The Crooked Canvas

Scenes From a Sketchbook: Volume 3

2011-03-21T22:25:00.007-05:00

Over the weekend I took a spontaneous trip to Alabama.

This is the story of my trip in quick sketches.

This guy stole my seat on the airplane ride there.

His punishment was getting drawn by me.

We went to this old bank that was built in the 1800's in downtown Decatur.

It had these awesome iron lamp posts which I couldn't resist drawing.

During some down time, my dad and I watched the movie Devil.

Here's a scribble of him laying on the floor.

On the wall of my dads apartment were these cool butterflies he got from Puerto Rico.

While waiting in the airport for my return flight,

I was fascinated with all the baggage carts zooming about.

On the shelf were three Math books, ten English books, five Art books and the rest... is History.

2011-02-01T21:40:00.008-06:00

Looking back in retrospect, I never realized how much I really liked being in school. I remember anxiously awaiting the day school would end, with eager anticipation of what the next chapter of my life would be. However, now that it's over, while that curiosity still looms, I cant help but yearn to be back in school.

I think this is the same approach people take towards painting. We often think of painting as something separate than drawing. With this thinking its easy to stop drawing once we become painters but this should never be the case. We should never stop drawing, even if its just scribbles. At least I can take comfort in knowing that drawing is one school I will never graduate from.

Scribbles from my sketchbook.

People on the train.

Ink

Boy Meets World

2010-10-11T22:35:00.002-05:00

I realize that I ask a lot of questions on this blog, a lot more questions than I have the answers to. I ask questions to engage you as the reader to come up with your own answers, but I also ask questions because I am truly interested in all the possibilities of the subject at hand. Most of my posts are just things that run through my mind on any given day. Whether the answers are conspicuous or nonexistent I can't help but be equally intrigued. The world is fascinating to me and I have always been extremely inquisitive. I've always wanted to know as much as possible about everything possible. Even the smallest details can fulfill your life in ways you could never have imagined. As an artist, you should never stop expanding your horizons, learning to truly understand and draw one thing well will lead you to draw others better.

If you ask an artist what interests them, I believe there should only be one answer.

EVERYTHING.

The Power of Imagination Makes Us Infinite

Ink

11x14 inches

I'm Feeling Rather Pixelated Today.

2010-08-27T00:24:00.005-05:00

Among all the things in this world, the idea of life itself, seems to raise the most questions. However, even with all this speculation, it still manages to yield the least amount of conclusive answers. Who are we? and why are we here?, always seem to be in the back of your mind and you think about them from time to time, but that's all they really are, speculation.

Regardless of your religion, or what you believe or don't believe, for the most part, we can usually all agree on one thing. We as human beings, in a physical sense, are real and we can think and act under our own free will.

What if we turned this idea upside down?

What if we, and everything around us, aren't real. What if our lives are one giant simulation? What if our creator is an avid Sims player and controls every aspect of our lives through his insatiable gaming addiction? Sure it seems trivial, but it might not be impossible. Every action in our lives could be all be all played out by someone else, just like we were in the Sims, and we would never even know. We might think that every idea, every action, every thought is ours, but what if they belonged to someone else first?

Is it crazy? Perhaps. Could it be possible? Maybe.

Without definitive answers, anything could be possible.

I'm not saying this is the answer and I am also not saying that it's not. I'm just saying that it is fun to ponder about these things from time to time, since there are no right or wrong answers. Feel free to come up with your own ideas, because wondering about our lives, is what makes life fun and interesting. There will always be room for faith or whatever you may believe in and religion will always fill in the gaps in our knowlege. However, I dont think we should ever

stop speculating.

Petra

India Ink

Watercolor Paper

Inanimate Objects

2010-07-30T00:54:00.006-05:00

Do you think that its possible for inanimate objects to feel things? Sure maybe not in the same sense that we as humans do, but we are all made of the same molecules, so why not? Just because something cannot speak or move does not mean that it cannot feel or express emotion. Objects can be far more expressive than we think, especially in the art world.

We usually don't empathize with lifeless objects, perhaps due to a lack of reciprocity. However, it seems I know exactly how a used battery, a run down car, or the countless broken household appliances we have ever thrown away, feels.

Replaced.

Minolta

Watercolor

5 x 7 inches

Scenes From a Sketchbook: Volume 2

2010-06-15T04:12:00.003-05:00

Recently I took a trip to the doctors office. While patiently waiting (pun intended) in the examination room for the doctor to see me, I couldn't help noticing all my old friends staring back at me. Lined on the walls and set all over the counter tops were all the products that I used to mindlessly put into bins when I used to work at a health supply company. Since the doctor always takes forever, I decided to get out my sketchbook and draw some portraits of my old pals.

Examination Tools

Ink

Depth Relationships on a 2 Dimensional Surface

2010-06-08T15:45:00.005-05:00

It governs everything around us.

It tells us how we see the world.

Even blind people have the ability to see it.

Since it can transcend the eye, everyone can see it differently.

It has a place in art as well as our conscience.

It weighs upon us.

It can shift and change.

It is a master of illusion.

It can be first, second, or third person, or any number of points.

As we grow older we gain more of it.

Sometimes we look to the past to gain a better view of it on our future.

It's the intangible manifestation of one's ideas.

It has laws, but all laws can broken.

But most importantly,

Without it the world as we know it would not exist.

PERSPECTIVE

Perspective is everywhere, it can even change when you put on a cool pair of sunglasses.

Antique Sunglasses

Watercolor

5 x 7 inches

Endangered Species

2010-05-18T16:47:00.006-05:00

Why do we love the things we love? Why do we attach ourselves so strongly to things or ideas even when we cannot explain why we do it? Is it possible to love something too much? And in the process, do we knowingly or unknowingly, set ourselves up for our own destruction? Our physiology presents us with these questions we cannot answer beyond the realm of instinct or reason. If history has taught us anything, it is that what we do not understand, we tend to destroy. Maybe it is the misunderstanding of ourselves that causes us to do the things we do or make the choices we make.

Life flies by with meandering intentions and no matter how cruel or unusual they may seem, they happened for a reason. You just have to believe that everything will work out in the end, because it usually does. Someday, all things in life must come to an end, but while one thing withers, there's always another beginning to bloom.

Until it comes, I'll patiently wait for my time to bloom once again.

These are some quick sketches that I sketched the other day at the Field Museum.

Tiger and Rhino

Ink

You're Beautiful, I love how asymmetrical your face is.

2010-04-21T10:50:00.005-05:00

How many times have you actually heard anyone use those words in a sentence? Unless you live in a vanity free world, I'm guessing never. If there is anything that the media machine has taught us, it's that perfection is beauty. Could you imagine your favorite actress with both of her eyes on one side of her head or having three ears instead of two? The sad truth is, the only place she would be starring, is in a sideshow at a carnival. Symmetry runs our physical world, from our ideals of beauty to our everyday dependence on things working the way they should. However, in the art world, it's quite the contrary, symmetry is boring. The first rule of composition 101 is to stick to odd numbers, and avoid equilibrium at all costs. It is one of an artist's most useful tools, and it is how some of the most beautiful and awe inspiring works of art are engineered. Asymmetrical compositions create tension, heighten drama and above all else, they're just interesting to look at.

It's fascinating to think that two polar opposite views on aesthetic can rule their respective worlds, yet coexist harmoniously. What if art really did imitate life or vice versa? How would our views on the world around us change? Would our society still be in a seemingly never ending endeavor to achieve perfection? Would cash and materialism still fuel the media machine?

"Asymmetry is Beautiful"

Watercolor

Aquaboard

Scenes From a Sketchbook: Volume 1

2010-03-24T10:37:00.004-05:00

So I guess since I'm going to be a professional artist I have to start doing things professionals do, like actually writing in this blog. With that said, I am going to try to write in this thing on a more consistent basis.

Spring is here and the weather is following suit here in Chicago. I was lucky enough to find the time the other day, when one of my classes was cancelled, to get outside and enjoy the world in something other than an Eskimo outfit. Lately I have been trying to rekindle my love for drawing architecture and with a myriad of influences all around you, the city is the place to be. Sitting in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Millennium Park, I managed to sketch this.

The Bean

Ink

Nutcrackers. And no, I'm not referring to a group of angry feminists...

2010-01-03T22:16:00.007-06:00

So, the holidays came and went. Not to mention, along with it my svelte figure thanks to an overload of holiday eating. But, thats neither here nor there. The holidays bring with them a lot of traditions that we all participate in, even if we're not sure why or where they came from. I have always wondered about how certain things become synonymous with a holiday or event.

My mom has an army of nutcrackers lined up on the mantle above the fireplace every Christmas. I have no idea of their origin or why my mother loves them so, but I do know they have been the staple of our fireplace decoration for as long as I can remember. The history of the nutcracker is a mystery to me, and so is how they became attached to Christmas. I'm sure I will be compelled to research them later, but for now, I just like to ponder about them. Have you ever really looked at a nutcracker? Yes, I know you've seen one, but I'm talking about actually looked at one without all your preconceptions. I don't know about you, but if you ask me, they are extremely goofy looking. Crazy 1970's Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka hairdo, teeth that would give a dentist nightmares, and not to mention those mustaches. Ok, well maybe those mustaches are pretty cool. Do you think anyone actually uses nutcrackers for what they're actually supposed to be used for? They seem more an aesthetic since I have never seen anyone actually use one. I guess one wouldn't need to since you can buy already shelled nuts. Unless, the nut factories employ thousands of these nutcrackers to shell all the nuts they sell. That could be a definite possibility. A little food for thought.

"Her Majesties Secret Service"

watercolor on watercolor paper

Ripoff or Sign of the Times?

2009-11-20T20:44:00.010-06:00

So I realize it has been quite some time since I last posted anything, my apologies. My website and school have been monopolizing my life as of lately. But, on that note, my website is about halfway done and I hope to have it up and running soon. Now, onto today's topic at hand.

I walked into Wal-Mart today in search of new PEZ. I can always count on them for their reliable selection of new stock and am rarely disappointed. Today was no different, they had a large selection of new ones, but I couldn't help but be disappointed. I noticed that they have changed their packaging into a smaller more compact version. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for new package design but I can't tell if I'm feeling this. The new version is about one third of the size and comes with one less candy pack. Now while the packaging itself doesn't bother me that much, it does bother me that it costs the same price as the larger versions that come with three candy packs. I can't help but feel a little cheated. Then again that seems to be the way of the world these days. Portions go down while prices go way up. Ripoff or sign of the times?

Since we're already on the topic, I thought I'd put up a little preview of what I am currently working on. I'm doing a series of Christmas dispensers for my advertising illustration class. Here he is, in all his glory, Santa Claus.

Two Halves Make a Hole

2009-10-08T18:16:00.004-05:00

It's kind of weird to think about. When you're 21, you should be the one moving out, not your father. A month ago, he was offered a job in good old Huntsville, Alabama, smack dab in the middle of the heartland of the South. Last week, after much debating, he packed up all his belongings and left. It wasn't a bitter goodbye, but it didn't make it any easier. I guess this is how parents feel when their kids leave home to start a new life. You do your best to raise them right, and the next minute, they're gone. Half of me realizes that this is just a part of life and the other half still feels like something is missing. In the end, you can't help but feel a little lost.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about other things that have been lost. A long time ago, before the golden age of computers, before the plethora of free font websites and even Photoshop, when someone wanted text they had to draw it and paint it themselves. Billboards, signs, advertisements, you name it, all done by hand. Over the years hand done lettering has become a lost art form and it's definitely a shame. It has inspired me to rekindle my love of typography by doing it the old fashion way.

Watercolor and Ink on Watercolor paper