The FTV Dance

Trying to paint whats going on inside me.

Entry #????

Moving further in explorations and getting old stuff out of the attic of my past. Mixed media in sketchbook

Painting studies

Painting with watercolor and gouache today, studying color.

just another page in my sketchbook the train

Mixed media study of a lady I drew on the train

Train drawings to Sketchbook paintings: Building a rhythm

So I've been vigorously improving my drawing ability for about 4-6 years now. My Master (mentor) said I should focus on drawing and gain strength there before moving on to painting, I also read this advice from John Singer Sargent. I've dibbled in paints a little over these years but nothing consistent. I've been more into line aesthetics than anything else, though in the back of my mind I really wanted to paint, I kept telling myself,"Not yet - in due time." The child artist inside didn't want to hear that.

 I'd noticed some of my favorite painters did it every day, they'd warm up and paint away for hours, just as I did with drawing. I tried this from time to time but just hadn't built of a rhythm. I would get on a painting kick and it would be great for a week or two and then CRASH!! Back to the drawing book. Where drawing spontaneously weaves in and out of my daily schedule due to that nature of my primary style (fast/ quick captures from life), painting is something I have to find and make blocks of time for.  Well looks like that train has finally pulled in because I am painting regularly now and it feels good, not forced. I figured I'd start with these sketchbook studies and build up to full size paintings. This is the fun stage!! Where I get to see myself go through many styles until one fits, sticks and I evolve with it just as I did with drawing. I like to see the marriage between the line and paint, I don't burying my beloved pen strokes under the paint completely, the painting has outlets here and there where the drawing can breathe:)

Loving this new sketchbook!!!

Testing out some styles of painting with gouache. This is a guy I drew on the train today. I am absolutely loving this sketchbook!!! I think I will never go back to store bought books again.

Drawing on the train in April...

This is another drawing done on the train in San Francisco. I added a couple washes of watercolor to this one.

The guy I drew shot this photo after.

Male model this week

We had an awesome male model this week.

A lady I drew on the train in San Francisco.

The figure drawing class in San Francisco is off to a blazing start!!! Lots of good stuff coming out :)

New Subject Matter... Dreaming

Drawing figures from imagination. So this is like almost foreign to me; drawing with pencil. I haven't been drawing for about a month (going through a tremendous life change) however yesterday I stopped by a stationary (I can't pass up a stationary store without stopping in - just not going to happen.. EVER OKAY?!!!) store in San Francisco and purchased a really nice 6B pencils (just to buy myself something hoping it would stimulate some creativity). When I returned home that pencil called me to my new sketchbook I bought a month ago (before the hiatus) which I had only wrote some astrology chart stuff in so far. This drawing took about 2.5 - 3 hours and it just came out in one long session (no interruptions). 


There are some figures (male and Female), planets and a rope. I have started on another drawing with the same type of theme and style. I'm still meditating on what it all means. So far, I do know it has to do with how most men operate on a low vibrational level (typically giving in to there lower desires). The drawings to come will express this observation more. 


So much deeper
11x14
Pencil and Ballpoint on Archival Paper

Drawing a new friend...

I taught another drawing workshop in San Francisco today where I drew my new friend Hujie again, as she drew me. Our sessions are becoming deeper as we sit and stare at each other while dragging the pen quietly around the paper.

She is from China and from what I understand is a well known artist there. She has a book published and the whole nine. Its sweet how we are from different walks of life, don't understand each others spoken language yet we bond so sacredly through art.

I tried a different style today where I suggest the curvatures in her face with fine lines.

It was a beautiful session today.

I've been interviewed...

Check out this interview with me by Avy Jetter... I reveal some interesting, personal info for the first time (publicly).
http://electricstorm.blogspot.com/

Drawing my workshop students

This lady was drawing me as I was drawing her during one of my workshops in San Francisco. So Cute! She spoke no english at all and just watched me in the beginning, I thought she wasn't interested but after my demonstrations she grabbed a pencil and drew with me with a concentration as if she was an old master. I mean she drew with confidence! She looked up at me every other second didn't seem a bit nervous as to what I may have thought about her skill level. At  the end she showed me the drawing, stared at me deeply  and bursted into a cloud of laughter when I began to smile. It was so cute how she grabbed the drawing and spoke about it in chinese though I don't know a word of it... wonder if she caught on to that by my nonverbal smiles and nods. A true golden moment in time where art created a friendship that would have otherwise probably not have happened.


Elderly Asian Lady Drawing me
11x8
Ballpoint Pen on Paper

This lady was one of my students drawing her hands as a warm-up for class at Sharon Art Studio in San Francisco.
8x11
Ballpoint Pen on Paper

Drawing on the train

In this video I am actually drawing a cyclist on the train in San Francisco. I give lots of tips on how to draw on public transit and why it is my favorite exercise. Thanks for view and leave any questions you may have in the comments below.  

Transit Drawing Again

This is a sketch I cranked out on the train on my way to San Francisco today.

Fall In Love With Your Inner Child Again... (Its OK!!)

Been so busy lately - I finally had a chance to do some drawings from life today (my favorite) of real people in real situations (not figure drawing sessions). This is one of my high school drawing students at Oakland School for The Arts as she was cranking away at the page creating some incredible work. I hadn't drawn anyone from observation in a minute so when I went in on this one I was thoroughly JUICED to draw.

Thats something I have to do a video about; not doing the somethings all of the time. Lots of people think all I do is draw day in day out when thats not true at all… if that was all I did I would get bored and lock up (block). I use to believe that if I draw, force myself to draw, or sit and think of drawing when I'm not drawing that I would inevitably get better at it, "WRONG!" Actually I do lots of creative projects from painting, to sculpture, shooting films, editing footage, decoupage (YEP!! - I have a jar of modge podge), sewing and creating clothes, photographing life (trees, nature), dancing, teaching (it's actually a source of great inspiration), digital drawing and paintings, photo manipulation (photoshop fun), visiting creative reuse depots (thrift store - Goodwill Salvation Army even dumpster diving and tons of other fun stuff. I have also learned to get reacquainted with my inner creative chile and simple go to the lake, lay on the grass and watch the ants wondering what it must be like to be that small with a giant human staring at me :)

You have to have fun or your work will suffer. I'll say that again, "YOU HAVE TO HAVE FUN OR YOUR WORK WILL SUFFER."

Been Painting A "LOT!!!"

Starting off this year in full creative throttle. Painting what ever comes to mind, creating a platform for my painting skills to catch up with my drawing abilities. This is really exciting as I am letting my inner artist go wild with what ever visions jump out when I step up to the easel. Lately I have been pulling from past memories of my early 20's (Dayz of High Adventure!!) when I ran with a large group of Hip Hop creatives in South Central Los Angeles.

My Brother the photographer...

Finally getting into the groove of painting everyday... "It's been a loooong time comiiiin-Chaaange gon' come"
It feels really good to fling the brush freely. I am learning how to keep my inspiration at a peek... some day I will teach a class on it.


Professional Photographer Wacunza Clark
17 x 14
Ballpoint Pen and Acrylic on Archival Paper

Another poster for my next film...

Heres another poster for my next film scheduled to be released by Spring.