Lucas' Art

"Dark Ascension" Magic Card- "Vengeful Vampire"

2012-01-23T10:52:00.000-08:00

Here is another card I painted for Magic's new Dark Ascension set. In this card a vampire seeks revenge on a town that shackled and tortured him. I went for the moment when the sun is just going down and the vampire is eager to start the massacre!

The original painting is 12x16 and done in oil on gessoed illustration board.

Here is a detail shot.

New "Dark Ascension" Magic Cards.

2012-01-15T10:07:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of Magic cards that were released on their SITE. The double faced cards is something new that Magic is doing with their sets. There's an article describing the thoughts behind the concept HERE.

Both original paintings are 12x16 oil on masonite.
Soul Seizer

Ghastly Haunting

Watts Atelier 2012 Winter Schedule

2011-12-15T16:31:00.000-08:00

The NEW Winter 2012 class schedule for the Watts Atelier is available. The Fall term is about to end and we recommend early registration to secure a seat. Classes will sometimes fill up quick. The new session starts January 9th. Here are the classes I will be teaching:

20 MIN FIGURE LAY-INS
Tuesdays 2:30pm-5:30pm

PORTRAIT PAINTING IN OIL
Tuesdays 7:00pm-10:00pm

Click on a class above to be directed to the class page. Feel free to contact me with any questions. lucasgraciano@yahoo.com

Spectrum Miss-Credit

2011-12-10T16:21:00.001-08:00

There was a miss-credit in Spectrum 19 this year. I was credited for a piece Chris Rahn did. I'd be more than willing to take credit for anything Chris painted,(man this guy can paint!)but I can't in good nature sit back to enjoy this one. He deserves to be rightfully acknowledged. Congrats on getting a full page in Spectrum Chris!

Fantasy Art Magazine China Article

2011-11-19T21:29:00.000-08:00

Fantasy Art Magazine China did an article on me about 4 years ago. I was recently contacted again by the editor for a follow up article. Once again the magazine is in Chinese and I can't read a word, but the article looks nice. You can view the PDF of the article HERE.

New Innistrad Magic Cards

2011-11-12T18:08:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple of new Magic card that were released in the Innistrad set. The zombie one is 16x12 oil on masonite and the siege machine one is 8x10 oil on masonite.

Drogo, Viserion, Rhaegal

2011-11-09T09:07:00.000-08:00

Just got back from IlluXCon and it was another amazing trip. That show is so awesome! I met a lot of new people, some of which whos work I've been following for a while now. I got to catch up with a some old friends as well. There are a lot of changes happening with that show in the next 2yrs that I'm really looking forward to. New location, bigger exposure, and much more. Make sure to head on over to the IlluXCon offical site to get all of the latest.

Above is a tryptic painting from one of my favorite book series. I've been wanting to do a painting from "A Song of Ice and Fire" for a while now. I finally found some time to work on this personal piece. They are 3 seperate 8x10 paintings in a 36" custome frame. The painting is available for purchase. Contact me for more info.

IlluXCon 2011 Tease and Info

2011-10-07T09:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. My wife and I had our first kiddo on Sept 18th and as you can imagine, that keeps us very busy. With IlluXCon less than a month away I wanted to give a tease at one of the paintings I'll be bringing. Yes, yes, more dragons. :) I also wanted to mention that I will be doing a live critique panel at IlluXCon this year along side fellow artists Dan Dos Santos, Lars Grant-West, and RK Post. If you're at IlluXCon make sure to stop by and say hi. I'll have several new works along with new prints.

Watts Atelier 2011 Fall Schedule

2011-09-08T08:33:00.000-07:00

The NEW Fall 2011 class schedule for the Watts Atelier is available. The Spring term is about to end and we recommend early registration to secure a seat. Classes fill up quick. The new session starts October 10th. Here are the classes I will be teaching:

20 MIN HEAD LAY-INS
Tuesdays 2:30pm-5:30pm

LONG POSE PORTRAIT PAINTING
Tuesdays 7:00pm-10:00pm

Click on a class above to be directed to the class page. Feel free to contact me with any questions. lucasgraciano@yahoo.com

New WoW Card

2011-09-03T14:12:00.001-07:00

Here is a WoW card I did a while back, I'm not sure exactly when it was released, so this might be old news. The original is 11x14 oil on masonite and will be available for purchase at IlluXCon this Nov.

2011 Chesley Award!!!

2011-08-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

I got some good news today! Amorphous Drake has won me a Chesley Award for the Gaming Related category. Amorphous Drake was done for Sony Online's Legends of Norrath card game. There was some amazing work nominated this year. I feel very honored to be represented amongst such amazing talent. Congrats to everyone who was nominated and to everyone who won their category. Irene Gallo has put a post on her Tor Blog that announces the nominees and winners.

On The Shelves: "The Chinese Contemporary Distinguished Oil Painter: Zhang Hongnian"

2011-08-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of my new work showing up on the blog. I've been doing a lot of new work. A ton of Magic cards, and I did my first cover for a Forgotten Realms book. I'll show the work when I can! But in the mean time, here is a "On The Shelves" post for you.

I first heard of this artist from a student at the school I teach at. Zhang Honginian had done work for National Geographic in the early 2000's. I remember seeing it and being amazed. Now I was introduced to his work again last year and found that he had a book. He paints a variety of subject matter, but the work I'm most impressed with is his epic Chinese narratives. This is a very nice book! It's 15 x 10.5 in size which makes for some great full size images and lots of close detail shots. Just under 200pgs, the book is full of the artist's best work. It comes in a hard book sleeve, the quality of the book is one of the best I've seen. With a price tag of $180, you might think twice before buying the book. If you're a fan of his work and good books, this is a must have for your collection. You can find more about the book and the artist at his website here: Zhang Hongnian

Here are some samples of his work, most if not all are in the book:

Painting From The Masters - Student Work

2011-07-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

I'd like to share some paintings from my Painting From the Masters class last term. The class is designed to give the students a chance to learn a painting technique from a master painter who's work they are inspired by. The class is designed for a beginner or advanced painter. The beginner will learn about mixing color, paint application, what materials best suit a situation, and how to see color for value. The advanced student learns the more subtle techniques- shape design, edge manipulation, and other various painting techniques. I think painting from the masters is one of the greatest ways for a student to learn about painting. In the end each student comes out with an awesome painting to hang on their wall! Here are some paintings done by my students during the course:

Cynthia Mahlberg after Morgan Weistling

Jim Woodhead after Norman Rockwell

Tom Sabourin after Joaquin Sorolla

Tom Sabourin after N.C. Wyeth

Ju Oshiro after Daniel Gerhartz

The Goblin Corps Illustration -Step by Step

2011-07-07T12:55:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I've done any kind of tutorial and since The Goblin Corp book was just released I thought it might make a good one.

First let me talk about how I got the assignment. It was my first trip to IlluXCon in 2009 and my first time anywhere showcasing my work. When Pat Wilshire invited me to the event I have to admit I had many reservations, mainly because I thought I wasn't ready. I would have to travel across country, ship all of my work and supplies out, set up a booth, show my work with lots of amazing artists some of whom I've been admiring since I was a kid. I swallowed my fears and agreed to do the show. It was the best thing I could have done for my career to this date.

Pat set my booth up right in the thick of it. I had Brom to my right, Don Maitz to my left, and Dan Dos Santos and Larry Elmore right across from me. The pond I was swimming in suddenly felt a lot bigger. As I was getting set up, I was already getting positive responses on my work. This helped put my nerves at ease. To make a long story short: I made lots of new friends, sold some work, and made some very valuable contacts, including Lou Andres who commissioned me to do The Goblin Corps cover. I guess my point is, make yourself accessible and self-promote professionally. Networking is one of the best ways to get noticed.

Step 1- Thumbnails
My first step after receiving and reading the manuscript is to do thumbnails. I want to get out as many ideas as possible so, I fill sketchbook pages with little composition ideas. All the while I'm thinking about the book cover template I will have to stick within. For example- 1/4" bleed around the image, title of the book, authors name, etc. I try to stay in the thumbnail phase as long as possible. The longer I'm in this phase the more interesting(not always good)the sketches get. It forces me to try the unconventional. Now I may end up going with one of my first few sketches in the end, but I still like to see my options. No one sees these except me.

Step 2-Rough Comps/Sketches
After I narrow down a few that I like, I'll do little qouache comps or rough sketches to show my art director my thoughts. I keep these crude and simple, no need to spend a lot of time making these pretty, these are just to get basic ideas out. Once the AD has had time to look them over we discuss what we like and don't like. I then get a better idea of what the AD likes and either continue the sketches or move onto the next phase depending if the AD likes one in particular.

Step 3- Detailed Sketch
Once the AD is happy with the compositon I do a sketch showing a bit more detail and my ideas for the smaller designs. I will now reference books, images on the internet, other artist's work, and movies for as much reference and inspiration as possible. In this phase is where the AD will get to make changes to the overall designs like porportions, specific costume or environment details, etc.

Step 4-Shooting Ref
In this part of the illustration process, I either borrow or buy costumes and props, and either hire a model or use friends to get my reference. Most of the time I use myself or my wife, it's the cheapest and most accessible way to go. I try and shoot all of my photos from one vantage point that's as close to my horizon line in my sketch as possible. Sometimes a reference shot I shoot works better than what's in a sketch, use it! If you hire a good model, let them give you ideas, sometimes it's for the best. You also have to be a good director, knowing when and how to push your models.

Step 5- Final Drawing
After filtering and printing out all of my reference, I do one last drawing. I usually blow up my rough sketch and drop the opacity on it so you can barely see it. I then print out the rough onto archival bristol paper and do a final drawing. I do this because it saves time, and I can help carry over that "fresh" feeling the initial sketch had. Using my reference photos I can now put that extra layer of reality into the drawing. I figure out all of the nuts and bolts, the last details and designs.

Step 6- The Painting
I then use a projector to transfer the sketch onto a surface. Most of the time I paint on heat tempered gessoed Masonite. I don't have any pics of the process of my painting, but I'll briefly describe my main process. I usually wash in my colors and values with a thinned layer of oils. I'm mainly looking for the overall mood of the piece. If I can capture this early on, I have a better idea of what the final will look like. Once the white of the surface is covered I pick an area and start to render. I usually start in a focal area and bring this close to finish, this will help dictate the finished look for the rest of the painting. From here on out, it just takes time. I render bit by bit and I'm constantly taking breaks to get away from the painting. It's important to look at it through "fresh eyes". It's very easy to get tunnel vision which can keep you from looking at the painting as a whole. After I'm finished I send it over to the AD for approval. If there are revisions, I'll usually do them in Photoshop to save time. Once approved I send the client a high res image which I shoot of the painting myself. Invoice and wait for payment. While you wait, go pick up The Goblin Corps and read it. =)

CG Hub Feature

2011-07-02T09:39:00.000-07:00

I've been featured on CG Hub's main page along with some very talented artists. Here is a link- CG Hub.

Panama Laugh Cover

2011-07-02T09:24:00.001-07:00

Here is a cover I did for Night Shade's new zombie apocalypse book, Panama Laugh. It was written by Thomas S. Roche. It's not released yet, but you can find more info on the book here: Panama Laugh. The final is 16x20 oil on masonite.

Watts Atelier 2011 Summer Schedule

2011-06-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

The NEW Summer 2011 class schedule for the Watts Atelier is available. The Spring term has just ended and we recommend early registration for the next term. Classes fill up quick. The new session starts July 11th. Here are the classes I will be teaching:

PAINTING FACIAL FEATURES IN OIL
Tuesdays 2:30pm-5:30pm

HEAD,FIGURE, AND QUICKSKETCH
Tuesdays 7:00pm-10:00pm

Click on a class above to be directed to the class page. Feel free to contact me with any questions. lucasgraciano@yahoo.com

Into The Pixel - Updated With A Chesley Nom!

2011-05-26T08:20:00.000-07:00

Update: Amorphous Drake is nominated for a Chesley Award for Best Gaming catagory. I feel very honored to be nominated amongst such amazing artists! Congrats and good luck to all who were nominated.
Amorphous Drake was one of 17 winners in this years Into The Pixel gallery. Into the Pixel is a collection of art designed for video games. It will be on display at E3 on June 7-9th. Congrats to all the other winners!

Master of Devils Cover

2011-05-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a cover I did for Paizo's Pathfinder Tales novel. You can find more information on the book at Paizo's main site.

Here is the full image-

Rest in Peace Jeffrey Jones

2011-05-19T09:12:00.000-07:00

One of the most influential aritsts of our time has passed away today. His work has been a big inspiration on me. RIP Jeffrey Jones.

NEW Pathfinder Cover

2011-04-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

The Paizo site has released a second cover I did for them.

Here is the original. It's 24x18 oil on masonite.

You can find more information on the book at the Paizo site here - Faiths of Balance

Pathfinder Cover

2011-04-06T14:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a cover I did for Paizo's Pathfinder. The original is 24x18 oil on masonite.

Here is the full image-

You can find more out about the book here- Pathfinder

New Magic Card - Grave Titan + Spectrum 18!

2011-03-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

It was just pointed out to me that a Magic the Gathering card I just finished has already been spoiled. Original is 16x20 oil on hardboard. Here is the link with the spoiler cards-
Magic Spoiler

The Spectrum winners list was also announced and my name is on it! Congrats to everyone who got in!
Spectrum 18

Watts Atelier 2011 Spring Schedule

2011-03-09T13:41:00.000-08:00

The NEW Spring 2011 class schedule for the Watts Atelier is available. The Winter term is about to end and we recommend early registration for the next term. Classes fill up quick. The new session starts April 11th. Here is a list of classes I will be teaching:

PAINTING FROM THE MASTERS
Wednesdays 2:30-5:30pm

FIGURE QUICKSKETCH
Wednesdays 7:00pm-10:00pm

COMPOSTION AND PICTURE MAKING
Thursdays 10:00am-1:00pm

DRAWING THE DRAPED FIGURE
Thursdays 2:30pm-5:30pm

Click on a class above to be directed to the class page. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

On The Shelves: "Wild Harvest: The Animal Art of Bob Kuhn"

2011-02-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

First off I have to appologize for the lack of posting lately. I've been extremley busy. I have new work to show, but I have to wait for those pesky NDA's to lift. I'll be posting some new work soon.

On my birthday about 4 years ago, my wife told me she got me something but it hadn't come in the mail yet. After a couple of weeks she finally got the package. I asked her what took so long as I opened the gift to reveal the Bob Kuhn book I've been wanting. She told me that this was one of the last few books that the seller had available and he was a friend of Bob Kuhn's. Bob Kuhn was in the hospital at the time. The guys selling the book took the book over to Bob in the hospital to have him sign it for me. This made the gift that much more special! It was unfortunate but Bob died shortly after.

Bob was one of the best wild animal painters of his time. I was always impressed with how well he captured the gestures of animals in his paintings. His style of painting was very loose and often the ground of his intial lay-in would remain in the final, a kind of a Bernie Fuchs or John Harris feel. It's so inpiring to see how much he could get with so little.

The book is now out of print and going for around $150. It has 168 pages with 133 color plates and 36 b&w illustrations. The first edition was limited to 4,800 copies and comes with an "Artist's Book Plate" certifying the copy. You can still buy used copies on Amazon.com

Wizard World Anaheim Appearance

2011-01-23T12:18:00.000-08:00

I was invited to attend Wizard World Anaheim in April this year as a guest artist. This has sparked me to make an "Appearances" section to the blog. Right now I only have two scheduled appearances, but will post others as I figure out my schedule for the rest of the year.

Watts Atelier - Student Years: Still Life Painting

2011-01-16T08:33:00.000-08:00

Still life painting has always been one of my favorite classes. I know, most of you are thinking..."Really?! But isn't that a class for old ladies who like to paint flowers?" Absolutely not!

The number and variety of textures you learn to paint in one of those classes is great. If you're planning on working in illustration, concept, or fine art, it is one of the best classes you can take. I learned to paint various types of metals, colored glass, fruit, and other sorts of textured surfaces. Learning to paint differnet types of cloth: satin, velvet, linen, sheer, and more. All of this I took into painting my fantasy illustrations. Being able to paint the illusion of a certain kind of material adds so much depth to a painting.

I took the class most often with Meadow Gist and once with Jeff Watts. Each week would be a new 3hr study. Sometimes we would even do gesture paintings of 40-60min studies. During these studies I was also learning another level of dexterity with the brush. The nice thing about still life as well as landscape painting is that you have more freedom to experiment with brushmanship, color, and design. A portrait has to look like your subject, but a still life painting can be pushed and pulled in lots of directions with more room for error. This way of thinking allowed me to take more chances. Sure I failed a lot, but I also gained a confidence that I think, allowed me to take chances in my illustration work.

I've taught the class myself a couple times since I started teaching at the school. This has helped me reinforce a few things in my own work.

On The Shelves: "Not Far From Home- The Paintings of Daniel F. Gerhartz"

2011-01-06T20:13:00.001-08:00

I was introduced to Dan Gerhartz's work not long after I started training at The Watts Atelier. I've been a big fan ever since. He's a fine artist from Wisconsin. I've been lucky enough to see a few of his originals. I've always liked his sense of lighting, his bold brush strokes and the richness he gets in his colors. I've been waiting for him to come out with a book and this one does not disappoint. The book is 175pgs with plenty of full page color images. The reproductions are crisp with plenty of close up shots of various images. Every dozen or so pages he gives a couple of paragraphs of insight into what he's thinking when he executes a particular painting.

If you're a fan of fine art and like his work, you'll want to pick this one up. If you're into fine art and you've never heard of him before, check out his work. You can see more of his work and purchase the book from his site, www.danielgerhartz.com

Watts Atelier 2011 Winter Schedule

2010-12-19T09:05:00.000-08:00

The NEW Winter 2011 class schedule for the Watts Atelier is available. The Fall term has just ended and we recommend early registration for the next term. Classes fill up quick. The new session starts January 11th. Here is a list of classes I will be teaching:

REILLY ABSTRACTION: HEAD AND FIGURE
Tuesdays 2:30-5:30pm

HEAD,FIGURE, AND QUICKSKETCH
Tuesdays 7:00pm-10:00pm

FIGURE INVENTION
Thursdays 10:00am-1:00pm

HANDS,FEET, AND DRAPERY
Thursdays 2:30pm-5:30pm

Click on a class above to be directed to the class page. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Goblin Corps Book Cover

2010-12-17T16:57:00.000-08:00

Here is the cover I did for Ari Marmell's Goblin Corps book due out third quarter of next year. Most of you have seen this since it was part of my IlluXCon post, but here it is with tile and all. I got to read the manuscript for this book and it's a good one! Think, LOTR meets Inglorious Bastards. It follows a band of elite, evil warriors who are sent on several secret, suicide missions for The Dark Lord's campaign. You will find yourself rooting for the "bad guys". Head on over to Ari's site for more info:

Ari Marmell

New WoW Illustrations: Worldbreaker Set

2010-12-12T09:04:00.000-08:00

Here are a few new WoW illustrations from the new Worldbreaker set. All of these are oil on masonite.

Watts Atelier - Student Years: Gouache Class

2010-12-03T08:47:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd try a new post section. I'm calling it "Watts Atelier - Student Years". This will be some of my studies and memories from when I was a full time student. I still consider myself a student and probably always will be, however this will be a record of my first few years at The Atelier. I will share some of my drawings, paintings, and how The Watts Atelier has helped me become the artist I am today.

The first post of this series is about the Gouache classes that the school has. I found this to be a great transitional class between drawing and paintings. The way the media is taught is very much like drawing with a little extra. In this class is where I was first introduced to the term "Tiling". The term refers to a shape placed next to another shape with an assigned value and color that will give the illusion of form rolling into or away from light. Tiling helped me build a discipline in how I approached each piece of art. I had to understand the nuts and bolts to give each tile it's accurate shape and value.

Gouache is a media that I love to use. Of course it does have it's idiosyncrasies, like lighter values drying darker and darker values drying lighter. In the beginning, trying to figure out how much water to use with how much paint can be a challenge. The reward in the end though is great! I still use gouache for color comps, small master studies, and even just for sketching. It's a media that is easy to travel with, easy to clean up, and relatively inexpensive.

The Gouache classes I took at The Atelier were pivotal in my education. Gouache was a great bridge for when I went from drawing to oil painting and I still carry a lot over from gouache into my oils. If you ever get the chance to study gouache with someone who does it well, I highly recommend it!

On The Shelves: IlluXCon Splurge!

2010-11-19T19:45:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite parts of going to conventions is the chance to pick up books and sketchbooks by my favorite artists. I got to pick up a bunch of books I've been wanting to get for a while and found a few that were new to me and was happy to snag. So here is a list of my spendthrift's from IlluXCon.

Donato's Lord of the Rings book...need I say more.

Visions of Middle Earth

Steve Prescott had copies of his sketchbook Aggregate. He did an awesome sketch in it for me. Thanks Steve!

Aggregate

Robh Ruppel's, Aspect Ratio book is so cool. It's a collection of some of his concept and sketch work.

Aspect Ratio

Justin Gerard also had a sketchbook book. I tried to give him my money, but he insisted that we traded up. I gave him a couple of prints and he gave me a copy of his Silverage sketchbook. I still think I got the better end of this deal!

The Silverage

Dave Palumbo had copies of his Quickie book at the show. It's a collection of his gallery work.

Quickie 2010

Now I already had this, before the show, but I thought I'd give Daren a plug. He was selling his book with sketches at the show. Another great book!

Art of Daren Bader

Scott Altmann had a sketchbook with a lot of his paintings, I meant to pick this up but forgot before I left. Sorry Scott, save one for me!

Scott Altmann Sketchbook

I also picked up a book by Petar Meseldzija, The Legend of Steel Bashaw. I've seen his work in Spectrum on numerous occasions and got to see a few of his pieces in person. That guy can paint! He's got a large copy of that book that I didn't get the opportunity buy.

The Legend of Steel Bashaw

Also picked up the new IlluXCon show book!

IlluXConcepts 2

I didn't actually pick this one up, I had it waiting for me when I got home. I was tempted to buy one anyway though!

Spectrum 17

Back From IlluXCon!

2010-11-16T20:14:00.001-08:00

Wow! What an amazing time. I got to meet a lot of new people and see some old friends I haven't seen in a while. A group of us traveled out together and what a great time it was. We left a day early to visit a couple of museums. We saw the Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Brandywine. This was my second trip to Brandywine and it's definitley better the second time around.

I displayed some new work which I've posted below.

Stoutheart Soldier, Oil on masonite 11x14 - Legends of Norrath Card. Copyright Sony

Goblin Corp, Oil on masonite 24x18 - Fantasy Novel Cover. Copyright Pyr

Lacedon Infestation, Oil on masonite 24x18 - Dungeon Cover. Copyright Wizards of the Coast

I also picked up a number of books from various artists. I'll make a post on those in the next couple of days. For now, I need to catch up on some sleep.

Off To IlluXCon!

2010-11-09T17:49:00.001-08:00

I'm just about to walk out the door to drive into San Diego to catch my flight. Before I left I wanted to leave those of you who won't be able to make it out there with a preview of one of the pieces I will be displaying. I'll catch you all in a week!

New Dungeon E-Magazine Cover

2010-11-05T07:48:00.000-07:00

The new Dungeon E-Mag cover came out for this month. I'll have the full(20x16)painting for sale at IlluXCon this year....eh, next week! If you're going to make it out to IlluXCon, make sure to stop by and say hi.

Dungeon Magazine #184

New Blog: Muddy Colors

2010-10-25T10:38:00.000-07:00

I just came across this new blog that a group of some of my favorite illustrators have put together. It's a colaboration from artists: Dan Dos Santos, Jesper Ejsing, Eric Fortune, Justin Gerard, Donato Giancola, Arnie Fenner, Jon Foster, Greg Manchess, and John J. Palencar. So, head on over and check it out if you haven't seen it already.

Muddy Colors Blog

Tournament of the Phoenix 2010

2010-10-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

One of the best ways to get inexpensive fantasy reference is to head over to the local Renaissance Fairs. I try to make it to at least a few a year. There is one fair in particular that is unique to the others. The Tournament of the Phoenix! I was lucky to catch this event a couple of years ago, and from here on out I think I'll make it a yearly thing. At this fair, they have all of the same things you might find at any Ren Fair, with the exception of one thing...full contact Jousting!

A group of people from all over the world get together and hold tournaments. Just like in medieval times. They have Jousting, Skill at Arms, Archery, and various other competitions. Each event is narrated by a professional who turns each event into a great informative show.

I use the opportunity to snap hundreds of pictures. Everything from the action to details on armor. I was at this event this weekend for about 3 1/2hrs and I shot almost 900 pictures. Maybe I should just get a digital camcorder.

I even came away with a little souvenir. One vendor had a really cool display of handmade leather sketchbooks. Full with cotton paper. I couldn't pass this up!

Here are a couple of sketches from some of the reference I shot.

On The Shelves - "Catalog Raisonné on William Bouguereau"

2010-10-15T23:18:00.000-07:00

FINALLY!!! I pre-ordered this book 3-4 years ago, back when it was first announced. Let me start by saying.....it was well worth the wait!! All of the delays this book went through was done to make this the ultimate Bouguereau collection, and let me tell you, this is the ultimate Bougereau collection.

The Catalog Raisonné comes in a 2 volume set and both books are great. One book is about his life and work, which is quite extensive. The second book is a catalog of all his work with photos ranging from 1/4pg to full page and from black and white to color. My concern was that they were going to try and cut corners with printing a lot of black and white photos. This is not the case. The amount of full page color work in these books is great! There are very few pages that have no pictures, and with both books totalling 903 pages, they didn't pull any punches.

Now lets talk $, because if you want to own this book set, you're really going to have to pay for it. I paid $350 for an unsigned copy from the Art Renewal Center. They have a signed(by the people who put the collection together) copy of the book for $450. Now, Amazon has the book listed at $261.34, but has it listed as "Not yet released". So, I'm not sure how sure a thing that price is. I'm a little bumbed that I paid $350 at Art Renewal Center when Amazon is offering it at $90 less, but I'm just happy that I've got the collection.

If you're a fan of Bouguereau's work, this is a must have. ARC really did an amazing job on this!

Portrait Study

2010-10-03T10:31:00.001-07:00

This was done as a study in a class I taught. The class size was kind of small the last week so I took advantage and did a small painting. It's 14x11 oil on canvas board and I spent about an hour and a half on it.

20 Minute Head Studies

2010-10-03T10:25:00.000-07:00

I fianlly made it into a class to get some training in. I've been so busy with illustration work that I've been neglecting my study time. I found that I just have to make time to take class, otherwise I'll always be "too busy". This was a page I did in our 20 Minute Head Lay-in class. Each head is around 20min.

IlluXCon 2010 Teaser

2010-09-22T12:10:00.001-07:00

IlluXCon 3 is right around the corner and I still have tons of work to do before the show. Last year was such an amazing convention. I got to see a lot of great work and meet a lot of great people. At this years IlluXCon I will have lots of new original work for sale as well as original drawings, prints, and artist proof cards. Displayed above is a small teaser of some of the new work I will have displayed. I hope to see a lot of you I saw last year!

Lucas' Influence Map 2010

2010-09-14T19:48:00.000-07:00

So here is my current influence map. I say current because there are always new artists and other influences makeing their way into my life. It will be interesting to do this in a year or two to see what's changed. These are by no means my only influences either. There are just too many people that influence me to all fit on this tiny map. So if you don't see you're work up on here, it's nothing personal.

New WoW Illustrations

2010-09-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of new World of Warcraft TCG illos I did for the Icecrown set. Both oil on masonite.

Watts Atelier 2010 Fall Schedule

2010-09-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

The NEW Fall 2010 class schedule for the Watts Atelier is available. We are on the last week of our Summer term, and recommend early registration for the next term. Classes fill up quick. Classes start October 11th. Here is a list of classes I will be teaching:

DRAWING THE FORESHORTENED FIGURE
Mondays
2:30pm-5:30pm

HEAD DRAWING
Mondays
7:00-10:00pm

20 MINUTE FIGURE LAY-INS
Tuesdays
10:00am-1:00pm

PERSPECTIVE ESSENTIALS
Tuesdays
2:30pm-5:30pm

Click on a class above to be directed to the class page.

Artwork On A Mousepad

2010-09-03T17:29:00.000-07:00

Sony is now selling prints and mousepads with a couple of images I did for their Legends of Norrath series. Pretty cool. Sony Online Store

Illustration Sketches

2010-08-20T09:27:00.001-07:00

Here are some examples of my final drawings for various illustrations. After the rough sketch is approved by the art director, I shoot my reference and then do a tighter drawing that I will later transfer to my painting surface.

Lord of the Rings Illustrations

2010-08-12T23:29:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me well, know that I'm the biggest fan of LOTR...That's right bigger than any of you! =) I finally got the chance to work on a LOTR card game and I couldn't be more excited! Here are my contributions.

"Gandalf the Grey" - 11x14 oil on masonite

"Radagast's Cunning" - 12x16 oil on masonite

Chesley Award!

2010-08-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

Some big news here! I just got a call from my friend John Picacio informing me that I've won the category I was nominated for in the Chesley nominations. Irene Gallo has put up the list of winners on the Tor website. Congrats to all of the winners!

Tor Article

Charcoal Demos and Warm-ups: Spring Term 2010

2010-08-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of my demos from last term at the Watts Atelier. All of these are charcoal on newsprint and about 25min each.

On The Shelves - "Cover Run: The DC Comics Art of Adam Hughes"

2010-08-02T15:45:00.001-07:00

I've been a fan of Adam Hughes' work for a long time. I love his creative compositions, the personality he can get in each of my favorite superheroes, and his simple yet not so simple look he gets in his work. This book is long overdue for me. It has most of his iconic illustrations in full color, full page reproductions. It also has a lot of sketch and thumbnail work(my favorite stuff)through out the book. The book comes in at 208pgs and will cost you $26.39 on Amazon.com. If you're a fan of his work, do yourself a favor and pick this one up while it's still inexpensive.

Here are a few shots from the book:

2010 Illie Nom

2010-07-17T17:58:00.000-07:00

I just found out that my piece, "Tiamat" was nominated for the 2010 Illie, as best traditionally painted illustration of the year.(I don't know about that!) Head on over to the site, register, and vote for your favorites. Congratulation to all of the other nominees!

2010 Illie Nominees

Fantasy+

2010-07-15T23:51:00.001-07:00

Last summer I did an interview with a Chinese book publisher. I had completely forgot about it and today I had a surprise waiting for me in the mail! The complimentary copy of the book finally came. This book is done very well. 192 pages with 200 illustrations. The prints of each image are high quality and lots of full page images. In the book you also find work from Donato, Vokan Baga, Daren Bader, Eric Fortune, Don Maitz, and many more talented artists.

In case you were dying to get this book, the only place I've been able to find it is at the publishers site: Cypi Press. If you download their PDF catalog it has the price and other info. The book is in English.

New Magic Illustrations

2010-06-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of Magic Illustrations that were recently released. Both 12x16 oil on masointe.

Chesley Nomination!

2010-06-18T22:32:00.000-07:00

This was some unexpected and very exciting news - My piece, "Silverwing" has been nominated for a 2010 Chesley Award in the "Best Gaming-Related Illustration" category. Congrats to everyone else who was nominated! Check out the 2010 Chesley Award site for the other nominees.

Silverwing

Watts Atelier 2010 Summer Schedule

2010-06-10T10:23:00.000-07:00

The NEW Summer 2010 class schedule for the Watts Atelier is available. We are nearing the end of our Spring term, and recommend early registration for the next term. Classes fill up quick. Classes start July 12th. Here is a list of classes I will be teaching:

DYNAMIC STILL LIFE IN OIL
Wednesdays
2:30pm-5:30pm

CREATING AN ILLUSTRATION
Wednesdays
7:00-10:00pm

FIGURE QUICKSKETCH
Saturdays
10:00am-1:30pm

PAINTING FACIAL FEATURES
Saturdays
2:30-5:30pm

Click on a class above to be directed to the class page.

SOE Illustrations

2010-06-04T11:03:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of SOE Legends of Norrath illustrations, Both oil on masonite.

On The Shelves - "Hero Bear and The Kid"

2010-05-28T09:23:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't done a comic book for my "On The Shelves" series yet, and I don't know why! So here is the first - Mike Kunkel's "Hero Bear and The Kid" series. I first came across this comic what had to be a decade ago. I remember the year it first came out. I was at comic con and saw this comic for the first time. I thought WOW! I'm going to try and find this guy and see if I can talk to him....well, every other person at the con had the same idea. So, I didn't get to meet Mr. Kunkel, but I did follow his Hero Bear comic for a while. I just fell in love with the personality he was able to capture in the 2 characters. It was just a light heart, fun comic to read. The loose sketchy style of the comic was also a welcome freshness to comic books. Jump on over to his blog, you won't be disappointed! Mike Kunkel Blog

Absinthe Fairy

2010-05-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a commission I finished for a client who is decorating their new restaurant with Absinthe themed paintings. She commissioned several artists, and I was one of the lucky few! The painting is 36x24 oil on stretched canvas. The restaurant where the painting will be on display is in San Luis Obispo, CA. The restaurant is slated to open at the end of the year.

World of Warcraft Illustrations

2010-05-14T17:15:00.000-07:00

Has it really been over a month since my last post?! Sorry everyone! Been busy with work and started up teaching again. Here are a couple of WoW TCG illustrations I did a while back. They were recently released to the public. I've got a lot more work I'll start posting as it comes out of NDA. So, keep checking back!

Sony Interview

2010-04-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

Sony's official Legends of Norrath site has put up an interview I did a while back.

Interview

Charcoal Demos and Warm-ups: Winter Term 2009

2010-04-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

Here are some warm-up's and demos from last term. All 20 min.

Watts Atelier 2010 Spring Schedule

2010-03-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

The NEW Spring 2010 class schedule for the Watts Atelier is available. We are nearing the end of our Fall term, and recommend early registration for the next term. Classes fill up quick. Classes start April 12th. Here is a list of classes I will be teaching:

LONG POSE HEAD & FIGURE
Wednesdays
2:30pm-5:30pm

HEAD< FIGURE< QUICKSKETCH
Wednesdays
7:00-10:00pm

OIL PAINTING FUNDAMENTALS
Saturdays
10:00am-1:30pm

FIGURE DRAWING
Saturdays
2:30-5:30pm

Click on a class above to be directed to the class page.

On The Shelves - "A Sketchy Past: The Art of Peter de Seve"

2010-03-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

I'm still waiting on some work to be released before I post anything new. So,in the mean time here is another book that I just picked up. I was so excited about this book that I had to share it right away. Many years ago I picked up a book of sketches by a guy named Peter De Seve. This was the first I had heard of him and I loved his work right away! This month he is out with a new book that has a lot more of his illustration work. This guy really understands storytelling and design. I found myself laughing out loud as I flipped through the book. There are some very creatively funny illustrations. Every page is covered with art. There are full page illustrations, thumbnails, rough sketches, and character designs. The book is about 240pgs and every page is a treat! You can buy it from his website: www.peterdeseve.com

Some images from the book:

On The Shelves - "The Landscapes" by Richard Schmid

2010-02-28T21:29:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying just this.......This is an AMAZING book! Other publishers should look at this book when they layout all other art books. Not only does this book weigh in at a whopping 11x14 in size, it's also 268 pages with full size images on almost every page, front and back.
I'm so sick of having to buy 5-6 books on one artist to get even a decent amount of his/her paintings in my book collection. I keep having to buy larger bookshelves, and I'm running out of room! With most of these books, not only will you get half of the images in black & white and thumbnail size, a large portion of these are writing. Now, I'm all for reading a good book, but when I buy an art book, I expect there to be nice full page color images. "The Landscapes" does not disappoint!
The soft cover will run you $75, and expect to pay $150 for the HC. Trust me when I say the book is worth every penny!

Here are some images from the book:

Phil Hale Master Study

2010-02-22T21:33:00.000-08:00

Last term I taught a Painting From The Masters class. The students would pick one illustrator and one fine artist, and recreate their favorite painting from that master. As a demonstration I picked Phil Hale's "Poorly Casanova" painting. It was a great painting to copy, I learned a lot recreating it. I painted it at 13x20, the Phil Hale original is 38x70.

D&D Dungeon Magazine Cover

2010-02-11T11:16:00.000-08:00

More dragons! As a kid I've always loved drawing dragons. Now that I'm all grown up, there are people out there who will pay me to draw dragons! I don't know if it gets any better than this! Here is the cover for the Feb issue of Dungeon Magazine.

24x36 Oil on Masonite

SWG Illustration

2010-02-08T18:36:00.000-08:00

Sorry for not updating more. Been real busy with more work that I will show here later on! Until then here is a piece I did for the SWG set last year.

On The Shelves - "The Russian Vision: The Art of Ilya Repin"

2010-01-22T11:23:00.000-08:00

This is a great book! Repin is one of my favorite artists. He was a Russian painter from the mid 1800's-early 1900's. At 288pgs it's the most comprehensive book out on this artist. I have a couple other Repin books, but they don't compare to this one. (Except maybe for the old one on him, which is out of print and hard to find). This book retails for around $50 and is still available, but probably not for much longer.

Here are some images in the book:

I was fortunate enough to see the painting below in person. While I was in NY they had a Russian show at the Guggenheim Museum. Definitely a highlight of the trip!

Illustration Process Step 3: Final Sketch

2010-01-17T15:02:00.001-08:00

After the initial thumbs and rough sketch I am confident the main graphic design will work. Now I will look for detail. I will shoot reference and clean up my rough sketch. I use the same method of transfer as my thumbs to my rough sketch as I do with my rough sketch to my final drawing. By printing out a very light copy as a template, I save time and energy, and I maintain the same quality feel I have in the rough sketch. In the final drawing it's about details, proportion, perspective, and trying to avoid tangents. After I am happy with the sketch, I will project the drawing onto my painting surface....and thus begins the painting.

....to be continued. =)

IlluXCon 2009 Video

2010-01-16T08:24:00.000-08:00

The Wilshires put up a cool video from the latest IlluXCon. Pretty cool! I can't wait for next years con! Click on the link below to check it out.

IlluXCon 2009

Illustration Process Step 2: Rough Sketch

2010-01-15T14:07:00.000-08:00

Next step for me is a rough sketch from one of the thumbnails. I will scan my thumbnails, scale it up to 8.5 x 11, and print the one I like at a very low opacity. This acts as a guide for my rough sketch. I usually don't use reference at this point. I will add value and details. Pretty much just cleaning up the thumbnail. After I feel that it has enough clarity for the art director to tell what's going on I send it over. Once approved, I then move onto the tighter drawing. I will post this in a couple of days.

Illustration Process Step 1: Thumbnails

2010-01-06T08:07:00.000-08:00

So here is a new series of posts. I'm going to show the progress of an illustration I am currently working on starting here with the thumbnails. In my thumbnails I am merely looking for interesting shape break-up. I try and think in 3 simple values. This will ensure a strong read for the final illustration. I force myself to do more than just a couple of thumbs, I want to get as many iterations as I can think of. This will give me more to choose from in the end.
I have the drawing almost completed, so I will post that next.

Classes Start In A Week!

2010-01-04T08:48:00.000-08:00

Classes start in one week! There is still time to sign up. There is still room in my DESIGNING DRAPERY IN OIL and PERSPECTIVE ESSENTIALS classes. Click on the links below to get a more detailed description.

DESIGNING DRAPERY IN OIL
Tuesdays
2:30-5:30pm

PERSPECTIVE ESSENTIALS
Wednsdays
2:30pm-5:30pm

I'm looking forward to starting the new term! I hope to see some of you there!

Charcoal Demos and Warm-ups

2009-12-30T08:27:00.001-08:00

Here are some 25min demos and 5 min warm-ups from last term.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-26T07:45:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

A painting I did for my sister for Christmas. It's her cat, "Miao Yin".

On The Shelves - "Dean Cornwell - Dean of Illustrators"

2009-12-14T08:37:00.000-08:00

Ever since I was introduced to Dean Cornwell's work, I've been a huge fan. I picked up this book about 7 years ago and I'm glad I did. It was the second printing of the book and has now since gone out of print again. You can still get it for around $150 which isn't bad considering the quality of the book. As far as I know this is the only book on his work and it is packed full. The book has a lot of full color images and a lot of the preliminary work for his finished pieces. I was fortunate enough to see a few of his pieces while I was back on the east coast. His paintings are a lot of fun to look at because of how much paint he used. Very thick! Anyway, go pick up this book while you still can!

Here are some pages from the book.

Watts Atelier 2010 Winter Schedule

2009-12-09T18:36:00.000-08:00

The NEW Winter 2010 class schedule for the Watts Atelier is available. We are nearing the end of our Fall term, and recommend early registration for the next term. Classes fill up quick. Classes start January 11th. Here is a list of classes I will be teaching:

20 MINUTE FIGURE LAY-IN
Tuesdays
10:00am-1:00pm

DESIGNING DRAPERY IN OIL
Tuesdays
2:30-5:30pm

PERSPECTIVE ESSENTIALS
Wednsdays
2:30pm-5:30pm

VISUAL DEVELOPMENT FOR PICTURE MAKING
Wednsdays
7:00-10:00pm

Click on a class above to be directed to the class page.

Another Gouache Comp

2009-12-08T23:15:00.000-08:00

Here is another gouache comp studied from Mr. Phil Hale....

Gouache Comps From The Masters

2009-12-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

These were demos from a 'Composition From The Masters' class I taught this term. The main goal was to get familiar with how masters broke up space using shapes and values. The exercise with the color comps is to establish the mood and color harmonies that the masters got. Each comp takes no longer than 30-40min. The goal is not detail, but getting the overall graphic design and mood.

Masters studied here: Jean Leon Gerome and Frank Frazetta

Masters studied here: Dean Cornwell and Lawrence Alma-Tadama

Watts Atelier - Winter 2010 Brochure

2009-12-01T22:54:00.000-08:00

Here is the new brochure for the Winter schedule. Here is a link to the PDF version: Winter 2010 Brochure

Older Portrait Work

2009-12-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

Here are some portrait paintings done over the last 4-5yrs. You can see me trying to adopt that loose Jeff Watts style. Notice how I said "trying"...
This one I did as a demo for a portrait painting class I taught about 3yrs ago.

This one was done in a workshop. I believe a workshop I took with fine artist, Carolyn Anderson.

This one was done in an outdoor portrait painting class. You see the best part of living in San Diego is that our weather is almost always good out door painting weather. It was a great change compared to studio lighting.

On The Shelves - "Merlin" Aleksi-Rossbach-Istin

2009-11-27T08:31:00.000-08:00

I just received my copy of Merlin and it's a damn cool book! I had to order it from overseas because no one here in the states carries it. There is some amazing art and the layout of the pages is especially nice. Every page is full of collage style work retelling the story of King Arthur. Unfortunately it's all in French and since I can't read the language I'll have to use my imagination from the artwork. I'm assured by a friend that the story is one of the better King Arthur stories told. You can see quite a bit of influence from a range of different artists like Alpohnse Mucha, Yoshitaka Amano, Alma Tadama, and even a bit of Waterhouse. I highly recommend this book, just get ready to pay more in shipping than the actual cost of the book if you live here in the state!(not really)

Here are some shots from the book:

World of Warcraft Illustration

2009-11-24T10:47:00.000-08:00

Here is a World of Warcraft TCG illustration I did a while back. It was release about 2-3mos ago and I thought I'd share a larger version.

More IlluXCon 2009

2009-11-19T07:54:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more photos from IlluXCon, taken by Ryan Schutter.

Dan Fowlks talking with Boris and Michael Hayes reviews a portfolio.

Donato's booth take over and Dave Seely talks with a fan.

Some shots from around Altoona, PA.

IlluXCon 2009

2009-11-18T07:58:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone-
I can't begin to describe how amazing IlluXCon was! I met some amazing people and made some new friends. The smaller size of the convention made for a more intimate setting. There were a lot of one on one conversations between artists, students, art directors, and collectors. There was definitely something very special about this particular convention. Kudos to Pat and Jeannie Wilshire for hosting such a great event. The hard work they put into the show made for a wonderful time. Everyone one I talked to seemed to feel the same way. So if you missed it this year, make sure you go next year. This is one you will not want to miss.
Here is a shot from the 2nd floor from one of the students at the show. I thought it encompassed the feel of the show floor pretty well. And, yes that is my booth right in the middle of the picture! That is Brom to my right and you can see Dan Dos Santos across from me. I can't wait for next year!

The Undead Step by Step - Psychopomp

2009-11-11T07:59:00.000-08:00

I'm off to IlluXCon tonight. I wanted to update the blog one more time before I left. Looking forward to meeting all sorts of new people, and catch up with a few friends!

Here is a third step by step of a character/illustration I did for "How to Draw and Paint the Undead". This character is commonly known as "The Boat Man" or "Charon". He comes from Greek mythology and ferries the dead to the underworld for coin. I think that most of my inspiration for the character came from the original "Clash of Titans" movie.

Just like the previous undead posts, I start with thumbnails and try to come up with a look that might work for an illustration. Thumbnails are a great way to get ideas out quick with out laboring over details.

Now we have the turn around. As a concept artist, in gaming studios, you'll most likely do quite a bit of these. The turn-around acts as a blue print for the team that will model the characters in a 3D program.

...and the finish. I really enjoyed working on this project. They were a smaller company and didn't have a large budget. This allowed me to explore some painting styles I may not have normally done.

On The Shelves - "The Lure of Paris: Nineteenth-Century American Painters and Their French Teachers"

2009-11-09T08:52:00.000-08:00

I first saw this book about 5 years ago when Jeff Watts brought it into a class I was taking. This book is great! It covers some of my favorite painters. At 295 pages with an image on almost every page, this book is very well done. The only disappointment is that about 65% of the images are b/w. That aside there are plenty of full page full color images. You'll see work from Jean-Leon Gerome, William Bouguereau, John Singer Sargent, Charles Sprague Pearce, and another dozen artists you've probably never heard of that are equally as good. The book is out of print and goes in price between $120-$700. Check out Bookfinder.com for the best price.

Here are some pages from the book.

WFC Oil Demo

2009-11-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

I know that most of you also follow Erik Gist's blog, but I thought I'd post the demo as well, just in case you don't. We had the first panel of the convention and had a better turn-out than I thought we would. We spent about an hour on it for the demo and maybe another 40 min each in the hotel room. The theme of the convention was Edgar Allen Poe. So we thought it was an appropriate demonstration idea.

IlluXCon Preview 6 - Sith Master

2009-11-02T07:54:00.000-08:00

Just got back from World Fantasy Con. I got to meet some real nice people, and sit in on some very informative panels. E.M. Gist and I headed up one of the panels for a live oil painting demonstration. I'm sure he'll be posting the finished painting soon on his blog. When he sends me the image, I'll post it here.

Now I'm gearing up for IlluXCon. No rest for the wicked! I'll be flying out to PA next week. Posted below is the final image I'll be showing for this series of posts. This one was done for SOE's Star Wars Galaxies game.

World Fantasy Con Demo

2009-10-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

Hey all,
E.M. Gist and I will be doing a live, relay painting demonstration in San Jose at the World Fantasy Con on Thursday the 29th at 3:oo pm. If you are planning on attending come by and say hi. We will also both be exhibiting in the art show.

On The Shelves - 'Shadowline: The Art of Iain McCaig'

2009-10-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

I picked up this book early this year and I couldn't be more pleased! Ian McCaig is best known for his work on the Star Wars films. This book is full of his sketch and finished work for a number of different projects. I love seeing an artist's sketch process and this book is definitely not short of that! The book retails for around $40 and is worth every penny!

A couple of shots from the book.

Oil Demo Step by Step

2009-10-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a step by step from my painting demo yesterday. One of my students was nice enough to take these and send them over to me.

Head Drawing Demos

2009-10-13T23:01:00.000-07:00

Here are a few head demos from last term.

IlluXCon Preview 5 - Silverwing

2009-10-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

Another piece done for Sony. I will be bringing this one up to World Fantasy Con for the Art Show at the end of this month. It will be available for purchase at the IlluXCon in Nov.

On The Shelves - "The Works of Mian Situ's Oil Paintings"

2009-10-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

Arguably one of the best fine artists living right now. Mian Situ comes from China and is now a local of Southern California. He and his wife own a gallery in Laguna Beach, only about a 35min drive from where I live. I'm inspired by all range of artists and collect books from all types. I believe there is something to learn from everyone. Whether it be a fine artist or a comic book artist, I find inspiration all around.
So far this is the only book on Mian's work. It's 64 pages, which is a little short, but the book is large and every page is full size/color with great reproductions. The only place you can get this book is the Situ's gallery. I'm not sure if they still have it in stock, but email them and find out. I've met his wife and she is a very nice lady. The link to their gallery: Situ Art Gallery

Here are a couple of images from the book.

Paint-Out

2009-09-29T10:47:00.000-07:00

The Watts crew had a painting session with California Art Club President, Peter Adams this past weekend. Peter brought in some viking opera costumes and we hired a couple of models for the day long paint-out. The lighting was pretty cool, very different from what we normally paint from life. There were a lot of really nice paintings. I thought I'd share mine.

On The Shelves - "Arnold Friberg: The Passion of A Modern Master"

2009-09-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

Arnold Friberg was an illustrator/teacher in the mid 20th century. He's one of those artists that most people don't know of. He was most well know for his Royal Canadian Mounted Police paintings. He was also a big part of the visual development for "The Ten Commandments". I believe this out of print book is still available, though may be hard to find. You can also see his work in various smaller books :
"Arnold Friberg's Christmas Book" and "Classic Scenes From the Book of Mormon: The original twelve paintings by Arnold Friberg", and others.

Here are a couple of images from the book.

New Work

2009-09-21T17:00:00.001-07:00

Here are a couple of images from the SWG set from Sony.

On The Shelves - "The Orientalists"

2009-09-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

Here's the start to a new section of my Blog. Each week I will post a book from my shelves or a book I would like to add to my shelves. I'm starting with "The Orientalists" by Kirsten Davies. One of my all time favorite books. I first pick up this gem on a trip to NY back in 2005. I think it was at the Met. There are dozens of artists in this book that I guarantee you have never heard of, and are all amazing! Among some of them: Jean-Leon Gerome, Edwin Lord Weeks, Frederick Arthur Bridgman, Charles Bargue, and many more. The book is out of print, but you can still find used copies for around $60-$70, but not for much longer.

Those of you who know me, know I'm a huge fan of the Orientalists paintings. I collect almost every book I can find on them. I even went as far as doing a master study from one. I chose to do "Arab Merchant Among His Antiques" by Charles Bargue. I've always loved that painting and learned quite a bit from copying it. The original by Charles Bargue is only 13" x 9.5", which is WAY too small for me to try and copy. The copy I did is twice the size at 24" x 18" and is hanging at The Watts Atelier. I don't know where the original is. If anyone finds out, please let me know, I'd love to see it in person.

Study after Charles Bargue , oil on masonite