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So here I am...
4 min read
Hello DA Community!
I wanted to take a second to write up a little more thorough detail about me and my background.
The Back Story
I have been drawing most of my life. I have a family member that was born drawing and I always admired his talent. I doodled, he drew and created. So, at about twelve years old, I started to take it a bit more serious. I began taking art classes and focusing on the fundamentals. During my junior and senior years of high school, I began to develop a fascination with the strange and unusual imagery that often popped up in/out of my head. I sometimes felt my brain was working on overtime and telling me that I needed to spend time connecting my mind to my hand and allowing these ideas to be brought to life for others to see.
I spent several years letting the inner-workings of my brain drive the art I was producing in pen and ink and acrylic paintings that were, at the core, doodles. And by that, I mean that I never really planned anything within my work (that still hasn't changed much). Each piece was a constant evolution in subject matter and style. As my style produced stranger works, I was sought after to draw tattoo designs for friends and occasion, commissioned for abstract pieces to hang in homes for friends and strangers that had seen my work in other's homes.
I created a lot of intensely detailed B&W pen/ink works and unusual paintings. I couldn't stop. I had to draw and paint every single day. Obsessed was hardly the word…but, I loved what I was doing and loved the person I was becoming. Sure I occasionally made extra money from my work, but that was never the goal. The goal was simply to create and any money received went right back in the supply fund for paint and ink. I had yet to try anything digital.
Then, about five years ago, the fire was gone. Personal hardships, spinning back into music (I was a rock drummer off and on for about ten years), and then focusing on my career in the corporate world…I was out of gas. The fire was out. I missed it and would try and force myself back into the groove but alas, there was no longer a spark. I took up golf…
Spring, 2011
I began to feel something changing, I had been missing something. I wanted to get back to my art. I bought a few supplies and started doodling a little. I had just purchased a laptop that came with some photo-editing/drawing software, so I bought a tablet input device. I dived in. But, being out of touch with art and certainly a "newbie" with digital, I began to quickly find the software I was trying (a few platforms at this point) were un-intuitive, hand-eye coordination was tough (drawing while looking at the screen) and more trouble than it was worth. I couldn't just simply sit down and do what I wanted and make it happen like I long ago been able to do so effortlessly.
Well HELLO! Sketchbook Pro!!!!
So, early in May 2011, just about as I was about to scrap the idea of my return to art and certainly digital drawing/painting; I come across this app for the iphone called Sketchbook Mobile Express. I dabbled with it and then immediately went out to see if there was a PC version.
I downloaded the free trial which was such a relief to be able to try the full version for 15 days. I think I was about 2 hours into my trial and I had decided this was worth spending however much it took to own this superb package. As of 12/05/2011, all of my works posted in my gallery were started and completed in Sketchbook Pro. The artistic fire is back and burning hotter and brighter than it ever has before thanks to Sketchbook Pro!
So currently, I am employed by a large, and well respected, corporation and work in field that requires no use of my artistic skills but, keeps my brain working constantly. Would like to change that one day…
I am an artist. I create. I do this not for money. I do this as I feel this in my soul.
Favorite Quote
"Some men see things as they are and say 'Why?' I dream things that never were, and say, "Why Not?' - George Bernard Shaw
And thanks to everyone that has viewed and commented on my work thus far!!! Much appreciated!
I wanted to take a second to write up a little more thorough detail about me and my background.
The Back Story
I have been drawing most of my life. I have a family member that was born drawing and I always admired his talent. I doodled, he drew and created. So, at about twelve years old, I started to take it a bit more serious. I began taking art classes and focusing on the fundamentals. During my junior and senior years of high school, I began to develop a fascination with the strange and unusual imagery that often popped up in/out of my head. I sometimes felt my brain was working on overtime and telling me that I needed to spend time connecting my mind to my hand and allowing these ideas to be brought to life for others to see.
I spent several years letting the inner-workings of my brain drive the art I was producing in pen and ink and acrylic paintings that were, at the core, doodles. And by that, I mean that I never really planned anything within my work (that still hasn't changed much). Each piece was a constant evolution in subject matter and style. As my style produced stranger works, I was sought after to draw tattoo designs for friends and occasion, commissioned for abstract pieces to hang in homes for friends and strangers that had seen my work in other's homes.
I created a lot of intensely detailed B&W pen/ink works and unusual paintings. I couldn't stop. I had to draw and paint every single day. Obsessed was hardly the word…but, I loved what I was doing and loved the person I was becoming. Sure I occasionally made extra money from my work, but that was never the goal. The goal was simply to create and any money received went right back in the supply fund for paint and ink. I had yet to try anything digital.
Then, about five years ago, the fire was gone. Personal hardships, spinning back into music (I was a rock drummer off and on for about ten years), and then focusing on my career in the corporate world…I was out of gas. The fire was out. I missed it and would try and force myself back into the groove but alas, there was no longer a spark. I took up golf…
Spring, 2011
I began to feel something changing, I had been missing something. I wanted to get back to my art. I bought a few supplies and started doodling a little. I had just purchased a laptop that came with some photo-editing/drawing software, so I bought a tablet input device. I dived in. But, being out of touch with art and certainly a "newbie" with digital, I began to quickly find the software I was trying (a few platforms at this point) were un-intuitive, hand-eye coordination was tough (drawing while looking at the screen) and more trouble than it was worth. I couldn't just simply sit down and do what I wanted and make it happen like I long ago been able to do so effortlessly.
Well HELLO! Sketchbook Pro!!!!
So, early in May 2011, just about as I was about to scrap the idea of my return to art and certainly digital drawing/painting; I come across this app for the iphone called Sketchbook Mobile Express. I dabbled with it and then immediately went out to see if there was a PC version.
I downloaded the free trial which was such a relief to be able to try the full version for 15 days. I think I was about 2 hours into my trial and I had decided this was worth spending however much it took to own this superb package. As of 12/05/2011, all of my works posted in my gallery were started and completed in Sketchbook Pro. The artistic fire is back and burning hotter and brighter than it ever has before thanks to Sketchbook Pro!
So currently, I am employed by a large, and well respected, corporation and work in field that requires no use of my artistic skills but, keeps my brain working constantly. Would like to change that one day…
I am an artist. I create. I do this not for money. I do this as I feel this in my soul.
Favorite Quote
"Some men see things as they are and say 'Why?' I dream things that never were, and say, "Why Not?' - George Bernard Shaw
And thanks to everyone that has viewed and commented on my work thus far!!! Much appreciated!
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