The Boss

Working on some mediums I need sharpening. The top image incorporates an old acetate method I used during University. Mixed feelings about these but I wanted to draw a line underneath them.

MCA

 A couple of portraits of Adam Yauch/ MCA who died recently. When I first got into Hip Hop when I was about 13 I think. I started with Run DMC, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and Beastie Boys mostly because I wanted to listen to the earlier stuff, that was good and didn't rely on bad language.

I was going to make the colour version, another addition of Rappers and the things they say, but I decided to leave it unfinished as I didn't want it to ruin it.

 I was looking through my deviant art gallery and I was looking at some of university course work. During the end of my second year and the beginning of my third year, before I discovered the joys of monotype printing and massive oil paintings, I was exploring the effects of acetate and tracing paper. I found an art shop near me that sells acetate, which was the main reason I stopped. I could find it, but not the right kind that held ink well. Treating tracing paper with fixative makes it less opaque and it interesting in terms of layers. The only issue I haven't really solved, is the warping aspect. The only way I have overcome this is limiting the amount of media I use and more water-based paints are no good.

Left is a portrait of Nick Cave and the other one is Ryan Gosling in Drive. Great film by the way.

Rappers and the things they say.

I had this idea a few years ago and did complete a few paintings for it. I have already done one of Pharoahe Monch too. I will pick it up again, though finding decent reference is a nightmare.

 These are a series of experimental drawings I tried. Basically, I think my pencil and line work is the strongest aspect of my art and illustration. However I don't think I've ever successfully translated that into a painting. Plus I haven't been drawing as much I should have as life does seem to get in the way.

All of these are created using the same process. A base colour is put down, and then a layer of Gesso primer. Then the pencil. No real planning on the image. The top one was a portrait of Cat Power, and the other two are from stock photo sites.