Remember when…

Remember when artistry and computers were not simpatico? Until not that long ago, renderings were done exclusively by hand–it was the only way to make them look good. Sometime in the mid-90s, the potential of the computer as a rendering tool began to crystallize. It was around this same time that I began transferring my own analog drawing skills to digital drawing using a Wacom tablet and Stylist and Painter software. Eventually, digital drawing became a fluid, flexible, and beautiful way to work.  

Large format murals for Gelson’s Market in Pasadena (late 90’s)

Today, I mainly use Photoshop, working directly on the screen with a dual monitor configuration. I have recently been creating a toolkit of brushes and textures and expanding my methods. I’m posting two “study paintings:” the first is an entirely spontaneous, fictional environment. I just sat down to draw and explore. I began by playing around with creating plant forms using dynamic brush controls and layer transform tools to adjust size and perspective. The second image is a “beisbol” stadium inspired by a visit to Todos Santos in Baja Sur, Mexico. Since my camera went missing later in the trip, I had no photos to reference. To create the image, I had to rely on my memories and impressions. I sought out photos of other Mexican ballparks and referenced them to create a 3D model, which I then used to create the view, building masks, and shadow layers.