"TIS MYSELF" (2008)

Here's a different subject for a change...."ME!"

Doing caricatures is not one of my strong points and I have rarely done them in the past, let alone one of myself. This pretty much evolved from a "doodle" that I did on a scrap piece of paper, just goofing around one day, taking a break from my more serious "paying" gigs.

I've said this before, that cartooning is quicker and a little more relaxing for me and at times when I have needed a little break from some of my more challenging detailed work, I'll dish out a quick "toon" to soothe things out... kind of a stress reliever for me as an artist. I didn't get too creative with this piece, like I said it started out as a "doodle", just a head on pose, simple and to the point...of my head that is...

I went ahead and inked and colored this knowing that it probably wouldn't take me too long, colors are courtesy of my Photoshop CS2 program. On the subject of coloring, you'll probably notice the abstract "seizure" I had in depicting the background. I achieved this by simply going a little nuts with the pencil and brush tool on the program palette, really didn't have a background planned for this pic so the pseudo psychedelic treatment was a last minute add. The large red circle behind my head contains a Chinese character meaning "surface"... my last name, and no I'm not Chinese, just added it to enhance the background more.

I am of Irish decent which explains the Shamrock sticking out of my mouth. My little pet dragon is "Puff"; my company mascot representing the Surface Art Studios.

My beard is not really Orange but alas I am still learning the ways of Photoshop. I am sporting my colors...that of a champion I might add...the "Pittsburgh Steelers". The "I will Draw for Food" sign was also a last minute add, I am by no stretch of the imagination going hungry, as anyone who has ever met me can attest to that. The sign is a reference to the term "starving artist" thus starving for success, or recognition, or the touch of a warm female.

I was going for something both humorous and at the same time a little frightening, and going by some of the responses I've received for this piece, I have achieved both.

...Oh ,and for the record, in real life, I don't actually look this GOOD!