CALIFORNIA DREAMING......

As the cold weather hits, I wanted to think of something warm to post about.
Here are some great reference shots I took in California last year!
Whenever I go on vacation, I spend one day taking photos, and one night.
It is something I have done for the last 5 years.
It helps when i go to paint something new to have LOTS of reference to pull from.
The photos I take are usually not the same pictures you find in postcards.
I like the unusual and the off-beat.
They make better paintings!
A couple of these have become paintings.....and a few of these WILL become paintings.
Enjoy!

I like this one a lot. I fee like that sign should say no LOITERING....

The Roosevelt. A GORGEOUS Hollywood landmark!

This is made up of 3 photographs I took....it is gonna look great  as a painting!

Love this one....

This is just FUNNY!!!

I always gravitate towards construction!

I KNOW IT'S BLURRY!
But I still like it!

I like the Bowl sign - I might need to do some re-jiggering of this to make a good composition,

Norman Bates.

LOVE IT! The car that has just buzzed by me!

This is actually a painting already! Check it out HERE!

Love the neon in this one.

This one just looks dirty and gritty - I like it a lot!!

LOVE this sign. Need to work on the composition!

Downtown Hollywood......NAH....just kidding (it is the 'War of the World's set at Universal Studios)

Well.....which is your favourite photo?

Which should I work on next??

NEW DRAWING.....

Hello all!

I have started some new drawings. Which is always exciting.

I thought I would post a picture of my computer rendering so far.

For those of you who don't know my process, it goes a bit like this.

I go out once a month (or so) to take photos...and then use them whenever they come in handy.

I then do some drawings or I use my tablet to make drawings.

I then import all the info. into photoshop and I cobble together all the bits.

So here is my latest:

So the idea of this painting came from someone who was giving me advice about my career.

It went a little something like this:

"Rob, you should try to paint something that is going to appeal to EVERYONE"

This is terrible advice.

But it is advice I get fairly regularly.

So I have taken that advice, and merged all my series of paintings into ONE!

My Landscape Series + Urban Series + Tin Toys + Mixed Media!

IT IS C-R-A-Z-Y! I know!

So, as you can see from this drawing I have a landscape of a sunset that was taken up north.

I am gonna let it drip in to the cityscape....A LOT....(I think)

The cityscape is from Hollywood, California.

When I go to paint this, I will fiddle with the colours (that's right, I will fiddle) so that the two will have more colours in common.

The grey and coloured squares are going to be applied tin metal. With rivets.

The robot will probably be painted on wood and applied.......and painted in a very graphic style.

And the "multi-functioning" will be on a wood barn board...

You will notice I have highlighted the word F-U-N and the word TIN

Get it?

So this is the plan stage, and I will show you how it progresses!

Wish me luck!

What do you think of my new idea?

Great?

Terrible?

MEH?

I LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE...

I've got to boogy......
Sorry about that "Pricilla" moment.
As y'all know, I have a whole series of paintings devoted to city life.
Here is my art-speaky artist statement:

Both globally and locally, our world is changing around us. My Urban Landscape paintings are about the challenges of urban living. I address both environmental and urban issues. I believe it is important that we recognize the implications of our actions on the planet.  I am also beginning to understand the importance of capturing the changing landscapes – so that my paintings serve as a sort of visual catalogue of the past. 

     My work appropriates old quotes and re-invents the context to draw attention to these current issues. I mimic advertising iconography from pre-1950 to establish a ‘vintage’ visual look in my paintings. The unapologetically happy style enables my work to remain accessible, and helps diminish the political sting. I hope that my work entertains but also challenges people to re-assess their opinions about our values, our traditions and how we treat our environment. 

Or another way of saying it is....Blah-bity blah-bity blah blah blah.

My Urban Series has a lot of night scenes. 

I think that the night is the perfect time to capture the energy and excitement of the city.

I go out once a month to get reference around Toronto.

Also, every vacation I take, I make sure I spend one night getting reference photos.

To date, have well over 1000 photos of nightlife, in different cities.

Here are a few photos that as of yet are not paintings.....but WILL be someday.....

Toronto.....I like the bus speeding in this one!

Toronto again. Any excuse for colour in a night scene!

Spooky, huh?

Las Vegas....at sunset...LET'S GO!!!

Obviously Hollywood!

I will need to photoshop this one up a bit....but I like it.

Love the movement in a night scene!!

This is blurry....but my version won't be.

Oh Cleveland, how dangerous lovely by night.

Cleveland: city of muggings bridges

I LOVE this one!!

I will need to colour correct this in photoshop!

Blurry, but great reference!

Times Square

Hollywood touristy