Pam Grier is Here!

Well a long awaited feat of mine was accomplished last night. I got to meet one of my muses and favorite actresses, Pam Grier. Now on my blog I tend to be quite the wisecracker on here but tonight I like to act out of character for once and be serious.

Over three years ago I was mentored by legendary Pulp / Pin-Up artist Robert McGinnis and learning from him I wanted to learn the secrets and great tips on making beautiful ladies. So for the mentor project I wanted to do a pin-up painting and I wanted it to be Vintage Looking so I said to myself I always wanted to make a nice picture of Pam Grier and I used that opportunity to make one.

The Painting went from Watercolor, to Gouache and accidently Acrylic (which I thought was goauche). And the results was this........You've seen sketches and teasers for this before on the blog, quite possibly my best painting ever. And it's what made me want to continue pin-ups. And it was clear from then on that Pam Grier was a very special MUSE to me.
I always said over and over that I want to give her a copy of this. I never realized three years later the dream would become a reality.

Pam Grier was at Barnes & Noble Tribeca last night signing her memoir Foxy: My Life in Three Acts. And after a long dispute of leaving work early I managed to actually make to the event. Before the signing took place Pam gave us an hour long discussion about what she went through in life. The stories she told were very heartbreaking about her being raped twice (and almost a third) and battling cancer and overcoming the obstacles to beat it even though doctors told her she had 18 months to live over a decade ago. There were lots of laughs to when she mentioned about her relationships with Kareem Abdull-Jabbar and Richard Pryor (she didn't mention Freddie Prinze Sr.). And the most amazing thing of all is after all she's been through... she is 61 and looks as great as she did in the 70s. If you ask me her inner beauty must've crawled outside to make her look and feel young. Pam was very sweet and down to Earth and when she mentioned how the fans who loved and supported her meant a lot to her and made her thankful I put my thumb up to it which Pam noticed, thanked me personally and put her hands over her heart to show how she felt about people like me. I was touched.

After the discussion was over it was time for the signing and the moment of truth arrived as I approached her and told her what an inspiration she was as an actress, role model, andMUSE to me personally I gave her a print of my painting signed, matted, and framed....
She loved it. She thanked me said it was "fabulous" and that I was "very good." Hearing Pam's beautiful words of wisdom made me melt and feel on top of the world. My year is made thanks to her. Thank You Pam for being such a sweetheart and a great role model to us all.
God Bless You Pam!

Long Live the King... of the Monsters!!!

Well everyone remembers my 1st sketch of Godzilla vs. King Kong in Hong Kong. Then since it got so many "likes" on facebook that I made another sketch with them along with a library of Toho monsters. Well it's time I finally end this battle between Godzilla "The King of the Monsters" and the original "8th Wonder of the World" King Kong.The Battle ends in New York City And the Winner is.....
Godzilla!!! I based this off the Perseus sculpture in Florence at the Piazza Del' Signore. Instead of a sword I gave Godzilla the top of the Empire State Building.

LOVE, Jennifer Style!

Hi everyone,

So tonight I got to meet Jennifer Love Hewitt. A beautiful talented celebrity i felt like I kind of grew up with.

She was signing her new book The Day I Shot Cupid at Barnes & Noble. I got their early so I was able to get a pass to the Q&A into the signing. Now when I purchased the book I had to deal with this whiny little British twit give us all these strict ultimatums about the signing and how if we sneak a pic to get autographed other than the book they would go all "Bad Cop" on us. Anyways getting the autograph wasn't the highlight of my night.

Last week I worked real hard into making her a sketch. Yes I like to make my favorite females into Botticelli's Venus.


Unfortunately the little twit said whatever gifts to give Jennifer are not aloud to be given to her and they will be given to a staff member that will supposedly be given to her. Well I was gonna try every attempt to give her the sketch so she can see it. So how we were seated at the Q&A my part of the line was put into this corner which she happened to pass I just quickly pulled out the sketch and said "This is for you" She said Thank you and said I would love ot look at this but my eyes are little blind from the cameras and paparazzi. It was awesome!

Dead or Alive: To the Xtreme

Hey everyone. Ever since buying Dead Or Alive: Xtreme 2 for X-Box 360 last year I became a fan and started to admire the characters. Especially the lovely platinum British Assassin Christie (see 2nd to last post).

Then DOA4 and the movie followed into my collection.

I've been wanting to draw Christie and the others for a while now and I finally did.
I bought a set of 36 Prismacolor pencils. As you noticed most of my sketches I use a color shade over most of my sketches so I figured why not use the best colored pencils. However it got to the point I just want to fully render my figures.

Anyways I made this sketch while waiting in anticipation for DOA Paradise on PSP. Finally a portable DOA game.

My Sketchy Valentine

Well today was Valentine's Day and would you know it I'm single again. So instead of sitting in my pjs playing Video Games I decided to go to Craig Yoe's Artist & Models drawing session to take my mind off it and help me focus on my project. Yeah I know it's a long commute from Staten Island to Peekskill but it was well worth it.

Red Sonja eat your heart out!!
Okay so there was no bloody head. The model had a wooden sword and a mardi gras mask so i tried to make it a little of my imagination. Just like when I added the cigar in the last post.

Yoe, Check these Sketches out!

Went to Craig Yoe's drawing session in Peekskill, NY for the first time. For once I was in a class I was guaranteed a great looking model.... in such a long time. And there wasn't too many damn 1 minute poses and more long poses which made it worth while.

I uploaded this one short pose pic cause Amy the model was posed in front of a mirror and I had tried to put her reflection in within the 5 minute time span.

20 Minute Sketch
Doing this 25 minute reclining pose was more than enough time for me and I actually felt relaxed not worrying about time.

Mine and everybody's favorite sketch... that I did today. Once I finished the the sketch i decide to have fun with by throwing the cigar and replace the dangling earrings with hoops. Well thing was when i made the sketch she reminded me of one of my favorite video game characters of British Assassin, Christie

from the DOA: Dead or Alive series.

Out of the Inkwell... onto the Bristol...with Prismacolor.

Everyone remembers this classic sketch.

Well here is the continuation to that sketch and Popeye has made his decision. I made the sketch for my girlfriend. This time i colored it with Prismacolor markers instead of Photoshop.