Fail to the Redskins

Sorry, I couldn't resist that title, (parody of the team song "Hail to the Redskins") even though the Redskins fought bravely during Sunday's game. No sport captivates DC-area fans more than football and they love their 'Skins. I am not a football fan so I am not captivated. Even so, the playoff mania went so far that the game was broadcast into Trader Joe's instead of the usual pop music soundtrack. For the next month all we will hear about is (American) football as the Super Bowl approaches so I designed this decorative sign for sports-related displays all over the store. The streamers behind the flying football are in the colors of the Redskins, burgundy and gold. You can see the yellow goalpost at the edge of the rectangle. The blue sky is done in colored pencil, something I very rarely use for any Trader Joe's graphics. The signmakers will copy this on our office printer/copier and write the product, price, and advertising copy in the center of the graphic frame.

Markers and colored pencil, about 7" x 5", January 6, 2013.

Cambridge porch again

Here's another Cambridge porch study. I did this one as a gift for a bunch of costumer fans who had given me a portfolio of custom-made pose photographs for use as art references. This building, which was only a block from my own residence, was notable for its woodwork. In 1984-1985 I took classes in architectural drawing from nearby Harvard Graduate School of Design, and that has influenced my drawings of buildings from then until now. This picture is dated 1986. Note that there is a major mistake in this drawing, which I haven't caught until now, while closely restoring the image. The mailbox mounted on the blue wall near the door has no shadow underneath it. I could have simply created one in Photoshop but decided to leave it as is.

Ink and watercolor on Fabriano paper, about 10" x 8", summer 1986. Restored from a poorly photographed and preserved color slide.

Another Warhammer helm

My design for this helmet and armor comes from Renaissance parade armor and a bit of the old robotic Cylons in the original "Battlestar Galactica." The defining Warhammer factor is the huge pauldrons (shoulder guards) which are part of every Space Marine armor design, and probably copyright as well. In researching armor designs I have come across numerous Websites which offer custom-made costumes and real suits of armor and amazing amounts of stuff you can get for yourself to wear in live action role-playing or conventioneering or re-enacting or SCA or amateur film making or whatever. All you need is enough money to pay for it and you can look like a real knight. I am astonished at how many sites offer full sets of metal armor and a vast amount of costumes. Many of these are in Europe. In earlier days only the film or theatrical community would have access to such resources. Now anyone with the Internet and the bucks can have whatever they dream of. Was there always someone making this stuff for people to play in, or has the world gotten better at creating and marketing these things? And where is my Athena costume with a silver Greek helmet and my snakey breastplate? All right, I'm not statuesque enough for Athena. I'll have to think of another identity to dress myself up.

Warhammer helm is markers on sketchbook page, 4" x 5", January 5, 2013.

Cambridge porch

I lived in Cambridge, Mass. from 1976 until 1988 when I moved to the DC area. For most of my years I lived in an older neighborhood right next to the Harvard Divinity School, which I could see out my window. This neighborhood, known as the "Agassiz" neighborhood after the nearby Agassiz natural history museum, had many picturesque old houses. As now, I was very interested in this vernacular urban architecture, mostly wood frame houses with porches. I did a lot of house portraits, drawing the structure on site and then finishing it with watercolor at home in the studio. 

This piece depicts a house right around the corner from my residence. I drew it as a thank-you gift to some folks who had let me stay in their house in suburban Baltimore while I went to Balticon, the annual Baltimore science fiction convention. 

Ink and watercolor on Fabriano paper, about 9" x 12", summer 1982.

Warhammer Raven Helm

As you know, I've been reading novelizations from the game "Warhammer 40,000 AD." Since the game depends on moving painted miniatures around a constructed game space, the books contain detailed descriptions of environments, armor, weapons, vehicles and aircraft, and many spaceships. This makes illustrators happy. I find a wealth of artistic inspiration in this otherwise meaningless imaginary universe, where even the "good guy" characters kill, enslave, destroy whole civilizations, and obliterate planets. Even though the designs for the armor and gear are highly specified in game manuals, I've decided to get creative with illustrating Warhammer, starting with the fantastic armor. I use Renaissance designs for parade armor, as well as other grotesque and theatrical images from that period. Other influences would be Roman gladiator armor or medieval gargoyles. Here's a concept drawing of a helmet worn by the "Raven Guard," a legion of Space Marines whose helmets are beaked like their symbolic bird.

Ink and grayscale markers on brand new 2013 sketchbook page, about 4" x 4 1/2", January 2, 2013.

Party goers and holiday tree

Here are more iPad sketches from New Year's eve. An energetic partygoer gestures while talking, while another gentleman rests on the couch. I used "pine needle" texture imprints to render the holiday tree. One nice thing about digital drawing is that I can choose any color to draw in, as if I had all my colored pencils available, without lugging around a big heavy pencil collection. 

Autodesk Sketchbook  Pro, January 1, 2013.

Party glamor and happy new year

Happy New Year 2013, folks! Now don't be triskaidekaphobic. My friend Terilee appeared at the annual new year's party dressed to impress, with gothic-touched skull print leggings, steampunk boots, and an unusual print top. She also had a righteous hairdo. I did a sketch of her on the iPad while fascinated partygoers looked on. It's good to be with friends as the year turns, especially since Terilee is struggling with an even worse parent care situation than I have. I don't know what 2013 will bring but at least with my good friends I have someone to help me with moral support. I have plenty of creative ideas to work on in this new year and I also have some blog improvements planned. So stay tuned, By-Product readers, for continuing 100 per cent art and art by-products.

iPad sketch, Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, January 1, 2013.