STORE!!

So I finally organized a store with original artwork and prints! If you have a moment....

^^^^CLICK ON THE STORE TAB ABOVE^^^

As I create work I will be updating the store appropriately. I also am in the process of tweaking different aspects of the blog, so a few things are changing....hopefully for the better.

take care,
-francis

Nas Untitled

So this was one of the last pieces I did at the Ill Academy. It was very much a personal piece as Nasir Jones aka Nas has been a large influence to me especially over the past year or so. His Illmatic album reigns as the undisputed greatest hip hop album of all time. His newest album originally titled N****r but without the asterisks was the cause of much controversy. I greatly respect his decision to name his album this as it caused many great conversations concerning this word and racism in general. Some called it a publicity stunt but I see it as the complete opposite. The is backed by the amazing album that resulted. The now-titled "Untitled" album is a masterpiece of an album transcending hip hop into just pure quality music. It is very political and tackles many weighty topics and does it in a poetic articulate manner.....So I've been trying to make a piece of art that captures the effect Nas' music has had on me for a while. So I went into this piece with guns blazing trying to make a very powerful image.......but I don't think this image accomplished that. I wanted to make a picture that showed how Nas is tackling racism and fighting for equality and showing how we all face the same problems. I think that is communicated but not in a powerful manner. Maybe it is the gouache that gives it a "light feel?" I'm content with the technical aspects of the picture but I'm still trying to get that emotion into my pieces that all the greats did. Theres always another piece.

all the best,
-francis

The website for the Totoro project is now up and the project is officially being unveiled!! (Sorry everyone for being a little premature in my previous announcement...) Please take a second out of your day and take a look at all the beautiful artwork:

TOTORO WEBSITE!!!!

note: Not all of the art work has been posted on the site yet, but over the next couple of days all the art will be available to view.

take care,
-francis

Russian Art!!!

As you may or may not know, I'm a huge fan of (19th and 20th century realist) Russian art. The facility and power of the artwork blows my mind, so you can imagine how pumped I am to have found this blog:

RUSSIAN ART

A must look! Some mind blowing work. But that should be obvious after looking at these previews!!!

take care,
-francis

what foul????

Hey folks! Here are some recent illos. Ink and gouache with halftone applied slightly to the grey one and a little more digital alteration to the darker one. I did two versions as an experiment. Had to do these quick. I was asked to illustrate a conversation.... Crits?...It's been a long night, not sure how I feel about these.

take care,
-francis

Comic Con!

Hey folks! Just a quick heads up that me and my buds will be heading over to San Diego for Comic Con. I don't have a booth this year but if you want to chill, grab a few drinks, discuss the intricacies of the DC universe, or talk art shoot me an email! I hope to put some faces to some artwork!

take care,
-francis

P.S. I also was informed that I got 4 pieces into the new Creative Quarterly 12! The issue should be out within the next month. Check it out at Barnes and Nobles, etc if you get a chance!

Totoro Forest Project!!

So this is my contribution* to the Totoro Forest Project. It is a fund raising gallery event being organized by Dice Tsutsumi (check his site for the official announcement and to see the other work) and other artists from Pixar. It began as a way to raise money for the Sayama Forest in Japan, from which the movie "My Neighbor Totoro" was based upon. The forest is in risk of being destroyed so Hayao Miyazaki and Pixar are teaming up, along with other great artists from around the world to submit their work to a large gallery opening in San Diego with all the proceeds going to the preservation of the forest.

I created this piece with ink, gouache, and zip-a-tone dots. This is one of the first pieces I did not tweak at all in Photoshop. So I'm getting closer to getting my traditional work to look the same as my final .jpeg!!!

*I originally did an oil painting for this project. I'm definitely going to still submit it for the opening but I had a tough time with it, which is why I did this ink version as well. I think this version conveys the vision I had much more than the painting.

all the best,
-francis

pastel figures, etc!

Hey guys! Happy 4th of July... hope everyone has a top notch weekend! Here are some pastel figure drawings ranging from 5-20 minute poses. I'm digging this method. Definitely something to explore more. I also included a pic of my epic workspace at the Academy....I'm proud of it!

take care,
-francis