Happy Halloween!!! ii

Swamp Thing!! Anybody remember him?

Me neither.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.4

Happy Halloween!!!

I think this stencil is just about kaput. Had a good run, though: 4 covers so far and maybe 1 or 2 more before official retirement.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.4

can't WAIT to roll around town with these on.

I'm really starting to like spray paint. Krylon's Fusion line works on plastics and has a pretty neat selection of colors; I'm especially pleased with how the gradient turned-out. I tried to minimize and simplify the Sharpie work so it'll be easier to touch-up as the finer line-work fades. I gave my previous set of wheel covers to Big Matt after he trued my wheel following a little bang-up at polo a few weeks ago.

I still have 2 blank discs of corrugated plastic and a head full of corrugated ideas. I'm thinking some sort of crest or cost-of-arms for Ann Arbor bike polo. We shall see.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Pressprize prints available

SIGNED, NUMBERED print of the painting that won the 2010 Grand Rapids Press 'Pressprize.'  Entirely decent reproduction on some of the most satisfactory paper available.  I've gotten countless requests for prints (actually, just the 1...thanks Mrs. H!) and I figured maybe some other folk might also be keen on a little slice of local ArtPrize something-or-other.

Paper: 17" x 11"

Image: 15" x 11"

I'll get 50 of these guys, individually signed and numbered.  

$25 each, shipped to you in a tube.  If you'd like one, hit me with an email at robertnjohnston@gmail.com or on Facebook so as we can work-out the details.  

In your email or FB message, please use the subject: "Pressprize print"

Front cover finished

I finished the cover illustration for "The Woodcutter and the Most Beautiful Tree" earlier this week and took it to the printer to get some digital scans and a print.  Now, hopefully, I can start working on getting the book to press.  

I think I'd like to have the text off to one side, like this:

"Anansi the Spider" and "Arrow to the Sun," both by Gerald McDermott, were two of my favorite books as a child and remain great sources of inspiration for me as one who aspires to be an artist, author, and illustrator.  The illustrations are beautifully done (Caldecotts all day, son) and the stories are sweet and simple re-tellings of old folktales.  If you've not read them, do yourself a favor and check them out; they are timeless classics.

Also... :-)

We made it downtown for ArtPrize.  It was so cool to see the PressPrize design out and about.

Artprize

Elín and I went to Artprize this weekend with my sister and her boyfriend.  As of this writing, the contest has been narrowed down to 10 finalists from the original 1700+.  I was extremely impressed by the quality of work (for the most part) and it generated some interesting conversation with friends and family (Bigger = better?, art vs. craft, etc.).  My favorite venues were the Grand Rapids Art Museum and the Public Museum.  Some of my favorite pieces:

 This was an installation by Melissa Leitch.  She's the mother of a childhood friend and, as you can see, an amazing artist.  Awesome job, Mrs. L!