Edward Ruscha Inspired Gamer Quote Poster, Day 3 Modern Artists

It's not theft, it's filling your inventory. Life lessons from video games.

Edward Ruscha took hazy photographs and placed odd quotes on top.

I used a photograph of cabbage that I took at the Minneapolis Farmers Market since cabbage is slang for money.

I desaturated the image in photoshop to make it black and white, then colored it green. A liberal Gaussian blur was applied to give it the softness I noticed in his poster images.

The font is Tapeworm, a free font that was inspired by the type Mr Ruscha used.

Georgia O'Keeffe Inspired Painting Of A Carnation, Day 2 Modern Artists

Georgia O'Keeffe is famous for her flower paintings so I took a photo of a pink carnation and cropped it to fit the ratio of a large piece of Masonite that I had stored in the garage.

I was going to do the painting with blended tones and did a black and white version in Photoshop so I could more easily see values.

I started the painting with beautiful color blends but the graphic lines kept calling to me. I totally changed the style and palette and a blue carnation was born.

Here is the painting upside down and I love the fierce face that appears. It's probably good that I don't sign paintings on the front since the painting might stay upside down.

Sideways is nice as well. Decisions...

Josef Albers Style Color Interactions, Day 1 Modern Artists

This month I'm going to explore the style of different modern artists. I studied Josef Albers color interactions in color theory class and did my version of his Homage To The Square.

I used Illustrator, pixels versus paint, and some of my favorite Pantone colors. Some of the arrangements are more pleasing than others and it's interesting how some seem to rise and others go backwards.

The Creepy Watcher, Day 31 Creatures

The last creature for March is peeking out from behind window blinds. I like that you can't tell if it's looking out or looking in.

I made her in Illustrator

Paper Mache Creature Interrupted, Day 30 Creatures

I came home to paper mache strewn throughout the house. Buffy tore apart my creature which was made with shredded paper, flour and water.

Her paws and face were covered with flour paste, she had a good time























We cleaned up the dog, gathered the bits and I formed a hulking troll with the salvageable mix. The armature was destroyed and I didn't care to rebuild it.

The sculpture was solid and wasn't going to dry easily so I placed it on a cookie cooling racking over a floor heat vent. After it dried, I sealed the it with Gesso and painted it with acrylic paints.

Semi Blind Contour Continuous Line Drawing of Monsters, Day 29 Creatures

I say semi blind contour continuous line drawing since I did occasionally look but I didn't lift my pen off the paper. It was fun, quick and liberating to not be concerned over line placement.

The drawings were done in my artist journal with a TUL blue gel pen.

I'll Be Watching You Monstrous Eye, Day 28 Creatures

The green eyed monster, jealousy. OK, he's blued eyed, but his gaze is relentless.

Mouse Waitress Drawing, Day 27 Creatures

I'd like to think the mouse I saw in the diner was a waitress taking care of her guests or a visitor that wandered in to get change for  the bus.

Just in case, it's probably time to go.

The drawing was done on a guest check with a pen. I think the mouse would have given us faster service.

Now I Know Why I Can Eat Second Breakfast, Day 26 Creatures

You never know what's really in you until you've had your stomach x-rayed.

The stomach dwelling creature is holding a cup of coffee and a spork while waiting for the next shipment of food.

When I was a child I heard someone on TV ask "Are you feeding a tapeworm?" and became certain that all the little gurgles were caused by internal critters.

I was a fanciful child that believed everything I saw on TV. There were white tornadoes in detergent and an arm shot out of the washing machine. It's not surprising I hated the basement.

This drawing was done in my art journal with a Pigma Micron pen.

The Ellusive Yeti In Birch Trees, Day 25 Creatures

I don't know who took this photo of Bigfoot but I based my abominable snowman on him.

The yeti is out for a stroll on a snowy day in a Birch forest. He appears to be a bit easier to see in the summer.

Germs In A Bottle, Day 24 Creatures

I saw a group of teenagers passing around a bottle of Mountain Dew and drinking from it. Ewww... OK, I share food with my dogs but backwash is nasty.

The backwash bacteria was drawn with a Micron pen on Bristol board, then watercolored. The remainder of the image was done in Illustrator.

Appendix in A Bottle, Day 23 Creatures

When I was 16 I had my appendix removed. My doctor asked if I wanted it in a bottle, I don't think he expected me to say, "Sure."

He was a bit of an odd duck and would be sued nowadays but being told by him that I had nice knockers only generated an eye roll from his nurse. He probably found bottled body bits humorous.

Thanks to Google I found an image of an appendix and did this version of it. I'm fairly certain mine didn't have a tail, talons, or wings but that might have explained why I was so sick.

I drew it with a Micron Pigma Pen, painted it with watercolors and put it an a bottle courtesy the Graphics Fairy.

The Long and Twisting Hallway, Day 22 Creatures

Day 22 of March monster madness

You'll never guess that I resubscribed to the Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine today.

The nesting doorways all askew are so 1960s and the wolf at the door is just plain fun. I love negative space and how you can see the stairs even though they don't behave normally.

The simple shapes were done in Illustrator.

What are you planning to do after you look under the bed, Day 21 Creatures

I have many rules in life. Sandwich rules, travel counter clockwise rule, and when I was a child monsters could only get the parts that dangled off the edge of the bed. Without rules there's anarchy!

I made the entire poster in illustrator and tonight I might move the dog's night light a bit closer.

Sea Monster Pop Up Card With Download, Day 20 Creatures

I don't think I'd care to see a mouth like this while diving, it's small but mighty. To make a beak pop-up fold you cut a slit, make two triangular folds and change the fold direction of the center crease and the beak. The beak is similar to doing the mountain and valley folds in origami.

If you want to make one here is the downloadable PDF. The finished size is 5 x 7 when folded and can be printed on letter sized paper. Feel free to use it for personal use, if you want to use it commercially contact me.

Mimic Minimalist Movie Poster, Day 19 Creatures

Mimic. Funny shoes.

This is one of my go to movies when I don't know what to watch.

Funny shoes is what the little boy keeps saying when he spots the giant cockroach creatures. I was going to do the 2 spoons he plays but that was a bit too minimalist.

The boy collects bits of wire and forms them into sculptures; I used Illustrator. The computer was quicker and my hands stayed clean.

Arachnophobia Minimalist Movie Poster, Day 18 Creatures

Arachnophobia. Yeah that's right I'm bad.

I was torn about the Arachnophobia spider being a monster but if he showed up in my basement I might be in the market for a nail gun.

A good rule of thumb might be, if you want to be armed, it's a monster.

Slithers Minimalist Movie Poster, Day 17 Creatures

Slithers. Let the hunt begin.

Slithers reminds me of the B movies that used to be played at drive-in theaters.

The scene in the bar for Deer Chase is probably my favorite part, excluding the horrific rape that occurs concurrently.  I don't hunt, but the townspeople gathering to dance and celebrate deer hunting season looks like a lot of fun.

The effects are a little cheesy and over the top, just the way a B movie should be, but with a top notch cast.

Teen Wolf Minimalist Movie Poster Day 16 Creatures

Monster month has been a lot of fun.

My first version of this poster had the hand appearing to hold the moon and then I had an eureka moment; what is more teen than a smart phone.

The second line, "There's a bad moon on the rise." is from one of my favorite Creedence Clearwater Revival songs, Bad Moon Rising.

The Phoenix Rising From A Campfire Day 15 Creatures

OK, I know it rises from the ashes but I had a nice fire image from last summer and I was a little short for time today.

I grabbed the black from the surrounding image and applied that to the silhouette. I tried a gradient of yellow and orange higher above the fire but this felt more mysterious.