Just TeeJay's Blog

Inside the Sketchbook

•January 4, 2012 • 3 Comments

When my sketchpad is hanging around in an obvious place – people will often ask if they can look through it. In the old days when my sketchpad did double duty as a journal I wasn’t comfortable with that at all. These days I have much less angst (~~and tend to keep it safely tucked away better~~) so I don’t mind at all.

I just finished filling another one and today I will be starting in a brand new one that I received as a gift for Christmas.

I thought that I would share with you some of the random images that were inside of this one that were not for clients or paid projects. This is the side stuff. My little doodles and thought processes forming. Some I will explain and some you will have to ask about if you would like the rest of the story.

——–

This little guy was posted before. I drew these little guys one day when I was working at the doctors office and a patient no showed. This one was done for a watercolor painting that I made jackalope watercolor step by step It’s a Safety Cone Monster

Posted in Art, Sketchbook
Tags: Art, drawings, ideas, roughs, sketchbook, thumbnails

New Year – New Painting and same ol’ Figure Drawing Class

•January 3, 2012 • 1 Comment

Well except for the lights. Thats new. Steve had some modifications done to the lights in the studio and it is a HUGE improvement. It is so much easier to see the shadows and form now. It kind of felt like cheating.

Of course to counter the excitement of the new lights – there was a brand new huffer sitting next to me last night. Huffers are those students who feel the need to make audible sighs, harumphs, moans and huffs when either their drawing or the model’s behavior displeases them. I try to avoid sitting next to the huffers whenever possible.

I will look out for her in the future.

I don’t really celebrate New Years Eve. Being a non-drinker it seems like kind of a non-holiday (and when I was a drinker, I considered it amateur night). But on New Years Day I make a point of trying to do something that I would like to continue doing for the year. This year (as several of the last) it has been working on art. This year it was painting.

At Christmas time my daughter had mentioned this canvas. I had considered it abandoned and had no intention of finishing it. She didn’t know that and had commented on how it was one of her favorites and she was looking forward to seeing it finished.

I won’t sign a painting until I know that I am finished with it – so I painted the rest of this on New Years Day, but waited until the next morning to double check everything and sign it.

As we have well established, I am no photographer. These two photos were the best that I could get – and obviously they are radically different than each other. Between the two of them, hopefully you can get a general idea of what the painting looks like.

I left it in her room for her to find when she comes home again.

Hope you were able to do something wonderful through the Holidays. Best of everything to you.

Posted in Art, painting, Sketchbook
Tags: figure drawing, painting, sketching, Steve Carpenter Studio

It’s All Just “Stuff”

•January 1, 2012 • 2 Comments

I have a lot of stuff.

If you ask my husband, he will tell you that I am a pack rat and have a lot of junk.

Same thing, different view. Most of the stuff that I have, I have hung on to because I am a collector. (My given name actually means gatherer, reaper, or harvester). Over the years I have collected things (Unicorns, Crystal Dragons, Angry Bunnies) but much more than things I collect stories and memories.

What looks like a completely random collection of “stuff” to other people is a collection of beautiful and happy memories to me.

———

When I was little I spent time at my Grandma and Grandpas house like all kids do. My Grandma had a little stash of special toys for me that were kept in a cupboard in the office down low so that I could reach them. I liked to play with them at holidays when the cousins were there. Those were the toys for sharing.

Upstairs in the kitchen is was where I liked to hang out with Grandma and visit. She was in the kitchen doing stuff and so that was where I wanted to be too. I had a special chair with steps so I could be up high and feel a part of. Grandma had a series of shelves built in the wall where she kept her knick knacks. Her fun salt and pepper shakers, her collection of thimbles and a variety of other little goodies. Grandma and I would hang out in the kitchen and she would tell me the stories for every one of those things. They were just dust gatherers to my Grandpa I am sure, but Grandma would tell me who gave her every single one and when. The thimble my Dad mailed her – the little vase my mom bought for her. They all had stories.

My favorite was tucked away and I don’t know how many people even knew it was there.

There was a tiny little teapot that looked like a cottage. I don’t know if it could have ever actually been used for tea or not… but it was definitely cute. Inside of that was a couple of things, but the important one was a tiny crocheted tea cup (and saucer) that one of her friends from lodge made for her.

Inside of that snuggled in comfortably was the mink mouse.

To the best of my knowledge the mink mouse never had a name. But he had the best story of anything on the shelf. My favorite story. The one I asked Grandma to tell me all the time.

When he was very Small… my Uncle had decided that he wanted to buy my Grandma the best gift ever. Ever. In the whole world. I don’t know what the event or the occasion was. That part of the story has been lost. But I do know that what he ultimately decided was that my Grandma needed and deserved a mink coat. He didn’t care how much it was going to cost him. He busted out his whole change collection and talked my Grandpa into taking him to buy the coat. Now my Grandpa was always (to my knowledge) a very practical and logical sort of guy. I can’t imagine how my Uncle convinced him to take him to the store to shop for furs.
As I am sure that you can guess, the change jar did not contain sufficient funds for the Dream Coat.
The cheapest thing in the store was the mink mouse and the jar didn’t actually contain enough for that either. This news was hidden from my Uncle and Grandpa chipped in enough money to cover the difference between the precious jar and the gift.
Grandma was presented with the mink mouse.

She loved the mouse.

When I first discovered the mouse I loved him because he was cute. I came to love him because he represented so very much to me. A child’s innocence. Parental love. Gifts given from the heart and cherished. Secret memories tucked away in teapots but held tight in the heart.

Love.

When we closed up the house there were two things that I really wanted out of the house. I figured that there was no way I would get the mouse since I figured that he should go back to my Uncle. Turns out my Uncle was too little to really even remember the story. I wound up with the teapot, the crocheted teacup and the mink mouse.

To make sure I never lose the mouse he is tattooed on my leg with other things that represent my Grandma and Grandpa. They wouldn’t make any sense to anyone but me.

And some day all of my little treasures will go back to being just stuff. Some day my daughter will go through my things and wonder why the heck I would have kept such a little useless bit of the past. That’s okay. After all, it really is all just stuff.

It’s the love that matters.

Posted in introspection
Tags: Grandma, Grandpa, memorial, mink mouse

Progression of a Design – Portrait of John Denaro

•December 29, 2011 • 2 Comments

In an ideal world the photographs that we are brought for portraits are perfectly lit and in focus and show enough detail to make the tattooing process fairly simple.

Obviously (as we all know) we don’t live in an ideal world. Sometimes that perfect picture of your mom was taken in 1958 at a party – or your daughter never ever sat still when there was a camera near by – or your Grandfather just didn’t like having his photo taken. Whatever the case may be…. you may find yourself wanting to have a portrait done and not having adequate reference photos.

Jim brought me this photo to have a portrait made of his Dad.

Not exactly an ideal photo. The hand is completely washed out and the entire thing is low rez and therefor fuzzy. But it was such a cool photo and his Dad looks so animated that I agreed to work with it.

Some patience, some imagination, some knowledge of anatomy and a colored pencil yielded this

This made it easier for me to make the line drawing and familiarized me with the image better. Also it gave me an opportunity to experiment with the shadows before making it permanent on Jim’s back. Not a finished drawing to work directly from – but kind of a reference study to learn more about the photo and his Dad’s features.

Jim sat amazingly well for his first tattoo. We were able to finish completely all today. While yet again I was unable to get a really good photograph – here is one for y’all until Jim comes back for a healed photo.

I would also like to point out here that Jim and his sister brought us pizza. In case you are ever at a loss for how to make tattoo artists happy….bringing them food is always a good bet!

thank you both. I had a great time today and am looking forward to trying again to get better photos once it is healed.

Posted in tattoo
Tags: Jim Denaro, John Denaro, portrait, Silverback, tattoo

Imagine that – Some tattoos even!

•December 22, 2011 • 8 Comments

I know that for a tattoo artist I don’t spend that much time posting photos of my actual tattoos.

So just to switch things up a bit, here are some…

Saturday my friend Joellien was in town. She tells me that she and the girls at work check my blog regularly….. so ~~an attempt at~~ a big ol’ Southern Howdy Y’all! to Joellien and her besties. Love you and it was great seeing you. While she was here Joellien had some clown fish added to her leg. This was a special treat for me as the last two aquatic creatures that Joellien has requested have been so rare that there is only one picture of each of them to work from. Clown fish are easy to find.

When I posted this on Twitter I labeled it “Clown Fish and Their House” (because I couldn’t remember how to spell anemone) and Joey wrote back that he was expected to see 20 of them with red noses climbing out of their clown car. When I have more time I would really like to draw that.

On Monday Frank came in and we put the finishing touches on his Sugar Skull. Woo Hoo! Way to go Frank!
Frank had originally told me that he could only sit an hour or two to get tattooed – he did much better than that and can be really proud of how well he held still for me while I was tattooing his ribs.

When this is finished healing I want to try to get some really nice photographs although I might have to enlist someones help for that.

Joe had me tattoo portraits of his Grandparents on him a while back and this is what they looked like when he came in this morning…

and this is what they looked like after a VERY full day in the chair

and although I didn’t make the tattoo this week… Jessica stopped in to allow me to photograph her tattoo healed up (and she brought me gluten free cookie treats!!!)

I am thinking that she is going to be adding on to this very soon. It is her first large tattoo and she is looking for more (Don’t worry, it happens to a lot of us!)

Yesterday I was able to make the pocket watch tattoo that I was excited about earlier (drawing is in a previous post) on yet another Frank. He sat amazingly as well and we were able to finish the entire piece in one sit.

and no matter what you happen to be celebrating this week (or not celebrating) I hope that you are happy and with those you love.
May the Blue Moose be with you all : )

Posted in tattoo
Tags: clown fish, clown fish tattoo, pocket watch tattoo, Sugar Skull, sugar skull tattoo, tattoo, tattoos, tree, tree tatttoo

Homework, figure drawing and Helper Cat

•December 20, 2011 • 13 Comments

Sunday morning I was working on a rather complicated drawing for an upcoming appointment this week:

When the cat decided that he needed to come along and “help” with my project. He looked so adorable and was enjoying the sun so much that I set my homework aside for a bit and took some photos instead.

Yesterday was figure drawing class. Was having some difficulty which I would love to blame on having taken last week off. But the truth is that some weeks it goes better than others – but I am ALWAYS glad that I went and I feel it is improving my drawings skills AND giving me some much needed balance.

After figure drawing my daughter and I were working on a Christmas project and we got another helper. Same table – but a different project and a different cat.

Cats.

Love to be in the middle of whatever you are doing!

Posted in Art, drawing, Sketchbook
Tags: cat, drawing, figure, pocket watch

Woods and Beach in the Wintertime(ish)

•December 20, 2011 • 1 Comment

Sunday I had a very welcome day off to spend with my family. Even though it was fairly cold for the weather we have been having lately it was nice and sunny. (Of course, note must be made that by this time of year it is normally WAY colder here and there is generally bunches of snow piled up everywhere).

It got pretty cold – but was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. Hopefully the weather will continue to be kind to us and there will be more of these days this winter.

Posted in rochester, ny
Tags: beach, Durand, outside, park, Rochester NY, woods

Art Opening at the Owl House

•December 13, 2011 • 1 Comment

So I didn’t make it to figure drawing class last night…. but I have a really good excuse. I had my first ever Art Opening at the Owl House here in Rochester.

Fortunately for me and my fears of public and social functions I hadn’t realized until really late in the game that there was even going to be an opening when Sara and Josh asked me if I wanted to hang some stuff with them.

I had 9 pieces originally that I wanted to use and then at what I thought was the last minute added a couple more “just in case”. When I got to the Owl House on Monday with my paintings and my tags – I realized there was way more room than I thought upstairs (of course it never occurred to me to go and look ahead of time). I had been in the Owl House many times, just never upstairs. I had heard that it was “really small” upstairs and so I figured that it was smaller than downstairs.

So began a flurry of running around to the house and the shops to grab some extra paintings and then home to make additional tags. While Sara nicely and calmly hung her and Josh’s pieces. It worked out quite well as I didn’t really have the time to fully panic.

Despite myself I actually had a great time. So many wonderful friends showed up to wish us well! Sara visited downstairs and I was able to spend most of the time safely lurking upstairs. (Josh is in Seattle).

________

The night before the show Miss Teigan most graciously cut my hair for me. Here is the cat curious about what the heck is going on..

Teigan also assisted me in making the tags with my name and contact info for each piece.

Here are the photos that I tried to take during the day of the pieces hung… the last minute ones have no tags…

And the photos that were taken Monday night (with Paul’s assistance)….

sorry about the flash

I think after that I got too distracted to take any more pictures – so my apologies to anyone who would like to be in these photos and isn’t.

There are too many people that I would like to thank to list here – I will try to tell you all when I see you in person. I am humbled and honored by the wonderful people in my life.

thank you all!

Posted in Art, Oil painting, painting
Tags: Art, Josh Wright, opening, Owl House, painting, Sara, show, tattoo, White Tiger Tattoo

Personally…

•December 6, 2011 • 14 Comments

A lot has happened this past week. A whole lot.

I lost someone very important to me this week. A wonderful woman who had crossed my path a while back and has stayed in my heart ever since. She taught me a great deal. I will be forever grateful to her for that.
She spoke often of the Spark that is inside every single one of us. How some of us diminish that Spark through inactivity – some of us try to drown the Spark with drinking or drugs – and some of us try to flame the Spark and share it with others. She taught me about that and she reminded me every time that I saw her to cherish that Spark.

The world will be a dimmer place without you love.

Thank you for sharing yourself with me and with the world. You will live on in those who loved you.

—–

On Monday I went to drawing class because she would have wanted me to.

Today throughout the day I mourned, visited and laughed with friends. Some old. Some brand new.

Tonight I am going to go home and hopefully finish up the last painting for the hanging at the Owl House. I was able to put several more of them into frames today.

It was pointed out to me (which I knew but had been trying to not think about) that there will be an opening type of thing for this and I am expected to attend.
I will “suit up and show up” and hopefully some of my loved ones will be able to come and support me… But I also know for here on out that I have a very special Angel to help get me through whatever lies ahead.

~ namaste ~

Posted in Art, drawing, painting, rochester, ny
Tags: figure drawing, loss, Owl House, painting

Progression of a Design – Woodland Nymph

•December 2, 2011 • 2 Comments

Normally when I do these “Progression of a Design” blogs it is about showing the client’s original concept and where we went with it from there. Since I have been tattooing Sarah for a while and we have a good working relationship she had told me only that she wanted a woodland nymph sitting on a mushroom playing the drums.

Most of her forearm was free except for a small piece that we had placed previously on her wrist.

So the first thing to do was to sketch out an oblong area that the nymph would fit well within. I also found out that there is a fungus that is called a Dryad’s Saddle which is indigenous to this area (Sarah spends a lot of time outside and of course knew this before the internet told me) and decided that would be the best choice for the mushroom.

When making a tattoo of a full body character I like to fold them up as much as possible to better utilize the space available. In this case having the drum in a comfortable position meant the character couldn’t be too crunched up.

After some rough thumbnails my first sketch looked like this:

Overall I was pretty pleased with the sketch so it just needed to be tightened up further:

Sarah approved the design when she came in <<whew!>> and we resized it for her arm (Being a larger girl, I forget that everyone else is not my size and tend to draw designs too big). Between my tendencies toward little details in my drawings when left to my own devices and having shrunk the design…. it did take a while. Sarah sat like a champ and we had a great visit (as always).

Now normally that would be the end of the story…

But in this case I wasn’t finished. I am involved in a group that is doing a small scale art swap. We are exchanging small (under 8×10) original art. I had a piece that I had done previously that I was going to use for the swap – but it somehow felt like cheating to have not created something new for it.
So I decided to instead cheat and recycle this tattoo design as a painting.

So here is the watercolor that I made of the design.

I think that probably completes the progression of this design. Although I do have a sneaking suspicion that the ring-tailed critter is going to be making further appearances in my projects. You just never know about these things.

Posted in Art, drawing, tattoo
Tags: drawing, dryad saddle, painting, tattoo, watercolor, woodland nymph