Amylee Painting

"Amylee" based on the song by The Michael J Epstein Memorial Library. Oil on board 18" x 24"

Amylee Finished Drawing

Posing a model and gathering reference pictures carry the image farther and suggest details. The railing came much later on and really helped frame the figure. It's also just a little more environment for the character.

Amylee Drawing

A larger drawing helped me define the image further and figure out what I needed from my reference.

Amylee Thumbnails 2

An idea came forward and I brought it through stages, trying variations and evolving the image.

Amylee Thumbnails

I recently created an illustration for the song Amylee by my friends The Michael J Epstein Memorial Library. With the image wide open and up to me you can imagine I started with pages of pre-thumbnail sketches.

Riding Hood Final

Well, the crickets over here are nearly deafening! I know myself and my fellow RWP crew have been working feverishly on both personal and freelance commissions. But that's good! Hopefully we can get something going on here again in the near future, but I won't make any promises because if everyone else's schedule looks like mine...it will be tough.
In any case I finally managed to finish up the Riding Hood piece that I posted the drawing for so long ago. I think I managed to solve most of the problems with it....at least I hope I did.

16"x22" Oil on board

New drawing: Riding Hood

Well, it's been quite a while since anything's going on around here. We've all been busy as ever and unfortunately not had any time for RWP projects. We're hoping that will change real soon. For now, here's a drawing that I've been working on. Just about ready to paint. Any last minute suggestions?

Ragnarok: Fenrir Swallows Odin Whole

Yay! I FINALLY FINISHED! Sorry folks, that took way too long.  If memory serves we started this project back in november? Awful, simply terrible.  But I have been doing a couple commissions and arranging my wedding preparations, which include a bit of design work.  But I have finished.  This is my depiction of a small event that happens during Ragnarok, the Norse Armageddon, where Fenrir, a giant wolf, swallows Odin, the Norse Zeus, whole.  Don't worry, because later one of Odin's sons, Víðarr, cuts Fenrir's belly open, freeing Odin.  I love Odin, he's got one eye, carries a spear, has wolves and ravens at his bidding, and has a great big bushy beard!  I painted a portrait of my professor, Dennis Nolan, as Odin back in college.  I am Danish, so I have Viking blood in me, or at least I tell myself that every night before  I sleep, so I loved doing this piece.  I had been a little while since I had done something so big, 18" x 24", which I thought this painting deserved.  Hope you all like it!

Craig's Viking

Here is my not yet a viking youth and his vision of Valkyries. My grey underpainting pulled me towards a subdued color scheme with cool blue light.

Hartford Art School Low Residency MFA in Illustration

Have you ever thought about getting your MFA in Illustration, but were worried about the time commitment, the cost, having to move, etc? Well, I just want to take a moment to put in a plug for the Low Residency MFA in Illustration at the Hartford Art School. I am in the midst of my first year in the program, and fellow RWP-er Scott Murphy will be joining the program this summer. Since beginning the program last July I have my first two children's book proposals under review, I have gotten work from a dream client, I have had my work re-energized, my understanding of the history of the field of illustration has deepened, and my circle of illustration contacts and friends has expanded to include folks from across the country who work not only in the children's and fantasy markets, but who do concept work, editorial, licensing, and more.

For me, the best part about the program is that my classmates and the faculty are ALL working illustrators. Many of my classmates are mid-career, so have quite a lot of experience in the field, and at least half of them are already teaching on a college level. Every single person involved in the program, whether faculty or student, is a great resource for information and feedback.

The program is structured so that its students can continue to live their lives, so that it won't disrupt their freelance or teaching careers, or their other full or part-time jobs. Those that have families don't have to move, or be limited to only what is offered nearby. We are technically full-time students, but only meet for a total of four weeks out of the year for two years (three summers). These one or two-week intensives are exactly that - intense! I always come away from them full of inspiration and new ideas. In-between the intensives we work on some small assignments, and most importantly we develop our thesis projects. For a lot of students, the thesis is something that they have been wanting to work on for a while, but needed some motivation and guidance to make it happen. I have been working on my thesis for 7 months now, and have over a year to go, and I am incredibly excited about it. I'm sure I'll do some posting about it in the months to come.

So that's my little pitch for this fabulous program. If you are thinking about getting your MFA and the low residency format sounds right for you, you can read more about it on the website here - Hartford Art School MFA in Illustration. Be sure to check out the mind-blowingly amazing list of faculty, and links to the work of current students.