Walt Whitman vs. Modernity

As my last post of 2011, I thought I'd unveil the latest in my series of iPad painting of famous New York City artists. Today's portrait features renowned 19th-century poet Walt Whitman as he confronts an emerging New York of the future--here embodied by the rising Brooklyn Bridge.

Whitman's 1856 poem "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" speaks to the New York that he knew and loved. Some scholars have argued that Whitman's later silence towards the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge decades later serves an indication to the threat that the bridge posed to everything he had invested in 'his' New York. And so the Bridge looms over Whitman in this portrait--its imposing face directed towards us, while Whitman's is turned away. The bridge stands tall over the village-like Manhattan that Whitman knew (when the bridge was constructed, the NY skyline was hardly more than 4-stories tall).

And so one begins to see the complex relationship between artist and city in the history of New York. At times the artist defines the city and contributes to its mystique; but at other times, the city threatens, even overshadows, the artist.

We'll Meet Again, Superhero Dean Rogers!

This semester's final issue of the paper hit Fordham today, and that means the final installment of this season's Superhero Dean Rogers! Packed with action, jetpacks, and just enough loose ends to guarantee continued publication, it's sure to be a winner.

Tune in next semester for even more exciting adventures with Superhero Dean Rogers and Argyle---same dean time, same dean channel.

You'll Burn Your Wings Off

Lately, I've been working on an animatic featuring everybody's favorite mythical birdman: Icarus. Inspired by the lyrics and tune of Cat Stevens' "The Wind"--which seem vaguely reminiscent of the high-flying hero--I've put together what you might call a "free adaptation" of the classic Icarus myth. You can check out both the original/thumbnail animatic and the shiny new finalized animatic below.

And remember children, if your parents give you a set of wax wings this Christmas, stay far far away from any giant balls of fire that may torch the wings in mid-flight. If you hate the present that much, just ask for the receipt.

Woody Walks!

Here's a quick animation of the Woodster. All modeling, animation, and lighting was done in Blender 2.5.

Life Drawing

Some drawings from my past two figure drawings sessions. Gestures are all one per minute; larger sketches are twenty minutes each.

Scott & Zelda, at the Plaza

After losing the original file to an unfortunate glitch in the iCloud, I've finally finished my iPad painting of F. Scott Fitzgerald--the second in my series of iPad paintings of famous New York artists and authors (the first, of Woody Allen, is available for your viewing pleasure here).

With this illustration, I wanted to showcase the lighter, more exuberant side of Fitzgerald that often gets lost under the darker, more alcoholic side of the great Jazz Age author. People tend to forget that Scott and his wife Zelda had a very lively streak together in the midst of the roaring '20s, reveling in such antics as a fully-clothed plunge into the grand Plaza fountain. This gleeful rhythm is exactly what I wanted to capture when I decided to take on Fitzgerald, and so I ended up with the painting above. A happy, successful couple skyrocketed to the height of celebrity, caught up in a moment of spontaneous reverie. But as the painting's sunset suggests, moments can only ever be moments. For the Fitzgeralds--and the rest of America--darker days were on their way.

I've included some of the initial sketches for this illustration below. 

Be sure to look out for the next painting in the series, involving a certain New York poet of the late 19th century, whose name may or may not rhyme with Malt Hitman.

Every Dean Needs a Sidekick

This week's installment of Superhero Dean Rogers...featuring the first appearance of DR's trusty RA sidekick, Argyle! (And in case you haven't noticed, it seems iPad failures are becoming a motif of my storytelling.) Tune in next time for the gripping conclusion to their adventures in Bros Hill.