.000-07:00

Gallery Exhibition of Small Works at the WCO Open Center Gallery, Chelsea
Reception: This Saturday, July 26th, 6:00 -- 9:00pm

WCO Open Center Gallery
19 W. 26th St 5th Fl.
New York, NY 10010

Refreshments will be served. All are welcome.
Cheers, --rz

Louisiana Slave Rebellion, Spot

2008-07-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

Client: War Resisters' League
A.D. : Liz Roberts

Experimental pro-bono brush drawing for a b/w calendar spot, 2.5" sq., about a slave uprising in Louisiana. I think it's a little clunky, but the almost-woodcut feel of it might go with the lefty calendar aesthetic, or at least I hope so.

I even did some studies of feet bones to warm up, but I don't know if it helped on this one.

Harumph.
-rz

Shirin Ebadi, Portrait

2008-07-15T03:50:00.000-07:00

Client: Goatmilk
A.D. : Wajahat Ali
Medium: Acrylic on Watercolor Paper
Dimensions: 9" x 13"

Portrait of Iranian human rights activist, lawyer, author, and 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Shirin Ebadi. I worked a little smaller than usual as a challenge to myself, after seeing the delicious details that Roberto Parada was able to execute at seemingly small scale in his work, seen HERE on his blog.

Seven Stories, Final Poster Image

2008-07-09T11:25:00.000-07:00

Client: The Strain Theatre Co.
A.D. : Greg T. Parente
Title: Seven Stories
Medium: Acrylic on board.
Dimensions: 19" x 28"

Rick Rubin, Portrait

2008-07-06T00:58:00.000-07:00

Client: Blackmarket Productions
A.D : Chris Browne
Medium: Oil on Wood
Dimensions: 16" x 20"

Still looking to invest in proper lighting and filters to shoot my shinier works. Soon, once i consult the elders in the field.

Cheers,
--rz

Piggy bank

2008-06-30T23:25:00.000-07:00

Client: Self

A.D. : Self

Title: Piggy Bank

Medium: Acrylic on paper, mounted on board.

Dimensions: 5.5" x 11.5"

I'm running out of small things to paint. What should I paint next? What, I ask you?

Heart,

--rz

Shattered Expectations for Earnings, spot

2008-06-30T12:44:00.000-07:00

Client: Wall St. Journal
A.D. : Dan Smith
Medium: Acrylic on paper

So the editor wanted something with a cracked crystal ball. Here's some of what I threw out there, and the final. An arduous round of sketches and a great experience.

And here's the article.

last pack of smokes

2008-06-30T07:17:00.000-07:00

Client: Self
A.D. : Self
Medium: Oil on Wood
Dimensions: 5.5" x 8.5"

La Greca

2008-06-29T03:52:00.000-07:00

Client: Self
A.D. : Self
Title: La Greca
Medium: Acrylic on board.
Dimensions: 5.5" x 8.5"

Fernando, a.k.a. "El Fatty,"calls it 'La Greca.' Thanks again to him, Mrs. Fatty, and the whole crew over there for hosting my little show and the reception tonight.

Cheers,
--rz

Salt and Pepper

2008-06-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

Title: Salt and Peper
Medium: Oil on Wood
Dimensions: 5.5" x 11.5"

Legend has it that my father pilfered this pepper mill from some schmancy Eye-Talian restaurant in San Francisco back in the 70's, and it was passed down to my brother, and then to me.

Baby Basil Sprouts

2008-06-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

Client: Self
A.D. : Self
Title: Baby Basil
Medium: Oil on Wood
Dimensions: 5.5" x 11.5"

On Display at Fatty's in Astoria.

Early Bird Alarm Clock

2008-06-26T20:41:00.001-07:00

Client: Self
A.D. : Self
Title: Early Bird
Medium: Acrylic on board.
Dimensions: 5.5" x 8.5"

Sketch for Theatre Poster: Seven Stories

2008-06-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

Client: Strain Theatre Company
A.D. : Greg Parente
Title: Seven Stories

Surrealist tale of a man who leaps from a building but during his fall, has seven conversations, one with a tenant on each descending floor. Magritte figures in to the content and wardrobe.

Preliminary Drawings for 'Earth Sucks: An Alien Rock Musical"

2008-06-21T17:48:00.001-07:00

Client: Earth Sucks

A.D. : Jonas Oppenheim

Poster depicting a girl flagging down a spaceship. She won't be sans-clothes in the finish. I'm just waiting to hear back as to wardrobe.

Sketch for Poster: "A Night of Plays and Cake... but Without the Cake."

2008-06-21T00:56:00.000-07:00

Client: The At Hand Theatre Co.

A.D. : Daniel Horrigan

For a collection of absurd and touching short plays that have nothing to do with cake. And so we make a baby from Thiebaud's cakes and Magritte's pipe. The theatrical equivalent to Richard Brautigan's 'Trout Fishing in America,' which has precious little, if any bit at all, to do with trout fishing.

I love lamp.

2008-06-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

Client: self
A.D. : self
Title: Lamp
Dimensions: 5.5" x 11.5"
Medium: Oil on Wood

"Dry Bones"
Dry bones and empty vessels,
remnants
of lives spent and discarded,
unearthed and hefted up
to the light of day

And at a breath of crisp air,
imperceptibly, they stretch--

BREATHE-

and ache for use,
once more.
--rz

business card designs

2008-06-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

Designed to reflect the look of my website and blog. One with a logo of initials, one without. Which do you like better?

C-Clamp

2008-06-18T13:37:00.000-07:00

Client: Self
A.D. : Self
Title: C-clamp
Medium: Oil on Wood
Dimensions: 5.5" x 11.5"
Price: $350.00

butter dish-- Small Things at Fatty's in Astoria

2008-06-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

Client: Self
A.D. : Self
Title: Butter Dish
Medium: Oil on Board
Dimensions: 5.5" x 11"

This little guy and 17 others go up this afternoon at Fatty's Cafe in Astoria. The Show should be up for four or five weeks, and there will be a petite reception in about two weeks time. more details to follow. I was thinking about pricing them at $150 -- $200 a piece. Does that sound reasonable to you? Hope you can make it to see the show.

Heart,
--rz

small things-- show at Fatty's in Astoria this month!

2008-06-06T01:21:00.000-07:00

Client: Self
A.D. : Self
Title: Small Things
Medium: Acrylic

I'm preparing my first solo show here in the city [technically, astoria is IN the city,] and it's a collection of small things, quite literally. All the paintings are 5.5" x 8.5", more or less, and thus far mostly of little objects from around the house. These two might get a touch-up, but this is just a teaser set of images/invitation to come see the work while it's up at Fatty's in Astoria for about 5 weeks. The show goes up on the 16th of this month and should be up through July 21st.

Also, to satisfy my perennial exploration into the merger of text and image, expect some needly, noodley hand-lettering to find it's way into each picture.

Cheers,
--rz

p.s.-- while the focus of the show was initially 'women and food,' don't fret-- especially those of you who've already posed semi-nude and draped in raw bacon. :) That show'll still go up later this year.

National Labor Federation Calendar-- January '09

2008-06-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

Client: National Labor Federation
A.D. : Michael Petteys
Title: "Minority Community Leaders Needed."

Sketches for New Light Festival

2008-06-02T00:18:00.000-07:00

Client: Cincinnati New Light Festival

A.D. : Taylore Mahogany Brown

Sketches for a poster for a Theatre festival in Ohio, showcasing diverse and emerging young talent in playwrighting. Is 'playwrighting' a word?

Before you can say anything, let me say this: I realize that #1 is awesome, and that #2 is too dark over-all, and the type is just thrown in as a place-holder.

Ok, now you can descend with the swarms of constructive criticisms.

Cheers,
--rz

Sketches for Portrait of Rick Rubin

2008-05-20T16:25:00.000-07:00

Client: Chris Browne

Portrait of famed music producer Rick Rubin, for a dear friend and soon to be famed motion-picture man, Chris Browne. Content of the picture being the monumental profile of the man himself, with the background being one of his many gold records. Etched into that record will be a lauscaux [french-cave painting] style rendering of a bison.] As Rubin is famed for is stripping down of music to it's most essential elements, so enters the nod to prehistoric cave paintings, which SOME consider to be the first illustrations. As it happens, Mr. Rubin has a thing for Bison. Which of these sketches do YOU prefer?

Happy Birthday, Chris.

And on a seemingly unrelated note:
if I need it in the morning or the middle of the night
I ain't 2 proud 2 beg (no)
If the lovin' is strong then he got it goin' on and
I ain't 2 proud 2 beg (no)
2 inches or a yard rock hard or if it's saggin'
I ain't 2 proud 2 beg (no)
So it ain't like I'm braggin' just join the paddywagon cause
I ain't 2 proud 2 beg, I ain't 2 proud 2 beg

Cheers,
--rz

National Labor Federation Calendar Sketch

2008-05-05T17:04:00.001-07:00

Client: National Labor Federation
A.D. Michael Petteys
Liason: Dave Fuller, Bay Area Alternative Press

I didn't care for the first sketch that I turned out for this job, and so I asked for more time to show more ideas. Thankfully, time was available. Sketches for the month of January, depicting exhaustion of black and latino workers, still dreaming Dr. King's dream of equality.

FATIMA BHUTTO

2008-05-03T12:42:00.000-07:00

Client: GOATMILK

A.D. and Author: Wajahat Ali

To accompany an exclusive interview, a portrait of Fatima Bhutto, Pakistani journalist and poet, and niece to the recently deceased former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto. Ms. Bhutto, apart from being charming, polite, clever, funny and exceedingly pretty, keeps a regular column at The News, an English-language Pakistani Paper.

The Dark Knight: The Rise of "The Real" Obama

2008-05-02T23:18:00.000-07:00

Client: Goatmilk
A.D. : Wajahat Ali

Editorial comparing Obama to the Batman. Sketches below. I'm not entirely pleased with it, but then, I don't like hardly anything I do. Mr. Ali might give me another day to polish/reinforce/color. All praise and copyright recognition to Bob Kane, DC Comics, et al. And thanks to Waj for the fun opportunity.

Cheers,
--rz

The Pretty Glass Fortress of the European Union

2008-05-01T01:31:00.001-07:00

Client: The Mule, Manchester, England

A.D. : Andy Bowman and the Mule Collective

Medium: Acrylic.

For a cover story on the barrier that immigrants encounter trying to enter the European Union.
A big thanks to my buddy, Manny Silva, who gave me a brief tele-conference tutorial on the 'quick-mask' photoshop kung-fu technique.

And thanks to Jeremy Forson who told me that it wasn't quite done in it's prior incarnation of pencil and Photoshop.

Cheers,
--rz

Robert Fisk

2008-04-28T18:50:00.000-07:00

Client: Goatmilk
A.D. : Wajahat Ali

Portrait of Robert Fisk, seasoned and celebrated British Foreign Correspondent, for an exclusive interview between Fisk and Mr. Ali.

Click here for more on Fisk

Click here for more on Wajahat Ali.

Cheers, --rz

Sketch for Mule Immigration Issue

2008-04-24T03:45:00.000-07:00

Title: Pending
Client: The Mule, Manchester, UK
A.D. : Andy Bowman and the Mule Collective

Cover story about immigration into the European Union, and the "increasingly harsh and supra-nationally coordinated mechanisms employed to keep the poor out of Europe while letting capital flow in." I learned a two-dollar word in 'supra-national,' and working for the Mule helps me with my goal of getting 5 pieces published in the UK this year to submit to the AOI's big book, Images.

Cheers, --rz

Errol Morris film review

2008-04-20T22:35:00.000-07:00

Client: The Indypendent
A.D. : Frank Reynoso

Illustration for a review of Errol Morris' latest documentary, "Standard Operating Procedure", on the abuse and torture at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

Standard Operating Procedure

2008-04-18T15:54:00.000-07:00

Sketch for an article reviewing Errol Morris' new documentary film, 'Standard Operating Procedure,' which covers the torture and abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Digital camera as the proverbial 'smoking gun,' it's open to sundried interpretations of crime and criminal, the impact of documentary film, the casualty and capture of human rights abuses in the digital era, etc.

I'm wondering, though, if the picture needs some visual cue to tie it to the military, i.e. dog tags, though i don't want it to be too patently referential to the movies' pre-existing poster art.

As a bonus, apparently working for the newspaper as a regular contributor grants me access to an advanced screening of the film as 'Press.' Pretty shmancy.

Heart,
--rz

Orphan Works Legislation

2008-04-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

Yet again, copyright law is in danger of falling prey to orphan works legislation.

A brief on the impending legislation, and one proposed solution by the ASMP:

The latest word from the IPA [Illustrators' Partnership of America]:

And in the interest of fairness, the argument FOR the orphan works legislation:

One way to make your voice heard on the matter is to write ALL of your elected officials, each of whom can be sought out in a matter of clicks through this link:

Contact Elected Officials:

I took about 15 minutes to craft, copy and paste the following letter and sent it to the President, my Senators and Representatives, my Governor and the Speaker of my State Assembly. If you like, you're more than welcome to cut and paste mine to send to your representatives in government, as this pending legislation stands to threaten our livelihood as people who make pictures for a living.

Cheers,
--rz

[Name of Representative here:]
My name is Rusty Zimmerman, and I'm a freelance Illustrator. I understand that you're my representative in government. I write you today to express my opposition to the impending Orphan Works Legislation. I believe that the current copyright laws, established in '76, best suit the interest of my fledgling small business, and that the proposed changes would be a serious detriment to the livelihood of myself and all other artists like me. As you're my representative, I pray that you will oppose the pending Orphan Works legislation so as to preserve the standing copyright laws and protect the livelihood of artists across America.

Sincerely,
Rusty Zimmerman
http://www.rustyzimmerman.com

lettering samples

2008-03-26T15:55:00.000-07:00

I was asked by a fellow designer to provide some samples of my work in hand-lettering, and so I used the blog as a showspace. For those who know me, some of these are new and some are outright antiques, dating back to my student years. All the same, letters are letters, and posting them here reminds me that I'd like to infuse more hand-lettering into my portfolio.

--rz

Fun Time Figure Drawing at Jeffrey Fisher's Studio

2008-03-25T06:25:00.001-07:00

Fish wanted me to get some critique out of this work, so lay the comments on thick at the bottom, please! Thanks.

Cheers,
--rz

History of U.S. Imperialism

2008-03-09T15:26:00.000-07:00

Client: The Indypendent
A.D. : Frank Reynoso

Portraits, Tookie Williams and Kenneth Foster;

2008-02-06T08:46:00.000-08:00

Client: Left Turn Magazine

A.D. : Walidah Imarisha

Portraits of Death Row Tenants, Stanley 'Tookie' Williams and Kenneth Foster. Deceased and incarcerated, respectively. For an article on alternatives to incarceration.