I've Moved

GB Land... Funny Farmer... Blogspot... ah, I shall remember you fondly.

I've moved my blog yet once again, this time to my own website. Although I would update my blog regularly, my website would sit neglected, this time for a whole year. It was time to put an end to that and put everything together, my portfolios, my blog, contact info, into one easily digestible site. You can visit now at Art of Garth. (http://www.artofgarth.com)

My archives will remain here, unless I feel a desire to figure out how to move it all over.

If you've bookmarked me (how presumptuous am I?) please change them to my new blog. And I hope to see you all there! And I promise, if you follow me, I won't call you a groupie.

Thanks for visiting!

Illustration Friday: Change

Hearing all about my buddy's make-up experiences at a local haunted house has got me all excited for Halloween this year. (You gotta see his work at Mordacious Art Blog). Thus the early Halloween theme.

Hey, even mummies need a little gauze change now and again, especially after Halloween.

Illustration Friday: Safe

I can't tell you how much experimentation went into this illo. Every step of the way I was wondering if all the work I put into it was really worth it (do other artists go through this?). I might revert to regular 2D art for a while, as I'm feeling a bit burnt out with sculpting, and trying to figure out photography (over 30 shots to get the right one, whew).

I am pleased with how this finally came out though. Any suggestions? Sure would love bad as well as good critiques!

Oh yeah, does anyone know where I can get some colored LED lights? I'd love to be able to focus some colored lights on my subjects to add some atmosphere. Would LED flashlights work for something like this, or is it too low tech? Or even a regular flashlight with colored filters... I don't know, I'm just brainstorming with my untrained brain.

Empty your ash tray, make a child happy

My advise for the day: Always stop and buy something from kids selling stuff on the side of the road.

My son saw that several yellow pear tomatoes were ripe for the picking in our garden the other day, and had the uncontrollable urge to sell from our front yard. It reminded me of me when I was a kid, always the entrepreneur, so I decided to help him out. I helped him pack the tomatoes in little baggies, and made the sign for him, to which he added several small pear tomato drawings.

Normally by this time, the preparation deflates his urge, and he's on to something else. I guess he's growing up a little (8 years old) and his attention span held out. My daughters felt his enthusiasm and wanted to take part as well (they are 5 and 3).

We live on a semi-busy street, so I told him that I would be sitting on the porch to watch, but the rest was up to him. He ran back and forth waving his arms as the cars passed, and the girls followed right behind. I just smiled to myself thinking that people would stop just because they looked so darn cute.

People looked alright, but no buyers. So my son grabbed a couple baggies and waved them around. After several cars drove on by, his brain began coming up with marketing schemes. "I need to move closer to the street"... No, I wouldn't let him. "Maybe I should tie the baggies to the end of a stick and stick them out right in front of the cars!" Hmmmm...

It was getting to be dinner time and not a single taker. I felt bad but had to pull the plug. Our street is not the safest place for young children to hang out all by themselves. My son was reluctant, but relented, totally bummed.

My kids would have gone apes if just one person stopped to buy, just one. But there wasn't a single person willing to empty their ash tray to make some children happy. It just reminded me to make sure I stop and buy lemonade, or tomatoes, not for me, but for the kids.

Illustration Friday: Match

Another attempt at sculpting an illustration. I had a tough time coming up with this idea, and it kept developing until I was completely done. It started as just a fat man and his average wife, both with handlebar curls in their hair. Then it developed into this. He's a multi-millionaire with his wife he robbed from the cradle, and with his funds, created a voluptuous woman.

Or, he's the mayor of Stepford.

Turned out to have a better story behind it.

Here's my son's idea, with matching lightning strikes everywhere. I love it when he does these with me.

Blick Studio Catalog

I try at all costs to avoid the local brick and mortar art supply store. With the high prices and the snobby teenage sales associates who hover over you while you browse as if you're a potential starving artist shoplifter, it's more "high-class" than I can stand. And besides the mega craft stores around, there's no competition for them to make them change their ways. What this town needs is a Blick Studio art store to stir things up a bit. Until then, I'll goggle and drool over the latest 384 page Blick Studio annual catalog.

Just got it yesterday, and it stays with me all year. Sure, I can go online to their fabulous store and peruse over every item, but a paper catalog is just more relaxing and enjoyable to read. It's like the Sears catalog for art geeks like me! It has everything! From Sharpies to kilns. From kids' supplies to uber cool and complex art easels. Ok, it doesn't have paper clips, but this isn't an office supply store.

I love reading the small articles that describe many of their products, and sample artwork using the different media. It also profiles some of the artists who create these products. Just fascinating stuff that no snobby teenage sales associate would ever know. At least until they ordered this catalog themselves.

Busy Bee

Boy, I've been busy. Unfortunately my Illustration Friday posts have been the victim of neglect. So I thought I should post at least a little of what I've been doing. I'm working feverishly to update Insect Lore's whole website (you can see how my illustrations have pretty much taken over) and here's a sketch I did for some packaging, which I hope I don't ruin when I add color. If it turns out ok, I'll post the finished illo.

I just love the range of things I get to do at Insect Lore. From web site design and Flash games, to cartoon illustrations and toy design, to illos like the one here. It's quite the dream job.

Illustration Friday: Clean

"But... but... my HANDS are clean!"

This is an experiment that I was really excited about, that turned out not quite like I had hoped. I'm so deflated by the results, but I really don't have any more time to devote to it. It looks pretty cool in real life, but everything gets lost in the photograph... or doesn't get lost, rather. The photo shows every flaw in my sculpting and painting, which, in real life, your eye forgives.

It's my first attempt at a sculpture illustration, so I can't be too hard on myself. Anyone have tips on photographing something like this? Any help would be grand! I'll love you forever, I promise!

Here's another angle:

Potty Training

My 3 year old is resisting potty training, so when she asked mommy, "Should I go potty in my pull-up?", Mommy enthusiastically said, "No, sweety, go on the toiliet!"

A couple seconds went by, and she was sitting on the toilet!

She then said, "I need a book".

Illustration Friday: Sacrifice

I've been sitting in a trade booth in Atlanta since Thursday, and the last day is always the slowest. So I decided to give my computer a break from regular work, and I sketched up this week's Illustration Friday.

Serving a mission in Japan, I learned that the Japanese people are the most amazing people, ready to give the shirt off their backs at the drop of a hat. I just love that culture!