Bashaw Elementary Special Edition T-shirts

     These were my submissions for the 2011 special edition Bashaw Elementary school t-shirts.  Each year designs are submitted and the kids vote on their favorite.  I don't believe any of mine were chosen this year, but I know that the black chalkboard design was picked as the first 'Teacher's Edition' shirt design.  Let me know what you're favorite was in the comment section!
[See previous Bashaw Logo T-shirt design here]

Bursting with Bobcat Pride

Chalkboard

Manuscript Writing

More Screencapture Sketching

Here are some additional sketches using screen captures. 

The Name of the Rose, ballpoint pen, ink, and marker.

Girl with a Pearl Earring, ballpoint pen.

Girl with a Pearl Earring, graphite.

Erik Tiemens

     Just added some new links for one of my favorite painters, Erik Tiemens.  If you've never heard of him before, you're really missing out on some amazing work.  I first learned of Erik around 2002/2003 when he was a concept designer on Star Wars Episode II (see below).  Since then, I've tried to follow his career and I must say I've been a fan ever since. 
     As you can see, I've dabbled in gouache and I love to use it to sketch with.  Erik has really helped to fuel my interest in continuing to use both gouache and watercolor.  He is able to acheive some remarkable effects combining gouache with various other media, including pens, pastels, ink, & watercolor.  His paintings always seem to have a real sense of history and time, and can look amazingly like oil.  They also evoke a real sense of romantisicm that really sets Erik apart from other painters.
     Erik also teaches workshops about his techniques and methods, his latest one was hosted at the Mendocino Art Center in Mendocino, California (I'd love to be able to attend one).  Please check out both his website at WaterSketch and his blog, Virtual Gouache Land.  You'll be glad you did.

-Tom

I'll leave you with these, enjoy!

Kamino by Erik Tiemens

Gouache & Watercolor Sketch by Erik Tiemens

Screen Capture Sketches

     These are a few of the sketches I did while viewing screen captures from various movies.  A very nice way to get some figure drawing in if there's no model available; this was taught to me by George Pratt at the Illustration Academy.

Forlorn - graphite

Repose - ink

Horse & Rider - ink

Out of the Shadows - graphite

New Gallery!

     Welcome back!  While you're here you can see some of my oil paintings on my new Gallery page!  Just click the "Oil Paintings" link under "Pages" to check it out; this is where I'll be posting samples of my finished work.  I'll be adding a few additional galleries as I get images sorted into new and better folders.
-Tom

Time flies . . . as Scarlette arrives!

     Unrelenting time continues on . . . so, I've had a TON of stuff going on since my last post.  My new daughter (Scarlette Rose) has arrived (sounds weird saying that), and I've been in the process of relocating my studio, as well as completing necessary (and frustrating) repairs to my computer.  Here we are, studio is about 90% moved and computer has been finally restored to its former glory!  I'm going to be working more diligently on completing some of the ongoing posts I've started and reworking my actual website to incorporate some of the web-presence I've managed to build.
     Stay tuned, more to come!

Opportunity for Painting and Photography!

     We're starting a new Affinity Group at my church, Woodland the Community Church.  The purpose of this group is to gather together creative people who want to make art together.  During the summer, June 5th - July 31st, we'll be traveling to places near and not so far, to get together and either paint en plein aire or take pictures.  It's going to be a great time, so if you've ever wanted to learn how to paint/take pictures or if you're an expert, come join us!  I hope to see lots of creative people there!

-from the flyer
     Landscape Painting and Photography is for EVERYONE!  Whether you're a beginner or an expert, join us for a great time of fellowship and art.

What you will need to bring:
          -A creative spirit
          -Your own supplies of choice (Camera, Watercolors, Pencils, Paper, etc)
          -Childcare and supplies will NOT be provided.
          -Bug spray & sunscreen.

Where we are going (Times subject to change with email notification):
          -Marina Jacks Park - June 5th & 12th - 2pm-4pm
June 5th -   Coquina Beach - Near the Gulf-Side Pavillion 6pm-8:30pm (Sunset and Picnic Dinner)
June 12th - Coquina Beach - Gulf-Side Pavillion 4pm-8:30pm
                 *Woodland's Beach Baptism and BBQ begins at 4pm.  Come and capture a unique          
                   experience and stay for the sunset!  BBQ will be provided, just bring a side dish to share.
                   Please RSVP if possible at holly@woodlandministries.com.     
June 19th - DeSoto National Memorial - Main Parking 2pm-4pm
June 26th - DeSoto National Memorial - Main Parking 2pm-4pm
July 3rd   -  NO STUDIO - Happy 4th of July!!!
July 10th -  Emerson Point - Main Parking 2pm-4pm
July 17th -  Emerson Point - Main Parking 2pm-4pm
          -Coquina Beach - July 24th & 31st - 6pm-8:30pm (Sunset & Picnic Dinner)
July 24th -  Marina Jacks Park - Sarasota - Picnic Area 2pm-4pm
July 31st -  Marina Jacks Park - Sarasota - Picnic Area 2pm-4pm

August   -   Art Show at Woodland!  More details to follow.

Questions?  Email Tom at tom@tommcandrewjr.com

-edit, revised dates and location details

Uptown Baptist Painting #1 part 2

      Welcome back!  I hope you've been finding these posts informative and interesting.  If you have any questions or comments please let me know, I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.  I definately don't have all of the answers, but I really enjoy talking to people about art and am always open to new ideas and techniques!  Thanks for stopping by and if you like what you see or if you have any suggestions for posts you would like to see, please just drop me a comment!

     This is the second post in the work-in-progress of the Uptown series of paintings.  Previously, I had shown how this image was conceived and composed, this post is about the foundation of the painting itself.  Through the thumbnail, the skeleton or framework is in place and now begins the process of laying in the underpainting or putting some meat on those bones!  Typically this is the thinnest layer of paint and also the flattest.  The concern at this stage was not necessarily getting everything to final details but to establish the overall color harmony and remove the white of the canvas.  Without the bleaching white of the canvas, it is much easier to determine correct color relationships and values as the painting progresses.  The underpainting here consists of mostly washes; washes being very, very thin oil paint.  Usually oil paint is thinned using turpinoid (a turpintine substitute) or mineral spirits, either of these is used get the paint to an almost watercolor-like quality and brushed across the canvas.  Often times, these washes can acheive wonderful effects that can be maintained through to the final stages of the painting.  Of course, the areas where you want the wash to show through must be planned ahead so that you don't cover us the effects with opaque paint.  This underpainting stage is also your last opportunity to make any major changes to your composition (should you need to), because it is much easier to wipe away a wash than to scrape off and repaint an area.  I, of course, have done my share of both!

     This is the stage of the painting where the pieces start to get a bit more solid.  The paint starts getting thicker and I am starting to work towards final details in some areas.  I started this session out on the part that was the farthest away, the sky.  This still holds to be one of my favorite parts of this painting!  The montage element is mostly put in and at this point I am looking to boost the contrast there only slightly higher, because I am wanting the words to stand out and be legible from across the room.  There is a faint ghost of the people still remaining but since I'm dealing with an opaque paint I can always paint them in on top of the background. 

     In the next post, I'll be showing the final two stages and I'll do one final post on this painting for the final.  I hope you've enjoyed watching this process unfold and I encourage you to get out there and slap some paint around.  Anyone and everyone can paint or draw!  If you can write, then you can draw!  Painting is only drawing with a brush, it is a skill and talent helps but persistance will go a long way towards any goal.  Be brave and try something new!  Thanks for following along. 

Uptown Baptist Painting #1

Uptown Baptist Church - thumbnails

     This is the first in-process shot of the painting as it progressed from tiny thumbnails to sketched onto the canvas.  Thumbnails are amazing little tools that you create yourself.  They are a vital step to creating almost any successful painting.  Anytime you are conceiving an image in your mind there are always tons of ways that the image can be done, with almost infinite subtle or drastic design changes.  The thumbnail stage is your opportunity to really play around with shapes and values without committing a lot of time or wasting any paint. 

Pencil sketch of thumbnail onto canvas.

     From this point, I decide which composition is going to fit this image the best and ideally this is the point to gather (or preferably) shoot your reference.  In this case, I was given some pictures to use as reference.  Personally, I wanted to go to Chicago and shoot my own reference, but that sadly wasn't in the budget (maybe next time).  I gathered my pictures together and using my thumbnail as a guide I sketched the drawing onto the canvas.  This stage can really go one of two ways, very loose or very tight and detailed; for this painting, I was under a tight deadline and needed to get into the paint right away.  In hindsight, I should have taken the time to really draw out some of the more detailed areas for clarity when I got to the painting stage, but you live and learn. 

     So this is where I'll leave off for today.  Check back for the next stage - the color block-in and underpainting.

Thanks for following along and as always if there are any questions please leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer them!

Uptown Baptist Mission Project

     I am currently in the process of a mission project through Woodland the Community Church (Bradenton, Fl.) for Uptown Baptist Church (Chicago, Il.).  As of now I have completed 2 of my 4 paintings, all of which are part of a series of 10 paintings that will adorn the lobby of Uptown.  The paintings will feature various Chicago landmarks, will be done in oil, and are 4ft X 2ft.  This is a very large set of paintings for me, as most of my work is around 16X20 or smaller.  I have said that I've wanted to start working on some larger pieces, so here we are!  The following posts will be in progress shots of the first 2 paintings that I've completed and are as of this post, hanging in Chicago. 
     There is a new 'Follow by Email' feature that has been added, fill in your email and stay tuned!

The Sketchbook Project continues . . .

     Here is a few from the next batch of sketches.  These are all done in an 8x5 Moleskin sketchbook in gouache.  Thanks for following along.

Sketchbook Project update . . .

Here are the first few pages of my sketchbook so far.  These paintings are all from Sarasota, this is where I basically began as a painter.  I had my first painting class and we took several trips to "Marina Jacks," a public park not too far from Ringling.  Some of these are paintings that I've been wanting to sketch for years now, so with this book my opportunity has arrived.  Anyway, back to book.  Thanks for checking these out!  Enjoy.

Sketchbook Project Sketches

     These are the first two sketches for my copy of the Sketchbook Project.  I'm planning on filling my book with landscape paintings and sketches, all from places that I've been to, places where I am, and places where I'd like to go.  Stay tuned for updates more frequently as I continue to work, filling this book up.  Any feedback (and encouragement) as I continue on would be appreciated.

Thanks and enjoy!