The Coolest Cat in Atlanta
Atlanta has been quite the experience for me. This is where I fell in love with men's fashion and began pursuing men's fashion's illustrative avenue. It began with the suggestive word of a friend (Mike McLaughlin- commencefailure) and a gift card from HomeGoods. Street Style had already taken root in popular culture and I was yet unaware of it. Polos that draped my body like a Roman Toga and Khakis that barely stayed resting upon my hips were the height of my fashionable endeavors. With my gift-card and passion in tow I purchased some Khaki Chinos and a casual Calvin Klein, blue-tartan, button up shirt. I knew it! I knew that this would make me the hippest kid in town. The coolest cat in Atlanta. Catlanta didn't know what was heading its way… or not. This first attempt at fashion glory was pale in the light of folks found across the entire internet spectrum, foolish perhaps. Lucky for me my laptop had been stolen my first night in Atlanta and I hadn't yet gathered the funds to enter the world of the informed- whether that be about fashion or about the world as a whole. Nevermind my failures in the beginning, the first step was still glorious even if it was only for me.
It would still be another two years before that me became this me. Before the chino wearing, bright-eyed passion began thinking of illustrating fashion. Before the act of illustrating was truly a pursuit. That first step was brilliant and beautiful.
To purchase this 3x5" index card watercolor illustration click here.
Sunflowerman and Sam Flax- Illustration Tutorial
It is true! The rumors, or lack of rumors suggesting the collaboration between Sunflowerman and Sam Flax Atlanta can now be confirmed.
The 'Watercolor for Illustrators' shorts series will be released for free in a couple weeks. I have had the immense pleasure to partner with Sam Flax in presenting this information, free of charge to anyone and everyone.
Here is a video from the last Sunflowerman, Sam Flax experience.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qbi6tEFkWo?rel=0&w=640&h=360]
The Construction of Dinosaurs...
The Construction of Dinosaurs is a painting I did live at Sam Flax nearly a year ago. It was a part of a promotion for One Love Generation, an Atlanta non-profit mentoring teens in arts and service. I brought a camera along to document the 8 hour process. The week before I spent some time developing a concept and composition to have a plan going into the day. A friend had suggested a while back that I do a painting of a kid pouring water on a blow up dinosaur. From there you have what came below.
[gallery type="rectangular" ids="2174,2175,2176,2177,2178,2179,2180,2181,2182,2183,2184,2185,2186,2187,2188,2189"]
Enjoy.
A Great Day for Fashion...
I met my good friends for lunch the other day and it was a fantastic fashion frolic. I had to stop the joyful meeting and capture the moment. They laughed, they posed, they frustrated each other and it was all a great time.
And wouldn't you know it, one's a poet and one's an illustrator.
Check out Quellie's artwork here.
Sunflowerman and Atlanta Street Fashion...
Happened to be in the right place, wearing the right stuff, at the right time. Met Sir Adams, the administrator and creative mind behind the Atlanta Street Fashion blog and we hit it off. The day began as fabulous as one could imagine. I gave myself an extra hour of sleep and still awoke at 7 in the morn. The first order of business was a watercolor concept for some oven designs. Next came the technical work in that powerful adobe application, Illustrator.
By 9:30 I was off to wisp my beautiful girlfriend to Utrecht for a paper run. On my traversing the winding paths of Atlanta's roadways I made a pit stop at the bank and found my way to my favorite Coffee spot. Yet again Condesa Coffee served as a mystifying union for strategic meetings and creative energy.
It was at Condesa that I met up with John Cutrell, who magically configured my wordpress.com address to read as sunflowerman.com. Almost immediately after I met Cameron Adams. You can see the rest of what happened below.
Live Painting… Medieval TImes
The other day I had the pleasure of spending my time at the Medieval Times in Atlanta. It was time for the newest show, which I am told only happens every four years or so. I was invited in to paint during the VIP reception. Katrina was my contact at Medieval Times and found me a great Medieval jacket and vest to go along perfectly with my yellow glasses and red paisley bow tie. I arrived, set up and three hours later a masterpiece was born!
It was made known to me during the reception that the story I was telling with the painting happened to coincide with the theme of the new show where a horse opens the evening in a routine galloping naked around the arena. I guess that just goes to prove that when I do it, I do it right.
Fashion Illustration… Ken Tran
Ken Tran is this dapper fella I know. He has a style all his own and he wears it in the most impressive fashion. Not from Atlanta, but making darn sure that Atlanta stays chic in his wake.
Fashion Portrait… Brandon and GQ
Got another! This one is great and innovative, that is, if it were actually a real GQ cover. There is an obvious lack of art in the GQ universe. Why wouldn't art be considered innately masculine? and therefore be included in a purportedly masculine magazine such as GQ. Here is my contribution to the cultural masculinity of magazines like GQ.
Brandon Sadler is the focus of an early fashion portrait and is linked here for those who have not been with us for long.
I picked up my copy… did you?
Beer and Wine
So, as I do on occasion, I came to the call of my amazing bosses (for a fee of course). Some designing needed to be done and as the resident artist I was obviously the man for the job. Recently the restaurant had acquired a nice chalkboard that Terry (affectionately T-Wayne) decided would be good for some advertisements of alcohol. I picked up some very nice chalk-paint at Sam Flax and went to work. The images below describe what followed...
Watercolor Booklet...
So I have this idea. I want to illustrate worship (obviously it is not an original idea, but hey...). I want to see how people worship this power in the universe we call God. I want to experience a different face of humility-
A different face of beauty-
A different side of God.
So I am doing just that. I am going to be attending services at church's all around Atlanta and illustrating in watercolor (at least watercolor for now) the way the people worship.
And, just for the occasion[s] I made, and bound, this watercolor booklet.
My friend Ruth and I have been in a booklet making frenzy lately, and it just so happens to have coincided with my new found interest.
The laces tie it shut!
The front cover flips all the way around-i.e. stays out of my way
Thank you for helping me figure this out Ruth.
Snow in the ATL
So last night it began to snow, and the result for today was a snow day! Here are a few pics to show the beauty and the joy
Bowtie!
That's right folks, I bought a bowtie, and might I add, it is fantastic. I have been on the lookout for a bowtie for quite a while now. The other day I ventured to Little Five Points with a friend, Patrick Manangan. This was my first time experiencing the famed hip locale in Atlanta. It definitely lived up to its rep. We didn't have the time to really see all of what it has to offer, but we made a trek into a couple different shops, when finally we made it to this awesome! vintage clothing shop. The bowties were right near the front, though we didn't notice those until after asking about it. There was so much going on in this place, shirts, jackets, button ups, vests, ties, hats, pants, suspenders, and bowties.
After staring at and touching all of the ties I finally came to a decision with the awesomest one there-it's red and has little blue and white outlined paisleys all over it. I kind of fell in love instantly. I bought the bowtie then Pat and I went to eat at a little pizza shop a few stores down the road. While we were waiting for food we tried to figure out how to tie the tie. That proved to be futile.
Finally, today, I tied it right! So naturally I took a bunch of pictures to show off how awesome it is...enjoy a few.
