As is our holiday custom, the staff at portfoliolongo.com puts out an Annual Christmas Letter, click here for previous letters. This year’s letter is Q. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
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Digital iPad art done mainly in SketchClub on an iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil
CHAA stands for the Contemporary Humanitarian Artists Association. It was formed in 1985 “in an effort to build creativity and community for artists living and working in the region around Merced, CA. While the members have changed over the years, the goals of the collective remain constant. We come together with a shared philosophy – that creativity, contemplation, and exploration are key to the human spirit.” I’ve only been associated with these fine people for the past 6 months, but I can already feel the philosophy in my bones. Visit CHAA’s FB page to keep up with the forthcoming shows.
So what does this have to do with illustroblogging at portfoliolongo.com? Here’s the story of this group caricature of CHAA:
Several months ago CHAA met at its regular monthly time on a Tuesday evening, and we posed for a group photo:
I thought it would be fun to do a cartoon-like caricature of the group. So I cranked this out in Sketch Club, an iPad drawing app:
Sketch Club provides a variety of backgrounds and frames, and I thought it would be fun to use the Etchasketch frame, since it’s digital art and all that; plus, there may even be a few people still alive who remember what an Etchasketch is.
On the night of the group photo, of course, we realized three people were missing. So I worked with Cheryl Barnett, who administers CHAA’s Facebook page to find photos of the three missing CHAA members and to add them to the group caricature. It was an iterative process to say the least, but a fun one. I could easily show a dozen iterations. If you look closely, you’ll see some changes here and there in addition to the three additional artists. I’ll skip to one of the final drafts before I dropped it into the Etchasketch frame:
This kept me out of trouble for a while, and as you can imagine, the effort allowed me to ponder and appreciate each and every person and the group as a whole.
Technically speaking, as I mentioned, I mainly used Sketch Club on my iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil on this free-hand drawing. I did some occasional tweaking in iColorama and a desktop application called ON1 Photo. Sketch Club, by the way, is a lot of fun, and it was a pleasure learning about and working in it rather than Procreate, my “go to” iPad drawing app.
As usual, let me know what you think.
Smaller by the day. I’m
Suddenly, there he was in the privileged left-turn-only lane about to head north on G St. He exuded energy efficiency and playfulness.
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See other toons: https://portfoliolongo.com/trump-gallery/
“Y’all, I ain’t backin’ down; I’m squatin’ down.” R. Moore
Now focus on your breathing
A rough, very free-hand, sketch of W&J’s Old Main on a beautiful October day in Paper 53 with an iColorama tweak and an Apple Pencil on an iPad Pro using a personal photo reference and accompanied by 1802 Cream Ale on nitro right here at the Rusty Gold Brewing in my hometown, Canonsburg, PA. The bartender asked me if I had any prints on me for sale. I did; a little paper print of this image from this post. She bought one and put in on a shelf; see below. Awesome, eh? Down below, check out my painting in the Procreate app of the Washington Trust Building as seen from W&J’s campus in Washington, PA. (See related post related to Jefferson College and Washington & Jefferson College.)
Check out their logo. Maybe this is why they selected one of my truck images.
Washington Trust Building done in Procreate (click on image to enlarge)
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Boarding: Teachers again.
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Flight Number Whatever
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No, I’m not in your seat.
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Zero
Franco and me.
Several months ago I was commissioned to render a digital drawing of the “Beginnings” sculpture situated prominently on the UC Merced campus. The image was printed on fine paper, matted, framed, and presented as a gift. “Beginnings,” was conceived by noted American sculptor Aris Demetrios, and according to the official website “consists of two gently curving, vertical stainless steel arms, each about 40 feet high, rising from a large circular base.” (Click here for further details)
Use the “Leave a Reply” box below to initiate contact with me if you are interested in purchasing a print of this freehand digital painting on paper, canvas, metal, or wood.
Digital image in Procreate on an iPad Pro, Apple Pencil:
Video display (effects in iColorama):
Others have had dreams; I have one too. I dream that we will always be appreciative of the men and women who defend our country and who sacrifice so much; however, I dream that we will learn how to become as appreciative if not more of the men and women who teach us and remind us of our lifelong commitment to learning and improving. I dream that it will become customary for us all to go out of our way and approach teachers with humility, hand shakes or hugs, and expressions of gratitude like, “thank you for your service!” I dream that one day teachers will walk in parades and that as they pass by, our applauding will drown out all of the marching bands.
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