Caroline Bittencourt: VA is for Lovers (pic & sketch)

This is a photo of Caroline Bittencourt. I wanted to put my own twist on this photo and reference something i've seen other times in tshirt designs. The Mickey Mouse hands have been used in various ways to cover up or censor female body parts. Visually it's appealing to me to see people taking pop culture references and to make interesting designs. I was also staring at some postcards of Virginia beach on the floor and added sometime that reminds me of my state.

"Chump, Chump Chewy Chump" (pic & sketch)

This is one of the loose ends that i've tied up. I have had this unfinished drawing laying around for over 2 years. The photo came about when Cara's daughter Erica and i were playing around during a photo. Erica was attempting to bite my head and saying "shhh, it will only hurt for a moment." She was acting as if she was some type of zombie. I thought it would be a good picture to transform just into that. I like the clean lines of comics and how images actually jump off of the frames sometime. It was originally going to be a simple black and white drawing with various ranges of gray but it took on a life of it's own.

Laken

my girlfriend has been bugging me for some more artwork. Her new roommate didn't have a sign for her door. I'm not sure how i got sucked into this one but as a small favor to her i was asked to created something. Not knowing much bout Laken expect she loves the Lifetime channel, horror movies and eats meat only (no veggies) it was a slight challenge. I originally wanted to do something with Nightmare of Elm Street or something from the Saw series but that idea faded away. Finally i decided on Jason and the Friday the 13th series, i had been watching the remake and thought it was been pretty close to her name Laken and Camp Crystal Lake.

A-Rod's Practice Swing (pic & sketch)

I love pop art even thought i wouldn't classify my artwork as that. I would call it taking a comedic stance in hopes of getting people talking. Discussing what they are seeing and why their thoughts are on it. Alex Rodriguez is notable player for the New York Yankees. Recently he was named in PED (performance enhancing drugs) scandal in Major League Baseball. This isn't the first time he has used steroids to bust his stats and at the time in which i was creating this he was on the brink of having a season ending suspension. Ultimately he wasn't suspended and is playing now but i just wanted to shed a little light on PED are in sports.

"S isn't for Hope, It's for SVU" (pic & sketch)

You can thank my girlfriend, Cara for this one. When i was in Texas this past June, she wanted to go see Man of Steel in 3D. I am also a  fan of  TV show Law & Order Special Victims Unit. Christopher Meloni who played Elliot Stabler on show was in Man of Steel as a general. In the movie there's one scene when Superman heals Lois Lane after she gets wounded. I leaned over to her and made the gong for Law & Order.  As i was watching the movie i came up with this concept for this inside my head. I imagined Stabler being undercover trying to catch a sexual predator Clark Kent/ Kal-El/Superman. Further more he was in handcuffs so i thought about him in the station with Benson and Stabler questioning him. Them asking him what the "s" on his chest was for?
Overall i'm just okay with this piece. It isn't nearly what i wanted it to be and somewhere along the way i lost what envisioned.

"The Crime : Twerking "(pic & sketch)

 True Story: Not that i would lie about this at all but i just wanted to prove all this came about. It's so mystery to anyone i don't have cable. i haven't for over a year and honestly i don't miss it to much. I do have Netflix so the night of the MTV's VMA i was watching movies. I hate fake award shows like this because it becomes an over hyped exhibition that gives people an opportunity to gossip. Roughly around the same time the show was going on i was watching the movie Dredd. Judge Dredd is a no none sense cop in the future. Later on i found out that there was a public out cry about Miley Cyrus and her dancing. Now what i do have a problem with is twerking becoming a pop culture phenomenon. It's the latest dance craze which even has older news anchors attempting to do it. Dance is a form of expression and i understand that but some dances aren't for everyone. This dance originated from strip clubs and i highly doubt it was attended to be done at a kids choice award to set a Guinness book world record. That is my issue.
So how would Judge Dredd handle a situations like this, he would charge Miley with illegal twerking and sentence her to death....

Riley Cooper is Cooking with Paul ( Pic & Sketch)

After hearing about Riley Cooper being caught on video making a racial slur i had to make this one. He was drunk at a country concert and began making comment to a black security guard. Given this situation followed by Paula Dean's comments, it was easy,quick and simple to do. I think situations like this pose a good opportunity for people to talk openly about race. It is a problem i can say that.
I've witness it first hand, i've even seen it done to others. Just to share a small story, I was out at a wrestling event with my friend Shun who was of asian descent. Shun and myself were making our way from out seats to go to the concession stand. On the way we past by a larger guy and my friend said excuse me the guy who had a beer in his hand. The guy took it as an opportunity to make references to the (vietnam) war and call him a couple of things i won't repeat here. I followed behind my friend and the guy said nothing to me but i could tell it bothered Shun. As we were eating we talked briefly about what happened and i commended him for taking the high road. Yes the guy was drunk but starting a fight with a drunk person would prove what? Only that he stooped down to his level and allowed him to win the battle of idiots.
So racism is alive and it may not always be as public as what Riley said or what others have said but it's something that buried deep down inside some people. It also comes out as the time when you least aspect it too.

My P**** Taste like Pepsi (Lana Del Rey)

I have mixed feelings about Lana Del Rey. i love her music her voice is amazing. What changed my opinion a little of her was when i heard about her transformation that she underwent to become what we see. The before and after pictures were a little deflating for someone who seems to already be attractive.

I decided to take a pop art take on one of her lyrics that proclaimed her p**** tastes like Pepsi. I haven't done anything that actually pushed my creativity a little in a while. So i searched high and low for a pepsi bottle to mix a 3d object along with a portrait. I wanted the spilled pepsi from the bottle to create her image. Maybe in my next go round i'll push the envelope a little more.

Frank Ocean (pic & sketch)

Sadly enough someone people i struggle to draw. Frank Ocean is one of those people. my drawing of him have gotten better but it's been a process. This is one of my few micron drawings that i did outlined in orange highlighter.

sketch challenge 3: part II

The Funny thing about doing this sketch challenge is the responses that i've gotten. Some  people have been asking why am i constantly drawing male nudes? Am i questioning my own sexuality or getting turned on by drawing men? Or the most important what is this or whom is it for?

1. The truth of the manner is seeing a model nude isn't a turn over for me. Those who truly study the male or female form aren't aroused by simply seeing a nude person. I have a hard time even explaining to my mom why i go to a modeling session. She doesn't see the point of drawing someone nude. 
2. I drew nude males because i've drawn some many nude females i thought a change would be good. I thought it would be interesting to study the male muscular structure which is something i haven't done recently. 
3. most importantly this is something i'm doing for my girlfriend. She already had one sketchbook challenge and i dedicated this challenge to her as well. Granted i'll never look like anyone of this guys within the next few months 

One of the cool things that came from this challenge is that one of the models actually contacted me after seeing his sketch. I'm not sure how he found my drawing but i think it's interesting how people can search topics on instagram. Thanks to Frank Jones for being a muse.

 

Sketch Challenge 3: part 1

I am passionate doing studies of the human face and figure because it is ever evolving. Within a span of one day a person can go through a gauntlet of emotions and feelings. This time i did something rare that i don't generally do. i allowed others to decide which my focus of the sketch challenge would be. Luckily they made the right decision and i began doing a study of african american male nudes. Being an african american male this is something that is near and dear to me. I feel often that we are devalued and begin to play into the stereotypes of others. Even now i fight those stereotypes.

 

 

Susan (sketch)

It is unquestionable that Susan is one of my work best friends. I say that because she reminds me so much of my girlfriend Cara, that it's scary. Especially since Sam has left she has filled in for her quite well. The term work girlfriends and boyfriends can or could be defined as someone that allows you to lean on or vice versa and together you keep each other upbeat and happy. Regardless of what's going on or you perform as a team together. Susan does that and constantly has me laughing
So why wouldn't i draw someone that i owe plenty to. She is my attempt to push my photo realism drawing a little bit further than i generally do. I'm some what pleased with the outcome. I could've done better but maybe next time.