I've taken this weekend to get some things done that have been neglected lately; 

Chiefly, I spent time working on my Motorcycle, watching Mad Men, and catching up on commissions. I have been very swamped lately. I haven't fallen behind, of course.....after all, it's me; But works been coming at me a lot the past few weeks. -It's really nice!

Anyway, I've been working on this commission for the guy who bought my first Gallery Nucleus Piece. He hired me to conjure up a companion piece. He wanted it to keep the literary/nautical theme of the last piece, but this time he requested Pirates and Mermaids as well.
I decided to document my process this time, unfortunately I didn't think of it until I was already working on the final iteration. It's been a fun piece, but it's taken quite a bit of tossed ideas to get to a composition I liked. -and I REALLY like it.-So here we go: 
After I had sketched the piece out digitally, I transferred it to thick bristol paper. I do this different ways depending on a projects time constraints, and what's available to me at the time. i.e. Tracing paper, transfer paper etc. I then draw it with a mechanical pencil. .05 or a .03 depending on how small the details, and how dark I need the lines.

  

After that's done with, I go over key lines in ink. For this I use a Prismacolor premier 005, a Farber-Castell B, or Higgens India ink. it all really depends on the Line-weights I'm trying to achieve.

Next up I painted the background. Recently this has just consisted of a colored circle. It's not only crazy easy, and simple, but I think it's pretty effective in offsetting the piece without being distracting, or a time-suck....Perfect!
In painting these, I use .50 acrylic from the local craft store. It's cheap, doesn't ripple my paper, and dries quickly, so a jackass like me won't spear it when he runs his hand through it....and I always do. (It's hard to believe I have a successful second career as a pinstriper/signpainter/pinup painter, but I do!)

After that's done, It's time to move on to greyscaling. for this I use only the best...8 year old Tria markers I bought for my Visual Communications class at Gnomon...I don't think I used them more than twice since then, until a couple of months ago. Tria markers are amazing. Some people like prismacolor markers, and I've used them...heck I have a drawer full of them, but my heart's with Tria. They blend better, they come with 3 tip-sizes on one marker, and hell, they've lasted me 8 years....So, my money's with Tria.

Next up was the shading with the tria markers. I just go over the points I want shaded after the original pass has dried, with the same marker.
-It makes the perfect level of shading.

Normally I'd call that about done, but on this project, the client requested purple tailed mermaids, and, since I am not in the business of telling clients "no" I used crayola watercolor to ad the purple.

It's not called "Not selling art" People.You do what the client asks.

 Finish up with a few little touches to shading,

Then it was just a matter of using a razor, and ruler to cut it out.

I hope you found this enlightening...or at least entertaining.

-Fin.

As promised, here's a picture of the two pieces I submitted to Gallery Nucleus.

They went online yesterday, they haven't sold yet, but if you want them, you should be quick about it; My last one sold within something like 20 hours

Also, you should act fast just because I think they're pretty swell.

You can see detailed shots, or if you feel so inclined, purchase one, or both of them by following these links:

http://www.gallerynucleus.com/gallery/pin/13664

http://www.gallerynucleus.com/gallery/pin/13663

Also, something worth talking about, I have been working part time/freelance as an advertising illustrator for Spyderwise media in SLC for some time now. They recently contacted me, and I have been given the position of Lead Illustrator for their company!
So, if everything goes as planned I, the Mrs., and the Studio are going to be moving again!

Thanks for stopping by.

-B.

Two New Pieces headed off to Gallery Nucleus today. and as promised, I'm posting them here before they sell...........Of course, I'm not actually going post them here until they're up on Nucleus' Gallery, so this is complete Bullshit.

But here's a shot of me drawing one of them!!

 Hopefully these two new pieces are as successful as my last one the Gallery sold.

SPEAKING of my last piece, the buyer is shipping it back so I can put Iris' in her eyes, apparently the way I draw eyes it gives his wife a case of the uncomfortables. Truth is, she's not the first to lodge such a complaint to me, and I am more than happy to oblige. He also wants to commission me to do a companion piece, which promises to be quite enjoyable, as he would like something with mermaids!

this whole experience has got me curious however, as to whether postmen would be annoyed if they knew we were making them lug the same thing back and forth across the pacific for us.....oh well!


Anyway, back to the new pieces for Nucleus: I made the classic blunder and sent off the wrong file to the Gallery. (What a Bing-Bang I am!). And had to do write the embarrassing email explaining myself, and sending them the right one....Oh well, It wasn't the first time I've had to do that, and won't be the last.
I have somewhat of a predilection for making a fool of myself.

My piece went live on Gallery Nucleus' Website yesterday, and it Sold only hours later.
I figured that I had  plenty of time to make a post here about my work being available in case anyone wanted to buy it....Guess I was wrong.
A Big thanks to Both Gallery Nucleus, and the buyer for the great experience!

I will be submitting 2 more pieces to the Gallery very soon, and I'll be sure to update the blog here much more quickly.

Thanks for all the support!
-B.

I've been invited to participate in Gallery Nucleus' "Power-In-numbers Project.

I'm selling one original piece, but preparing 3; So most of my time lately has been spent working on that. 

I used to visit the Gallery like gang-busters when I lived and attended school in So-Cal, so it's an extra-great honor to work with them.



The pieces are 5X7's on Watercolor paper, done in Mixed Media on Watercolor Paper.
I don't usually draw on a large scale, but 5X7 is pretty small even for me, so it's been a fun challenge.

 

Holy cow, things may be changing around here. this blog will no longer be exclusively Black-Rows related...It's going back to being my General work blog. Black Rows news will still be found here, but mostly it will be found on the Good 'Ol FaceBook Page.

Let me start this second paragraph with a post-preface: I know that things have not been happening much in the World of Black Rows. With all the side work I have going on I've had to make a lot of adjustments, and move a lot of priorities around.

However, Black Rows is not the only project being moved to the back to simmer in it's own detritus like a fat man in a hotel hot tub, I have had to shelve a few projects, none that I love as much as Black Rows, but still, they aren't moving forward;  At least not RIGHT THIS SECOND. That doesn't mean I don't love them, or have aspirations to complete them -AND SOON- ...But I do have to prioritize, and do what I believe is going to be best for my Career and for my new life.

When I started Black Rows, I was a different man, I know it was only a year ago, but things were different!
I had nothing really going on Career-wise, I was single, and I thought it would be picked up by a Comic Publisher.

in the last 3 months alone, I have gotten 2 freelance jobs, interviewed and put together a portfolio for a major game studio, begun illustrating a Children's book, Started writing a Novel, and I'm doing work with Gallery Nucleus.
-In this industry, Crap happens fast when it happens at all.

Anyway, on to other business!!!
 my computer is crapping out and freezing up, like so many rocketpops when I use Photoshop, so I'm trying to set up a new (used) PC in the Studio, which is never fun to me, (I hate computers)
-OH! and there's a studio now! It's beautiful and all my own, look at it. Look at it with your glorius-gooey-eyes!!!

We are on Stand-bye *again*

I've been invited to participate in Gallery Nucleus' "Power-In-numbers Project." 
go to their website and check 'em out. they're a bitchin Gallery, and represent some of the coolest artists around.

Also, I'm working on a few side-projects, including two video-games, and another writing project.....Busy is good, but it means everything has to move more slowly.

Thanks in advance for your patience, everyone.

-B.