quarantine paintings: set one

A series of works in watercolor and oil. This is the first section in this series, addressing the current pandemic and its effects worldwide.

Each painting was complete before being named for an affected place and dedicated to a person.

no. 1 - Milan (quarantine paintings, 2020) watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18x24" dedicated for Dr. Marcelo Natali  1963-3/25/20 "We certainly weren’t prepared to face such a situation. Especially those of our generation, that of the post-antibiotic era, who grew up thinking that a pill against the disease was enough.”

no. 1 – Milan
(quarantine paintings, 2020)
watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″
dedicated for Dr. Marcelo Natali
1963-3/25/20
“We certainly weren’t prepared to face such a situation. Especially those of our generation, that of the post-antibiotic era, who grew up thinking that a pill against the disease was enough.”

no. 2 - Northwestern United States (quarantine paintings, 2020) watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18x24" dedicated for Dr. Stephen M. Schwartz (January 1, 1942 – March 17, 2020)  "There is no way to summarize a person as complex as Steve, but I'll say this: I have never met a person with a finer mind, a greater passion for ideas, or who had a greater love for science," Dr. Chuck Murry "This beer virus I call it — they call it a coronavirus, I call it a beer virus — how do you like that?" Rep. Don Young

no. 2 – Northwestern United States
(quarantine paintings, 2020)
watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″
dedicated for Dr. Stephen M. Schwartz
(January 1, 1942 – March 17, 2020)
“There is no way to summarize a person as complex as Steve, but I’ll say this: I have never met a person with a finer mind, a greater passion for ideas, or who had a greater love for science,” Dr. Chuck Murry
“This beer virus I call it — they call it a coronavirus, I call it a beer virus — how do you like that?” Rep. Don Young

no. 3 - Iran (quarantine paintings, 2020) watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18x24" dedicated for Dr. Shirin Rouhani (unknown- 3/19/20) "She treated patients at Masih Daneshvari Hospital in Tehran while receiving IV therapy, because there were not enough doctors. Hospitals are faced with a lack of protective gear including medical gowns, N95 masks, gloves, and disinfectants.”  -Javad Tavakoli  " Tell medècin sans frontiers that we do not need hospitals established by foreigners”. -Health Minister, Alireza Vahhabzadeh.

no. 3 – Iran
(quarantine paintings, 2020)
watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″
dedicated for Dr. Shirin Rouhani
(unknown- 3/19/20)
“She treated patients at Masih Daneshvari Hospital in Tehran while receiving IV therapy, because there were not enough doctors. Hospitals are faced with a lack of protective gear including medical gowns, N95 masks, gloves, and disinfectants.” -Javad Tavakoli
” Tell medècin sans frontiers that we do not need hospitals established by foreigners”. -Health Minister, Alireza Vahhabzadeh.

no. 4 - Rikers Island, New York (quarantine paintings, 2020) watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18x24" dedicated to Michael Tyson, 53 "Incredible anxiety and fear. You cannot implement effective social distancing in a room that sleeps forty men. You cannot implement effective social distancing when those forty men are using two or three sinks and one of them may be broken. You cannot implement effective social distancing when the staff interacts with all of them and has to touch all of them in the course of a day. They know that better than I know that. So when I was talking to them, I was sort of feebly saying, “We want to try to encourage people to be even more diligent about hand-washing, etc., etc.” They were, like, “O.K., we don’t have our own cleaning supplies.” They can’t wipe down their own surfaces. They have to wait for someone to come in and do that for them." "The largest category of people in city jails are those awaiting trial — people who have not been charged but not convicted. In the ordinary course of events, getting someone in this position out of jail requires an application made in court before a judge." -Dr. Bedard New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday that the state had found a way to counteract price gouging on hand sanitizer amid the COVID-19 outbreak: by deploying cheap prison labor. Incarcerated people will be producing the disinfectant... “This is a superior product to products now on the market,” Cuomo said in a briefing, adding that the state’s sanitizer has a “very nice floral bouquet” that includes hints of lilac, tulip, and hydrangea.

no. 4 – Rikers Island, New York
(quarantine paintings, 2020)
watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″
dedicated to Michael Tyson, 53
“Incredible anxiety and fear. You cannot implement effective social distancing in a room that sleeps forty men. You cannot implement effective social distancing when those forty men are using two or three sinks and one of them may be broken. You cannot implement effective social distancing when the staff interacts with all of them and has to touch all of them in the course of a day.
They know that better than I know that. So when I was talking to them, I was sort of feebly saying, “We want to try to encourage people to be even more diligent about hand-washing, etc., etc.” They were, like, “O.K., we don’t have our own cleaning supplies.” They can’t wipe down their own surfaces. They have to wait for someone to come in and do that for them.”
“The largest category of people in city jails are those awaiting trial — people who have not been charged but not convicted. In the ordinary course of events, getting someone in this position out of jail requires an application made in court before a judge.”
-Dr. Bedard
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday that the state had found a way to counteract price gouging on hand sanitizer amid the COVID-19 outbreak: by deploying cheap prison labor. Incarcerated people will be producing the disinfectant… “This is a superior product to products now on the market,” Cuomo said in a briefing, adding that the state’s sanitizer has a “very nice floral bouquet” that includes hints of lilac, tulip, and hydrangea.

no. 5 - Los Angeles, Mercy⁣ (quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣ ⁣ watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18x24"⁣ ⁣ dedicated for Francisco Garcia⁣ ⁣ "There’s a very limited supply, it’s a scary situation. Just going to work, driving to work, you’re worried you’re going to get something. It’s changing by the hour and by the day.” S. Beltran, ER nurse . ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ "This week the State Department has facilitated the transportation of nearly 17.8 tons of donated medical supplies to the Chinese people, including masks, gowns, gauze, respirators, and other vital materials." -Mike Pompeo, Feb 7 2020

no. 5 – Los Angeles, Mercy⁣
(quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣

watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣

dedicated for Francisco Garcia⁣
⁣ “There’s a very limited supply, it’s a scary situation. Just going to work, driving to work, you’re worried you’re going to get something. It’s changing by the hour and by the day.” S. Beltran, ER nurse . ⁣


“This week the State Department has facilitated the transportation of nearly 17.8 tons of donated medical supplies to the Chinese people, including masks, gowns, gauze, respirators, and other vital materials.” -Mike Pompeo, Feb 7 2020

⁣no. 6 - Wuhan (quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣ watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18x24"⁣ ⁣ dedicated for  Dr. Li Wenliang (1986-2/7/2020) "I think there should be more than one voice in a healthy society, and I don't approve of using public power for excessive interference." -Dr. Li Wenliang "Now, the Democrats are politicising the coronavirus… this is their new hoax." -Donald Trump "Trump has botched the response to coronavirus pandemic...classifying deliberations makes it harder for health experts in government without security clearances to be in key meetings. This is unprecedented, unnecessary, and damages our ability to respond to the pandemic." -Gregg Gonsalves, a Yale epidemiologist   "You, Dr. Li Wenliang, have been making false comments on the Internet, and will sign a letter of admonishment." -Police from the Wuhan Public Security Bureau, Jan 3 2020

⁣no. 6 – Wuhan
(quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣
watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣

dedicated for
Dr. Li Wenliang
(1986-2/7/2020)
“I think there should be more than one voice in a healthy society, and I don’t approve of using public power for excessive interference.” -Dr. Li Wenliang
“Now, the Democrats are politicising the coronavirus… this is their new hoax.” -Donald Trump
“Trump has botched the response to coronavirus pandemic…classifying deliberations makes it harder for health experts in government without security clearances to be in key meetings. This is unprecedented, unnecessary, and damages our ability to respond to the pandemic.”
-Gregg Gonsalves, a Yale epidemiologist
“You, Dr. Li Wenliang, have been making false comments on the Internet, and will sign a letter of admonishment.”
-Police from the Wuhan Public Security Bureau, Jan 3 2020

no. 7 - Madrid (quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣ ⁣ watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18x24"⁣ ⁣ dedicated for Dr. Isabel Munoz ( 1961 -3/24/2020) "Her only obsession was not to infect anybody." -Jesus Munoz "Even if we all get sick, I'd rather die than kill the country." -Glenn Beck

no. 7 – Madrid
(quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣

watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣

dedicated for Dr. Isabel Munoz
( 1961 -3/24/2020)
“Her only obsession was not to infect anybody.” -Jesus Munoz
“Even if we all get sick, I’d rather die than kill the country.” -Glenn Beck

⁣no. 8 - Johannesburg⁣ ⁣⁣ (quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18x24"⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ dedicated for Simon⁣ (unknown)⁣⁣ ⁣ ⁣ "They put us here and now we are close to one another. This is why we will be vulnerable to catching Corona. Our government has failed us," Simon, homeless man moved by police to stadium from the street.⁣ ⁣  "The lockdown has caused problems, but it is a necessary thing that South Africa had to do,” -Maider Mavi, Mozambique Health Ministry. "Anyone showing symptoms who goes to a state hospital will have their COVID-19 test for free." ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ "The goal here is to keep Covid out of this community," says Sasha Lalla, a leader at COSUP, a city-supported substance abuse program.⁣ ⁣ "I think then we will be seeing a situation where people with compromised immune systems are not just at risk of Covid-19, they are at risk of death. We have a responsibility to keep our most vulnerable safe," he said. "One case here, it would be like wildfire."

⁣no. 8 – Johannesburg⁣
⁣⁣
(quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
dedicated for Simon⁣
(unknown)⁣⁣

⁣ “They put us here and now we are close to one another. This is why we will be vulnerable to catching Corona. Our government has failed us,” Simon, homeless man moved by police to stadium from the street.⁣

“The lockdown has caused problems, but it is a necessary thing that South Africa had to do,” -Maider Mavi, Mozambique Health Ministry. “Anyone showing symptoms who goes to a state hospital will have their COVID-19 test for free.” ⁣


“The goal here is to keep Covid out of this community,” says Sasha Lalla, a leader at COSUP, a city-supported substance abuse program.⁣

“I think then we will be seeing a situation where people with compromised immune systems are not just at risk of Covid-19, they are at risk of death. We have a responsibility to keep our most vulnerable safe,” he said. “One case here, it would be like wildfire.”

no. 9 - New York City⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ (quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18x24"⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ dedicated for Father Antonio Checo⁣ May 6, 1952-April 1, 2020 ⁣ "Words cannot describe the sadness and hurt as well as the frustrations that this pandemic has brought about to our daily lives here and across the city...Effective today, all Episcopal churches have been ordered closed until May 17, 2020...we as your clergy are still accessible via phone as your pastors in these times.  And since we cannot gather as a community until May, we want to begin to periodically send you the weekly bible readings as that you can use for private prayer worship.⁣ ...take an hour each day to pray these prayers remembering those who have died because of this pandemic, as well as those who are sick and those “essential” workers on the frontlines who ensure we as citizens have access to life sustaining resources for day to day living. We ask for the blessing of peace and hope to you all, and that all are safe in this time of uncertainty and anxiety."⁣ Rev. Antonio Checo and Rev. Jason Moskal, St. Mark's Episcopal Church⁣ ⁣ ⁣ “We brought in 13 machines that basically kill every virus in the place, and uh, if somebody walks through the door it’s like, it kills everything on them. If they sneeze, it shoots it down at like 100 mph. It'll neutralize it in split seconds. We have the most sterile building in, I don’t know, all of America."⁣ -Rodney Howard-Browne, River Tampa Bay Megachurch

no. 9 – New York City⁣
⁣⁣⁣
(quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
dedicated for Father Antonio Checo⁣
May 6, 1952-April 1, 2020

“Words cannot describe the sadness and hurt as well as the frustrations that this pandemic has brought about to our daily lives here and across the city…Effective today, all Episcopal churches have been ordered closed until May 17, 2020…we as your clergy are still accessible via phone as your pastors in these times. And since we cannot gather as a community until May, we want to begin to periodically send you the weekly bible readings as that you can use for private prayer worship.⁣
…take an hour each day to pray these prayers remembering those who have died because of this pandemic, as well as those who are sick and those “essential” workers on the frontlines who ensure we as citizens have access to life sustaining resources for day to day living. We ask for the blessing of peace and hope to you all, and that all are safe in this time of uncertainty and anxiety.”⁣
Rev. Antonio Checo and Rev. Jason Moskal, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church⁣


“We brought in 13 machines that basically kill every virus in the place, and uh, if somebody walks through the door it’s like, it kills everything on them. If they sneeze, it shoots it down at like 100 mph. It’ll neutralize it in split seconds. We have the most sterile building in, I don’t know, all of America.”⁣
-Rodney Howard-Browne, River Tampa Bay Megachurch

no. 10 - Tokyo ⁣⁣⁣ (quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18x24"⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ dedicated for Ken Shimura (20 February 1950 – 29 March 2020)  “I never feared getting an infection myself,” he said, because he knows “how infection control should be done.” But aboard the Diamond Princess, “I was so scared of getting COVID-19." "The cruise ship was completely inadequate in terms of the infection control." -Kentaro Iwata, who has dealt with infectious outbreaks, including Ebola, cholera and SARS, for more than 20 years. "I’m choosing not to do it.” -donald trump, on masks

no. 10 – Tokyo
⁣⁣⁣
(quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
dedicated for Ken Shimura
(20 February 1950 – 29 March 2020)
“I never feared getting an infection myself,” he said, because he knows “how infection control should be done.” But aboard the Diamond Princess, “I was so scared of getting COVID-19.”
“The cruise ship was completely inadequate in terms of the infection control.”
-Kentaro Iwata, who has dealt with infectious outbreaks, including Ebola, cholera and SARS, for more than 20 years.
“I’m choosing not to do it.” -donald trump, on masks

no. 11 -  The Bronx⁣ (quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣ ⁣ watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18x24"⁣ ⁣ dedicated for⁣ Rakkhon Kim, a member of Branch 36 in New York City⁣ 1970-March 25,2020⁣ ⁣ "It is not an exaggeration to say that our men and women in the Postal Service, who were already performing one of the most important jobs in America, are now literally putting their own lives on the line to deliver the food, medicine, and essential supplies that hundreds of millions of Americans depend on every single day during this pandemic."⁣ -Senator Bernard Sanders⁣ ⁣ "It's been losing billions of dollars a year for many, many years... this is the new one, I’m now the demise of the Postal Service. I'll tell you who's the demise of the Postal Service, are these internet companies that give their stuff to the Postal Service...They drop everything in the post office and they say, 'You deliver it.' "⁣ -president Donald Trump

no. 11 – The Bronx⁣
(quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣

watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣

dedicated for⁣
Rakkhon Kim, a member of Branch 36 in New York City⁣
1970-March 25,2020⁣

“It is not an exaggeration to say that our men and women in the Postal Service, who were already performing one of the most important jobs in America, are now literally putting their own lives on the line to deliver the food, medicine, and essential supplies that hundreds of millions of Americans depend on every single day during this pandemic.”⁣
-Senator Bernard Sanders⁣

“It’s been losing billions of dollars a year for many, many years… this is the new one, I’m now the demise of the Postal Service. I’ll tell you who’s the demise of the Postal Service, are these internet companies that give their stuff to the Postal Service…They drop everything in the post office and they say, ‘You deliver it.’ “⁣
-president Donald Trump

no. 12 -  Washington, DC⁣⁣ (quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18x24"⁣ ⁣ ⁣ dedicated for ⁣⁣ Rabbi Romi Cohn⁣⁣ Holocaust survivor⁣⁣ March 10, 1929-March 24, 2020⁣ ⁣  "The crisis caused by the coronavirus may be the time to consider a universal basic wage.”⁣⁣ -Pope Francis ⁣ ⁣ "God will shield us from all harm and sickness. We are not afraid. We are called by God to stand against the Antichrist creeping into America’s borders.”⁣⁣ -Tony Spell3

no. 12 – Washington, DC⁣⁣
(quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣ ⁣

dedicated for ⁣⁣
Rabbi Romi Cohn⁣⁣
Holocaust survivor⁣⁣
March 10, 1929-March 24, 2020⁣

“The crisis caused by the coronavirus may be the time to consider a universal basic wage.”⁣⁣
-Pope Francis ⁣

“God will shield us from all harm and sickness. We are not afraid. We are called by God to stand against the Antichrist creeping into America’s borders.”⁣⁣
-Tony Spell3

no. 13 – Atlanta⁣ (quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ dedicated for⁣ Rushia Johnson Stephens⁣ music teacher⁣ 1954-2020⁣ ⁣ "Given our population density, high rate of asthma, and various underlying health conditions found within our city’s populations, I am issuing a Stay at Home Order for Atlantans.”⁣ -Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms⁣ ⁣ ⁣ "adding a public option to Obamacare is the best way to lower costs and cover everyone. 160 million people like their private insurance."⁣ -Joe Biden

no. 13 – Atlanta⁣
(quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣
⁣⁣
watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣⁣
⁣⁣
dedicated for⁣
Rushia Johnson Stephens⁣
music teacher⁣
1954-2020⁣

“Given our population density, high rate of asthma, and various underlying health conditions found within our city’s populations, I am issuing a Stay at Home Order for Atlantans.”⁣
-Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms⁣


“adding a public option to Obamacare is the best way to lower costs and cover everyone. 160 million people like their private insurance.”⁣
-Joe Biden

no. 14 - Lansing⁣ (quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ dedicated for⁣⁣ Lisa Ewald⁣ nurse⁣ 1966-2020⁣⁣  ⁣ "COVID-19 has impacted the lives of so many citizens throughout the state of Michigan, and even more pronounced in the city of Detroit, as we are the fastest growing city nationally with casualties related to this deadly disease."⁣ -Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo⁣ ⁣ "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!"⁣ -Donald Trump⁣ ⁣⁣

no. 14 – Lansing⁣
(quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
dedicated for⁣⁣
Lisa Ewald⁣
nurse⁣
1966-2020⁣⁣

“COVID-19 has impacted the lives of so many citizens throughout the state of Michigan, and even more pronounced in the city of Detroit, as we are the fastest growing city nationally with casualties related to this deadly disease.”⁣
-Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo⁣

“LIBERATE MICHIGAN!”⁣
-Donald Trump⁣
⁣⁣

no. 15 - Paris⁣ (quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ dedicated for⁣⁣⁣ Dr. John F. Murray⁣ pulmonologist⁣ June 8, 1927 – March 24, 2020⁣ ⁣ "In all his dealings in the ICU, John treated every person with respect and held them to high standards, whether it was the intern just starting in the ICU or the fellow who was a much more senior trainee, or the nurses or the therapists. Everybody had something to offer and was treated as a member of this team.”⁣ -Courtney Broaddus⁣ ⁣ "You have to do what’s best for your business."⁣ -Wayne Hoffman

no. 15 – Paris⁣
(quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
dedicated for⁣⁣⁣
Dr. John F. Murray⁣
pulmonologist⁣
June 8, 1927 – March 24, 2020⁣

“In all his dealings in the ICU, John treated every person with respect and held them to high standards, whether it was the intern just starting in the ICU or the fellow who was a much more senior trainee, or the nurses or the therapists. Everybody had something to offer and was treated as a member of this team.”⁣
-Courtney Broaddus⁣

“You have to do what’s best for your business.”⁣
-Wayne Hoffman

no. 17 (final) - New Orleans, LA, USA⁣ (quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ ⁣ dedicated for Ronald Lewis⁣ 7/17/1951-3/20/2020⁣ ⁣ “Right here in the Ninth Ward was where our people chased the American dream."⁣ ~ Ronald Lewis⁣ ⁣ "The federal government rose to the challenge and this is a great success story and I think that that's really what needs to be told."⁣ ~Jared Kutchner

no. 17 (final, butcher’s bill)- New Orleans, LA, USA⁣
(quarantine paintings, 2020)⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
watercolor, oil, gesso on arches paper, 18×24″⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

dedicated for Ronald Lewis⁣
7/17/1951-3/20/2020⁣

“Right here in the Ninth Ward was where our people chased the American dream.”⁣
~ Ronald Lewis⁣

“The federal government rose to the challenge and this is a great success story and I think that that’s really what needs to be told.”⁣
~Jared Kutchner

 

 

On “watercolor” tattoos

First of all, a quick look at watercolor as a medium.

floral watercolor original oregon landscape painting nude watercolor painting, naked smile

 

Granted, these are all paintings I’ve done. Maybe some other artist uses messy lines and colors outside them, splashing paint randomly everywhere?

(more…)

On "watercolor" tattoos

First of all, a quick look at watercolor as a medium.

floral watercolor original oregon landscape painting nude watercolor painting, naked smile

 

Granted, these are all paintings I’ve done. Maybe some other artist uses messy lines and colors outside them, splashing paint randomly everywhere?

(more…)

winter hare, drybrush over wet wash, 9×12″

finished work framed. prints will be available when the full series are done (four seasons)

finished work framed. prints will be available when the full series are done (four seasons)

Process photos after the jump, from start to finish.

First of a series of all four seasons of hares.
(more…)

winter hare, drybrush over wet wash, 9×12"

finished work framed. prints will be available when the full series are done (four seasons)

finished work framed. prints will be available when the full series are done (four seasons)

Process photos after the jump, from start to finish.

First of a series of all four seasons of hares.
(more…)

hobo how-to, makin an old-timey drawing

Here’s an old timey post for you guys. Tattoo artists that like old-timey stuff will recognize some of the in-jokes here that others might not- I kind of wrote it for you guys as a joke anyway, but these directions WILL work…so enjoy. You can actually buy prints of this guy here, YES PLEASE FUCKING BUY ONE I AM A FUCKING BROKE HOBO.

How to make an extremely old-timey picture

1.First, You have to brew coffee.

Good strong coffee.

The kind your grandpa would make at a hobo camp.

Coffee that will put hair on your chest.

Shit your sister would never drink.

The kind of coffee that people see in the glass and look confused about.

Brew your coffee first and brew it strong,

Not only will it keep you alert throughout this process, and taste better with whiskey in it,

but we’re going to use it as a dye.

2. Then, pour into a tray. Soak some cardstock or watercolor paper in the coffee,
crumpling it and savaging it at random, if you are in a foul mood. or just soak it flat if you feel pretty amiable.

3.Lay the paper out on a towel or other handy surface, to dry out a bit. You want the paper to be just about totally dry when you start working with it. Not damp, just chilly. You’ll notice that the crumpled scapegoat paper looks kind of cool.

4.Next find yourself some reference, or using your brain and its own images, start drawing in light pencil on the paper. I used a 6h pencil so it would be very faint.

If you use a hard pencil don’t get too angry at the paper.

You’ll rip it to bits.

If you’re using a softer pencil go ahead and be a jerk to it.
Then take a small soft filbert brush, dip it into black waterfproof ink, and draw some more.

Right over all the pencil marks.

I use either FW or higgins ink, for this.

5.I have used reference for my hooter picture. Whatever you are drawing, remember that you only have a few minutes before the yard bulls show up and stick ya in the pokey, so hurry the fuck up.
Keep it extremely simple.

6.I mean real simple. You can use watercolor black from the tube. Or you can use some liquid watercolors.

Or you can use kid’s paint, dry watercolors, although those are a pain in the ass. I suppose you can also use sharpie or prismacolor with alcohol on the brush, too, but those dry really fast, too fast for me to do old timey stuff with them. They do have the benefit of using up your whiskey spit.

Here is my ink and brush- as you can see, my brush is flattened and curly? That’s because I’m too lazy to clean them up right away, so they sit in the water til they dry out weird and curly. Don’t do that.

7.I usually lay in the darkest areas first, then come back through with a dry brush and smooth out the edges, then with a only very slightly damp brush I moisten the edges of that again, making it blend. it doesn’t take long and you don’t need water- it’s easier to use a damp sweaty hand or your spit to do it. if you are drinking your coffee like you should be then your hands will be nice and sweaty by now. I know a lot of people will have the unbearable urge to wet the paper then paint onto it, like you’re supposed to use watercolors.

WE’RE NOT DOING THINGS THAT WAY IN HERE, GO BACK TO WETCANVAS FORUMS.

8.At this point, just crank up the music and keep going. you wanna
keep it minimal.

Suggested music would include baby gramps, tom waits (early works, or like bone-machine)
I actually think I did way too much on this one, way more shading and fucking around than I should have.

The simpler, the smoother, the less work, the better with this stuff.

If you mess up somewhere, just find a way to hide it with more black.

That’s what it’s there for, right? I guess if I was truly old timey I’d be using lampblack soot, dirt, and saliva  to make the picture.

I try to get pretty close, anyway.

Eventually, you will come to believe you are finished, or the yard goat’s light will pick you out, and you’ll have to stop with the feverish sweating and blending.

9.Now, since you’ve come so far, finish out any little things you got confused about,or forgot to do, while you were blending.

Like his fucking feet and the perch.

Everything will probably look a little rough and shitty at this point. It helps when doing this kind of artwork to make sure your lighting is inadequate, and that you have someone sitting near you drinking and exclaiming at random intervals,
and that you work on a shitty piece of uneven wood, or at least a stained old clipboard precariously balanced
on your knees.

Markers are only considered cheating if you do them with your right hand.

roughed out

10.Now if you want to be schmancy, you can pick a few spots and put a color in it. One color. What do you think this is, art school?
One color only. Remember, you’re a bindlestiff, a wayfarer, a gandy…you ain’t got no room for paint pots in that sack, kiddo. One color. It’s not even 1940 yet, so simmer down.

I like to use red everytime. Feel free to use green, yellow, or brown if you prefer.

No blue, no purple, definitely no hot pink- you’re in the wrong place to get fancy.

Put a dot where you think the darkest red should be.

11.Do this for every place red will go.Then use the almost all the way-dry brush you’ve been chewing on, to blend them out. I like to make the areas of color into little half-circles.

12.Wow, that’s come along pretty far. Looks nice and clean. At this point I usually would put on a monocle and top hat.

No matter what you are drawing, just go ahead and do it,
trust me, monocle and top hat.

Man, if you can give it a cigarette in a long holder, even better.

The closer you get to the monopoly guy, the better.

You want the art to be classy, goddamnit.

If you can’t do a monocle and top hat, whatever you do, DON’T ADD A MUSTACHE-

This is old timey, not HIP.

13.At this point, get out a thin liner brush, or a permanent black non-water soluble marker,and clean up the edges of the black and all the lines.

Now if you want to be a dick you can add a bunch of crap around it. This one looks like a capitalist pig owl to me, so I’m giving him a name and a joke.

It’s a shitty joke, I know.

No really. I know.

You will be tempted to draw blood, or if you are a tattoo”er” some raindrops, around the object. Resist this temptation!!!
Your picture should be a combination of items that is humorous to you, and you alone.

that means no unicorns, no mustaches, no ironic shit.

Nothing that popular modern culture would enjoy

(says the one painting an owl in a top hat)

14.Now get a damp, really damp rag, and a candle, and set that shit on fire!

15.The rag is for putting out the fire, so that you only burn the parts
of your page that seem useless to you, or where it would look cool to have a singe.

You need the rag.

I should make it very clear that if you’re kind of half-assedly following the instructions and didn’t bother to get a damp rag you might be kind of fucked right now,

because you set your shiny new art on fire.

That’ll teach you to follow instructions.

16.Bet you like it so far, huh?
Think you did a good job?
That’s some kinda cool picture?

BULLSHIT, IT’S GARBAGE!
THROW IT THE FUCK AWAY!
YOU SAD SACK OF SHIT,
YOU CAN’T DRAW!!!

UGH SERIOUSLY YOU SUCK!

JUST CRUMPLE THAT WASTE OF TIME INTO A BALL AND THROW IT AT A POKEY OR A COP!

IT’S NO GOOD FOR ANYTHING ELSE!

Damn, I was just kidding!
Sheesh, man, try to have a thicker skin!
Why you gotta be so worried
about what I think, anyway? flatten that
thing out again, let me get a closer look.

Go easy on it. I mean it’s still kind of-

oops oh shit hey I’m sorry-

Hey waittaminute…ok

dry that crap off with the rag. the burny rag.

You really needed that rag.

17. Crumple it up, flatten it out,
spill coffee all over the back of it,
and let it soak for a few. Don’t do this
until ALL the paint has dried completely.
That looks right out of a hobo museum.

Good show, sir, good show.

Originally Published on: Nov 12, 2007

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