"Life Beyond Living" - 31

Sometimes a leaf on the ground is enough to inspire me:

(Soft pastel on 65-lb black paper)

I've also learned to be less afraid of mixing colors that I don't think will fit the piece I'm working on. The background you see is pretty much the result of me stepping out on a limb and doing just that. I think it turned out rather well.

"Twilit Cityscape" - 30

The origination of the concept for this piece is actually rather funny:

(Soft pastel on 65-lb black paper)

As I looked over the pieces of soft pastel at my disposal (all 24 of them), I realized I hadn't even touched either of the two pink-tinted pieces. Naturally, that's because I don't tend to use pink in my pieces. But then I realized it would be a challenge (in my case) to use them. So I did. And that's the result.

"Ninja Sunset" - 29

Have I mentioned before how much I'm really getting into soft pastel?:

(Pastel on 65-lb black paper)

The texture makes almost anything, including rather dull concepts, into pieces of art that are interesting to view. Although I have to admit, writing my signature is always a challenge with such large, chunky pieces to work with.

"Adventure Ready" - 28

When it comes to character design, I seem to gravitate toward childhood scenes:

(Pencil, pen, & marker on 110-lb. paper)

And I think it's because (beyond obvious reasons) I enjoy illustrating innocence and wonder, when modern trends are mostly absent. I also enjoy not having to portray realistic scenes that are...frankly...quite challenging to illustrate. But the point of this entire year's challenge -- having to create one original piece of art every day -- is to stretch my creative muscles. So I'll be trying to challenge myself further as the year progresses.

"The Choice" - 27

I randomly thought today (as I always do) about the phrase, "when one door closes, another opens":

(Vector-based medium)

This was basically inspired by that. As simple as this piece might appear (and I agree, it is simple), the design process wasn't. There were a few alternate features I tried to make work, but they 1) took away from the original concept, and 2) looked a little too ugly. (Tip: bright, glowing, colored light on black will virtually always look like a lightsaber blade, no matter how you cut it.)

"The Beanstalk" - 26

Simple designs speak volumes:

(Vector-based medium)

For example, I started this piece out with the sole idea of a spiral. Yes, I was planning to develop that idea more as I went -- but I knew I wanted to start with a spiral. And that spiral became a vine. And that vine became a stalk. A beanstalk. And then I added "Jack" for good measure.

"Kindled Love" - 25

I ordered and received my Kindle a couple days ago:

(Digital, iPod Touch)

While time management between work and college has restricted my time for a number of other activities, what I've experienced of my Kindle so far is great. I still prefer physically-printed books in certain cases, but the digital realm has its place. The fact that I can read fiction on a Kindle and get basically the same experience as reading a physical books speaks volumes about its effectiveness.

"Something In The Wind" - 24

Sometimes all an idea needs is some plain white paper and a pencil (and eraser, of course):

(Pencil on sketchbook paper)

For this figure, I started by shaping the head, adding details to the face, and drawing the rest of the body from there. I know this "uncalculated" technique tends to be reminiscent of a comic strip artist, but I think the final product turned out fine.

"Below The Surface" - 23

Have I mentioned I'm really getting into pastels?:

(Pastel on 65-lb black paper)

This picture should inspire a whole story. That's because it's based on one -- a novel, in fact! I'm planning on revising and releasing "Below The Surface" as my debut novel later this year. We'll see how that goes, though; life tends to get in the way of massive time-consuming projects.

"Exploding Star" - 22

I always found spirographs amazing:

(Vector-based medium)

I still do. While this design isn't a "true" spirograph, it's pretty close -- and the small dots making up the lines add a certain interest factor. Only after I completed the design did I realize this is what I imagine an exploding star (in an illustrated world, of course) might look like.

"Simple Observation" - 21

You know, I'm really starting to like pastel:

(Pastel on 65-lb black paper)

Especially when it comes to drawing simple things, like this character. The texture of the medium adds an interest factor, whereas a digital painting/drawing of this same subject would likely not draw more than a quick glance. The imperfection and roughness that wielding large, chunky pieces of pastel provides is quite interesting.

"Glimpses of Early Evening" - 20

Here's my second pastel of the year:

(Pastel on 65-lb black paper)

I'm not generally a fan (and therefore artist) of nature scenes, considering they can be rather common after a while. But if the lighting's right, if the composition beckons me into the scene...then I'll go for it. The thing that really ties this particular piece together -- at least for me -- has to be the dark blue shading on the trees and ground.

"A Series of Unfortunate Events" - 19

I watched the "A Series of Unfortunate Events" movie tonight:

(Vector-based medium)

I've seen this film multiple times since its release, and it's on my favorites list. While the movie adaptation doesn't quite match the books, it still captures the essence of the story -- and that's awesome in itself. If you'll notice, this piece is based on the movie more than the book illustrations by Brett Helquist. I also enjoy making shadows and silhouettes, so when I thought of this concept for today's art, I couldn't resist.

"A Fallen Star" - 18

I haven't used pastels since I was 8:

(Pastel on 65-lb black paper)

Tonight I got to change that. Using black cardstock helped to bring out the vibrancy of the pastels, and blending wasn't too painful to accomplish. This turned out a little different than what I originally intended, but hey -- I followed through and I think it's not too shabby for a quick piece of art.

"The Painter" - 17

Making an art photo look old and damaged?:

(Digital, iPod Touch)

It's fun. This was a last, last minute idea, and doing a piece of art every day this year...well, you can't be too choosy about your ideas. I personally like the little white lines that "damage" the "photo." I might do something similar in the future.

"Gone Humanin'" - 16

In case you haven't noticed, I have a quirky mind:

 

(Digital, iPod Touch)

Sometimes I just enjoy thinking about every day subjects in a totally flipped way; for example, fish fishing for...humans. Which becomes "humaning" at that point, I think. Either way, I'm pretty sure these guys won't have much luck catching humans.

"Shades Of Gold" - 15

This is my first piece of the year that's based on a photo:

(Digital, iPod Touch)

Because the photo is not my own, I can't post it here--but hopefully you get the basic idea from this piece. The two oaks frame the sunlight pouring through the foliage, signaling the end of the day. The unique shapes of oaks always make for interesting subjects.

"Ravages Of Winter" - 14

I live in Texas, so I don't really see much snow here:

(Vector-based medium)

However, that doesn't mean I don't see winter. Winter's still cold, and trees still experience everything you see in the northern states, minus the snow. Sometimes I miss the snow I trudged through during my childhood, and sometimes--like today--I'm perfectly fine with a snow-less winter, as I wore shorts in 70-degree weather today.

"The Bananas Orator" - 13

When you have to come up with a new idea for artwork every single day...sometimes you might end up with something like this:

(Digital, iPod Touch)

A bit random, you say? I can't deny it. But it's all there, outlines, fill-ins, shading and all. Touch screens are still amazing.

"Let Go" - 12

Sometimes simple subject matter goes best with simple context, like chalk:

(Vector-based medium)

Over the past couple years I've challenged myself to step out on a limb and draw things I'm kind of...scared to draw, because of their complexity. For example, hands. And while I still tend to whimper a little at the thought of drawing a hand or two, I feel slightly more confident, especially when I'm working with vectors--because I can move lines around with the click of a mouse.

"Curiously Red" - 11

Salamanders--gotta love 'em:

(Digital, iPod Touch)

Working on artwork using an iPod Touch is a bit of a "love/hate" relationship. While the screen allows me to just use my finger(s) (not having to scramble around for the constantly-elusive stylus), the screen is small. And sometimes my fingers are too moist or dry. But for the most part, I appreciate being able to carry around a mini "art station," if you will, virtually wherever I go.

"Somber Storm" - 10

I love artwork that uses one color:

(Vector-based medium)

I also love somber storms. And the best place to experience somber storms is...out in the country. Where it's quiet. I do believe falling rain on a roof may be the most soothing sound in existence.

"Mission: Impossible" - 9

I was inspired to create the following after seeing "Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol" in IMAX this past weekend:

(Vector-based medium)

I especially loved this sequence of the film. The tension created by the circumstances made it fascinating to take in. As a whole, I thought MI:4 was one of the coolest movies I've seen in a while, (especially in IMAX!), and not only that--the storyline and characters seemed the most faithful to the original Mission: Impossible television series from the 1960's, compared to the previous MI films. Go Brad Bird!

"There And Back Again" - 8

Gradient textures, gotta love 'em:

(Vector-based medium)

I grew up on the classic illustrations for A.A. Milne's "Winnie The Pooh," and I've found the dashed line following a bee (or any object) is one of the coolest things to happen to illustration since the invention of paper. Okay, maybe not quite, but you get the idea--I love seeing it in use. And using it.

"White Noise" - 7

Like my watercolor entry, this particular piece is my first use of a different medium:

(Digital, iPod Touch)

I created this piece on my iPod Touch, using my finger. Yep, my finger--kinda like finger paints, only...digital. Working on such a small surface area somewhat limits the detail I can add, but I don't really look at that as a problem. It's simply a challenge to communicate an image through less detail.

"Welcome To Wasteland" - 6

Here's my first general "landscape" art of the year:

(Vector-based medium)

I love using textures in combination with simplicity, when the line between computer-generated and hand-crafted is blurred. Plus, I love deserts. Driving through them, that is.

"Outside Looking In" - 5

This is it--my first watercolor of 2012:

(Watercolor on 140-lb. HP paper)

Until a few months ago, I hadn't used watercolors for many years. Getting back to them, I've grown more confident in using them...not panicking when something goes wrong. This piece is titled "Outside Looking In" because it's based on a "house cat." Living in a house with 3-month-old kittens, I've discovered that not all cats like the outdoors--especially cats/kittens who were born indoors, have always been indoors, and apparently will always want to be indoors. Which isn't such a bad thing.

"Fog Of Mystery" - 4

I saw "Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows" in theaters tonight, and I was inspired to do this:

(Vector-based medium)

To basically repeat what I mentioned yesterday--simple-looking styles do not equal simplicity in construction. Out of the four pieces of art I've created so far, this took the largest amount of time to create. But I'm pretty happy with the result, so it was worth it.

"Innocence & Wonder" - 3

Here's day 3, another vector-based piece:

(Vector-based medium)

I've always loved "simple" styles that successfully use solid shapes and varying lines to convey a character. As we get older, we often think of these styles as "childish." However, try re-creating the art, and...it's not quite as easy as it looks. I'd consider this the product of influence from Hanna Barbera, Charles Schultz, and Bil Keane, among others I can't think of at the moment.

So yeah...how 'bout that childhood innocence and wonder?

"The One That Got Away" - 2

For day 2, I decided to go a "traditional" route and pick up the pencil, pen, and marker. Here's the result:

(Pencil, pen, & marker on 110-lb. paper)

I've never used artist-quality markers before (I'm looking at you, Prismacolor), and I'm happy to say they work great. The ink applies evenly, and I don't have to go over areas multiple times.

I realize today's piece is rather similar to yesterday's, being that it features a boy on a hill, but the two are still quite distinct. And I plan on covering a wide range of styles and subjects in the days to come.

"Evening Sky" - 1

This is officially my first entry into Art 365--a challenge to create and share one original piece of artwork (however simple or complex) every day.

(Vector-based medium)

This is officially my first entry into Art 365--a challenge to create and share one original piece of artwork (however simple or complex) every day.

My first entry ("Evening Sky") was created using Moho. It's something I've had in my head for a while now, and only recently did I take the opportunity to actually make it!

If this is your first visit to my page--thanks for stopping by! You can expect to see a new piece of artwork posted here (virtually) every day!

Oh yeah, and happy 2012!

Why "3Brushstrokes"?

What does 3Brushstrokes mean?

In an attempt to forgo a generic or typical title for my blog, I made a list of ideas--as I do with many creative outlets--and selected the best one I could come up with. Beyond being just unique, I wanted the title to mean something. So what does 3Brushstrokes mean?

Each of us makes an impact on the world, a giant canvas. And each of us has a limited, undetermined time to make our impact. What impact we make is up to us--we each get to make one brushstroke in life. Some are shorter than others. Some are more vibrant, and some are lost in the background.

If reborn, we end the original brushstroke and begin a second one--a new one. We are changed, and our new brushstroke reflects that. After we breathe our last breaths, after the final bristles are lifted from the canvas, we begin a third, endless brushstroke that stretches across an infinite canvas.

In essence, 3Brushstrokes symbolizes the journey of the believer.

What does your brushstroke look like?