The transcendent experience of seeing an original piece of art in a museum is substantially better than any reproduction could possibly be. Seeing the original artwork in a museum offers reflection, education, and admiration that a reproduction can not provide. The unique crafting of the original artwork piques interest for further works by the artist, and similar artists and movements, far more than any reproduction can match. This article was originally written for my classwork with CSU-Global, a portfolio project. I have adapted it from a strict APA style to a more web-friendly style.
Life influencing art, scaring the bejesus out of me
Earlier this week, author Ray Garton (who’s awesome, and you should read all his stories) asked on one of the social networks (the blue one) about sleep paralysis. For those who aren’t familiar with the phenomenon, sleep paralysis, also known as night terrors, is perhaps the scariest thing you could ever imagine. You wake up […]
Some of my favorite art pieces are those that show emotion, that have an energy to them. True, most beloved pieces have an energy all their own, even if it’s subtle. But there are some pieces where that energy is something more evocative. I’ve seen many of Giovanni Boldini’s paintings over the years, often of the […]
This Week’s Art: Matania’s Paulina in the Temple of Isis
When I post my “This week’s art” articles, I like to have as much information about a piece as I can get. Sometimes, like yesterday’s article, the piece is quite popular, and there’s lots of information about it. Other times, it seems like only one site has the beautiful art, but won’t put any information […]
I’ve been a published artist for 15 years this week, for both cover art and interior art. I don’t say that to brag, I just want to set the stage for a discussion about the rights that go along with using my artwork. Now, to get the obvious out of the way, I own the […]
Art & Design: Promotional materials to leave behind
It is a good idea, after an interview or portfolio review, to leave behind some manner of promotional material for yourself. That could be as simple as a business card, or as complex as a brochure. The idea is that the person doing the review will have something to refer to later, hopefully to get […]
Last fall, while we were in Florida for a rocket launch, we decided to check out the many nature reserves along the way. We came across one that had a nice walkway through the swampland, and I thought it would be a great chance to try the Canon T3i dSLR that we had just purchased. […]
On my travels as an amateur photographer, my plan is to write about my experiences in learning about the craft. Living in Colorado affords me a lot of chances to take many different kinds of photos, and my photography articles are here to help me remember the good parts of what I do. I have […]
Why art is a profession, and should be treated as such
I’ve been at the artist thing since 1999, and it’s been great. Sure, it has ups and downs, like any other profession, but I still like creating. But I want to back up just a bit, and look at that word, “profession”. Merriam-Webster’s defines the word as, “a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long […]
I had a great chance to take the new Canon T3i outside this weekend, as it was a pretty nice day out. My daughter and I stopped at a local area that’s known for having lots of wildlife, and it didn’t disappoint. Now, don’t forget, this is a brand new camera, and I’m no expert. […]
Now, there are roughly a billion ways to do any one thing in Photoshop. When it comes to color correction, there may even be two billion. But today I just want to look at one particular method, using the Curves adjustment layer to correct color. A couple of caveats: I haven’t installed CS6 yet, despite […]
Over the weekend, we picked up a brand new dSLR camera, a Canon T3i. Our Canon point and shoot is about five years old right now, and we thought it would be a good time to pick up a newer camera. Especially with the upcoming trip to the Kennedy Space Center, it was time. Now, […]
The process of new cover art and the grand feedback experiment
Last year, I created a cover for author Vincenzo Bilof’s Necropolis Now: Zombie Ascension. So, as is sometimes the case and something I look forward to, he asked if I could create the art for the book’s sequel, the now-released Queen of the Dead: Zombie Ascension II (go get it here). Most of my year […]
Just the other day, Thunderstorm Books posted their newest book, Bryan Smith‘s Grimm Awakening. I was lucky enough to do the cover art for it, which was a great thing for me because I also did the cover for the original version way back in 2004. It’s not often that an artist gets a second […]
I was in a pretty good habit, a couple of years back, of posting the sketches that I do all the time. Posting them is good for me, because I can go back and review the things I’ve done. Posting is good for others, so I’m told by other artists, in that they can get […]
The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming.
That quote, for those of you who don’t watch movies, is from the film The Dark Knight. Until now, I just thought it was an interesting statement, but the fact is that I’ve lived like that. Also, until now, there was really no dawn to speak of. But, as these usually do go, a subtle […]
Spectrum Art Show Recap Part 2: As an attendee and artist
I talked a little while ago (as in, 3 hours ago) about being an exhibitor at Spectrum, and this time I want to focus on the experience as an attendee. Now, since I was an exhibitor and not a full attendee, there are plenty of things I missed, so keep that in mind. The famous […]
Last weekend, I had my very first booth ever at an art show. It was at the Spectrum Fantastic Art Live show in Kansas City, itself a first-time event. I’ve decided to write about my experiences, but it will take a couple of articles to get it all in. This one is the first part, […]
Travels of my first booth part 1: The mess of things
So, I went ahead and did it. I signed up for my first ever booth at a major art convention, in this case the Spectrum Fantastic Art Live show in Kansas City in May, 2012. What the hell was I thinking? Now, before we get any further, let me just say that I’m very much […]
Over the course of the last two years, from January 2010 to present, I’ve been writing monthly articles for the Apex Book Company. I’ve now compiled those two years of articles into an ebook collection, called Life As An Artist In Repose, now available for purchase on Amazon here. The idea behind my articles […]
For many years, coming from both illustration and graphic design, I’ve heard different discussions about what people charge to do their work. Sometimes it even sounds like a big, secret mystery, as if you aren’t supposed to talk about it in front of anyone. Which, as all of you who are consumers would be quick […]
Every so often, I get some idea rolling through my head that I just have to investigate. On this site of mine you’ll find experiments as dark as The Lost Nightmare, as wacky as zombie muppets, and many others that I just thought would be fun. After a discussion online earlier today with artist Chris […]
My children tell me that they love that I’m an artist, and that I have a vast knowledge of how to pull things off for Halloween. Now, of course, they just tell me that so I’ll let them stay up late to watch movies. But I have to admit, I think that their excitement with […]
A good friend of mine, Weston Ochse, just released a fantastic collection of stories, called Multiplex Fandango. Published by Dark Regions Press, Multiplex Fandango is filled with great stories, and I highly recommend picking one up as soon as you possibly can. Go here to do so. Now, you might be asking, why am I […]
I’m fascinated by creatures of all sorts, especially those that are a bit on the creepy side. Case in point, “The Mouth of Sauron”, featured in the extended edition of the film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. In case you haven’t seen the extended versions of the LOTR trilogy (which […]
The Tools and Materials I Use, Part 2: Painting and other uses
In the first part of the article yesterday (here!), I talked about the pens, pencils, and different paper stocks that I use as an artist. Today I’m going to discuss the other things that I do, including acrylic painting, matting, and so on. First off, the easy stuff. Painting with Acrylics Now, I’ve only been using […]
The Tools and Materials I Use, Part 1: Stock, ink, pencils
Whenever I’m on Twitter (and, to a lesser extent, Facebook and Google +), there always seems to be these great discussions about the type of materials and tools that artists use in their art. Often there are similarities, and quite often too there are new and cool things that I hadn’t heard of before. I […]
In starting up my new online stores, I decided that it might not be a bad idea to have a few items that weren’t as much about my art as much as just “cool”. Being that, without a day job, I don’t get to play with graphic design as much anymore, I thought it would […]
New Ink Art and working with reference: Cthulhucraft
I’ve been itching to do more ink work lately, and I decided over the weekend that H.P. Lovecraft’s birthday was a great chance to work something in. The trick, of course, in doing art of a recognizable character (or person) is that you just have to get it right. Sure, there is some leeway here […]
In the last few years, I’ve done something regularly that I hadn’t in the previous years. I’ve started to complete full sketchbooks, with some kind of art on every page. I’ve noticed that it’s a good time to go back and look through it, to see how things went over time. In this case, this […]
Sure, most of the time I’m a happy-go-lucky person with a cherub-like demeanor. But once in awhile I let the world get to me, as I’ve mentioned plenty of times on the site here. I’ve found one thing, that I love to do anyway, that gets rid of the depression usually. Chiclets. Ok, that’s not […]
Designing Foil Stamps for Covers: Maelstrom Set #2
Previously on my site here (well, here), I talked about foil stamp designs. I posted examples of designs from one of the books by Brian Keene, A Gathering of Crows. Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to create the foil stamp designs for the second Maelstrom set of books from Thunderstorm Books as well. […]
Recently, I’ve had a couple of commissions to do ebook covers. Which is great, because I really am a starving artist (unemployed and all), so commissions help me survive. But that’s only part of why we’re here, the other side of it (and the point of this article) is designing for ebook covers. Now, at […]
One of the great things that I like about digital art is the ability for programs (I use Photoshop) to let different layers of art interact. For example, I can have a painting of a character on one layer, with all the shadowing, anatomy, and so on, and on a different layer I can have […]
Ok, this is tutorial isn’t about making eyes at someone else, or processing new eyeballs to replace the ones your T-800 lost. It’s just a quick tutorial on one way to create eyes in Photoshop. More specifically, this is about the iris and pupil. There are many ways to do it of course, but this […]
I originally wrote this article for my Apex Magazine slot this month, but in the long run I decided to go a different way with it. I thought this one ended up a little more about creators than about the things the Apex might need, so I wrote a different one. That said, I think […]
As a freelance artist (and designer), the need to have a contract template available becomes apparent pretty quickly. I like to think I work hard as an artist, and I want my works to be taken care of and used in the proper manner. So, I did a bunch of research, read a lot of […]
Recently, a client of mine (who I used to do plenty of graphic design for) asked me for something a little different. Instead of the graphic design work that I’ve been doing for many years for her, she asked if she could commission a full painting from me instead. Being unemployed and poor, I made […]
I toy with my procedures all of the time, to try to do things better. If not better, than more uniquely, or to a different effect or feel, I’m certainly a tinkerer. Case in point, clouds. There are roughly 1, 192, 632,325 ways to make clouds digitally (“roughly”, he says), so by all means this […]
Nature and the artist: Rocky Mountain National Park
I think it’s very important as an artist to get inspiration from all different kinds of things. Especially nature, which offers so many unique and interesting features that, as an artist, I can’t help but be inspired. Sometimes it’s worth it to just take a drive, and see what’s around you. That might be cityscapes, […]
There are a lot of social networks out there, and often as an artist it can be difficult to choose which ones would be best. There’s something to be said for really needing to be doing art all the time, but I don’t think that’s quite fair. In my situation, as it is from many […]
I’m sure most people are aware of this, but here it goes anyway. There are people on the web that, when they find an image on a website, just grab the web URL directly to the image and paste it into their forum/website/blog/whatever. This is called hotlinking, as you are not hosting it on your […]
A fun new idea: artists posting at 10 am every day
Being on Twitter (quite often) gives me the chance to see what other artists are up to, and the kinds of projects that they work on. Case in point, yesterday Eric Orchard posted one of his sketches, and the idea came up that it would be fun if a bunch of artists decided to get […]
A few years back, I wrote an article about the art technique books I have (it’s here). I thought it might be a good time to revisit that, as well as post some of the artist books that I have as well. However, reading a bunch of text is probably pretty boring, and artists are […]
I’ve been considering doing an ink work of something from the film District 9 for some time, and I finally decided to fit it in here. I managed to fit it in between two other commissioned pieces (call it a “break”). I also decided that, instead of just an ink work, I’d have fun with […]
Something that comes up from time to time is the need, as an artist and a designer, to have a portfolio to show someone in person. That could be at a convention, or a job interview, various places where having a portable way to show your work would come in handy. For many years, I’ve […]
Creating a cover from scratch: Ray Garton’s Vortex
Despite the bad way that my year is going, I still manage to get some great projects by some wonderful authors. Case in point, I was given the chance to work on author Ray Garton‘s new book, Vortex, out soon from Cemetery Dance. It’s a great honor not only to work with one of Ray’s […]
For once, I’m posting less about art and more about life. Don’t worry, I’ll be getting back to posting about art soon enough. I think, looking at my work overall, you can see that I’m influenced by a great many things. I don’t really match any one artist, or one style, and I tend to […]
I think it’s important as an artist to look at a lot of art, and in fact I love nothing more than to flip through the many art books I have on the shelf. Seeing different styles, different techniques, and just appreciating what others have done is a great way to learn more about art, […]
My latest article for Apex Magazine (check it out here) is about, as an artist who likes being noticed, learning how to approach people. It’s not easy, and being a wallflower most of life it really becomes a challenge. As the article I wrote discusses, putting that first step out can be difficult, but can […]
I’ll be attending the World Horror Convention in Austin, Texas this week, and I’m hoping to meet a lot of people there. I have a number of friends that will be there, along with quite a few I talk with online who will be nice to meet in person. If you decide that you’d like […]
I’ve spent the last couple of weeks, while still working on projects and doing art and design, in a bit of a lost sense. I’m not sure why, but I’ve reached a bit of a crossroads with the world. Almost like this long, perceived journey is about to take on a different tact since the […]
I decided that it might not be a bad idea to take a step back and look at the inks I’ve been working on. For those that haven’t been following (I know, I know, no one has been), I started doing ink cards and ink works late last year as a way to learn more […]
I was recently looking around my office for a reference for a piece I’m working on, and after a short search I came up with what I was looking for. But when I was done I came to an interesting conclusion. I sure do have a lot of stuff. Now, I’m sure many artists, writers, […]
So, February ends, and with it the end of my day job. Yes, believe it or not, artists have to eat, and often have day jobs. Or their families have to eat, that sometimes happens too. In my case, I was the Creative Technologies Director for a nonprofit organization. As happens sometimes with nonprofits, the […]
Second star on the right, and straight on ’til morning
At the end of this week, I’ll be a guest at VisionCon in Springfield, Missouri. This is only the second time I’ve been a guest at a convention (though I’d love to be in more of them), but after the first time I realized how great it can be. We’ll set aside the part for […]
Graphic Design and Art: My cover for A Gathering of Crows
Some time ago, I discussed the genesis of the cover art that I created for Maelstrom’s edition of author Brian Keene’s A Gathering of Crows (check it out here!). For that article, I talked about the content of the art, what it meant for the book, and in general the idea behind what’s going on […]
Now, before we begin, let’s just say that my years of being an engineering student are way, WAY behind me. But I was looking at a couple of sites today that discussed the Golden Ratio or the Fibonacci Spiral, a quasi-magical scientific idea (let that roll around in your head for a minute) by which […]
Being a graphic designer as well as an artist can lead to some fun projects. When I’m working with authors, I tend to try to help them with what they need to push the books I’m doing the covers or other artwork for. After all, if they do well then hopefully I’ll get noticed as […]
I decided, since I had a few old frames left over from another project, that the best thing to do would be to destroy the ever-loving hell out of one of them.
From start to finish: The Cover of Brian Keene’s Scratch
I like seeing how art evolves, from the beginning of the thumbnail sketches all the way through the final product. I think you can literally see an artist’s though processes as they work through issues, try new things, and complete what their vision is. In my case, it might be more like watching chaos unfold […]
I never just charge into a piece for the sake of doing art, I always let it mull around in my head some first. Sometimes I have a pretty good idea and I just need to smooth things out. Other times, there’s a lot of thought in what the scene portrays, who’s in it, what’s […]
Since January of 2010, Jason Sizemore and MG Ellington over at Apex Magazine have given me the opportunity to talk on their blog each month about art, and how I create it. Now, so far, it’s been mostly rants about the things I see wrong with art and with the various genres I’m a part […]
I’ve been very anxious to show everyone this, and now, upon the release of the novella, I can do just that. Below I’ve attached a number of pieces of art that I did for author Brian Keene’s book Scratch, just released from Cemetery Dance Publications. Scratch, if you don’t follow Keene’s work (and his followers […]
Sometimes, I shudder to post new ideas or new techniques that I try. I never know if they really work out, if they are ok but just need work, or if they are so awful that the sun will shrivel up and we’ll all die. But, I also think that as an artist I always […]
Last year, a couple of friends (Mike Oliveri, Cullen Bunn, and a few others) were really talking up using a small writing or sketching book to jot down quick ideas. I’ve carried a larger sketchpad in my backpack for a long time, but I’d considered something smaller to compliment it. So, I ended up purchasing […]
When I’m not doing art (so-so art, really), I work both as a day job and as a freelancer in web and multimedia design and development. Most of the time, that means I have to turn off the creative side of my brain and slog through whatever code comes next. Sigh. But occasionally (and hopefully […]
Awhile back (and by “awhile back” I mean “over a year ago”) I wrote an art blog of Frederic Edwin Church’s beautiful painting called The Icebergs (check out the blog here… I”ll wait.) I won’t bore you with the specs again (I’ll be boring you with other ways now), but seeing it in person I […]
Family trips aren’t always conducive to finding those unique places that are either interesting, affective or both. But my wife’s family is from Oklahoma and Texas, and both states offer places that we visit when we are in the area. Above is one of the empty chairs from the Oklahoma City National Bombing Memorial, and […]
I was asked while at a gallery over the weekend what my artist’s studio/office looks like, and if I’m comfortable in it. It’s an interesting question, the environment in which we create the things that we do. I love seeing other artist’s studios, it gives me a sense of where someone’s coming from. They run […]
Now that the visitors are all gone, I’m getting back on track with things. There have been a few developments, and there are a couple of reminders here, so let’s get going. My art is featured in an actual, physical gallery locally now. The On Display Gallery in Fort Collins, Colorado, has a number of […]
I don’t do recaps too often, since, really, you could probably just scroll down and see it all anyway. But there are a few things happening away from this site, so I thought I’d highlight them. My Flickr “sketch every day” project, which is at least getting an OK start. I don’t think my Teddy […]
I don’t often get to art museums, so I make the most of it when a chance comes up (save for the Denver Art Museum, which is only an hour away). I think, though books and the web can certainly show you art you’ve never seen before, that being in the museum in person gives […]
After the accident (there’s a thread around here somewhere for that), I’ve had a hard time getting my head back into art. To help get that moving again, I’m returning to posting some of the sketches I’ve been working on. As always, they vary quite wildly, even on the same page. They range from sketches […]
Fantastic news, for the first time ever I will be an official guest at a con! I am one of the guests at VisionCon in January, in Springfield, Missouri (website at www.visioncon.net). Along with Brian Keene, Mike Oliveri, Cullen Bunn and a bunch of other folks. I went last year, and it was a great […]
The whole last week: KillerCon, accidents, and art
It’s definitely been an interesting couple of weeks, and to start things off here’s how last week (Sunday evening) started: Out in Colorado here we call that, “turning on a green arrow”. Basically, we get the green turn arrow (everyone else gets red), we start turning and BLAMMO!, other party never stopped at the light. […]
An interesting discussion came up today (both online and in real life) about what music drives our particular passions. I decided to go through my iTunes library and really see which tracks influence my art, or at least which tracks really drive me in certain directions with the type and style of work I’m doing. […]
Someone asked me the other day which art technique books I would recommend, and it’s not necessarily an easy answer. I’m very picky with those kinds of books, and there are so many out there that what works for you might not work for me. But I thought I’d at least throw out a few […]
My good friend Kirk Alberts suggested making my blog partly about design and art techniques, so I thought I’d give it a try. This one’s on Photoshop’s Warp abilities. One thing I missed from using Corel PhotoPaint all the time was the warp abilities that Photopaint had. There were certainly ways around that in Photoshop, […]
If things go according to plan, I'll have the vast majority of current projects off my plate once and for all within a couple of weeks. That includes a Flash game, a programming gig (ick), and my very first sequential arc. I'm just about done with the short seven page graphic story, one which I'm […]
