How I Start a Painting

I quickly rough in areas of color using the concept sketch as a loose guide. Later on I may paint over a color with a different one or leave a color that was laid down at this roughing in stage.

This painting is 22 × 22 inches.

Colors roughed in. You can see the concept sketch at the top that I follow loosely.

Pears

I'm working on another grocery store produce piece. I want to experiment with some of the Artistic and Techno brushes on the background and maybe some more detail work on some of the pears.

Created with Infinite Design on my Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet.

Melons

Last night I completed this drawing of some melons using Infinite Design. When I exported it to a png file I realized some parts of the drawing near the bottom were not rendering properly. After fiddling with it awhile I discovered the opacity settings on two of the layers appear to be causing the problem. So I spent an hour on a workaround that now shows everything as it should be.

I ended up setting the opacity of the two layers in question to 100%. I then duplicated one of the layers and removed parts of both of them to get the desired effect I had tried using opacity settings.

Parts of the shadow and light colored stripes over the background are missing in the exported png file. I believe this is because the two layers these elements are on have lower opacity settings.

I spent a little over an hour fixing it so the missing elements now appear in the final exported png file.

In the Groove

Getting some red paint into the grooves between slats on the sides of a box. I will then sand the paint off the surface of the slats at the same time knocking off the high and rough spots so the surface is more even.

Piece with a curtain

Progress continues on a piece that will have a curtain. This one is turning out quite different from the original concept. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with the background. 

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Map Puzzle

I started working on these map puzzles and created a few using Sketchbook Pro on my Galaxy tablet. I created this one using Infinite Painter to try out the tools and working environment. Infinite Painter is an excelent and powerful Android app. So far the only drawback I have encountered is it's battery hog. The fault could be mostly with my device.

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Flying Objects 5.0 Update - :-(

I received a letter yesterday from the Department of Community and Economic Development via the Arts Council informing that my two sculpture proposals were not accepted into the Flying Objects 5.0 project for downtown Salt Lake City. Kinda disappointed. I am hoping I can uses the models and proposals for something else in the future.

Some New Android Apps

I started working with a couple of new Android apps about a month ago. Both Infinite Painter and Infinite Design are produced by Infinite Studio. I won't go into all these two apps are capable of because I am still learning them. However they are packed with features and tools. Here a couple of examples I have been working on to try them out.

This drawing of my kitty cat was created in Infinite Design. I exported this as a png file and I was also able to export it as a svg file which I then opened in Inkscape smoothly and without any problems.

This drawing of my kitty cat was created in Infinite Design. I exported this as a png file and I was also able to export it as a svg file which I then opened in Inkscape smoothly and without any problems.

This was created in Infinite Painter. This was my learning project. I really like this app.

This was created in Infinite Painter. This was my learning project. I really like this app.

I saw a nice group of peppers in a grocery store and created this drawing with Infinite Design.

I saw a nice group of peppers in a grocery store and created this drawing with Infinite Design.

Making Molds of Dog Treats

I need to make some plaster casts of dog bone treats so I scrounged up two sizes of dog bone treats and am in the process of making some molds of them using Mold Builder a latex material.

A fresh coat of Mold Builder applied to the dog bone treats. This is the fourth coat and I will probably add a few more coats of mold material until the molds are thick enough to hold the Durham's Rock Hard Putty without sagging.

A fresh coat of Mold Builder applied to the dog bone treats. This is the fourth coat and I will probably add a few more coats of mold material until the molds are thick enough to hold the Durham's Rock Hard Putty without sagging.

Cheap Tools: Clamping

I still don't have a lot of proper tools so I often use what I can find on hand. This time I raided the downstairs pantry and grabbed a couple flats of crushed tomatoes to use as wieghts to clamp some glued box/frame pieces together.

Building a frame for a box piece. I found some nice wood from a  packing pallet for the face of the box. Waiting for some glue to set up.

Building a frame for a box piece. I found some nice wood from a  packing pallet for the face of the box. Waiting for some glue to set up.

My First Solo Show

My first solo show opened in the Jacob Spori Gallery at BYU-Idaho in Rexburg on February 4, 2016.

Barbara and I left Pleasant Grove on Wednesday after work and arrived in Rexburg shortly after 7:00 in the evening. We arrived just as the snow was beginning to come down. The next morning we went to the Spori Gallery where we met Kyoung Dabell the curator of the Spori Gallery who took us to the university radio station. I was interviewed by Brandon Isle the Radio News Coordinator which was recorded and to be aired later that day. We went back to the gallery and surveyed the exhibit making slight adjustments to a few of the pieces hanging while I waited for Caleb Despain a reporter with the Standard Journal to arrive. After the interview with Caleb we went to the Manwaring Center for lunch then off to check in to the hotel.

A very cold and snowy Thursday morning.

A very cold and snowy Thursday morning.

A view of Some of the Cayucos Lattice works. The work on the left is for viewers to doodle on using colored pencils.

A view of Some of the Cayucos Lattice works. The work on the left is for viewers to doodle on using colored pencils.

The west wall of the Spori Gallery.

The west wall of the Spori Gallery.

These two mosaics are on loan for the exhibit from two good friends.

These two mosaics are on loan for the exhibit from two good friends.

Cayucos Lattice No. 7

Cayucos Lattice No. 7

After a rest at the hotel during which time I took the opportunity to refine my slide presentation we went to the Manwaring Center for a very nice dinner with some of the wonderful people from the university and art department. After dinner we went over to the Ricks building where I spoke before what seemed like a packed house at the art seminar. I got a chance to talk with a few students after the seminar before heading up to the gallery for the opening. I also got to get reacquainted with Carla Jimison and Scott Franson who I haven't seen for some time.

A well attended opening reception.

A well attended opening reception.

The opening ran from 7:30 to 9:00. It was great fun meeting people and answering questions and talking about experiences. I got so wrapped up with everyone that it was time to close up before I knew it. We got out of there by 9:20 I think it was.

This was one of the most popular events at the opening. Anyone who may draw whatever comes to mind on this piece using color pencils that are provided.

This was one of the most popular events at the opening. Anyone who may draw whatever comes to mind on this piece using color pencils that are provided.

This is the state of the piece by the end of the opening the first day of the exhibit. It will be interesting to see what happens by the end of the exhibit in a month.

This is the state of the piece by the end of the opening the first day of the exhibit. It will be interesting to see what happens by the end of the exhibit in a month.

A Cayucos Lattice work flanked by two Small Studies drawings.

A Cayucos Lattice work flanked by two Small Studies drawings.

There are nineteen Small Studies drawing in the exhibit. These drawings are being shown for the first time in public.

There are nineteen Small Studies drawing in the exhibit. These drawings are being shown for the first time in public.

This show includes old as well as new works and representational as well as abstract. I also got some new ideas to start working on. I feel honored to have been asked to show my work at this venue. And I am grateful to Kyoung Dabell and the students who work with her who had a hand in putting the exhibit together and all the events connected with it. Thank you all.

Models Completed

I completed the models for the Flying Objects 5.0 proposals last night. They turned out rather well. At first I used some 6/32 screws with nuts to bolt everything together but wasn't pleased with the result then I found some 6-32 x 3/8" and 6-32 x 1/4" set screws that work much better and keep things tidy.

The pieces are made from laser cut MDF, acrylic paints, set screws, and acrylic paint. The pole is made from a dowel painted black. And the base is made from a piece of pine with a piece of coarse sand paper glued to the top and painted.

Follow me. It's time to play.

Dog Eat Dawg

Models underway

Yesterday I dropped some 1/8 inch MDF board at Custom Laser Specialty to get things started on a couple of models that are due by Jan 11, 2016 to the Finch Lane Gallery. The parts should be ready by Monday the 4th so I should be in good shape to get them put together and ready to deliver by the due date. Below are the drawings of the two pieces.

For the finished pieces I am looking at using 1 inch thick aluminum plate that has been water jet cut. The pieces would be powder coated and bolted together.

Good Year Gone. Good Year Ahead.

I must say it has been a good year. I participated in two shows at the Phillips Gallery, produced some larger works that I have been wanting to do, lined up two shows for next year and got a lot more ideas for new pieces in the works. I also had a great experience working with two good photographers taking some images of some of my work. I got a chance to meet and get to know some great folks at Custom Laser Specialty in Lindon and have them do some laser cutting for me.

I have great hope for this coming new year and look forward to some exciting work and successes. Thanks to everyone who has expressed encouragement and positive vibes.

Getting ready for exhibits next year

I framed ten drawings from the Small Study project. The frames are set up so the pieces can be easily changed since these drawings are not meant to be permanently displayed. Here is one I chose from the 200+ drawings. These are personal drawings that I don't plan on selling. The originals were created using water-soluble crayons and graphite on 7.5" x 5.5" rectangles of Bristol paper.

A Monochrome Work in Progress

I got a piece that I thought was destined for the junk pile but came up with an idea to save it. The piece was cut with curves made of straight line segment instead of being smooth curves. I did get a better version of the piece cut with smooth curves. So here is a sneak peak at what I am doing. More on what will happen with the piece later.

I'm using white, very light gray, and cream colors on top of a brown gray undercoat.

I'm using white, very light gray, and cream colors on top of a brown gray undercoat.