New Nautical Illustrations

The Atlantean Relic :: 10"x10" colored pencil on wood


Blow Your Boat :: 5"x7" colored pencil on wood

It's already February and I am releasing these two new nautical illustrations. I started a commitment in October of last year to release new work on the first of each month and I've held fast so far. These pieces remain in the nautical theme I've been exploring, and I've gone both above and below the ocean's surface to broaden the scope of sea-themes.

The work has been made available through www.bryancollins.bigcartel.com until they are sold. If the piece you are looking for is not in the online shop, it has found a home. Feel free to message me with any questions and God bless!

Bryan

Pajama Painting Progression

Here we go with another painting progression of a piece for my "Inside Out" exhibit with Aaron Jasinski at Art Whino. Like the other three I've completed so far for this exhibit, this one is 11"x14", acrylic on gessoed basswood. The story here is the proverbial dream some folks have about coming to school in pajamas. If you've had the dream yourself, you know how troubling it can be. If you haven't had it, I'm sure you can image the awkward feelings a dream like that can produce.

I approached this piece "coloring book style" where I drew it all out directly on the gesso and painted everything piece by piece. This process is more tedious than painting the whole background, establishing an under-painting for the subject and foreground, and gradually layering details, but since I have very specific ideas for this show, I want to make sure each piece comes through exactly as planned.

The chalkboard has a list of things I really got in trouble for during my years in school. If you can't read the list you will just have to come to the opening at Art Whino on June 23rd to see the painting in person.

God bless,

Bryan Collins

Purchase Bryan Collins originals, prints, and more at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Inked in Pink painting progression

Here we go with the second painting for the upcoming "Outside In" exhibit at Art Whino. This one is being called "Inked in Pink", as she will have pink tattoos covering her arms. The cherry blossoms and airplanes are being painted pink as well.

For these "Outside In" paintings I am using a technique different than my usual one where I paint the entire background first. Since I am doing all of these pieces on gessoed basswood, I am making somewhat detailed pencil drawings on the wood first and painting over top of the drawings. So far I am pleased with this process as it allows me to really plan out a piece in advance of attacking it.

This process is also much closer to what I am used to as a dry-media artist. I have been working exclusively in pen-and-ink and colored pencil for nearly my whole life, and just really started using paint in 2006. This cell-shading style of getting the paint on the board is much more like I am used to and seems to have me painting much faster.

You may notice a slight change to her wardrobe in the above photo. Once I started adding the tattoos to her arms I really wanted to have some across her chest as well, so I painted over the dark grey tank top she was wearing under the blue and black stripped one. Now she is "Inked in Pink". Time for a background.

Now that I am laying in the background and adding all the special details, this will be the last preview I will show until the opening night of "Outside In". I have to save some surprises for the exhibit!

"Outside In" will be a two-man show with Aaron Jasinski and opens June 23 at Art Whino.

God bless,
Bryan

Original art and prints available in my Etsy Shop.