DuttonArt

Out and Abouts

2012-05-22T23:54:57Z

Some sketches over the past few months while I was out and about – including a couple moments from New York last week.

Doodleversary no.2

2012-05-03T20:57:15Z

Today marks my second anniversary as a Google Doodler. Here are a few things I've worked on over the past year.

And in case you missed the first, here's that post.

Juan Gris - The Third Musketeer of Cubism

2012-03-23T23:01:25Z

I really enjoyed getting to play with shapes and abstraction in this homage to “the Third Musketeer of Cubism”, Juan Gris. My favorite thing about Gris is that while he may have pushed this supposedly very serious art form to new heights, he had fun along the way. The art never takes itself too seriously. I think that’s something to strive for.

Arbor Day

2012-03-11T22:49:36Z

Here's a doodle running in China for Arbor Day, or Tree Planting Day. It's a mix of watercolor and digital. I'm always trying out new things with each doodle, and in this case, I used actual masking film for the first time since my art school days (years and years ago). Yep, real life masking film, which is tedious and time-consuming, versus a one-second Photoshop clip mask... The years have done nothing to improve my efficiency. That said, the result feels a little less sterile to me than using carefully placed textures. There's also something strangely therapeutic about slicing away film and painting with reckless abandon, knowing that it will all make sense when you peel off the rest of the mask.

Geocache Hunt

2012-03-05T19:26:12Z

My painting buddy, Jimmy G and I decided to get a quick painting session in during an unusually warm and sunny weekend. We went up to Tilden Park where, apparently, a geocache hunt was going on. Looking for something to paint, I saw this little boy running along a trail on the hillside, and was struck by his bright red shirt against the greys and greens in the vegetation. He seemed to be by himself, though really, his family was just up ahead, hidden behind the brushline, and he was running to catch up. Still, there was a real sense of adventure in the moment, and I imagine a little geocaching treasure was waiting for him somewhere on that hill.

I also drew a number of studies back home, trying to remember how he was running (in case I expand this into a full illustration later). I noticed that, in general, children this age don't seem to swing their arms all that much when they run. They just kind of bounce along.

"To a young heart, everything is fun."

2012-02-07T09:00:13Z

Happy 200th, Charles Dickens, I had a lot of fun on this one. :)

For Kyle, who loves fish, sharks, and whales

2012-02-07T01:59:52Z

I mailed off my test kit today with high hopes that I (or anyone else out there) might be the match that helps save this little guy's life. I've been following Kyle's updates pretty closely, rooting for him to beat the medical condition he is dealing with at just four years of age. It's not something anyone should have to go through. I've never met Kyle or his family, and perhaps it's my new role as a father that is drawing me to this boy's fight, but I just feel emotionally driven to help. For anyone else out there who wants to help, it is surprisingly easy:

Receive a test kit two weeks later

Swab inside of cheeks for ten seconds (x4 swabs)

Place swabs and happy thoughts into prepaid envelope

Mail.

And that's it. If you're reading this I hope you will please, please, please consider helping as well.

GBK #3 - About Thursday

2012-01-13T21:24:21Z

My favorite and least favorite things about this Thursday, and one kind act (which kinda felt like cheating since it was for my wife, but she's just as eligible to receive kind acts, so we're good!)

That drawing in panel #1, by the way, is the doodle for Children's Day. Thailand is the first country to celebrate:

GBK #2 - About Wednesday

2012-01-12T23:03:44Z

In case you're wondering what's going on in these comics, here's the premise.

The Good, Bad, and the Kindly #1

2012-01-11T19:57:00Z

Instead of asking,"How was your day?" when we get home, my wife and I ask three questions:

What was your favorite thing about today?
Least favorite?
What was something kind you did for someone?

It's actually a useful method in early childhood development, but I think it's good for us adults to practice as well, if not to shake up the mundane a little bit. I mean, why should kids have all the fun, right? To shake things up even more, I'm going to try and answer these three questions in the form of daily cartoons throughout the week, at least until work cuts off my post-it note supply.