I’ve noticed a sort of pattern in my thought process. Whenever I have an important descision to make, I ask the people I most trust for advice. The trick of it all is that I already know the answer, at least on some level. I’m just waiting for them to tell me what I already know. Those times when I felt incomplete, like something was missing, it was the same. The answer, that absent “something” was always with me. I just didn’t know how to see it.
The fun in making this piece came from finding a new way to work the paper into the texture of the wood. The grain of the wood was so nice that I didn’t want to lose it by covering it up. It seemed to suggest the sea, which I’m guessing is where the eyepatch came from. I had the chance to play around with translucent papers too, which is always an interesting challenge.
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August 8, 2007 at 8:51 am
Tina Vaziri
Fantastic! Love the pirate patch!
August 8, 2007 at 9:00 am
Marta
This is a wonderful piece. The dramatic, ominous pose, the way the serpent echoes the curves of his arms, the way the water follows the wood grain, the use of color - all these come together to create a great composition.
August 8, 2007 at 10:20 am
stephanie
Beautiful use of materials and texture and gesture, this is a lovely piece
August 8, 2007 at 10:28 am
Kim
I love the way you went with the flow of this wood grain. What kind of wood did you use? I can never find any pieces that look this good.
August 8, 2007 at 1:10 pm
froggie
awesome, patrick! i love the details, as subtle as you make them, the sea, especially really neat.
August 9, 2007 at 4:20 am
Kathy
I like the translucent effect with the ghostlike snake. You’ve got a unique drawing style and the textures from the wood and paper really bring it to life.
August 9, 2007 at 6:28 am
stangy
once again I am taken aback by your mastery of textures, colors, & your abstractive thought. thanks for the comment on my blog; haven’t used Copic markers but I’d like to. By the way, saw in profile you attended SCAD - just across the river from where I live now…small world, eh?
August 9, 2007 at 7:16 am
Ralph Verano
Very unique work.
August 9, 2007 at 9:49 am
Ursula Shaw
Terrific. Love your style. Such great textures.
August 9, 2007 at 7:43 pm
patrick
Thanks again for the comments, all.
Kim - Without my kanji dictionary handy (it fell apart a little while back), I can’t be totally sure, but I think it’s cherry. It’s a heck of a thing finding good wood over here too. Probably ‘cuz I’m in the middle of a city. I have been told that I’m just looking in the wrong places, tho. My best find so far was a guy at a flea market who makes wood cutting boards. Gorgeous wood, cut nicely and fairly inexpensive. This piece was one of his. My wife keeps bugging me to donate one to the kitchen, but that just seems wrong.
Stangy - definitely small world! This explains the tree in your “poem” image. Enjoy the spanish moss and the alligators!
August 9, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Kevin M. Scarbrough
Not nearly enough collage is done, this has so much beautiful texture. Everything fits so nicely together.
August 10, 2007 at 6:32 am
Kim
Thanks for the notes about the wood. It’s amazing to see what people can find. PS. I graduated from SCAD in 1990. Nice to see someone else from SCAD participating in Illustration friday.
August 10, 2007 at 8:48 am
Christopher Bennett
Create Picture. Love your style
August 14, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Digital Scott
Wow, what a great piece! Very professional.