★ TheDirtSyndicate ★

**TheDirtSyndicate** · April 3rd, 2007, 04:06 AM

...practicing my painting techniques...
used photo ref (attatched first).
the photo was a random find on myspace (posted at original size, unedited).
it was really small, pixelated and stretched kind of funky, but im glad, all the degradation helped me see the shapes better.

**TheDirtSyndicate** · April 4th, 2007, 12:31 AM

got home and recorded this tonight, almost all improv (well half anyway, i looped it halfway through):
MUSIC LINK:
http://www.thedirtsyndicate.org/music/dusted.mp3

**Yautja892** · April 4th, 2007, 07:03 AM

Awesome stuff going on in here. Really like your first post alot, esspically that red robot, and just the flow that your sketches have, like the loosness in them.

Really enjoying the t-shirt designs as well, I would defiantly buy one with the first skull design. Waiting for more please.

**TheDirtSyndicate** · April 25th, 2007, 02:11 AM

ok guys, its been a few days since i updated... alot has happened to me since then.

first off, the monday before last my boss walks up to me and says:
"hey josh, do you have a passport?"
so this electrical surge ran through my body as i said:
"no... i dont. why?"
"well we're gonna have to get you one..." he said and started to walk away from me. so im like:
"really, why exactly do i need a passport?"
"well, you're going to Columbia this weekend to take photos for this food network job we just got"

so all day monday, tuesday, and wednesday i was running around like a fucking mad man trying to get all my shit in order, and somehow managed to get my passport by thursday morning.
my flight was scheduled for thursday night around midnight...

...but that afternoon at around 4pm i got a call that my mother had died.

now... i knew my mother better than anyone on this planet...
and i knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that if i had passed up the opportunity to go to columbia my mom would have beat my ass. haha
so i flew to columbia.
when i got back i immediately flew out to TX for her funeral.

here are the crazy details:
1. 13hr flight to columbia (left thursday night midnight)
2. arrived in bogota columbia around 10pm friday night, took as many photos as i could on saturday (977 photos in one day)
3. 13hr flight back to LA (left next morning around 6am)
4. 6hrs rest
5. flight to dallas monday morning
6. back in LA friday morning, AND STRAIGHT BACK TO WORK.

with all the traveling, i did some sketching in my sketchbook and read 2 novels.
here are the sketches, well, the ones that are actually worth posting anyway, and as soon as i can i'll go through my photos and post them too.

**loveandasandwich** · April 25th, 2007, 02:25 AM

This reminds me of one of the creatures from Pan's Labyrinth. Your robots are awesome!

**grundybug** · April 25th, 2007, 02:29 AM

i like your stuff! keep posting

**Bhrazz** · April 25th, 2007, 02:41 AM

I like them all! Especially the Environment, do more of these

Keep posting mate, cheers

**Coinpurse** · April 25th, 2007, 03:35 AM

yowzas, new sketchbook!
Very strong design skills,
nice pencils and loving the environment.
chee2s to a new beginning!
~Boombastic

**dchan** · April 25th, 2007, 04:23 AM

very nice stuff man i really like the first one. great work keep it up!

**MichaelMotion** · April 25th, 2007, 04:28 AM

Lovely stuff mate!
Hope you'll keep us amazed with those/your gifted brushes and pencils!

**HunterKiller_** · April 25th, 2007, 04:32 AM

Spiffy, spiffy stuff.
Sweet T-shirt designs.

**Stark** · April 25th, 2007, 05:58 AM

Great stuff here.. Bogota, Colombia sounds like a great vacation....work...whatever.

lol, The girls are awesome and the guy with the gas mask is pretty sick too...keep on with the updates bro.

**tensai** · April 25th, 2007, 06:17 AM

man... that's so hardcore i don't know what to say. hope you'll be ok man. the sketches are not suffering for it but still, my condolences.

take care.

**TheDirtSyndicate** · April 25th, 2007, 08:50 PM

28chelseaslater
thanks, funny thing is i drew that awhile back, someone on the forum did drew a female version of hellboy... thought i'd take a stab at it too. but i do see the resemblance.

grundybug
thanks man, i intend to.

Bhrazz
yes yes, the infamous environment... i'll do a new one i promise.

BOOM!
thanks mang.

dchan
gracias!

MichaelMotion
amazed? psh... whaaaatever. haha
thanks man

HunterKiller_
spiffy!
i like that word. thanks

Stark
thanks a bunch

tensai
i truly appreciate it man.
but thats the way life goes and she had a rough one. she doesn't have to deal with the same ol bullshit now ya know? a part of me is happy that she's moved on... her whole life has been an uphill struggle... she finally reached the top.

fuck... my face hurts... look at all those smileys... ouch...

**Bhrazz** · May 9th, 2007, 09:37 PM

Not only you are a great artist but you can also make me laugh to death:

One of your best piece HAHA!

**TheDirtSyndicate** · May 16th, 2007, 04:12 AM

i sketched mr. buttersworth earlier this afternoon at work, brought him home and finished him off in about 4hrs.
i "inked" him by drawing paths and stroking them with the simulated weight option checked in PS.

i plan on doing a short film with him... i dont want to talk about the story right now, but i'll probably be posting more characters soon.
...and eventually some environments.
so stay tuned.

**TheDirtSyndicate** · May 16th, 2007, 01:55 PM

here's the sketch i did at work yesterday, i like the verticle stripes and buttons on his overalls, i think im going to go back and add them tonight.

**asoir** · May 16th, 2007, 02:46 PM

hey, awesome sketch but i feel like the inking didn't live up to it as it could have... the inked version sort of loses the feel that i love in the sketch.

in any case, cool!

**BohemianChaos** · May 16th, 2007, 03:10 PM

heyy, nice stuff in here.

that and I like your quote "CAUTION: Lines aren't as confident as mouth!" Your topics vary quite a bit, but that keeps your sb interesting. I like your tshirt designs a lot as well.

Was that very first piece a combo of photomanipulation, 3D and painting, or what? It's awesome.

**TheDirtSyndicate** · May 17th, 2007, 03:44 AM

ah well, you cant win all the time i guess... i've never tried that style of inking in PS before, i thought i did ok... still got some kinks i need to work out.

bohemian chaos
it was a photo composite that i painted over. no 3d involved.

and heres the final version of Mr. Buttersworth (added stripes and buttons to overalls):

**Jason Rainville** · May 19th, 2007, 10:58 AM

I could have sworn I already commented on this. Oh well, here goes;

Overall really nice. Graphic designs kick glute, and perspective and environments are great. Figure are good for the most part, but it seems with males your lines are over-regulated and overly stiff and linear. They look like they can't move, and they all have the same basic physique. It's weird because with females you really seem to cut loose and don't care too much about how solid your lines are (which seems like an insult but I think it makes them look better in the long run)

Too many figures viewed dead- on methinks (mostly males again)

Anyhoo that's what I see

**Loolarge** · May 19th, 2007, 11:47 AM

I like your sketchy stuff!

**TheDirtSyndicate** · May 22nd, 2007, 04:40 AM

self potrait

**Chermilla** · May 22nd, 2007, 08:50 AM

Some really lovely work on this thread!!! Keep up the good work! Looking forward to seeing some more from you!

Cx

**TacticallyWacked** · May 22nd, 2007, 03:11 PM

Great stuff! The first post of the environment is captivating! Love the sketches you did while traveling! I find some of my favorite sketches and ideas come when I am traveling. Being away from home and routine is good for the mind and therefore good for art!

The monkey and tree house are my favorite =)

**TheDirtSyndicate** · May 23rd, 2007, 02:35 PM

new sketch i did this morning

**TheGnoll** · May 23rd, 2007, 03:03 PM

hey man, cool work in here.
I really like the graphic design, col subjects and execution.
ENviroments look nice as well as the bots.Only crit is that figures look a bit stuff, in the lines and poses, but you'll loosen up with practice, i guess

keep sharing!

ciao

**TheDirtSyndicate** · May 23rd, 2007, 06:32 PM

new song i recorded last night... i was drunk as fuck so dont expect it to be amazing. i thought it was pretty good. gonna re-record it.
MUSIC LINK:
http://www.thedirtsyndicate.org/music/7years.mp3

**inkbrushnme** · May 29th, 2007, 01:53 PM

damn neat work.. liked the BW concept sketches the most

**TheDirtSyndicate** · June 9th, 2007, 06:26 PM

sorry for the delay guys, i've been really busy with work lately and traveling... i went up north with my girlfriend and her dog to the redwoods this past weekend. it was awesome.
i'll have a few photos to post from the trip soon.

anyway, i did a couple quick sketches yesterday while doing ram previews in AE at work... trying to practice environments. the first was a random city enviro and the blimp city was inspired by this thread:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=98495

hopefully more coming soon, when i have more free time.