I was born in San Francisco a few weeks before the Cuban Missile Crisis. (I wasn't yet a month old and already in a world of trouble!) I was the second child of four kids and thought of by most of my family as the strange but quiet one. After a lackluster career in High School, I went off to Junior College and later enrolled in the Academy of Art College. There at the Academy, I earned a BFA degree in Illustration.
I'm currently an Adobe Certified Expert in Adobe Illustrator 10. Though since leaving school I've used many different graphic programs for the computer;. I've recently decided to focus on creating artwork in Illustrator. Vector based art allows for the widest range of final options and usage for my work. I can create artwork without worrying that it may be too big or too small for whatever print usage I may want to do with it later. Also the smaller file sizes vector art allows for easier transfer of my work over the Internet to vendors and clients.
Pirate Pub Sign
Description The Bothwell Art Center in Livermore is having a Mardi Gras event on February 20th. One of the things they are offering is a 'Pirate bar'. So as their unofficial resident Pin-Up artist I volunteered to supply a sign and a pirate. Here is the sign. My friend Jeff who has played many a pirate in the past will be showing up in full pirate regalia. The sword, the scabbard, and the hat in this picture are his. In fact, Jeff has regularlly helped me with props in many of my model shoots, including this one with Penny.
As I've may have said before, I like working with models for what they can bring to the finished piece. I once had an arguement with another artist about my need for models. He said that he could draw the perfect woman just from his own imagination. (And he was a very talented cartoonist and illustrator, so I knew this was not an empty boast.) But I pointed out, that to me just doing the same type of woman over and over again would be boring, even if she was perfect. I am never looking for a 'perfect' model to work from. I am looking usually for a 'specfic' model to work from.
Pin-Up artist Joseph Michael Linsner once wrote, "Goddesses come in all shapes and sizes." If you had to ask me what makes for a really good model, then I'd have to say confidence. Penny is a roller derby skater and a latex designer. She is also one of the funniest models to work with! Though I have shot a number of women as pirates. For this project I just had to go with Penny. Penny is perfect for this picture because she just looks like she'll enjoy kicking your ass. (Just like a real pirate would)!
Application Illustrator
Labels Fantasy, Realistic, Pop Art
Times Viewed 2636
Approved By Huan
Again...it makes all the difference in the world to utilize the flexibility of actual model shoots for reference...it really puts the quality of your overall work far above the fold!
10 February 2009 - 06:52
Conversation With
Russell Katuin (rKatuin)
Nice work, I like to work from pohtos are live modles better?
I watched a Norman Rockwell documentary that is sort of what I do.
10 February 2009 - 08:40:
James Courtney (Comixguy)
replied...
I do different levels of both. For my illustrations, I do an actual professional level photo shoot in a studio. (I can say 'professional level' since I've had models ask to work with me on just that alone.) Generally we shoot around an idea or a theme. For example, in two weeks I am having four models come over to my house to shoot my Victoria's Secret Zombie idea! From the hundreds of pictures I get I then select one or two to work from. (A friend who owned the studio I shoot from, thought it was insane that I shoot so much for just one or two images. But I've since found out, that even among photographers, that is not uncommon.)
I also do live figure drawing when I can. I belong to a figure model group in Livermore that meets once a week. This is important because it is easy to be too dependent on working from photos. There are some things to the figure that you only get from working with a live model over and over again. I know a few good artist that have great technical skills with either digital or traditional media but who's figures still come off as stiff or unnatural. This is because they haven't really worked from life too much. So they don't know how the human body really works.
As one art director for a video game company once said "We can teach any of our artists how to use the software needed but we can teach any of them how to draw."
10 February 2009 - 20:44
Comment From
Jerry Mills (Husker)
Arrrr, It's a beauty mate! I love the feathers and the model!
11 February 2009 - 06:32
Conversation With
Russell Katuin (rKatuin)
Thanks I think I need to work from some live models as well, I appreciate the help.
11 February 2009 - 08:40:
James Courtney (Comixguy)
replied...
Just get a sketchbook and draw from life. Think of it like going to the gym to train for a sport. You have to put in long hours of just working out, if you want to raise the level of your game.
11 February 2009 - 09:15
Comment From
Russell Katuin (rKatuin)
I do different levels of both. For my illustrations, I do an actual professional level photo shoot in a studio. (I can say 'professional level' since I've had models ask to work with me on just that alone.) Generally we shoot around an idea or a theme. For example, in two weeks I am having four models come over to my house to shoot my Victoria's Secret Zombie idea! From the hundreds of pictures I get I then select one or two to work from. (A friend who owned the studio I shoot from, thought it was insane that I shoot so much for just one or two images. But I've since found out, that even among photographers, that is not uncommon.) I also do live figure drawing when I can. I belong to a figure model group in Livermore that meets once a week. This is important because it is easy to be too dependent on working from photos. There are some things to the figure that you only get from working with a live model over and over again. I know a few good artist that have great technical skills with either digital or traditional media but who's figures still come off as stiff or unnatural. This is because they haven't really worked from life too much. So they don't know how the human body really works. As one art director for a video game company once said "We can teach any of our artists how to use the software needed but we can teach any of them how to draw."