Night Train

"Night Train" - Acrylic on Canvas - 18" x 24" - 2014

  

I've received a fair amount of feedback regarding this painting, so, I thought I'd post it here and share a little commentary about it. This piece was essentially the result of experimenting with new techniques. Initially, it was intended to be a loose image of an oncoming train at night, but it evolved as I painted it. The entire painting was executed without brushes, only palette knives were used - and perhaps some fingers here and there, but that's not unusual for me. (You can probably find my fingerprints in every one of my paintings.) 

The first happy accident that occurred was the - obvious, I think - skull-like facade of the locomotive. When I first noticed it, it was faint, so I embellished it while staying relatively true to the shadows which naturally might've occurred on the locomotive. I didn't want to overdo it, though I think I may have, in hindsight. Anyway, this visage made the piece all the more unsettling, so, I continued on that vein. I made sure the tracks were off-center, and gave them a slight tilt to boot, in order to counteract their otherwise stabilizing static lines. Additionally, I wanted the train to come from the right to the left, a psychological tension-creating visual trick (common, and more effectiv, in visual narratives like comics) due to Western cultures' natural left-to-right tendencies. You may also notice some other vague images in the piece as well. Some are intentional, most are not.  I added some more bright white to the upper left of the composition and emphasized the light on the train, then balanced it a bit with some dark in the lower right.... Yeah, I'm gonna' stop here, otherwise I'll start getting into a formal analysis of the composition and that's probably dull for most. Y'all can do that yourselves....

What I particularly enjoy about this style is its dreamlike quality. I've noticed that even the images that I think I've "spelled out" for the viewers have been interpreted and seen differently. For example, one friend noticed the train and and was later surprised by the skull, while another saw the skull and overlooked the train. Others see completely different images in the piece first, then come around to the primary ones. Many see things that I never intended to be there. The Rorschach test quality of these paintings is great. It's enjoyable witnessing people getting lost in - or perhaps finding themselves in - the compositions created with this technique.

I'm still pushing ahead with this style, and we'll see where it takes me. The next painting I did, "Scarecrow," is more deliberate, but I'm very fond of it. I'll post it here in a bit, but you can see it now on my Facebook page.  

Thanks for reading!

Reference Shots

Hi, all! I’ve come up with a series of blog posts that might be at least somewhat interesting, particularly if you enjoy my Unrefined series of artworks. Many have inquired about my references for the structures and scenes in the Unrefined paintings, so I figured it might be fun to share some of my favorite reference photos on my blog. I figure I’ll post a few a week until I run out of “good” ones. (By, “good” I mean, nice shots that are interesting to you. I have hundreds of photos, but I imagine most of them are only interesting to me, as they’re either altogether useless, or only contain a small tidbit or two that I deem worth saving.)

First, it’s worth mentioning that I have NO access to ANY of these refineries, and thus far I have been unable to attain it. Private security, state authorities, and federal agencies protect these complexes. I have been asked to leave certain areas politely, and, well… not so politely. I was once “intimidated” by security vehicles off of an access road that led to refinery’s gate and I was easily still a half-mile away from the gate! You get my point. Unfortunately, in spite of the fact that I continue to bring art supplies on my reference hunts, doing sketches on location is impossible – unless I don’t mind sitting a couple of miles away from my subject, which I do! Therefore, my best bet is taking photos with my camera or (frequently) my phone, very often from my car, or “mental snapshots,” for lack of a better expression. (I’ll essentially just hold an image in my head until I can sketch it or paint it.) 

As shown here, there is rarely a shoulder upon which to pull over
and the speed limit on this particular road is 55 mph, making it difficult
to even slow down to take pictures!

Here are some more shots to kick things off....

This one may look familiar to some of you....

UNREFINED X

Coincidentally, UNREFINED XI "No Dumping," was inspired by a vacant lot with a "NO DUMPING" sign. Behind this lot was a pile of scrap and detritus from the refinery in the distance,  beyond some trees. Luckily, it was too perfect to forget, as I had no opportunity to photograph it. Anyway, sometimes these paintings are almost ready-made.

Okay, next:

How 'bout one more for now....

I like this shot, and fortunately got some more, too. About three
minutes after taking it, two security trucks drove up this road
and forced me to leave. They followed me back to the main road
and remained at the intersection. For how long... who knows?
I just kept driving....

Recently, I discovered a few more roads that have some great vantage points, so I'm sure to continue my library of reference for Unrefined, a series that seems to have no end in sight. Well, I hope this was remotely interesting for you. I'll post some more photos next week.

- Ian

Facebook....

Well, I finally caved and formed a Facebook page. Please check it out!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ian-Chrystal-Fine-Art-and-Illustration/547047055334466

There is a fair amount of work on it already and I'll continue to post more. Not to worry, though, I'll continue to neglect this blog as as I have been in recent months. (cue laughter) Would you believe that I've been using variable ratio reinforcement on my blog readers? No? All right, here a little somethin'-somethin'....

It's fun with charcoal! Just some experiments in charcoal techniques. Pretty cool, right? Now there's something that's not on my Facebook page!

Well, not yet anyway....

Good Show! Bitch of a Canvas....

The Push Pin-Up Productions show went swimmingly! We had a great time, and met a lot of great people! The turnout was impressive to say the least. I posted some pic's on Facebook and hopefully there will be more to follow (I'm waiting on some emails....). A hearty "THANK YOU" to everyone at Push Pin-Up Productions and all of their volunteers that orchestrated such a wonderful evening art party. If you'd like to donate to Push Pin-Up to support future events like the Reflexion/Projexion show, here's a link: Donate!

Moving on, I finally finished stretching the canvas for my next piece in the Presence series. What a f#cking bitch! GRRRR! In the end I may have removed more staples over the course of getting it right than I actually ended up using on it. What a pain in the ass.... Here's why:

Remember that plaster fist on wood supports?

Yeah, that one. Well, here it is now:

So, yeah....

Gesso time!!

Peace!

"pick...."

Hey! Finished this one up a few days ago. Sorry for the delay in posting. I took some detail shots as well....

pick.... - Acrylic and Enamel on Canvas - 36" x 24"

Click the image to enlarge (hopefully - Blogger can be finicky at times).

In these detail shots you can see the 3D effects I achieved through the magic of molding paste.

I actually painted the canvas and mottled "bruising" entirely with my hands and fingers, and used my fingers and palette knives to sculpt the "scab" out of molding paste. It only seemed appropriate that I would use my fingers for a piece titled pick...., and I thought it might grant it a more visceral quality. It certainly made for a more visceral creative experience, and I hope it comes through in the art.

Now I have to get back to work on my Presence series. In considering pick...., however, I find that it may be an interesting complement to the Presence paintings, not only in appearance, but also thematically.... Huh.... More on that stuff in a later post!

Thanks for the interest everyone! Oh, and I may bite the proverbial bullet soon and start a Facebook page to promote my work. All in favor say "Aye." I don't know that it's necessary.....

- Ian

Reflexion/Projexion

Aaaannnd that's the theme of my first New Orleans show! I am very pleased to report that my piece, Shadow of My Former Self has been accepted to a show that "unofficially" kicks-off White Linen weekend in NOLA, and "officially" provides the after-party for a show opening at the Ogden Museum of Southwestern Art! Good-freaking-stuff, right? My sincere thanks to Push Pin-Up Productions for even considering my work, and obviously for accepting it as well.

Coincidentally, what do you think this is going to be used for?

The next piece in the Presence series, of course... but I'm not gonna' spill the beans, you'll have to wait for it.

While I wait for molds to dry, or wood glue and such, I'm keepin' busy with other work, like this one:

 

And this one:

They're both unfinished, but I'm truckin' on the first piece and the second... well, let's just say I'm rethinking my original objectives....

So, that's what I've been up to lately. It's great to return to the blog with happy news, and I'm actually still waiting to hear from some other venues regarding artwork I've submitted. Suffice it to say, I'm keeping my fingers crossed while I celebrate. You should, too.....

Much love,
Ian

New NOLA art! This time it's St. Louis Cathedral!

Conté Crayon on Paper - 18" x 24" - 2012

Peace!

Atomic Comics Christmas

A cartoon I did for my friend Don's Christmas sale. Inked entirely with brush! Not bad - if I do say so myself..... The final ad is under it. Yes, the tagline of the ad was conceived in conjunction with the concept of the cartoon:

(as usual, CLICK to enlarge) 

37... huh....

 

 

    

 

Oil on Canvas 24" x 30"

So, I knocked this self-portrait out pretty quickly my birthday weekend. I just stood in the bathroom with my small easel and did it. I had initially planned something completely different, in fact, in order to avoid getting lost in details I painted it without any corrective lenses. (Nearsighted means my image in the mirror - about 5 feet away - was blurry, but my view of the canvas in front of me was pretty crisp.) Great idea at the time I started, but, I, of course managed to completely overwork it anyway. In all honesty, it was "done" after about 10 minutes... and I knew it, but I just had to second guess myself, and the notion of how long a "proper" painting should take, and, hey, what if I could improve it, hone it, perfect it? Ugh.... It was perfect. The first creative blast of gestural strokes nailed it. Oh well. I was just funnin' anyway.... On to the next!

Fun and Frustration with Ink... and Halloween!

Grrrr.... Practicing with various inking tools and techniques over the weekend and I churned this drawing out on Halloween. It kinda' made me chuckle so I thought I would share it. This was done entirely with brushes and ink - no pens, markers, or digital "doctoring" of any kind, although I may have used a little <AHEM> Pro-White in a couple of...  problem areas.... Damn, inking with a brush WELL is tough, but that's why we practice like this. I don't bust out my expensive Series 7's for stuff like this, so the brushes used were cheap and not of the best quality, but for practice and playful purposes they do all right.... Anyhoo, I hope your Halloween was a happy and haunted one!!

A few different brushes and black FW Acrylic Ink

I have a blog? Oh! Hey! I have a blog!

Man, I've neglected this thing for a while, huh? So much for regular posts, or semi-regular posts, or... well, you get it. Now that the wedding's over - and it was a f*cking blast-and-a-half, thanks for asking - perhaps I can get get back to my life. Wedding planning is a full-time job, let me tell ya', but damn was ours worth it, and I think it paid-off in spades. Good times....

For this post I'll cheat a bit and upload the sketches that Rachelle and I gave away as wedding favors, and, particularly for those of you that asked, tip you off as to the specific sites. (Click on the images to enlarge them)

First:

This is a view down the sidewalk of Chartres at the corner of Esplanade. Rachelle and I got caught in the rain and took shelter under the awning.

Next:

This is a row of tombs from Cemetery No. 1, if memory serves....

This is the Napoleon House at the corner of Chartres and St. Louis. It's one of our favorite eateries in the Quarter with a multifarious and reasonably priced menu.

This is the north side of Jackson Square looking down St. Peter from Decatur (the Mississippi River would be behind you).

The Faulkner House is in the foreground. Just past the immediate buildings on the right is Pirate's Alley and to your left - out of frame - would be the rear of St. Louis Cathedral.

A tight, forced perspective view of Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop at Bourbon and St. Phillip. This is probably our favorite bar in the Quarter. The street signs have been absent for a while, but I referenced an old photo to insert them into the drawing.

So, there you go! The top 4 sketches were rendered "straight-up" with a Sakura Pigma Micron (.03 mm) pen, that is, I didn't plan them in pencil first or anything, I just used the pen. The bottom 2 were done entirely in pencil: 2B, and a 6B for the darker areas. I also used a kneaded eraser to tighten them a bit, increase contrast in areas, and add highlights.

I was rather pleased with these sketches, and I truly hope that all of our guests were, as well. Methinks I will crank out some more, and I will be sure to post the ones I like - and maybe one or two that I don't.... I am also going to get back to painting. I have a big unfinished painting on an easel that's really irritating me, as it's been there - and untouched - for faaaaaaaar too long.

Bye, for now!

- Ian

Behind the "Shadow of My Former Self"

I've had some inquiries and remarks in the past month or so regarding my painting, "Shadow of My Former Self" - which is on my portfolio site and is currently my Facebook profile picture. What is not apparent from the digital images of this piece is that there is a three-dimensional aspect to the composition. Here's the painting:

"Shadow of My Former Self" - 2010 - 36" x 48" - Oil on canvas - ©2011

Here's the painting hanging in my front hallway to give you a better sense of scale:

Now, here is a photo from the side, or a "profile" shot, of the painting:

 

It should be more apparent here that there are small protuberances where the fingertips appear to come in contact with the canvas. It is a subtle effect, but - I feel - one that adds a certain "je ne sais quois" to the piece. Yeah, that's right. I didn't want to hit the viewer over the head with the 3-D quality of the canvas, I intended for it to just be "off" or even a touch unsettling, particularly when viewed from a slight angle.

It is worth noting, at this point, that this painting was actually an experiment. In my initial idea, I wanted to create a piece that depicted something almost trapped within it. It should seem as though there exists another reality on the opposite side of the canvas, as if it were a translucent window into another world, because, really, isn't that what a work of art is in many ways? A window into the artist's reality, or, perhaps, his or her mind? All right, I've written too much. I'm big on the subjective interpretation of the individual viewer and, frankly, I don't want to get philosophical here - back to the nuts and bolts.... Just painting it without the 3-D quality would have been too ambiguous. I needed to reinforce that this wasn't simply a painting of a silhouette, there was substance to it. The shadow was cast by something - someone - tangible. Now, I have a number of other ideas for artworks that will utilize this technique, but this initial experiment had to be something that I could create quickly and simply, so I came up with a rather straightforward composition with easily crafted pressure-points: fingertips. Here's what happens when you look behind the curtain:

 

 

Here you can see the backside and frame of the canvas. The small board is attached to one of the braces between the frame and canvas. If you look closely you can note the small spherical pegs attached to the board, which are pressing against the inside of the canvas and creating the fingertip impressions. Upon installation of this wooden plane, I felt that there wasn't enough pressure exerted on the canvas; therefore, I reinforced it with a few pieces of cardboard to increase its thickness and, in turn, applied precisely the right amount of stress to the canvas that I had intended.

I know a magician shouldn't reveal his secrets, but as I mentioned, there have been some queries about this piece, so I thought going in depth about the crafting of it would prove intriguing for some. There will be more pieces like this, and - with a little luck and lots of ingenuity - they will become more involved and complex. But, with this concept, for every idea, there are serious logistical and construction issues to consider - and they in turn have ramifications when it comes to composition and aesthetics.

Plus, I've got other projects goin', so I may not crank this series out as fast as I would like. Speaking of other projects, I just gessoed a canvas for the next Unrefined painting. Maybe I'll do some "in progress" posts, to better illustrate my process... then again, maybe not. You'll have to stay tuned.....

- Ian

April in Chicago - five years ago!

Just a quick post for now.....

Here are a couple of sketches from April of 2006. I found 'em recently when I was going through a bunch of older sketchbooks, and I thought perhaps my brother and his wife might get a kick out of 'em - though they have seen them before. They were both drawn while I was visiting them when they lived in Chicago. I seem to recall my brother particularly liking the one of him putting away dishes... for some reason. As I recall, even though you can't see it in the drawing, he had a plate or something tucked under his chin as well. The other is is a view of their backyard. Enjoy, and more coming soon!

Quick sketch with conté crayon 9" x 12" (4/06)

Pencil 9" x 12" (4/06) - this one took a little longer than the one above

And thus, I carve my name in the bathroom wall of the Internet....

Soooo... yeah.... Because that really is the best phrase to kick-off an inaugural blog post. Anyway, here it is! So begins my contribution to what is essentially World Wide Web graffiti. I intend to post not only random writings, interesting links, etc., but also art, insights into my works and processes, and perhaps even some comics and cartoons. Be warned, however; I am currently without a scanner, so, I may not post as often as I would like, because I'm gonna' have to take snapshots of stuff and tweak 'em for clarity's sake - not quite as easy as scanning. (Initially, I expect to post at least once or twice a week so check back with some degree of regularity, jump on my RSS feed, or follow this blog via email.) The work I upload may be quite random, and not necessarily current or important (I guess one could argue that all of an artist's work is "important," but just bear with me....) like this:

Conté crayon sketch from 1/11

Oooorr, it'll be artwork with more purpose (yes, I know, all art has "purpose," let it go, a'ight?) like this:

Charcoal concept sketch fragment for UNREFINED series (4/11) - photo taken at a skewed angle

Oooorr, it might be stuff that, quite frankly, isn't very good and should probably be burned. As for the above, the wine glass sketch was something I just executed spur-of-the-moment while chilling on the couch a few months ago, and the charcoal piece is a concept sketch for my next painting in the "Unrefined" series.

I aim to keep this blog laid-back and enjoyable for everyone involved and maybe I'll even add to the design of it at some point to get away from the prefab Blogger template - or not. Feel free to contact me and/or comment whenever you wish and stay tuned!

In the meantime please check out my other sites:

Ian Chrystal Fine Art and Illustration

Ian Chrystal Fine Art and Illustration: UNREFINED

Thanks!!!