Spectrum Live! - Dominick Saponaro

Positioned in the front left quarter of the convention hall in booth 706 Dominick Saponaro, my significant other, will be gracing Spectrum Live with his adventuress and swashbuckling illustrations.  As you see above his banner features a new painting he recently completed.

Dom will be selling 17"x22" prints of several pieces.  The stack above is currently being guarded by our muse and fur child, Roscoe.  Each print is backed with foam core and packaged in a reclosable bag.

Here you see a print of his Destroyermen Cover that was created for the Science Fiction Book Club.  Tomorrow I will post some of the framed images he will have on display.  I recommend visiting his website and blog to get a better glimpse of his work.  Just click here and it will take you directly to his gallery!

Visit Dom at Spectrum Live! - Booth 706


Tomorrow - Dominick Saponaro, The Sequel

Spectrum Live! - Hygieia Oil Painting

I broke out my 00 brush and went to town on this little 6"x6" oil painting.  This is based off of a drawing of the goddess Hygieia. If you look at Blue Cross's logo you will notice a snake.  That icon came from the goddess Hygieia and her use of snakes for medicinal purposes.

This will be on sale at Spectrum Live! as well as a several other items.

Come visit me at Spectrum Live! - Booth 220


Tomorrow - Dominick Saponaro!

Spectrum Live! - Jewelry

Years ago I caught the Etsy bug and started incorporating my artwork onto product based items.  I wanted to keep it homemade and non manufactured so jewelry seemed a step in the right direction.

For Spectrum Live I decided to up the anti and add some earrings to my current pendant collection.  As you can see above I will have a cat and mouse set that can be paired with a cat or mouse pendant.

The process is simple.  I purchase glass discs and the appropriate hardware.  Then I use a non toxic adheasive to glue the print to the back of the glass.  When that dries I then adhere the finding to the back of the print.   

The earrings have a solid metal backing that attaches to the hooks so there is only one adhesive application.

This gives you an idea of size.

I only have a handful of earring sets and pendants but I thought it would be a nice addition to my table.  All jewelry come with a sheer pumpkin colored bag.

Tomorrow - Hygieia


Visit me at Spectrum Live! - Corner Booth 220

Spectrum Live! - Traditional to Digital and Digital to Traditional

Grants.  Many artists use them to fund a project or idea.  In prior years I have received grants from either Moore or Uarts to attend Illuxcon.  This past year I received grants from (no name) Art Group and Moore for Spectrum Live.   One covers hotel stay with partial entrance fee and the other covers materials, partial entrance fee and travel.  

Red Riding Hood Illustration done several years ago in paper and oil paint

This gave me the additional money and goal to do something that I wanted to do for a long time.  Go back to collage.  Traditional collage. 

I created "Protect" for (no name) Art Group as part of a grant contest.  The only prerequisite was prior participation in charity events and the image of a hand or hands.  I'm a sucker for ornate & intricate things (see my about section on my website) so after thumb-nailing I decided on the use of henna.  

This research also took me to a page on hamsa.  I took the inspiration of hamsa and it's message of protection into my sketches which created a new focus.  A focus that I felt emphasized the spirit of (no name) art group.  Care and protect.  Sherry Berger is the driving force behind the group and an amazing charitable person.

So I drew the image out with graphite, scanned in the drawing, created numerous color studies in photoshop, painted the image in Corel Painter, printed and mounted the image on raised masonite, and repainted in oils.  But the kicker was the collage and additional elements.

I gold leafed my heart out.  

I purchased several shades of sheer ribbon and cut them down into small pieces.  Using tweezers and transparent glue I fastened the material over the image.  

I placed it in a floater frame and treated the edges with a gold and bronze rub that my mother use to use on her ceramics.  Talk about exhausting all of your resources!  

Now all I have to do is wait for the Galkyd to dry and fasten the frame.

Tomorrow.... Jewelry!

Visit me at Spectrum Live! - Corner Booth 220

Spectrum Live! - Homemade Sketch Journals

I've been teaching undergrad illustration for over 10 years and believe that I learn as much from my students as they learn from me.  This past year I had the pleasure of instructing numerous aspiring illustrators at Pennsylvania College of A&D, Moore College of A&D and the University of the Arts.  Inspiration and research gained by all colleges assisted in the creation of these journals for Spectrum Live!

Last semester at PCAD Mike Fink and I taught a Materials and Techniques class together.  We had Anna Fox Ryan come in from Strathmore to present materials to our classes.  In the end the students and faculty recieved some fantastic samples.  

Simultaneously at Moore...one of my senior illustrators, Lisa Suszek, was talking to me about designing her senior thesis around the stationary and giftware market.  Her idea was to create homemade boxes and journals to display her patterns.  What a great idea!  So, like any curious teacher-student, I asked how she would go about doing this.  She gave me a very helpful tutorial which I intently listened to.

But of course, like any busy freelancer-instructor, I forgot the name of the glue.  So in the spring at Uarts I asked Rosae Reeder, Bookmaker, PAFA instructor and Uarts Illustration department guru, what the name of that glue might be.  PVA.  Three simple letters.

And so there I went.  Printing out my illustrations on archival paper.  Cutting down Strathmore samples for quality innards.  And diving into my old supply of organic papers that I use to use for my traditional collage work.

After assembly I then wrote my web address on the back of each journal.

And attached a piece (or pieces) of paper with the name of the Strathmore paper.  So now I have numerous journals with mixed sketch papers, 140 lb watercolor papers, canson pastel and charcoal papers and 400 and 500 series Bristol.  Not to mention a very messy studio.

Tomorrow... Framed Collage Original!

Visit me at Spectrum Live!  Corner Booth 220.

Spectrum Live! - Gift Boxes

Many moons ago I assisted my good friend Cindy Ann Ganaden at a convention in NY called Surtex.  During this time I learned a lot about preparing for a convention but one of the most valuable attributes of her booth was the ability to stand out among so many artists.

Surtex and Spectrum Live! are no doubt different in product and genre when it comes to the art.  However, I have taken what I have learned from Cindy and incorporated it into my presentation.  I'm hoping that my illustration AND products will stand out and make an impression.

One of the first ideas I had was to incorporate my artwork onto gift boxes.  These boxes are wooden with metal hinges and clasps.  I stained, gold leafed, and pollyed the surfaces.  I printed my images out on archival paper and adhered them to the surface coating them with a print preservation sealing coat.

The inside of the boxes received organic papers on the tops and bottoms.  The bottoms of each box has my signature as well as four soft pads for protecting furniture.

I don't by any means consider myself a jewelry-box-making-guru but I did find it fun (and frustrating at times) to create a 3-D application for my work.  Each box has a unique personality that comes with handcrafted items.  I'm excited to see what kind of reception these little guys get.

Tomorrow.....homemade sketch journals!

Visit me at Spectrum Live!  Corner Booth 220.

... and now for "Spectrum Live!"

In about one and a half weeks Dom and I will be traveling to Kansas City, MO to participate in the much anticipated "Spectrum Live!".  Above is a snapshot of some of the wares I will be selling.  In the following days leading to the convention I will give a more in depth description of what I have been doing to prepare for this event.

As you can see there will be homemade journals...

and pendants....and home crafted boxes....

and of course prints among many other items.  So hold tight and prepare for the fun to begin!

Victory at Any Cost

 Detail

Full cover

"Victory at Any Cost" will be released soon for your kindle or iPad.  The good folks at Blue Moon Aurora just posted this on their blog so it's safe to post myself.  They asked for a rendition of "Winged Victory".  After a few sketch revisions this is the composition that worked best.  A big thanks to Chrysta Stever who posed for lighting.  I'd like to say more but I'll wait until the book comes out.  I don't want to give too much away but I will say it's going to be a great buy.  Wink, wink.

The Windrider Saga

This is the final cover for Rebecca Minor's Windrider series.  That's her beautiful mug on the bottom left.  Becky contacted me and asked if I would be interested in creating a cover for the last book in her trilogy.  She said "Dragon" and I said "Dragon?  Yes please!"

Long story short...Becky and I were college roommates.  We were both RA's.  That's right, the ones who busted people for smokin' in the dorms.  Anyway, I remember several nights working on my illustration homework and hearing her lead DandD games with friends.  I got a kick watching the group transform and become so excited over a multisided die.  But then again I WAS hopped up on caffeine and inhaling turp in the other room so at that point anything would have been funny.

I jumped on the chance to work with Becky and to work with my first dragon.  It was a fun project and I really enjoyed sculpting and painting the dragon.  It's still on my studio desk watching every move I make.  Here's a close up of his pretty red nose....

This last book is a compilation of all three stories and will be available in print on February 29th.  I'll update with a link when it is on Amazon but for now you can click here and here for her first two ebooks.  Go ahead and get it for your kindle or ipad....you know you want to.

Good Old Dragon Maquette

Plasticine maquette for book cover project

I built this plasticine maquette in order to understand how light would fall on a dragon.  I started with a thick armature, wrapped tin foil around it, wrapped smaller wires around the tin foil so the plasticine wouldn't slip and then started adding the plasticine.  The wings are wires, hot glue and fabric (and my hands).  As I was working I realized that it became too heavy for my Styrofoam pyramid to sustain.  I went into the basement and pulled out a pasta drying rack and disassembled the horizontal rods in order to use the main pole as a base.

When I lit it I got some lovely lights and shadows that I never could have made up.  It didn't take too long (about 2 and 1/2 movies) and saved me loads of time in the long run.  I'll be posting the final illustration upon it's book release date which is in about a week or so.

Everything maquette I learned from James Gurney's blog and Joe Devito's Illuxcon lecture.  Masters I tell you!

Next Season

I feel this is an appropriate entry for the icy weather we Philadelphians have been having.  Above was created for the 2011 Winter cover of GreenPrints gardening magazine.  I added a few more embellishements for my own amusement so it varies a bit from the original image.  It's tough to come up with a concept for gardening during a season when next to nothing grows.  When the end of winter comes around I get antsy and start fantasizing about what is going to adorn my window boxes, flower pots and herb beds.  I decided to take this base concept and run with it....and add lace of course.

R is for Redneck Bear

Thanks to all who took the time to vote for me on (no name) art group's site.  I was fortunate enough to take first place and will be receiving funds to assist in my trip to Kansas City's Spectrum Live.  Thank you again!

The above is a continuation of my alphabet series which I started many months ago.  My new year's resolution is to finish the series by the end of this year.  We'll see if I can keep true to it.  Declaring this goal publically out there in cyberspace may be the drive I need.

Anyway, this little guy is a WIP of a redneck bear.  You have Pat at GreenPrints magazine to thank for this idea!

Vote Here!

Tomorrow, December 28th, is the last day to vote for the No Name Art Group Grant.  Take a minute and hop on by.  It won't take long at all, I promise.  You'll see that the image above is a bit different than my original entry.  Comment if you like one better than the other.

Thanks!

NoName Art Group Grant Competition

 (No Name) Art Group Grant Competition

Click Here to Vote!

(No Name) Art Group Wine Labels from October's fundraiser for Philabundance.

(No Name) Art Group has been mentioned before but it is well worth mentioning again.  This is an organization that was put together by designer/artist extrodinare, Sherry Berger.  Sherry puts a lot of time and effort in helping those who are most unfortunate.  She has traveled the world to assist in building orphanages in Africa to raising awareness in her own backyard for Philabundance.  She pulls from local artists willing to give some time and skill to help her raise money for those who need it most.

Currently she is sponsoring a grant for some of those artists.  There are currently six of us up for the grant however a little more money is needed to satisfy the grant requirement.  If you have an extra minute and extra $10 stop on by and chip in.

If you don't have the $10 but have the minute stop on by anyway and place a vote.  Although I want you to click my name...please click who you really want to win.

In addition, if you do come into some money No Name Art Group is always accepting donations as well as selling beautiful artworks from local artists.  Check out this link for more information on buying and donating.

Thanks for your time and please vote.

Whoopie Pies and Illuxcon

Acrylic on Masonite

Illuxcon was a great experience.  It was my first time exhibiting at a convention and I received very positive feedback.  I sold a few original drawings which was a plus and I got to reconnect with some amazing fellow artists as well as meet a few new people.  A wonderful time to say the least.  I have some "scores" from some fellow artists but my studio is in disarray and I must post those finds at a later time.

The above piece has nothing to do with Illuxcon but I thought I'd post it anyway.  I have some new pieces to share but I want to take another few hours to tweak them so they're perfect.  Unfortunately, those few hours are really hard to come by.  Instead I am showing you a demo I did for one of my many classes.  This is a 15 minute study in acrylics.  You'll see by the upper left hand corner that there is a little crackling.  My study gladly became the guinea pig for a student's crackle medium experiment.