Gravel Road Studios

I thought it would be nice to take some Hokusai illustrations...

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:57:12 -0400

I thought it would be nice to take some Hokusai illustrations and crop them to the proper proportion for my desktop. You can see/download all of them in the Hokusai Wallpapers set I created on Flickr. I did my best to keep important details from being covered by the menubar at the top while not losing important details elsewhere.

After doing the desktop wallpapers I decided to try some more severe cropping and make some iPhone wallpapers. I like abstraction so they veer in that direction. Those too are in the Hokusai Wallpaper set.

Chroma Paints, INC.

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:08:20 -0400

Chroma Paints, INC.: … WTF is ‘Hyper Gouache’?

I have long wondered if anyone wrote a Richard Scarry biography....

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:06:51 -0400

I have long wondered if anyone wrote a Richard Scarry biography. Apparently all I had to do to find out was go to the Biography section of Amazon and search (Amazon | Goodreads).

Richard Scarry is up there in my favorite artists ever. I love the way he labeled everything and how scenes he illustrated have so many things going on that it takes many reads to see all of it.

Make a Do-Si-Do Book

Thu, 28 May 2009 13:13:26 -0400

Make a Do-Si-Do Book

After a bunch of brainstorming and research I discovered a great...

Wed, 27 May 2009 13:28:00 -0400

After a bunch of brainstorming and research I discovered a great bag to carry my tools around (brushes, paints, journals, ink, etc).

One thing I don’t mention in the video - it’s only $30 and available nearly everywhere.

Erik drawing at the Arnold Arboretum

Mon, 25 May 2009 21:33:55 -0400

Erik drawing at the Arnold Arboretum

Erik drawing at Arnold Arboretum

Mon, 25 May 2009 21:29:36 -0400

Erik drawing at Arnold Arboretum

Noodler’s Polar Brown vs. Noodler’s Polar Black ink: I just...

Thu, 21 May 2009 14:04:38 -0400

Noodler’s Polar Brown vs. Noodler’s Polar Black ink: I just picked up some Noodler’s Polar Brown ink for a project and thought I would compare the two. So far I love it but will not likely use it for everyday use.

Card I drew for my mom for Mother’s Day and Erik painted...

Sat, 16 May 2009 00:19:00 -0400

Card I drew for my mom for Mother’s Day and Erik painted with gouache.

brush and bowl

Fri, 15 May 2009 01:41:24 -0400

brush and bowl

new plants: I planted these cuttings in these vases we had...

Fri, 15 May 2009 01:41:18 -0400

new plants: I planted these cuttings in these vases we had around. It’s great because they fit on the table without taking up too much space.

devotion (detail)

Fri, 15 May 2009 01:41:12 -0400

devotion (detail)

How I proposed: At 7:30 AM I gave Alissa a painting I made. She...

Thu, 07 May 2009 12:52:00 -0400

How I proposed:

At 7:30 AM I gave Alissa a painting I made. She thought it was great. I told her to flip it over. She read it and said, “yeah” assuming I was being cute. When she turned around to thank me for the painting I was holding the ring. See the back.

Here’s what I wrote:

The word gouache comes from the Italian for aguazzo, meaning mud. [1] Gouache is made when a pigment and chalk are combined with water and applied to the paper by the artist in an act of creation.

Like gouache our relationship is a synergy of earth and water into a creative energy. [2] The act is often messy and creates surprising and unintended results.

Want to get married?

1. Upon further investigation it seems there are no reliable references. The word gouache is ~400 years old so aguazzo may be antiquated.

2. You being a taurus and I a cancer.

canning is awesome: I’m researching the benefits and costs of...

Thu, 07 May 2009 12:52:00 -0400

canning is awesome: I’m researching the benefits and costs of canning.

union

Thu, 07 May 2009 12:51:47 -0400

union

Sakura of America

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:43:16 -0400

Sakura of America: Like other artists I love Sakura’s Pigma Micron pens. I’m excited to browse through their other products but so far I’m a bit disappointed how heavily they market them to American Crafters – Rubber Stampers, Quilters, Scrapbookers. I guess it reflects the state of the arts in the United States.

Observations on the Waterbrush

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:32:51 -0400

Observations on the Waterbrush:

A great write–up on waterbrushes; how they work and what companies make them.

For those who don’t know, a water brush or waterbrush (some makers use two words while others combine them into one) has a soft plastic barrel which contains water. When you squeeze the barrel, water enters the bristles, thus eliminating the need for a separate water container. It also makes cleaning the brush between colors a breeze. These are great for watercolor sketching on location.

Sakura Travel Waterbrush

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:24:35 -0400

Sakura Travel Waterbrush: I may have to try these out. I love Sakura Micron pens. Amazon has them for almost 40% off.

Mountains played at the Tufts Oxfam Cafe on Wednesday with my...

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:25:04 -0400

Mountains played at the Tufts Oxfam Cafe on Wednesday with my friends and awesome band Mind Wheel.

Mountains played at the Tufts Oxfam Cafe on Wednesday with my...

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:11:00 -0400

Mountains played at the Tufts Oxfam Cafe on Wednesday with my friends and awesome band Mind Wheel.