IT'S JUST A GAME

New pieces for sale in my Etsy shop!

L is for Lion, 2014, Acrylic on panel

S is for Wolf, 2014, Acrylic on panel

T is for Dragon, 2014, Acrylic on panel

Three, 5"x7" acrylic paintings done in the style of my recent animal alphabet pieces, based on the families in the Game of Thrones series: A golden "L" on red for the lions of Lannisters. A deep black "S" on snow white for the wolves of Stark. And a crimson "T" on charred black for the dragons of Targaryen.

R IS FOR...

R is For..., 2014, Acrylic on Board

Details

The next in my alphabetical series of paintings, R is for Raccoon! Keeping the same energetic, push and pull painting style as F is For... this piece depicts a rascally, rambunctious, bushy raccoon tail being lit by a flashlight in the dark. Raccoons are the next big thing ya know...

THE FORDS

The Fords, 2014, Adobe Illustrator

Not too long ago I completed a fun little illustration for the Thomas Ford Memorial Library in Western Springs, Illinois. I was asked to create some comic book style drawings of Mr. and Mrs. Ford based on their portraits that hang in the library. The idea was to tie them into the summer reading program's theme of graphic novels.

I kept the drawing quick and loose, stuck to a limited palette and used a digital watercolor and ink look complete with hatching. Give a hoot kids, read a book.

PRINCESS DAISY

Princess Daisy, 2014, Acrylic on Panel

And here is Princess Daisy complete. Originating from Super Mario Land, where the first levels are desert-themed, I went with some graphic pyramids for her background. Even though that game was on GameBoy (think the old green and black color scheme...), I kept the same SMB3 color scheme as Princess Peach.

Both are currently in the Game On exhibit at Side Street Studio Arts in Elgin, Illinois. So go check them out and see the other great video game inspired art there! The exhibition ends April 27th.

PRINCESSES

Princess Peach, 2013, Acrylic on Panel

I'm not a girly girl, pink and princess type, but I've started a series of paintings based on the ladies of the Mushroom Kingdom. 

I've chosen to focus on their seriously-not-a-damsel-in-distress stare and intricate hairdos and crowns. I chose iconic images from each game to make into a super flat, wallpaper-like background in the Super Mario Bros. 3 color scheme. And no, those aren't fire flowers in the wrong color or ice flowers behind Peach. I went with something a little more obscure -- they are the flowers in the matching games in Super Mario Bros. 3.

Ready to kick ass, Princess Peach is complete. Daisy will be next (below is the start of the process), and I would like to include Rosalina from Super Mario Galaxy to complete the set.

Princess Daisy Process, 2014, Acrylic on Panel

MARIGOLD

Marigold, Ink, Watercolor, Paint Marker on Panel, 2013

Here is the result of a previous entry I posted a month or so ago. I'm very excited to announce that this painting has been accepted into the Dia de Los Muertos show the Peoria Art Guild is having on November 1st!

Inspired by the beautifully intricate petal patterns found on different types of marigolds and of course the iconic, traditional sugar skulls and keeping the bright and festive feel of the holiday.

F IS FOR...

Here is my latest painting, one of the two I had in the Next Wave Art Salon a few weeks ago in Elgin, Illinois.

F is For..., Acrylic on Panel, 2013

I bought a flat Masonite board with the intention of making my own cradle for a nice, deep profile re-using some boards from my old bookcase. That is quite a bit of work when all you have is a handsaw and a sponge sanding block... However the not-so-perfect, woodsy look works so well with the overall energy, painting style and theme of the piece, so it was well worth it.

I'm so happy with how this turned out, there will be more like this, and maybe I'll end up with a whole alphabet. The next one will be "R" with a raccoon tail for some boy I know <3. But for now, this one will be hanging up in the apartment which has accidentally turned out to have a red and blue color scheme. Perfect.

Detail of the hand-cut cradle