As you can see, the website is currently getting a face lift. Certainly for the better. A lot of new artwork will be hitting the site soon, along with some of my graphic design work. So stay tuned folks!
-Davel
NEW WORK – SILENCE OF SIRENS!
It took well over the course of a few months to finish this, but it's finally fucking done. It seems like I can't go one year without getting wrapped up in a big piece. What originally started off as a portrait of my friend and fellow artist, Charmaine Olivia, soon turned into a major exploration into new territories. As I was working, I wasn't happy just working on a portrait. I wanted more out of it. From there, Agatha and Tarah were born and the piece now became a triptych. Something I have yet to do and something I want to perfect. Once all the lovely ladies were in place, it was time for the coloring stages of the process. But then I fucked it all up royally and found myself in quite a pickle.
You learn by doing and that means fucking up. Once the drawings were done, I began to water color them. During this stage, I was becoming very antsy and wanted to see the finished product before I was anywhere near done, so I rushed myself. Thus creating the blotted mess you see below.
Luckily I had scanned the originals into my computer as a fail-safe in the event that such an incident might occur. But during the process, I realized I wasn't happy with the portrait. Something about it was off. After a week or two of debating, I finally redrew it.
From here on out, I decided that water colors wasn't the way to go so I opted out for digital painting instead. In the end, it worked out so much better. A lot of time was spent figuring out skin tones for the girls and how to approach the details within their hair. Most of my time went into those details which really paid off in the end.
The last step, which should have been the first, was figuring out the background. Now, the way you're supposed to do this is you figured out your background first and then move your way to the foreground. I have never done this and I really should start doing this soon because on this project it was a major pain in the ass. I would saw a good 2 months was spent figuring this out. This stage should seriously take no more than a few hours, a couple days tops. But I'm an asshole. Sure enough though, I found what I wanted and the piece was complete. Charmaine and her cohorts (Agatha and Tarah) were finished and it was ready to be set upon the public like a flesh eating bacteria. I hope you ladies and gents enjoyed this little break down. If anyone has any questions on the process, feel free to shoot me a line. Take it easy!
-Davel
You learn by doing and that means fucking up. Once the drawings were done, I began to water color them. During this stage, I was becoming very antsy and wanted to see the finished product before I was anywhere near done, so I rushed myself. Thus creating the blotted mess you see below.
Luckily I had scanned the originals into my computer as a fail-safe in the event that such an incident might occur. But during the process, I realized I wasn't happy with the portrait. Something about it was off. After a week or two of debating, I finally redrew it.
From here on out, I decided that water colors wasn't the way to go so I opted out for digital painting instead. In the end, it worked out so much better. A lot of time was spent figuring out skin tones for the girls and how to approach the details within their hair. Most of my time went into those details which really paid off in the end.
The last step, which should have been the first, was figuring out the background. Now, the way you're supposed to do this is you figured out your background first and then move your way to the foreground. I have never done this and I really should start doing this soon because on this project it was a major pain in the ass. I would saw a good 2 months was spent figuring this out. This stage should seriously take no more than a few hours, a couple days tops. But I'm an asshole. Sure enough though, I found what I wanted and the piece was complete. Charmaine and her cohorts (Agatha and Tarah) were finished and it was ready to be set upon the public like a flesh eating bacteria. I hope you ladies and gents enjoyed this little break down. If anyone has any questions on the process, feel free to shoot me a line. Take it easy!
-Davel
Massive Update + Super Happy Fun Times!
Where the fuck have I been you ask? Well, I've been experiencing quite the eventful summer. Apologies all around. I promise you, fine people of the internet, this shall not happen again. Especially since some major changes have occurred. I will most definitely be a lot more present on this blog as well as the other forms of social networking sites you can find me on (eg. Twitter & Facebook). There's plenty of news to cover so lets get to it shall we!? First off, the big stuff...
My website is finally up and fully operational! Please check it out and spread the word to your friends, loved ones, local police enforcement, the vagrant that hands outside the super market. As you can see, the blog will be tied in with the site so you can read this post there as well. We also have a neat little comment feature on all the illustrations. Finally, props go out to Azalea for designing the lovely site. She did such a fantastic job. I honestly couldn't be happier with the results. Go hire her and give her lots of cash.
Second! Over the summer I hooked up with a fantastic group of people that go by the name of The White Train. They are a group of individuals who seek out local artists in the tri-state area and bring them together to form a collective of super-crazy talented individuals. We're like the super friends, but we drink and curse like sailors. It's fun. They had a big opening event in the middle of the summer which had a HUGE turn out. Pictures will be posted below with links attached to each image. Please follow them on facebook if you like what you see.
(White Train Blog)
(Launch Event Photo Album)
(White Train Facebook Fan Page)
(My interview with The White Train)
(My Facebook Fan Page!)
As you can see on the last picture, I now have a Facebook fan page :). So you better go like it or I will cry myself to sleep for many nights. Onto the last bit of news, my trip to beautiful San Francisco! Around mid-August a couple of friends and I ventured to the great west coast. It was quite the lovely experience. We got to meet some fantastic people, visit some truly beautiful places and ate like fucking kings. Unfortunately, I don't have the pictures we took on me at the moment, so that will be posted sometime later. Well thats it for today my friends. Tomorrow you guys shall be treated to some progress shots of what I'm currently working on. Until then, farewell!
-Davel
Squid Man & Wolf Boy
Two more freaks join the group. Haven't really decided who to do next. I'm sure I'll think of something interesting when I least suspect it. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!
-Davel
-Davel
Portraits and such
Here's a couple of sketches I'm working on as practice. I'm thinking of starting a series of circus freaks drawings. It's quite the possibility. Enjoy!
Don’t Tell Locke What He Can’t Do
I have found a new love. Her name is watercolor. She has changed the way I work and the way I perceive an image. Fuck, it really has sparked a new interest with my art. I think I was about to hit another fucking rut but working on this piece really helped me swerve away from hitting that wall head first. Fresh coat of brains: Avoided.
This originally started off as a warm up piece but found a life of its own within the collection of projects. At first I wasn't even working on John Locke, just a face. A random, non-existent face. But the more I looked at it the more I saw Locke. The features were there even if they weren't laid out on paper. I saw this as the perfect chance to brush up (literally. WHAT A JOKE! *WINK* ) on my water color skills. Now, if you know me at all then you'll know I fucking hate working with brushes. I love my pencils and I love my pens. Wouldn't trade them for anything else. But fuck man, as soon as I started working, shit just clicked.
It was such a refreshing experience and really just rejuvenated me. It was exactly what I needed. Lost again saves another life. And really, it had to be destiny. Locke is my favorite character on the show and I always toyed with the idea and depicting him. Kinda funny if you ask me since he believes so much in destiny. I really wanted to capture his stoic look and personality. Show everything he's been through through his eyes and the rough features of his face. Like every wrinkle tells a story. I'm really proud with how this turned out and extremely happy that I finished it fast too. Hell, I'm even toying with the idea of selling the original on Etsy! Anyway, let me know what you guys think about it.
-Davel
Sneakie Poooooo
Just a quick update for now. Here are a few pics of shit I'm working on. The first two should hopefully be done within the next two weeks. Lets see how well that plan goes shall we? The Wolverine pic is something I'm doing for fun. Just something I'm do for practice. The last pic is something big I'm working on which I can't discuss at the moment. But keep your ear to the ground for some news on it. Or not, you might get an ear wig in there. Ewwwwww.
Little doodle for an art challenge
Rules for the challenge were to make a little doodle with a love or valentines day theme while at work on a post-it. Not so bad eh?
Flyer Artwork
Recently I was just asked to work on a flyer and logo design for a booking company that a friend of mine is starting for local NJ bands. I finished this last night along with a few other sketches. Surprisingly, it didn't take that long from start to finish. I usually not this happy with a final piece unless I spend every waking moment on it. But I sat down and was determined to get this out before the deadline. Probably spent somewhere around 3 to 4 hours on it in total. Hopefully, they'll be more flyers like this to come. Check out the bands if you're looking for some pretty sweet new music. And if you're in the tri-state area, keep an eye out for the company and their shows. They should be booking some pretty cool stuff in the near future.
-Davel
-Davel
Pider-Mang
A friend of mine requested a little doodle of our favorite web head. It's a little quick one hour sketch but I think it came out very well for being a rushed job. Practicing everyday has really been helping me get back into the flow of things. I think I might draw quick renditions of my favorite characters everyday. Just to stay sharp. Maybe I can hand them away as gifts? Nah fuck that, ALL FO' MEEEEHHHHHH.
