The Human Canvas - Struggling With the Blues

Now normally I don't post so many sessions,

so many days in a row. I normally try to post something,

give it a few days... see what kind of traffic comes

through... then post again.

BUT, I wanted to get this ONE more

out before the end of April - and there are still

several sessions yet to post. Meantime, you can scroll

down for a COUPLE of the recent sessions, but please,

using the "search" window a bit to the right, search

for (separately) VENOM, AUTISM, THE IMPORTANCE, DRAWING ON LESSONS, WHITE RABBIT, SHARK DIVING, and definitely, BIRD OF PARADISE. 

These are all recent entries that I don't want to get swallowed up by a new post.

This session, however...

Another piece of Canvas provided by Lil' Dave.  

We had JUST finished covering a real tattoo, and working 

with the shape of the kneecap for a shot at Venom. 

This was a fun experiment which I know we'll 

be revisiting. Already talked about it... 

just haven't sat DOWN 

for it yet.

Another fun experiment 

for me is EVERY time involving the blending of colors - employing a couple of different 

methods.

So it's not so much "Struggling With the Blues" at this point. Here it's still FUN with the blues.

And reddy-oranges.

But the problem with using this blend 

of blues for the fish...

...Is that it's same blend I use to get depth 

and contrast in the water.

So... I got a good fish. 

But what to do with the water then...

It was a struggle with the blues. 

A STRUGGLE

 let me tell ya.

Oh wait. Never mind. 

Just have it coming down INTO water... 

...As if it had just jumped. Okay. Comfortable with the 

blues again.

And making this water was a wonderful, 

organic, create as you go 

kinda thing.

Except after stepping back, I decided it needed a pooling effect...

And THEN we're done. Again.

So... 

Thanks Again Lil' Dave.

And thank YOU for stopping by.

There are SEVERAL more sessions I 

have yet to publish...

...So please check back.

AND...

...Check out the beginnings of these adventures through the tabs near the top of the page.

Thanks again.

The Human Canvas - Splat - Drip - VENOM!

Bootz. 

AKA - Lil' Dave. 

We worked together at KVCR at one 

point, so I was David - or Dave - and he was 

Lil' Dave. Simple 

as that.

You've seen him on these pages before. 

A long time ago, before he went out to hang with 

some friends, he became my first shot (on skin) at 

a Lewis Carroll character... 

...or two.

Problem was - the 

fresh ink on ONE shoulder 

made the REAL tattoo on the OTHER 

shoulder look kinda washed out. 

 So, add a quick, quick 

border...

And there ya go. 

Fly, little bird. Be free.

But back to this night. Dave's REALLY into Spiderman. 

He also has an old tattoo that he REALLY wants to cover. 

So here's where I come into the picture.

While these explorations into The Human Canvas 

have been, and will continue to be, a personal art project, 

they also occasionally been a 

service of sorts... 

Allowing a person to "test the waters", as it were, 

when thinking about getting 

a tattoo.

In this case...Venom. 

In a nutshell, Venom was an alien life form 

which became a part of Peter Parker...and Spiderman. 

At first, it seemed to be simply a cool new set of 

powers acquired in The Secret Wars. 

Later Venom was shown to have 

certain "Blob-like" 

qualities...

Allowing it to sort of drip, splat, and reform as a being.

So tonight we were testing the waters on this idea...

...exploring as we went...

...and coming up with something kinda cool...

...which WILL receive some alterations/adaptations 

when we hit this again.

Meantime -

Drip...Splatter...

...Done with this piece...

...and onto the next.

Coming soon... 

Another Session with Lil' Dave... 

Struggling with the blues.

Please come back for another visit.

It was the highlight of 

the night!

The Human Canvas - The Importance of Being Sharpied

I recently decided to cancel my plans
of going to LA to see Val Kilmer in his one-man
Mark Twain show, and instead go a community theatre production of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. I'm a big val Kilmer AND Mark Twain fan, but
REALLY wanted to see this effort of a friend.

And by the way, some of the best theatre
I've ever seen has been AT the community theatre
level, and one of most BORING shows I've ever seen - was
on Broadway. Now you don't HAVE to be some sort of English lit/theatre geek to enjoy this play (though it don't hurt), but this closing night turned out to be the BEST version of Earnest I've ever seen, or worked on. Yvonne and the cast were able to find humor in places normally glossed over, and make what was already funny - hilarious!

After the show, several of us had an impromptu
gathering. I ended up doing a few Canvases this evening,
for which I was thankful. The above photo is the third piece done this night. It started though, with someone else.
Yvonne - the director of the show. I WAS at their house
after all.

Not too many step-by -step pics on this one. 
It was fairly basic. Yvonne was wanting to experiment with a tattoo idea. Some wings on her ankles.

Only a couple layers of color before being done.

The above shot is better I suppose, but I rather like this one with Hendrix standing in the foreground.

On then to the next ankle...

And a stab at another style of wing.

I like where I was going with this one, but I don't feel like 

it quite got there. We'll be hitting this again.

So on one of the recent sessions prior to this, 

it was Willow - the cat - occupying the attention of the canvas. Remember this? Link to it HERE.

And this time?

Hendrix - the dog - again.

While I enjoyed playing around with the wing idea, 

and definitely want to revisit it, I think this next piece ended 

up being the best of the night.

Meet Sam.

Sam was a wonderful canvas, as anxious as I was 

for another sitting...

And while this session was just one week into April...

Sam's already moved from the area.

So I'm QUITE happy to have gotten this one in.

But I KNOW that San Jacinto area theatre is gonna miss her.

And while there were few step by step 

shots on the three previous pieces this evening... 

There were NO step by steps on the last piece I'd do. 

But it was late. I mean... it - was - LATE. I mean - 

There WERE still 8 or so people there. It's not like I was 

the guy on the floor drawing on people, keeping everyone from going to bed. more accurately, I was the guy on the floor 

drawing on people, keeping everyone from going to 

Denny's. It really all worked out well though, as 

this got Sean to makin' some mighty fine 

breakfast burritos.

MIGHTY fine!

This allowed me to wrap up the last piece, 

another first stab at one of Lewis Carroll's characters. 

Someday we ARE gonna see a BUNCH of 'em assembled at 

the same time. Someday. 

Meantime...

Thanks Sam, Yvonne, and - to make the list short - 

EVERYONE who was a part of Inland Stage Company's 

The Importance of Being Earnest. 

Once again - the best take I've seen on this yet!

And there's been some wonderful Human Canvas sessions since these, and I'm anxious to post. 

So please check back. And there are also the tabs near the top of the page which show the beginnings of all this.

See ya soon!

The Human Canvas & Autism Awareness

Under normal circumstance,

I've always posted the Human Canvas sessions

in the order in which

they occured.

This one needs to be an exception.

April is National Autism Awareness month.

Pictured above is Lillian Vasquez,

Marketing Coordinator at KVCR. Now,

ANYONE who raises an autistic child will end up

becoming quite knowledgable on the subject.

Lillian takes this a step further.

She's been able to use her very real experience

to suplement further education. She's also been quite

fortunate to have employment at a place which

could also serve as a vehicle for furthering

awareness and education for the

public.

And Thankfully so.

More and more information is being discovered,

and becoming available, regarding the entire autism

spectrum, but I'm afraid  that when many people of autism, they think of Dustin Hoffman's character in Rainman.

This character was amongst the most severely autistic,

with some uncanny abilities involving mathematics

and memory. This type of manifestation,

while very real, is not the norm.

KVCR, since Lillian started working there, 

has long since been involved with Autism, by way of

broadcast interviews on both radio and TV, and other educational endeavors. Most of this educational outreach

has been available to the general public. As a matter of fact, thanks to the expertise of Lillian, KVCR has been able to produce several DVDs on the subject of autism.

These are still  available, and you can find

ordering  information

  HERE. 

You can link to KVCR's Autism Initiative page HERE,

and HERE for a link to Autism Society Inland Empire.

And the puzzle piece?

From the website, Pinning Down Autism, 

"The puzzle piece logo was first created in 1963 by the National Autistic Society. They explain “that the symbol of the Society should be the puzzle as this did not look like any other commercial or charitable one as far as they could discover. The puzzle piece is so effective because it tells us something about autism: our children are handicapped by a puzzling condition; this isolates them from normal human contact and therefore they do not 'fit in'.”

Since then, the interlocking, mutli-colored puzzle piece has become the international symbol of autism. Its significance has become multi-faceted. For some it represents the mystery and complexity of the disorder, for others it represents the mechanical nature of an autistics persons thought process. The bright colors are said to represent hope."

I'd like to also think that a puzzle piece represents a person. And that person is ONE piece... of a MUCH larger picture. Whether or NOT that person falls anywhere in the autism spectrum.

So again,

I regret not getting to do this

session with Lillian until nearly the end of April.

But at least I know now...

...I have a standing date next year.

Thank you Lillian.

The Human Canvas... and Willow the Hutt

Willow the Hutt

She walks around the house as Alpha - 

even though she was nowhere near first. And 

she'll still occasionally walk up to the other (younger) cat, 

give her a bitch slap/reality check and keep on walking.

Like the other cat needs a reminder? after 8 years?

that's willow.

But she IS a good mouser. And makes herself known 

to the neighbors, in and out of their homes. AND, as a limp 

noodle that won't budge, she's good with testing 

out colors when painting

 the wall.

Ina ll fairness though, despite her attitude toward the 

other pets, she WILL be YOUR best buddy... 

right after she bites you.

So this series of photos comes from the same night as "A Koi Koi Lydia"...only zoomed out to include the cat.

People kill time in a variety of ways while these 

sessions take place.

In this case...

As she woke...

It was WILLOW to be the time-pass.

But it WAS fun...and sweet.

And as I was taking pictures of Lydia, she was 

taking pictures of the cat. 

And that's how it went. 

So here's another take at the previous session - zoomed out. 

I saw it as another story.

No, Willow... really. 

Nothing was happening here 

already - okay? Just GET those stretches out. 

Yeah. Good. 

Thanks.

Well, Willow DID eventually pass out again...

With some help? Maybe?

So we moved to the floor...

Added some detail...

And called it done.

Thanks to Priya Jha 

for the wonderful Willow the Hutt 

picture at the top, thanks to Lydia for setting up 

and taking the Willow and the Wine Glass 

photo, AND for being a patient 

model YET again...

And thank YOU for stopping by...

And for coming back.