Wizard

Same as the last: 36" x 46", acrylic, ink, pencil, colored pencil on cardboard. This one was done by three seventh graders. One of them loves to draw anime. She drove the bulk of the composition. The sun and the wizard's coat are just amazing. I keep thinking this one looks like a miniture. I mean it looks like a scene I'd find if I pulled apart some bushes and peered into secret fairy kingdom.

Flowers

This is the first in a series of images created by my middle school and high school students. 36" x 46", acrylic, ink, pencil, and colored pencil on cardboard. None of these students has ever done a painting of this scale. They worked in groups, this one was painted by four high school girls who only want to paint "pretty things". They copied from clip-art images of flowers, drew them larger, and arranged them to create a composition. They drew, then painted using glazes in the ribbons and ala prima techniques elsewhere. This is the culmination of a semester of work.

Whiteboard Mural II

12' x 4' dry erase on whiteboard. This my student's work. I've been having my classes create murals on the whiteboard as part of my classwork. For this one they took random "clip art" images, enlarged them, and arranged them into a composition. If you look closely you'll see two yardsticks in the tray at the bottom - gives you a better idea of the scale.

It's About Time

So I finally got RockBand II and I have to admit I'm hooked. Well, actually my son got it for Christmas but I keep playing it. This game is a blast (and not just the drums). Speaking of the drums, my RockBand kit has a Rock 'n Sock throne. I was surprised to find so much Prog on the song list... Rush, Kansas, Dream Theater. I'm thinking for my next project I'll bust out some frisk and my airbrush to trick out the guitar.

Back to Prog Drumming

Wow, I just had one of the best times playing
music I've ever had. I had the chance to jam with Mauricio Sotelo of the group Cabezas de Cera, one of the premier Chapman Stick players and most avant garde musicians in prog music today (also, one of the nicest and most gracious musicians I've ever met). Mauricio and CDC were recent headliners at NEAR Fest and Baja Prog and he happens to be friends with my band partner Frank D'Angelo. Mauricio is without a doubt one of the most interesting and innovative Stick players around. We hung out, had a little wine, and played weird music for a few hours. What could be better than that?

Whiteboard Mural

15' X 4' dry erase marker on whiteboard. This started when I told my students to graffiti my whiteboard. 32 markers and a couple of weeks and this is the result. They did require some direction but it's amazing how every student said they can't draw! This has actually become legendary with everyone involved claiming bragging rights. The following are closeups, left to right.

Graffiti My Whiteboard

For Bell Work I had the students in three classes graffiti a section of my white board, then I added imagery on top of theirs. Their work work did not vary the line in any way and all of it was essentially on the same scale. I brought my additons in to demonstrate how to manipulate scale, line weight, superimpose themes, add such elements as visual contradiction, pun, repetition, contrast, symbolism, and color contratst, etc...