ooblog

Here is Part 3 of my sketch book.  For those that have Monday off. . . Enjoy!

Here is part 2 of the sketches.

Here is part 1 of my favorite 10 minute or less figure sketches.  I used to start drawing in sketch books and for a variety of reasons and never completed the books from beginning to end.  This book was a guest book from a group gallery show I was in back in 2001.  It only had about 15 pages filed with comments about the show.  Here is to going back and finishing blank pages before getting new sketch books.

Recently I had a chance to look at the moon through a telescope.  I haven’t had that experience in over 20 years.  Although we accept the fact that space/planets/galaxy/universe exists, I couldn’t help but think “What is that thing doing out there.”  As this is Memorial Day weekend and people try to spend time with loved ones and family, I couldn’t help but think about those who aren’t here as well.  An appreciation for the now is always something to be thankful for.  We all have something to be thankful for even in memory.

Below is one of my favorite figure drawings, along with some details, from a sketch book still in the works.

Where do we go from here?

Often when I’m at the studio waiting for something to dry or when I’ve just finished  a project, I will work in one of my sketchbooks.  If I just spent a few hours inking something I might draw from my imagination, look for reference or inspiration, compose new ideas, or read up on industry stuff.  Anything to switch up the routine and use a different part of my brain instead of taking a break all together.  In  this way I can still be productive by focusing my time and energy on something else.  Originally I had planned to have my blog showcase images which are not available on my website.  This still might turn out to be the case in the future.  Until I can figure out what I want to do, I have decided to show you, two Bryce Dallas Howard studies created sometime around last August.  Around the same time her name came up because of the last Terminator movie and some Ron Howard interview.

Enjoy!

Here is the last installment of the small sketch book I used to carry with me.  On the last page you can see some stickers I made years ago.  I should make some more.  Does anyone have any sticker ideas they want to see.  Send me an email at “stickers”at”oobust.com with the header “Stickers. . . Here’s a thought” and I will see what I can come up with.   Although it will take a while, I don’t think it will take me as long to complete the second little sketch book I started as I draw in it fairly frequently.  I have completed about 15 pages which is about two pages a week.  Once again, there is no real rush on it as I have plenty of other drawings I’m cooking up in other ways.  Lately, the more things I complete the more projects seem to come to mind.  This is a good thing, but I can’t help thinking that the line will never end.  On another note, I can’t help but think about how Spring is here.  The sun definitely tried to wake me up this morning.  I look forward to longer  and warmer days and hopefully happier passers by.

The other week it snowed and I thought it might be better to call Global Warming, Global Climate Change even if the first term may be considered more accurate.  My thought is that someone might think “Hey man, it’s snowing.” What’s all of this none sense about climate change.  I didn’t realize some news stations would actually promote such false claims that Al Gore and 95% of the science community might be wrong.  Are our problems only relative to what we see in front of us or are the pictures of significant ice caps melting not enough.  So here is my thought.  Let’s suppose you are at the doctors office and in this case he has some fairly good news. He says “you are going to live. . . as long as you change your habits.  Smoke less, eat better, exercise, yata yata yata.  So now you have a choice to make and it’s a  pretty obvious one.  Now let’s think about the skeptics who think Global Warming doesn’t exist.  Let’s say climate change isn’t entirely mans fault made much like poor eating habits might not be the only thing that could cause a heart attack.  Let’s think that this is a normal planetary phase.  The answer is still to slow it down or try to change it since it’s prevention depends on our lively hood.  We know we can do something about it.  We know we can make lifestyle changes. We know that we want to live.  No difference in the doctor scenario except for the fact that in this case you are choosing for everyone on the planet and not just yourself.

While I’m at it, if we can figure out how to make water and/or start a colony on the moon (or Mars for that matter) fixing our problems on the planet seems like the more logical step.

So what are you going to do?  Below I’ve included part two of a little sketchbook finished a few months ago.

I will probably update this with better words tomorrow, but I’m headed out so this is a quick post.  My studio mate DongYun had a show which was wonderful that opened on Thursday.  Good news is that it was a good show, but the bad news is you will only be able to enjoy it in photos as the show is already down.  Although I’m not a football fan I have to congratulate the Saints as New Orleans could use some positive luck/vibes.  I did some work this week which I will have to post down the road.  Since we are already in February, I want to show some images from my small sketch book that I finished in December.  Once you see all three installments you might notice some sort of progression or change.  Here is to installment one which I started while I was at SVA.  Of course, SVA makes up the second half of the book as the first half spands several years of occasional tinkering.

Life never unfolds the way we might expect.  As much as people might hear this, the elusive quality of how one puts together parts of our own life experiences is not any clearer than a memory. Often no more tangible or predictable.  To make matters more complicated, as individuals, we shape these thoughts with different perspectives and opinions making a reality everyone can agree upon problematic.  It is as if the strength in ones vision is more important at times than the reality which unfolds before us or maybe even helps shape the real reality we actually experience.  Today, being exceptionally warmer than I would have predicted, presented itself as a theme worth sharing.  Belief in ones artistic vision along with some sort of outside support or validation in an artistic practice are key elements for a healthy future.  All that being said,  I hope 2009 had more bright days than sad ones for anyone reading this and I can only hope 2010 provides some good fruit for the seeds which have been planted.  See you all in the New Year.

One more week of blogging before the end of the new year and I have one more installment of this sketch book (part 3 next week) before I close the chapter.  In order to make this a  great experience for everyone, I want to open up a dialogue to the readers.  Maybe this is a mistake, but you never know until you’ve made it right?  I would like to know in as short and as clear of a manner as possible what readers want to see or hear about in 2010.  In order to clarify, I’ve decided to start the discussion with some topics I’ve covered over the year.  Do you want to see more process, photos of random NY things, stories of things which have happened to me/others, art tips, current events, contest/give away, suggestions?  As I get an assortment of comments through the blog please direct these emails to suggestions”at”oobust”dot”com and make the subject read blog 2010.  Thanks in advance for reading/participating and have a wonderful holiday. Below I have included more figure drawings from a sketch book I started out being frustrated with, but have grown to love.  Enjoy!