Amazon Buyers Beware!

As promised; not really in a good way (to the horrible seller on Amazon when I said I will put the word of mouth out on every possible social media and then some), if you are looking to buy anything on the Amazon Market Place website....DO NOT...I repeat...DO NOT buy anything from a seller named, "whypaymoremedia" aka
Jordan Nima
whypaymoremedia
95A Mal drive
Lindenhurst NY 11757

Because the service and morality of business is severely lacking! They are not forthcoming, their customer service is horrendous and manners when they finally reply in an email is insulting to say the least and that's putting it mildly!
If you do buy from them and have to return it, they will NOT cover shipping (even if they should), they WILL charge a restocking fee and encourage you to use a tracking or delivery confirmation not because they are looking out for your best interest but probably because if you don't, they may deny even getting the item so you they don't have give you your credit after all the hell they put you through.

Learning Chinese painting technique

Last weeks class assignment for watercolor was Chinese painting technique. Earlier in the semester we did it with just ink block. This time it was done with watercolor. While what was done in class was turned in for grading, the instructor was nice enough to allow me to bring some of the the tools home to do some painting using the tools and techniques. The following images are what I was able to accomplish. I also included in this set of images, a few other watercolor that I had done. I should also point out that the horse and Cherry Blossom are much larger originals that my scanner so some of those images were cropped in order to be scanned

In The Beginning...and in between

Hello!

This may seem like an obsession of sorts but it really is not; just a love of art that I also like to share with others. Here is some the watercolor work I had begun prior to course beginning and learning the best method, technique and tools to do watercolors. Others among today's upload are work have done since starting my class, visiting the library and experimenting on my own.

"Enjoy"

This horse is an inspiration (and WIP: work-in-progress) I got from see watercolor work of a Deviant Art member, "sythesite". The title of her work, should you want to look her up on the website is is "Rainbow Horse Study II".

This lovely lady is a journal entry. Its "Watercolor Work in a Bottle"...just open and create! Ha ha

This butterfly is a re-creation of photograph I took this summer. It camera setting were set for bright exposure giving a translucent light and feel to photograph which work out well as an later inspiration for watercolor subject to experiment and try. There was trouble using liquid mask (a substance used to help maintain white areas once the watercolor dries) on the wings and the lower leaf.

This is also a journal entry. The journal is where I will try new things from subjects, technique or a quick study/project. The human eye was one of those quick study/watercolor sketch. The owl was an inspiration from a images I saw on television during the closing credit 

(I do not own the right to the original).

This nubian angel was a drawing done some years ago I thought would be a good subject for watercolor. She was done before I learn how to create clouds and a smooth blend. The blending of her hair's shadow and highlights was a successful experiment that work out well. I learned here that not all liquid mask are created equal (or suited for certain mediums).

This is a mix medium of watercolor and ink. Overall, it was not bad but as you can see, learning to do clouds, while may seem easy (skies too), can be quiet a challenge. I later found reference material and video on how to do clouds and different kinds of skies.

My most recent work; a reproduction of an original photograph I took some years ago while doing a shoot at private residence with a pond in the back where a pair of swans were nesting. The male swam across the pond for a bite to eat when he saw us outside. I am amazing to learn swans are much bigger than they look when on land! I have seen them before but not up close or standing on land.

Lots and lots of water...color; watercolor art!

A new chapter opens the way to a new endeavor: watercolor.

This semester at college I decided to try my hand at watercolor. I have always loved, admired and impressed by watercolor as a stand alone and with mix medium. Now, I have challenge myself
to do it and loving every minute of it. I can't seem to stop doing it.

My instruct has decided to try something different this semester as well. For the first time she is having student maintain a journal. We are required to do at two watercolor journal entry per week in addition to any class watercolor assignments. Below is a collection of both course assignments and watercolor journal entries that have come out well. The journal entries are a wonderful way to try different watercolor techniques, styles and to experiment with different mediums and tools in additional to using watercolor.

There will be others that will also be scanned and uploaded at a later time. I hope you will enjoy these chosen few below in the meantime.

This first entry into my journal (although not my journal project; I had ordered one in the mail and it had not arrived before school begun so I have some that are done on paper as journal entry so I would not behind in weekly assignments since two a week needed to be done) one is "Aqua-Lad". It is fan art from a Saturday morning cartoon known as Young Justice League that I watch with my children. It is a good show. I just felt like doing him.

This is a journal entry of my most recent assignment: Expressive work. The concept behind the work is a storyline I am developing loosing based on a real life legend and little bit of science. 

One more addition to my journal, "The Horse". It was a watercolor I did of a horse I had seen which is actually the midterm assignment; to do a watercolor from observation and not from a photo or imagination but an actual observation. This lovely stallion is one.

Another observation, this one was very easy, it was an observation done right in my own yard and from my window (for obvious reason; don't wanna scare the little bird away before I can get em' painted ha ha). Hence, the quick light work. Not my favorite but I am still proud of the accomplishment to do a live Sparrow on the fly.

This was also an observation (midterm piece; only one is required but like I said, I do love to create). This one was done while I was sitting in the bleachers while waiting for my son as he and his team were  training for Cross Country track. My son is not a member of the cross country team; he and his coach wanted him to train during this time of year to prepare for indoor track season that will begin in a 

few months. I did early because I was going to miss class due to a surgical procedure I would be having done that day in two weeks when it would be due.

This journal entry was done this week after having the same above surgical procedure done; it has to be  done twice (once on one side of repeated in two weeks on the other side of my body). Doing this kept my mind of the pain, boredom and limitations of movement once I got home. It fan art of an animation show I like called, "Moribito: Guardian of the Sea" The character seen here is named, "Balsa" she is a bodyguard to a young prince who is the guardian of the sea (egg) inside him. I highly recommend watching it. It is free on Hulu or Crackle website.

This was just a quick sketch done in watercolor of my son while he was playing a computer game (minus the PC I didn't want to attempt to include) just him and his frustration of some of the people he was playing with that were not exercising the best judgement during the game.

This is a a piece of work I am very, very proud. It is a recreation of a photograph I had taken of a fellow classmate who agree to be a model when I was doing studio photography some years ago.

This is a WIP (work-in-progress) watercolor of still life. I was experimenting with a technique that involved the use of plastic wrap to give the leaves a more realistic texture and look but did not only did come out successful but also bleed the colors. Hence, WIP, I will be trying to find a way to finish it and fix the bleed; possibly by creating a direction of a light source and changing the bleed into a cast shadow. Let see if it work. Stay tuned.

This is the still life I did for a class assignment. I have this free standing character (holding the paint brush) who is a character from a show my sons use to watch when they were very young. I put a paint brush in his hand, setup a small easel in front of him with a small picture that was a insert included in the packaging for the movie, "Aliens vs Cowboys"; its like a mini poster. As he is working, the cowboys (upper half not seen in the watercolor) is looking down at the alien that character (Number Four from Kids Next Door) is not paying attention to as he looks at his pretend work of art. I should also point out for legal reason, I do not own the license or copyright to both Alien vs Cowboys, Number Four or Kids Next Door. They were just the still life (require three items) I used 

for my class assignment.

this last post is an this week in-class assignment: Expressive work. It was inspired by another drawing I had did to accompany a poem I had written in a separate journal I keep.

Central High School Spring Season

This is a link to YouTube with the lastest volunteer work I have done this year. Well actually over a course of a year actually. It started last summer during cross country training/season. I along with the help of my son(s) and a few donations of other photographs, took photos and recorded footage of both indoor and outdoor track and field season along with the forementioned cross country season as well. I spent all year working on the images, footage and other material to create a two disc set collection for anyone who had participated. They were only ask to make a minimal donation to cover the cost for making the two disc set which were burned on to double layer DVD disc that also included bonus features.

This is one of many trailers for the collection.

This Year's DVD Collection Set

The work has long since begun and furiously continues in hopes that purchases can be made by parents for their Seniors before they walk they walk across the stage at graduation and given as gifts for grads of Manchester Central High School and members of track and field for the Fall Indoor and Spring Outdoor Season.

Here are some highlights to give a sneak peak of what is being put into the largest DVD ever! Last years, the first to be done, was less than two hours on one DVD and had mostly boys events. This year, a commitment was made to include boys and girls along with coverage of Cross Country, as a result, a collection set is now in the works with over two hours of highlight, some full coverage of selected events and massive amount of images taken by myself along with donations and other images from the local paper; Union Leader, parents and even some team members!

It will be wonderful collection.

The Gridiron Gang commentary/review

This is not the typical review. It is more in the form of a commentary of experience after viewing the movie. It is how I sum it up in a nutshell.

I tried, I tried so hard, I really, really did but I just couldn't help myself...I did it. I cried. The movie "Gridiron Gang" is SO moving. I wasn't going to watch it...it's just a football movie, right? "Wrong!" It about pride, honor, team spirit, and one's own definition and feeling of family...that can be everywhere, any place and anyone. Most important, its about 2nd chances and being a winner; being somebody...and knowing it within yourself. Seeing that happen and coming to that conclusion is what compose the tear in my eye.

My boy is all grown up! Senior Portrait Time

Obviously, as a pro photog person myself, I was NOT going to pay for photos. So my son and I set out one day to an on-location shoot that was I treated like any other Senior Portrait/Model shoot (a minimum of three head/shots with 2-3 clothing change option). We took various shot in causal attire (not shown), semi (with the dress shirt here) and one in his track field uniform. The one below is the one he chose (with mom's approval :D) for his senior portrait.