A New Direction

[bradyscott]

For the past 5years I have lived and breathed airbrushing. I was working my butt off to get a custom paint business of the ground and it all became more of a chore than it was worth. This year I decided to venture in a new but old direction. I've always loved drawing so I decided to work up a portfolio of work focused in that direction. I hope to eventually land some illustration work, maybe some galleries and well anything people will actually pay me to create.

Here is the first few pieces. Some direction and productive critic would be awesome.

[Thoolhoo]

These are awesome. Have you considered going into tattoo design business? That banjo would make a fantastic tattoo. One thing I would mention is the wolf. His legs are all tangled up and don't make sense. I appreciate that it's a completely black silhouette but it would help a great deal if his front paw didn't disappear in mid air.

[bradyscott]

Have you considered going into tattoo design business? That banjo would make a fantastic tattoo.

Thank you and yes I have done a tone of tattoo flash for people but I live in a very small midwestern town with only one tattoo shop. I have tried to get an apprenticeship there but there just isn't enough business for more tattoo artists here. An apprenticeship is really the only way to legally get into the business and it is super dangerous and illegal to mess around at your home.

Thanks again for the critic.

[Kiera]

Oh, I love these - the colors are so rich and the shapes are strong.
Your art feels really honest and good to me.
No big crits, they all look very round and well done.
I hope you make it, good luck !

[Giacomo]

The work looks generally good, very clean and professional. My only comment is that you should probably lose the "wolf in the snow" piece---it's not up with the level of your other stuff.

The main problem, having looked at your blog and website, is that you're not showing enough pictures right now. If you want to get illustration or gallery work, you will need a body of 15-20 GREAT pieces, all in the same medium (graphite, oil, digital, or whatever) and in a coherent style. Anyone who is going to pay you to make art will want to know you're capable of producing consistent, professional product---no surprises. (That also means getting rid of the "writing" and "music" sections on your website--if you want to start separate businesses doing that, you should set up separate sites.)

Good luck.

[bradyscott]

The work looks generally good, very clean and professional. My only comment is that you should probably lose the "wolf in the snow" piece---it's not up with the level of your other stuff.

The main problem, having looked at your blog and website, is that you're not showing enough pictures right now. If you want to get illustration or gallery work, you will need a body of 15-20 GREAT pieces, all in the same medium (graphite, oil, digital, or whatever) and in a coherent style. Anyone who is going to pay you to make art will want to know you're capable of producing consistent, professional product---no surprises. (That also means getting rid of the "writing" and "music" sections on your website--if you want to start separate businesses doing that, you should set up separate sites.)

Good luck.

Thank you for your honesty and advice. I'm actually trying to steer my art into a more artistic loose direction like the wolf piece. I know the wolf image isn't as clean as the other works, but it feels better to me. The process feels more organic and my instinct is telling me to loosen up. I have a pretty substantial portfolio of airbrush work from the past 5 years at www.saltcitycreative.net. I pushed hard to really grasp the medium, but more and more my eye and my instincts are pushing me to be a little messy. My whole life I've had a very anal eye towards precision and detail. This served me well in airbrushing, but for now at least I'm throwing it out and pushing myself to let go and loosen up.

As far as the music and writing on my site too. I did put allot of thought into not having it on my site, but it won out because music has such a role in my life and art. I love to play and make music just as much as I love making art. The ideas for songs come from the same place my artistic ideas come from. Also, I would love to get some illustration and art work for musicians. I could be wrong by not focusing completely on illustration and fine art work, but I've got to follow my instinct. Hope it's not too far off.

Thank you again for the advice and information and bets of luck to you.

[Velocity Kendall]

The main problem, having looked at your blog and website, is that you're not showing enough pictures right now. If you want to get illustration or gallery work, you will need a body of 15-20 GREAT pieces, all in the same medium (graphite, oil, digital, or whatever) and in a coherent style. Anyone who is going to pay you to make art will want to know you're capable of producing consistent, professional product---no surprises. (That also means getting rid of the "writing" and "music" sections on your website--if you want to start separate businesses doing that, you should set up separate sites.)
Good luck.

This. Or rather these.

[bradyscott]

This. Or rather these.

Thanks, I'm working on getting new/more work to display

[bradyscott]

Here's another drawing for critique. Finished up this weekend. Charcoal and pastel on watercolor paper.