KevArtist.com | The Art of Kev Anderson

Delila - Pencil

2012-01-27T20:09:00.001-05:00

"Delila"
pencil
This girl has so much character. Crazy playful. Had to do a drawing of her in her Halloween costume!
Inked and colored versions coming soon.

I Believe In You - ink on parchment

2012-01-27T19:29:00.000-05:00

"I Believe in You"
ink on parchment

"Extra Life" - ink & watercolor

2012-01-25T12:28:00.001-05:00

Extra Life
ink and watercolor on paper

Charmers - ink on paper

2012-01-22T21:38:00.001-05:00

Spent the day with a friend. We eventually ended up at Charmer's Cafe in Rogers Park, sketching.
Good day.

Charmers
ink on paper
all content © 2012 Kev Anderson

Runners, vampires & demons - oh my

2012-01-16T13:08:00.000-05:00

Here are two new entries in my visual journal, plus an entry I did for the graphic novel i'm illustrating.

Life is good. My hand is finally recovering to the point that I can work, after my mind got hacked by some drunk demon who ran amok in my body, punching things he shouldn't have. He's not invited back to the party ;)

Andersonville Runner
ink, watercolor (and WINE spill) on paper

Donor
ink and watercolor on paper

study for a graphic novel I'm illustrating
ink on paper

Amok : Ink and watercolor

2012-01-08T21:02:00.001-05:00

"Amok"
ink and watercolor on paper

Pretty Serious - Ink on paper

2011-12-17T00:43:00.000-05:00

"Pretty Serious @ The Wormhole Cafe"
inks on paper
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

Sometimes when I'm unable to get into my drawing rhythm, I take a break and do some practice drawing of whomever is close by.

Preaching - ink on paper

2011-12-11T16:58:00.001-05:00

"Preaching"
ink on paperconcept art for comic written by Isaiah Smalley

Cool Hair (Wormhole Cafe) - ink on paper

2011-12-10T00:59:00.001-05:00

‎"Cool Hair (Wormhole Cafe)"
ink on pape
rall content © 2011 Kev Anderson

Met some interesting people at the Wormhole Cafe today.

Two of them were named Maddie

Sheikh Banana - ink on paper

2011-12-09T13:02:00.001-05:00

"Sheikh Banana"
ink on paper
concept art for a graphic novel written by Steve Herman
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

Cool Girl (blue line) - ink on paper

2011-12-08T12:07:00.001-05:00

"Cool Girl (blue line)"
ink on paper

all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

New Sketch: Divine Intervention

2011-11-21T12:48:00.001-05:00

"Divine Intervention"
ink on paper
-- preliminary sketch for larger piece --all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

Drawing: Might As Well Face It

2011-11-18T11:33:00.001-05:00

Might As Well Face It
ink and watercolor on paper
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

What I love about working with images is that there can be multiple stories, even totally opposite and conflicting stories running in one image. This is a case of that. There are at least three different stories happening here.

Get With It

2011-11-17T09:45:00.001-05:00

Get With It
ink and watercolor on paper
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

Not excited about the paper I used for this one. It didn't take the color as well as I would have liked. If you look at the 'bleeding heart' you might see the fuzzy edges created by a paper that's too absorbent. I'm looking for some good, hot-pressed watercolor paper in 9 x 12. I want it as smooth as possible with the slowest absorption time. If anyone out there has any suggestions, let me know :)

Drawing: Geezer (new style)

2011-11-15T17:31:00.001-05:00

"Geezer"
ink on paper
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

I was sitting on the train and I decided to just start drawing with no idea about what I would draw. This is what came out. It felt 'channeled' rather than drawn. I like it. It's somewhat of a different style than what I normally do. I have a feeling i'm going to be doing more in this method.

Drawings - two concepts

2011-11-12T15:30:00.001-05:00

PRIEST (concept for FAITH comic written by Isaiah Smalley)
ink and watercolor on paper

Starving Boy (Reference drawing, from photo, for comic image)
ink on paper

Poster: Serendipity Auction for UCE

2011-11-07T13:18:00.000-05:00

"Serendipity"
ink and watercolor with digital layout
poster created for an auction at the Unitarian Church of Evanston

DRAWING: New Character Concepts

2011-11-06T15:20:00.002-05:00

PAN AND DAD
ink and watercolor on paper
concepts for graphic novel project written by Isaiah Smalley

PAINTING: Young Devil

2011-10-18T01:09:00.000-04:00

"Young Devil"
ink and watercolor on paper

2011-09-23T14:27:00.003-04:00

‎"Money Shot"
ink and watercolor on paper

*** part 10 in the I ♥ U CTHULHU series ***

I Love U Cthulhu: Baby Blue

2011-09-21T01:44:00.004-04:00

Part 9

Today I saw the end of this series.

There will be probably 3 more images and then it's complete.

It's been an amazing experience doing this.

‎"Baby Blue"
ink and watercolor on paper

*** part 9 in the I ♥ U CTHULHU series ***

I Love U Cthulhu: Doin My Best

2011-09-17T13:44:00.002-04:00

"Doin My Best (blue boy in rainbow room)"
ink and watercolor on paper

*** part 8 in the I ♥ U CTHULHU series ***

Comic Book Cover Sketch

2011-09-15T23:59:00.002-04:00

"Mango Mama"
ink on paper

idea for the cover of the first issue of a comic series
[art by me, written by Steve Herman]

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

I Love U Cthulhu: Thru & Thru

2011-09-10T21:57:00.000-04:00

"Thru & Thru"
ink and watercolor on paper
8 x 11

*** part 7 in the I ♥ U CTHULHU series ***
Previous installments in this series are able to be viewed in earlier posts

Paradise Lost

2011-08-28T19:59:00.002-04:00

"Paradise Lost"
Ink and watercolor on parchment
Because of post-breakup complications, my ex-girlfriend and I are only communicating through drawings that must be mailed to the other on the New Moon. Today is that day. This is my drawing, a memory.

Got a new sketch book

2011-08-13T09:18:00.000-04:00

"Isaiah"
ink and watercolor on paper

"Night Boy"
ink and watercolor on paper

"Pick Me Up"
ink and watercolor on paper

FIND YOU: final piece

2011-08-13T09:11:00.004-04:00

"Find You"
Ink on paper14 x 17

FIND YOU: Color Sketches

2011-08-09T22:36:00.000-04:00

Find You (color sketch)
ink on parchment photo copy of original
8 x 11

This is the color scheme I decided on. I took a photo of the final inked piece, took it to the copy shop and had a bunch printed out on parchment (see below) so i could do quick sketches to figure out the color relationships I wanted. I chose to print on parchment because it takes wet ink well. It doesn't warp much and the ink doesn't bleed all over the place. Good for watercolor or ink wash sketches. Next, I did a larger version (above). Time to get into the final!

Find You (color sketches 4 up)
ink on parchment photo copy
8 x 11

click the image for a larger version

FIND YOU: Inking Process

2011-08-09T16:23:00.000-04:00

"Find You"
14 x 17, pencil on paper

Starting to lay in the inks. I wanted to use the brush for the expressive body lines and a nib pen for the precise lines of the thin tubes, but i realized a nib pen doesn't work very well with a upright easel ;) So I did the whole thing with the brush. Next I'll do some color sketches.

I Love U Cthulhu: Beyond The Point of No Return

2011-08-09T02:49:00.003-04:00

"Beyond The Point Of No Return"
ink on paper

*** part 5 in the I ♥ U CTHULHU series ***
View the images in earlier posts to see the whole series

Find You - pencil and shadows (next is ink)

2011-08-09T00:00:00.001-04:00

"Find You"
14 x 17, pencil on paper

I know my last post said "Final pencil before inking" but after I blocked in the shadow lines, I loved how it looked so much that I thought I'd update before inking :)

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

FIND YOU (final pencil before inking)

2011-08-08T19:39:00.003-04:00

"Find You"
final pencil drawing (before inking)
14 x 17, pencil on paper

The final of four pieces that I'm preparing for my participation in an upcoming show this weekend in Pilsen.

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

I Love U Cthulhu: In The Belly of The Beast

2011-08-02T18:19:00.005-04:00

Part 4 in the I <3 U CTHULHU series

"In The Belly Of The Beast"
ink on paper

*** part 4 in the I ♥ U CTHULHU series ***

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

Hanuman

2011-07-28T14:20:00.003-04:00

"Hanuman"
ink and watercolor on paper

all content copyright kev anderson 2011

I Love U Cthulhu: Here We Go

2011-07-28T13:02:00.003-04:00

"Here We Go"
ink and watercolor on paper
*** part 2 in the I <3 U CTHULHU series ***
view the first of the three images at: http://www.kevartist.com/2011/07/friends-and-demons.html

"Let's Get On With It"
ink and watercolor on paper

*** part 3 in the I <3 U CTHULHU series ***

MORE TO COME!

LUNCHTIME!

2011-07-21T13:52:00.002-04:00

"Lunchtime"
ink on paper

click the image for a larger version

Totally Fine

2011-07-21T00:17:00.002-04:00

"Totally Fine"
ink on paper

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

One of my first watercolors

2011-07-13T16:19:00.001-04:00

untitled
watercolor on paper

My third attempt at using watercolor. Coming from an oil painting background, watercolor is a challenging medium. It's a totally different approach. I like it though because it fits more with my pen and ink approach that I'm focusing almost exclusively on these days

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

Friends and Demons

2011-07-08T09:59:00.002-04:00

"Christo" portrait of a good friend
ink on paper

"I Love U Cthulhu"
ink on paper

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

2011-07-07T10:31:00.001-04:00

Lex
ink on paper

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

Contact (hand study)

2011-06-29T19:45:00.001-04:00

"Contact"
ink on paper
click the image for a larger version in a new window
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

Portrait: Adrienne

2011-06-25T13:44:00.000-04:00

"Adrienne"
ink on paper

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2011 Kev Anderson

Illustration: Teamwork

2011-06-25T11:00:00.003-04:00

"Teamwork"
ink on paper w/ digital color

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

New Print & Band Poster for Stoop Goodnoise

2011-06-23T13:55:00.002-04:00

"Apogee"
ink and watercolor on paper
11 x 17 prints available

Limited edition print for the Stoop Goodnoise

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Portraits: Crowning a King, Exorcising a Demon, & reflecting an Artist

2011-06-22T15:29:00.000-04:00

King Lexie
(Magical Portrait)
ink on parchment

I've begun creating 'Magical Portraits' for people.

The general idea of a Magical Portrait is that it is a visual representation of a state of being that the subject would like to manifest in their life. It can be range from very literal to symbolic. I spend a lot of time with the subject, discovering their dreams, aspirations and favored archetypes. We then create a symbology that we incorporate into the piece.

"Unct" (Demon Portrait)
ink on lined paper

Another style of portraiture (or illustration, however you want to define it) that I've begun doing, I playfully refer to as 'Demon Portraiture' or a form of 'Visual Exorcism'.

We all have disempowering voices in our heads in one form or another.

I will sit with the subject and help theme isolate one of their disempowering voices. We then work to discover the voice's name and it's major, negative characteristics. We then proceed to discover it's visage and bring it all together into an image. The purpose of this process is to capture the person's 'Demon' into a recognizable form so that it's harder for the 'Demon' to insinuate it's negative ideas into the subjects stream of consciousness.

In this case, a very close friend was being bothered by a voice the would nay say everything she aspired to accomplish. After digging deep, we found very specific characteristics, a name and a visage. The voice's name is "Unct." He's a blue collar workhorse who wears two watches because he's so bound by time. He's quite negative and always looks at the down side of things. He's fearful and will only take the safest, most conservative route to anything. He's definitely not a risk taker.

"Blue" Self Portrait
Ink on paper

Self Portrait
ink on paper

click the image for a larger version

Portrait of Ree Drummond, "The Pioneer Woman"

2011-06-22T14:43:00.015-04:00

Recently I was commissioned by Pam Anderson from threemanycooks.com to do a portrait of her friend Ree Drummond of thepioneerwoman.com (and Charlie, her hound :)

"The Pioneer Woman" Ree Drummond
ink on paper
click image for larger version

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Hyena Punk

2011-06-13T23:59:00.001-04:00

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Visual Journal: 'Too Delicate' 'Lonely Wolf' 'Flirting w/ Disaster' 'Cutting The Cord'

2011-06-12T15:50:00.000-04:00

I used to write pages and pages in my journal until one day I decided to combine my desire to journal with my visual art pursuits. I find that it generally takes on a more humorous perspective, than written journal entries which have a tendency to sound brooding. The added benefit is that I can often share my the product of my visual journal with others, whereas I wouldn't do that with written journal entries.

"Too Delicate"
ink on parchment

"Lonely Wolf"
ink on parchment

"Flirting with Disaster"
ink on parchment

"Cutting the Cord" (magical portrait)
ink on parchment

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Find You (Dream Illustration)

2011-06-10T19:38:00.009-04:00

A friend recently recounted an intense dream to me where she was running from dark beings and her way of getting away from them was to come find me. She said she needed to pass through various 'layers' of reality to get to me. When she finally found me we were both in strange, Matrix-like pods with tubes attached to our heads and we looked quite different, including having many more eyes than normal. The tubes actually connected our heads together.

When she told me this dream is really hit me deeply and I had to illustrate my inner vision of it. It was somewhat gruesome and dark, but there was a strange beauty to it also.

A few new illos, another portrait, and a personal drawing

2011-04-08T21:19:00.000-04:00

Kai

ink on paper

Working for a food blog for over a year can be challenging in terms of keeping my imagery fresh. I try not to get too deep into a groove. I like to mix it up when I can. I've been experimenting with opening up my color palette a bit. I'm also beginning to move away, ever so slightly, from my literal style, focusing more on an oblique, expressionist or even surrealist perspective.

Black Tea with Lots of Sugar

ink on paper with digital color

http://threemanycooks.com/conversations/dumplings-for-dinner-hold-the-msg/

Borders

ink on paper

Created for an article about a person's visit to Israel and how the conflict there had an affect on them

http://threemanycooks.com/conversations/dessert-the-great-unifier/

Playin in the Mud

ink on paper

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

ILLO: "Cleanse"

2011-03-26T23:07:00.003-04:00

Posted on threemanycooks.com, this is a fitting article for me to illustrate, after my own 6 months of craziness comes to a pause. I decided to try something different with this one. My stuff is often extremely literal but with this one I wanted to be more abstract and start the image from an emotion rather than a concept. I like how it turned out.

"Cleanse"

ink on paper with digital color

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2011 Kevin Anderson

Friend Portraits: Heather Chatham and Chance Stewart

2011-03-17T13:56:00.000-04:00

Heather Chatham

ink on paper

A friend I met while visiting family in Atlanta, Georgia. I promised her a portrait to make up for the fact that I spilled a beer on her! lol

Chance Stewart

ink on paper

I've been friends with Chance for years now. We used to work together at the Uptown Cafe in Bloomington, Indiana. He is now in Afghanistan and he commissioned me to do this portrait of him.

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Illustration: Like a lilly among thorns

2011-03-15T18:44:00.001-04:00

"As the lilly among thorns"

ink on paper with digital color

Hebrew seems to have been working itself into my stuff recently. Totally randomly. I'm loving it.

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

2011-03-13T16:41:00.005-04:00

"She's So Heavy (The Most Expensive Conversation I've Ever Had)"

ink on parchment

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

New Orleans inspiration

2011-03-08T15:46:00.002-05:00

Whoo, what a trip this has been. So many amazing experiences. Very inspiring. I think "Veronica' is my favorite drawing to date.

Veronica

ink on paper

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

My piece for the Transient Bloomington Art Show on Mar 5, Bloomington IN

2011-02-26T15:36:00.000-05:00

Moving into a new phase in my fine art. Having retired the oil and acrylic paints and the wooden surfaces to paint on, i'm now doing large formate paintings with inks on paper. I love how expressive and 'real' the process is, not allowing my perfectionist side to go back and fix things. The piece I did for the upcoming Bloomington show is called Samsara, and deals with the cyclical path of learning in reality. I've really happy with how it turned out.

Samsara

ink on paper 36 x 40 inches

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Event Horizon

2011-02-22T02:14:00.000-05:00

Event Horizon

ink on parchment

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Personal Works: Artichoke, Purple Line Express, Stylish w/ Nose Ring

2011-02-21T11:32:00.001-05:00

A few more personal works for you to check out

Artichoke

inks on paper

just a study of an artichoke that I was doing as a warmup for an illo I need to do. I got so into it that I just kept going and really liked the outcome.

Purple Line Express

ink on paper

Doin some drawing while on the El heading into Chicago

Stylish w/ Nose Ring

ink on paper

I was drawing this person at Ohare while waiting for the plane. I was impressed by how well she'd captured a 'couture' style at her age. It was then a surprise to suddenly see her sticking multiple her fingers in her nose pretty aggressively! I was like 'What'? Then I realized she was putting her nose ring back in after having gone through security. She didn't seem the type to have a nose ring. Cool juxtaposition to her fashion.

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Illustrations: Blizzard, Morning After, Wedding Dress

2011-02-18T13:58:00.007-05:00

Blizzard

ink on paper with digital color

see the article that contains this illo at: A Wintry State of Mind

Morning After

Ink on paper with digital color

see the article that contains this illo at: The Morning After

Wedding Dress

Ink on paper with digital color

see the article that contains this illo at: All Souped Out

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Two new portraits of friends

2011-02-17T21:39:00.002-05:00

Ashley and Dave

ink on paper

Mr Jackson

Ink on paper

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

NYE Samosas

2011-01-12T13:28:00.001-05:00

NYE Samosas

ink on paper

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Grilling in the Winter

2011-01-11T15:42:00.000-05:00

I enjoyed creating this illustration a lot. It required me to refine some areas of my visual language that I'd not spent much time on. I'll say that I had some help from Bill Watterson this week. His Calvin and Hobbes images were very inspirational for me.

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

01/07/11 | MICROWAVE MAGIC

2011-01-07T13:20:00.001-05:00

MICROWAVE MAGIC

ink on paper with digital color

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Committed to Food

2011-01-03T18:24:00.003-05:00

This image is based on an actual tattoo that food blogger Amanda Simpson has. Her blog site is What We're Eating and Food Porn Daily. When she went to New York to hang out with Maggie from threemanycooks.com, they had a blast sampling all the different styles of food to be found in the City. Check out the full article, Here For The Eating at threemanycooks.com

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-25T18:49:00.003-05:00

Ralphie

ink on paper with digital color

I hope you all have fun and fulfilling holidays

Visual Journal: Two Entries

2010-12-22T23:05:00.000-05:00

Not Worth It

ink on parchment

Click

ink on parchment

I prefer to let the images speak for themselves, especially with my visual journal entries :)

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Visual Journal: Ice Cold

2010-12-20T23:11:00.001-05:00

Ice Cold

ink on parchment

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

My Daily Knead - Illustration for threemanycooks.com

2010-12-20T11:21:00.003-05:00

Daily Knead

ink on paper

On this image I wanted to deviate from my normal method a little. I almost never use cross-hatching in my work. I like the simplicity that it produces. I am always thinking about what my work would be like on the printed page. A black and white image that uses cross-hatching or an other similar technique prints really well, much easier than an image with color or halftones. That's not to say I don't enjoy using halftones and color but I think a truly black and white image like this one sometimes appeals to my almost puritanical sense of simplicity in creating a work of art that goes to print.

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

"I Love My Scarf"

2010-12-09T04:01:00.000-05:00

Instead of doing written journal entries, I feel that drawn entries have more intrinsic interest to them.
Enjoy

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

FRIEND PORTRAITS

2010-11-08T15:26:00.001-05:00

Two large pieces from a while back that I never got around to posting.

2010-11-08T15:11:00.002-05:00

THE PAUSE

oil on wood

commissioned work

INFINITE COMMUNICATION

wood engraving

commissioned work

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Mistake Turned Miracle | illustration for threemanycooks.com

2010-11-03T12:43:00.002-04:00

MISTAKE TURNED MIRACLE
ink on paper with digital color
see the article that contains this image at threemanycooks.com

click the image for a larger version
all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson

Levelling up

2010-10-08T11:07:00.038-04:00

One of the beautiful things about having a job as the resident illustrator for threemanycooks.com is that I'm given multiple opportunities every week to expand my abilities. This week I wanted to make that happen again.

With "Yesterday It Rained" I decided to go for an effect that I'd seen before but had never tried: RAIN! I call it an effect because you can't actually draw the individual components of the subject. You can't actually draw rain, you can only draw the effect of what it looks like. I'm happy with how it turned out and now I have that one under my belt.

Check out the full article for Yesterday It Rained:

http://threemanycooks.com/conversations/yesterday-it-rained/

On "Tickled Russet" I also tried something I hadn't done much of. I wanted to add interest to the image by using a model for the figure rather than making it up out of my head. I enjoy coming up with stuff out of my head and I did that for the sketch but I liked the idea of taking the drawing a step farther and looking to nature to give it's profound beauty to the image. I'm happy with how it turned out. And thanks to Andria for being such a good model :)

check out the full article for Tickled Russet:
http://threemanycooks.com/conversations/tickled-russet/

all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson
click the image for a larger version

3 recent illustrations

2010-10-01T17:09:00.004-04:00

Three illustrations I'm pretty proud of.

The design element in FISHY, the fin breaking the frame, was actually just something that happened. Without the fin the fish looked too much like an eel. It's interesting how good ideas come about. Now I can't imagine the image without the fin element.

FISHY

ink on paper with digital color

TOMATO CARNAGE

ink on paper with digital color

NEGLECTED KITCHEN

ink on paper with digital color

illustrations for threemanycooks.com, and an endorsement

2010-09-28T01:21:00.001-04:00

I just found out that someone high up at the Christian Science Monitor likes my illustrations.
How about that :)

Here's a few illustrations that I did for threemanycooks.com

TRAVELING CHEF
ink on paper

STRIKING A DEAL
ink on paper

HAITI

ink on paper

all content © 2010 Kevin Andersonclick the image for a larger version
check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

New Observational works

2010-09-22T15:38:00.003-04:00

I still very much enjoy drawing from life but I prefer to try to capture candid images rather than drawing from models. This usually requires that I use my memory a lot more than if I were drawing from a model. This then has the effect of making my drawings more expressive, which I like.

Sophisticated Bar Fly at the John Waters Tribute
ink on parchment, digital color

"Crumb Would Like Her"

ink on parchment

all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson
click the image for a larger version
check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

New works

2010-09-21T11:27:00.005-04:00

I'm so far behind in adding content to this blog, I'll probably be posting every day for a while.

HUMMUS

ink on paper with digital color

illustration for threemanycooks.com

Sometimes when I can't find a good symbolic image to create for an article, I opt for trying to capture the beauty of the subject in its simplest terms.

FAMILY MARKET

ink on paper

illustration for threemanycooks.com

HIDDEN COST

ink on paper

illustration for threemanycooks.com

SISTERS

ink on paper

illustration for threemanycooks.com

|More

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

Drawing The Line (part 2)

2010-08-16T16:13:00.000-04:00

So here's the final image I came up with for the threemanycooks.com article that I was talking about in the previous post. I have to say, initially I was disappointed that I couldn't draw the alligator that I wanted, but it turns out I was able to work on some things that are outside my comfort zone and I really like how it turned out.

Drawing The Line

2010-08-11T21:18:00.003-04:00

I drew a line today, no pun intended.

Yesterday I worked up a concept for an illustration to an article that will be posted on threemanycooks.com. The article was about a meatless muffaletta sandwich. It was a very challenging article. Usually an article has what I call The Kernel, the essential thrust of the article which can be expressed through the visual media. This article did not have that Kernel, so I had to go searching. I eventually settled on an alligator approaching the sandwich, playing subtly on the fact that the muffaletta is from New Orleans and also expressing a sentiment in the article that even though this is a meatless muffaletta, it's still really good ("an alligator would still want it" sorta thing).

That didn't work out. The art director didn't think it would read well, and the gator seemed too serious, not playful enough. So, after struggling to come up with another concept that wasn't cliche or boring, I opted for a straightforward image of a party where people were eating the sandwiches, not noticing there was no meat.

This image wasn't accepted either and I was asked to revisit the alligator theme but with some suggestions: Sunglasses and Mardi Gras beads. I thought about it and decided to give it a try but after about an hour I had to acknowledge a voice inside me that had been screaming at me: I don't do anthropomorphised animals. That's where I draw the line, for now at least.

So I had to go back to the client and say that I couldn't do the alligator in the way they wanted and they weren't interested in my naturalistic alligator. So I went back to the drawing board (I love that I can say that in all seriousness!)

I revisited the party theme again but with a more New Orleans look to it and the idea was accepted with the caveat that green and purple mardi gras beads be present in the image.

So I just thought I would put that out there. I drew a line in the sand today, I refused to do a certain type of illustration and the world didn't come crashing down.

I'll post the final when I've completed it.

My work gets a good review

2010-08-10T15:12:00.001-04:00

I know it's been a long time since I've updated my blog. A good review of my work has forced me out of hiding.
Check it out

Three Many Cooks - Blog - food52

Last Call

2010-06-27T13:36:00.000-04:00


LAST CALL

inks on parchment

Click image for larger version

|More

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

JUNE 1 | New Illustrations for threemanycooks.com

2010-06-01T14:38:00.024-04:00

THE THREE COOKS
ink on paper
illustration for threemanycooks.com

The article that this piece illustrates was looking back on the years of cooking together and how some things changed and some stayed the same

this is the rough sketch I presented to the client

CHINATOWN
ink on paper
illustration for threemanycooks.com

I have often had little patience for drawing scenery but with this piece I was able to really get into it and enjoy constructing a scene. I just allowed myself to get caught up in all the details.

this is the rough sketch I presented to the client

CEREAL BUFFET
ink on paper
illustration for threemanycooks.com

The article that this piece illustrates was talking about how when the author was younger, she would go over to friend's houses and go crazy on the sugary cereals that she wasn't allowed to have at her house.

this is the rough sketch I presented to the client

LEFTOVERS
ink on paper
illustration for threemanycooks.com

Focused on the what could be a funny reaction if someone's neighbor tried to offer them leftovers

this is the rough sketch I presented to the client

all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson
click the image for a larger version

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

JUNE 1 | New works

2010-06-01T13:50:00.002-04:00

Drank a beer and sketched Aaron Jones and his band Radio Friendly when they played at Buffa Louies last weekend.
ink on parchment

ICED DOUBLE OAHU
ink on paper

Sketch of Barbara sitting in the dining car on our train ride from Rome to Prague. That was an unbelievable trip. I finally got around to inking it and posting the image up here!
ink on paper

GIMME SOME HOPE
ink on paper

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR SLOTH
ink on paper

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

Mr Pine

2010-05-01T21:15:00.001-04:00

MR PINE

ink on paper 4x6 inches

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

Apr 19 | Two New Illustrations for Threemanycooks.com

2010-04-20T12:39:00.001-04:00

SLEEPING IN EASTER MORNING

ink on paper with digital color

illustration for threemanycooks.com

THERE MUST BE SCONES IN HEAVEN

ink on paper

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

APR 14 | NEW WORKS

2010-04-12T12:34:00.004-04:00

MISS CONGENIALITY
ink on paper
Recently Sandra Bullock won an Oscar and then found out that her husband was cheating on her
illustration for http://threemanycooks.com..

BLACKOUT
ink on paper
illustration for http://threemanycooks.com..

IKIGAI (RAISON D'ETRE)
Ink on paper
illustration for http://threemanycooks.com..

CROQUEMBOCHE
ink on paper
illustration for http://threemanycooks.com..

AMERICAN TRAGIC
ink on paper
Illustration for article about the documentary FOOD INC., which exposes the corporate war on the family farm
illustration for http://threemanycooks.com.

FRENCH 75
ink on paper
illustration for an article about a drink created by a WWI fighter pilot who said it packed a kick like getting hit by a 75 mm Artillery shell
illustration for http://threemanycooks.com..

PANCAKES
ink on paper
illustration for http://threemanycooks.com..

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

Mar 17 | Four new illustrations

2010-03-17T15:18:00.002-04:00

As hectic as it's been these past few weeks, I've managed to produce some stuff that I'm pretty happy with. I'm continuing to try to take my skill to new levels. Having always had a bias towards simple compositions, I've tried some experimentation with more complex stuff, pushing my patience to the limit in hopes that like a muscle it will get stronger. I'm realizing what an asset patience is to an artist!

JELLO SALAD

ink on paper with digital color

MASSIVE MEMORIES

ink on paper

DINNER PARTY

ink on paper

MOVE-IN MEAL

ink on paper

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

Mar 1 | SAPPHIRE

2010-03-01T16:22:00.003-05:00

SAPPHIRE

Ink on paper w/ digital color

click the image for a larger version

Despite the stress I felt from the fact that the inspiration for this didn't come until the 11th hour, I'm happy with how it turned out. This past year has been about improving my ability in drawing and inking. I think now it's time for me to focus on my mentality in dealing with the challenges of the craft, unreliable inspiration, high workload etc.

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

Feb 26 | two drawings from memory

2010-02-26T10:24:00.003-05:00

SORRY I'M RANTING

ink on parchment

4.25 x 5.5 in

GREAT SOCKS II

ink on parchment

4.25 x 5.5 in

I'm beginning to get the hang of doing drawings from memory. It's a slightly different approach from just making stuff up, and it's very different from drawing from life or a photo. The more I do this, the more I find myself 'saving' experiences to be drawn later.

all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson
click the image for a larger version

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

Wednesday, Feb 17 | Breaking New Ground

2010-02-17T17:52:00.001-05:00

This morning I tried something new and grabbed my sketchbook the moment I woke up. I floundered for a while, distracted, not able to find a flow, but then I remembered that I was trying to nurture my ability to create images based solely on memories of actual events. This is the image that came up.

The second image is my most recently published image for threemanycooks.com. I took some notes from Tim Sale on this one. Who am I kidding. I'm taking notes from Tim Sale all the time!

SELECTING A TREAT
ink on paper
5x8 in

BREAKING NEW GROUND - Published at threemanycooks.com

ink on paper

5 x 7 in

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

Non-observational Drawing: two days

2010-02-15T12:03:00.003-05:00

"GREAT SOCKS!"

ink on paper

9 x 5 in

I consider one of my biggest weaknesses to be one and the same with that which drove me to study art in the first place. I've always had whole worlds and fun concepts in my head that I wanted to somehow bring them out into our shared reality. Ironically, the majority of my art training was in technique based on observation; "draw that nude model" "draw that vase" "draw that landscape". Not to say they weren't very valuable, but the skills that I was learning were not quite suited to teaching me how to pull my inner realities out and bring them to life.

So now I'm teaching myself. I'm studying a lot of other artists who are inspiring to me, trying to figure out how they did it. But then each person has a different background of training, so trying to emulate someone else can only help up to a point.

I find drawing from memory (as opposed to just making stuff up) to be the easiest type of non-observational drawing. In some ways it is observational because it's based on an actual event that I obviously 'observed'. But since I'm pulling it from my memory, after the fact, I'm having to use my creative mind rather than a strict, analytical approach. I feel that practice in this area has the potential to sharpen the original skills that I've been seeking for a long time.

"SHE LIKES MUSCLES"

ink on paper

6 x 5 in

Feb 15 | three new illustrations

2010-02-15T10:13:00.000-05:00

BIG BRUNCH

ink on paper

illustration for threemanycooks.com

KITCHEN ADVENTURES

ink on paper

illustration for threemanycooks.com

THE BIG V

ink on paper

illustration for threemanycooks.com

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

Feb 5 | "Superbowl" | illustration for threemanycooks.com

2010-02-05T15:11:00.002-05:00

check the articles for this and more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson
click the image for a larger version

Beals

2010-02-04T13:53:00.001-05:00

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

Feb 03 | "Throwback | illustration for threemanycooks.com

2010-02-03T12:59:00.001-05:00

check out more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson
click the image for a larger version

Feb 1 | "After The Quake" | illustration for threemanycooks.com

2010-02-01T11:29:00.005-05:00

check out the articles that inspired this and more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson
click the image for a larger version

Jan 27 | Rules Of Engagement | illustration for threemanycooks.com

2010-01-27T10:31:00.003-05:00

check out the articles attached to this and more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson
click the image for a larger version

Jan 26 | illustration | Teatime

2010-01-26T11:45:00.003-05:00

check out the articles attached to this and more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson
click the image for a larger version

Jan 21 | illustration | threemanycooks.com "Chicken Kiev Redux"

2010-01-21T10:26:00.001-05:00

check out the articles for this and more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson
click the image for a larger version

Jan 19 | illustration | threemanycooks.com "Breakfast Epiphanies"

2010-01-19T09:17:00.001-05:00

check out the article for that and more of my illustrations at threemanycooks.com

all content © 2010 Kevin Anderson
click the image for a larger version