Nov
17

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Closing Gift – North Texas Home

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I finished and shipped this closing gift of a North Texas home last week. This was a fun one because I had to sort of wing it and “see through” the boat to create a nice clean painting without the boat in the driveway. I have been busy in the studio so I haven’t been posting some of the latest closing gift paintings I have completed so stay tuned for a few more posts this week.

North Texas house portrait

Reference photo used for the painting

I have also included one of the reference photos to illustrate the before and after in the process. I don’t really need anything fancy or professional, mobile phone pictures or quick snaps can give me most of what I need to complete a custom home portrait. You can read more about the process over here at my closing gifts for real estate agents FAQ.

Thanks to Jeff Gideon for hiring me to create a special closing gift for his client.  I used to work for him back in my REO days, now he is an agent on the west side of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex – if you or someone you know is looking for a home out that way I absolutely recommend using him.  Thanks again Jeff!

Mar
23

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Create (sort of) everyday – day 70 – in the garden

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Today is day 70 of the create every day challenge 2014.  Where I draw, or paint or digitally paint or do some sort of digital painting or what not every week day of the year.

Busy Weekend!  We had Ada’s grandparents over, and her cousins and we stayed very busy.  Lemon Juice definitely got some socialization / bonding time with little kids!  Not a ton of artwork Friday – Sunday but I did play drums and guitar with a 4, 6, and 9 year old which was pretty much awesome noise.  For your listening pleasure, this is not recorded and will not be posted!

Last frost date (depends on who you ask) was March 15 in DFW, March 21 in Collin County which I am in the southern end of.  I already had a few plants in the ground but I spent the weekend working on getting the garden together.

As of today, The plot looks like this –

garden2-21

So here is the layout…

garden2-9-14

Mar
12

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Rusty’s Ring Dunk – Aggieland – CED 2014 day 64 ish

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Today is day 64 of the create every day challenge 2014.  Where I draw, or paint or digitally paint or do some sort of digital painting or what not every week day of the year.

My cousin Rusty is going to graduate Texas A&M eventually – and its getting closer and closer!  In April he dunks his ring – and we will all be there.  He asked me to do a flyer for him – so here it is.

rustyringdunk

Mar
11

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Spring Garden – CED2014 day 64

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And now, for something completely different-

It is getting nice enough to get some spring planting in, finally.  I am probably jumping the gun a bit with how horrible it has been but I did exercise caution in not planting tomatoes yet.  (although I think those go in this weekend).

where is the ART?  yeah yeah yeah – well this is a creation too ok?  I spent a lot of time over the last few days getting everything ready.  to me, it fits the create (life) every day challenge.  I will thank myself later in the summer when I am eating delicious veggies from my garden.

Here is what got done thus far.

garden2-9-14

Mar
6

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Tattoo Idea – CED challenge 2014 day 62

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Today is day 62 of the create every day challenge 2014.  Where I draw, or paint or digitally paint or do some sort of digital painting or what not every week day of the year.

My brother in law gave me this idea, for a possible tattoo.  I took his concept and ran with it, so here it is.

semperfi

Mar
5

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The Future of Rock and Roll Sketch – CED 2014 Day 61tch

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Today is day 61 of the create every day challenge 2014.  Where I draw, or paint or digitally paint or do some sort of digital painting or what not every week day of the year.

Whenever I feel un-inspired I look to my little girl and instantly feel more, get more, and energize more.  We stayed up late tonight singing… I didn’t scold her for being up too late, we just sang.  She loves the “let it go” song from frozen so she taught me the words to it and I worked on teaching her the pitch and the notes.  This really should have been recorded it was classic.  But it was not.

Listen, the future of rock and roll is up to us.  Anyone with kiddos needs to nurture the just basic inherent love of music these kids have.  I could go on a long diatribe about this but I wont.  Instead here you go a quick little watercolor like sketch of a little dude deep in music.

futureofrockandrollCED2104-61

Mar
4

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Sean – twitter monday contest winner – CED 2014 day 60

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Today is day 59 of the create every day challenge 2014.  Where I draw, or paint or digitally paint or do some sort of digital painting or what not every week day of the year.

Its become rather customary for me to throw a contest out on twitter Mondays – today was no different.  Sean C wins at random so here is his mug.

CED2014-60

Feb
26

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Dogs of Anarchy

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Today is day 56 I think… of the create every (now almost) day challenge 2014.  Where I draw, or paint or digitally paint or do some sort of digital painting or what not every week day of the year.

So in my last post I explained what has had me offline for 3 days.  Tonight, I worked up an illustration inspired by a friend of mine who calls Lemon Juice – “Juice”.   yeah that guy.  So I got to thinking, Juice might need a leather vest some day, and he might need a patch on the back.  So when he does, because oh yes, he will… Here it is.  Dogs of Anarchy style.

Dogs of Anarchy leather vest

Dogs of Anarcy

Feb
12

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Bucks – create every day challenge 2014 day 42

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Today is day 42, of the create every day (CED) challenge 2014 – where I draw or paint or create something and post it every day of the year.

I guess February’s defacto theme is animals… the buck starts and stops here bub.

the buck starts and stops here, bub

the buck starts and stops here, bub

Feb
5

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drawing – create every day challenge 2014 day 35

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Today is day 35, of the create every day (CED) challenge 2014 – where I draw or paint or create something and post it every day of the year.

Tonight, a drawing of me, deep winter chill.

CED2014-35

Feb
4

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The Day the Music didn’t Die – CED 2014 day 34

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Today is day 34, of the create every day (CED) challenge 2014 – where I draw or paint or create something and post it every day of the year.

On this day, in 1959 – Buddy Holly (22), Ritchie Valens (17), and the Big Bopper (28) died in a plane crash.   So, here you go.

Buddy Holly

Buddy Holly

Jan
31

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Scott H. Biram – create every day challenge 2014 – day 30

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Today is day 30, of the create every day (CED) challenge 2014 – where I draw or paint or create something and post it every day of the year.

Scott H. Biram’s new record is coming out next week, February 4.  So, I thought I would do a little homage to the dirty old one man band from Austin tonight.  His records are good – but man if you get a chance to see him live go do it.  Its powerful.  I got to see him while vacationing in Memphis back in November – good stuff.   So here you go.

Scott H. Biram

Scott H. Biram

Jan
26

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Ada again – create every day challenge 2014 – day 25

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Today is day 25, of the create every day (CED) challenge 2014 – where I draw or paint or create something and post it every day of the year.

Feeling a bit better, but still feeling pretty horrible today so just something quick – sketch of Ada again.   Oh yeah she has some junk today too.  Time for some vitamins and rest!

CED2014-25

Jan
25

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Ada sketch – create every day challenge day 24

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Today is day 24, of the create every day (CED) challenge 2014 – where I draw or paint or create something and post it every day of the year.

Still feeling pretty horrible today so just something quick – sketch of Ada.

ada

Ada

Jan
23

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Lynley – create every day challenge 2014 day 22

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Today is day 22, of the create every day (CED) challenge 2014 – where I draw or paint or create something and post it every day of the year.

Tonight I complete the series I have been working on, my little family Art Nouveau style.  enjoy.

Lynley

Lynley

Jan
22

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Something Ridiculous – create every day challenge 2014 – day 21

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Today is day 21, of the create every day (CED) challenge 2014 – where I draw or paint or create something and post it every day of the year.  According to some – 21 day sof anything is a habit.  Either breaking one or making one.  Well today is a big day habit wise – I have successfully created and posted something every day for 21 days.  Some better than others, but thats not the point.

So I had fun doing little girl yesterday all Art Nouveau Style… so yours truly gets a similar treatment tonight.  Thinking about fleshing this all out into a family portrait sort of thing.  More on that later.

CED2014-21

Jan
20

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mountain cedar – CED 2014 day 19

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Today is day 19, of the create every day (CED) challenge 2014 – where I draw or paint or create something and post it every day of the year.

A bit under the weather tonight – likely due to mountain cedar (juniper ash) allergies here in Texas.  Or the plague.  one of the two.  Either way I did not have a ton of time to work up something really awesome tonight.  I created something about how I feel about this tree, whom provides such sustenance for critters during harsh winter months when nothing bears fruit or is green – but deals such a terrible pollen that impacts a lot of us.  its nothing great and thats fine.  When I set out to do this I knew a few of these daily’s would be misses – but the point is to keep chugging along and do SOMETHING.  so here it is.

stupid mountain cedar pollen

stupid mountain cedar pollen

Jan
18

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Rusty’s Puppy – just for fun – CED 2014 day 17

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Today is day 17, in my create something every day challenge 2014.  – I draw or paint something and post it every day of the year.  I had no idea what to do tonight when Lynley suggested I draw my cousins dog.  Not one for pet pictures I wasnt super excited about it but then I thought – What if Rusty’s dog got loose?  I bet the dog would go to that shot bar in College Station and order up a whiskey.

Whiskey drinking dog

Woof, Woof, Whiskey Please

So here it is.

 

Jan
10

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…and I will go to Texas Davy Crockett – CED day 9.

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Today is day 9 of the “Creative Everyday Challenge, 2014″.  Where I draw something and post it every day.  January’s Theme is “Past, Future, and present”

This day, in 1836 Davy Crockett wrote one of his last letters, I think the very last to congress – stating his intentions to move to Tejas (it was still Tejas then, not a state – Texas did not win independence until later).  A few days prior to his January 9 letter – he was having beers with friends in Memphis where he coined the well known idiom -“you may go to hell, and I will go to Texas” in reaction to that years elections.  See, he wasn’t a big fan of Jackson, or VanBuren or their policies.  And well he just lost his Congressional Seat in Tennessee.

I could work this one out a lot longer but I decided to stop at the concept.  not has happy as I was with last nights but hey, win some lose some.  Here you are, king of the wild Frontier.  (also, 2 months from now, back then, he will die in the stand at the Alamo).

Davy, Davy Crockett

And I will go to Texas, Davy Crockett

Jan
7

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Pawpawsaurus – create every day challenge 2014 day 6

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Today is day 6 of the “Creative Everyday Challenge, 2014″.  Where I draw something and post it every day.  January’s Theme is “Past, Future, and present”

I wanted to draw a dinosaur tonight, while researching native species to Texas, I ran across the Pawpawsaurus.  Well, Ada’s grand-dad is affectionately dubbed Paw Paw, so… I drew a Paw Paw – Saurus.  I can see the resemblance…

pawpawsaurus

Pawpawsaurus

day 6 in the books.  Tomorrow is one full week.