A Girl at the Museum of Modern Art

by David Finley

 She likes to peruse.

Available as a print:
http://society6.com/DavidFinley/The-Museum-of-Modern-Art_Print

Snow Bird

by David Finley

A Snow Bird flies in the quiet of the forest.

The Man in the Mirror

by David Finley

 "I'm asking him to change his ways."- Michael Jackson

The Dickey Rat Jazz Trio- a Mickey Mouse Spoof part 2

by David Finley

 I'm back from vacation, refreshed and rearing to go. I'll have to post some pics from my trip here. The mountains were beautiful.

 Today, the Dickey Rat Trio, my Mickey Mouse gang impersonators, are back with a bit more polish. They are tearing up the club *ahem* Rat Pack style. You can see the earlier version of this piece here and the concept sketches here if you'd like.

-Dave

Apollo Watches the Sunset

by David Finley

... and waits for the dawn.

Watercolor Robot in Blue

by David Finley

The Dickey Rat Jazz Trio- A Mickey Mouse Parody

by David Finley

 Here's a follow up and more fleshed out version of the sketches I posted here. As you can see, Dickey, Donnell, and Hoofy really know how to jam. This is a clean vector version, but I'll be adding textures and other touches so the details of the piece will stand out better. Right now, Donnell's beak is getting lost as well as Hoofy's muzzle.

 Apologies to Walt Disney and MIckey, Donald, and Goofy for indulging this parody.

 Thanks for looking!

-Dave

American Still Life

by David Finley

 Who wouldn't want to draw an Andre the Giant action figure astride a cow piggy bank?

The Dwarven Cleric- Just the Art

by David Finley



Thought I'd share a little fantasy art. I'll post more tomorrow and hopefully color this one.

-Dave

Angry Robot- Just the Art

by David Finley

The Seated Girl- a Fine Art Abstract Nude Figure Drawing

by David Finley

The Seated Girl

 This is a a nude figure study I made at one of my recent figure drawing sessions at the Cameron Art Museum. The initial sketch was working, but I wanted to expand the composition, so I started working with it digitally at home. There are lots of layers of overlaying brushstrokes textures and marks here, but the original still shines through.

As always, comments and suggestions are greatly welcomed, and since this is a "dofollow" comment blog, it will give you a nice link back as well.

Thanks for looking, friends!

-Dave

A Robot Girl washes in the Rain- Just the Art

by David Finley

Robot Girl Washes in the Rain- a Digital Illustration

Just the Art- A Drawing of a Cat Fighting Robots

by David Finley



What more do you need?

Made with pastel, ink washes, and mixed papers

Just the Art- ABC & Witch page 4

by David Finley

ABC and Witch- Page 4

 Jonathan and I are really excited as we see this book come to life more and more. It really is a thrill to be working on something kids enjoy so much. The feedback has been outstanding so far.

 You can see previous pages and get a more inside look at our process by visiting the pages below.

ABC Witch Page1
ABC Witch Page2
ABC Witch Page3 plus some process

 Since this is a Just the Art column, I will stop talking to you now.

 Thanks for looking!

-Dave, Grand Poobah of all Scofflaws

Just the Art- Songbird 2

by David Finley

My Songbird- Saying I Love You with Art

 It's no secret I love my wife, but it's really gratifying when I can express it with art. Sometimes it's just easier to say something with an illustration than with words; like the way she charms me and lights up my life. Sure, it might sound corny and mushy, but I don't know what I would do without her.

 The process behind this piece is complicated and difficult. It involves meticulous drawing, a lot of layering with vector shapes and lines, then overlays of scanned paint textures. Rinse, and repeat.

 It's worth noting that this is the second version of this picture. If you would like, you can see the first version of this drawing by clicking here. It had a wavy texture to it that was bothering me, so I removed it with this version.

 Thanks for looking, Scofflaws! I'll be back tomorrow with advice on making sexier art.

 See you then!

- Dave

By this Print at my Society 6 shop

Just the Art- Carl Bear and the Honey Bees

by David Finley

Today's Just the Art feature illustration is 'Carl Bear and the Honey Bees'. This is an updated color and texturized version of a ball point pen sketch you can see here.

 My main focus and emphasis was on energy and movement, with an arching flow in the composition highlighted by the stream of honey and bees. The heavy energy is contrasted and anchored by the right angle boxing of the tree and branch.

 Don't worry, Carl will be just fine.If you like this picture a lot, you can own a print by clicking this link right now.

Thanks for looking!

-Dave, Grand Poobah of all Scofflaws

Just the Art- Nude Study on Drapery

by David Finley

Female Nude on Drapery

Today's Just the Art feature is a nude female study I've titled, "Nude Study on Drapery".  I made this piece a few days ago at the Cameron Art Museum's figure drawing sessions. The initial sketch and tones were made with pastel and washed on wood. I also used a cloth and my fingers to smudge and manipulate the marks a bit more.

 This is my second foray into my recent experiments with working directly on wood. Again, I am really enjoying the warmth and texture the wood is giving my work. You can see the first by clicking here.

To purchase this print or any of my other exciting (if I do say so myself) pieces, please head over to my shop at Society6 by clicking this sentence.

Thanks for reading Scofflaws!

-Dave, your Grand Poobah.

Just the Art- Reach2

by David Finley

Art about the Afterlife

I've decided to put a new segment on my blog called, Just the Art. The decision to do this came about for a few reasons, but mostly, to give the art a chance to be featured outside of the article it accompanies. It also give me a chance to talk about process which will hopefully help some of you aspiring creatives out there. Please enjoy!

 I talked about this piece a little bit yesterday in my article about connecting with others through emotion. In yesterday's article I wrote:

"I wanted to explore my own feelings, questions, and thoughts about death and the afterlife. A beloved pet of mine died a few months ago and a deep part of me just wants to know he's okay.


 I've poured through near death experience stories, read theological debates, read the counter arguments of atheists, and combed the Bible. There are no definitive answers.


 So, I decided to "paint these questions out" on a piece of wood. On the surface, this is a piece about a woman and a cat enjoying the celestial radiance of the moon in all its splendor. Underneath, it is my plea for emotional resolution and a manifestation of my hope.


 This painting is about a lot of things. It is about my desire to have friends and family who will share the journey on the other side; to join those who have gone ahead before me. It is about the unknown. It is about who God is." 

 This piece marks an exploration of new technique and presentation, where I work on wood using pastel, paint, watercolor, and ink for staining. Because the wood itself has such a beautiful grain and warmth, I don't want to eliminate it completely.

 The pastels I use are Rembrandt brand pastels and they are incredible for their strength of pigment and blending ability. In addition, you can add water to them and spread them like paint. Pastel layers are then built up and washed, then combined with watercolor and acrylic to get a stronger hue. The piece is finished with black ink.

 A slender board will be attached to the back of the wood panel to separate it from the wall for gallery display.

 Thanks for reading, Scofflaws. I hope this gives some of your out there ideas for your own pieces.

-Dave, Grand Poobah of All Scofflaws