Thursday, October 30, 2014

Alvin Mark Kick Starter


Ciao from Italy!!! 
I am re-printing the 2nd edition of Thirty Days on the Camino and another similar sketch journal about the city I live in - Florence. 

I've been writing to foundations for some form of funding, but to date, it's either a "no" or no reply. Time is running out because of the printing dateline. And so I set-up my own personal kick-starter to get things going. Please support me in anyway you can: 1) By buying art or 2) by referring to people you know who may be interested in purchasing. More art will be posted during the week… so stay-tuned. Thank you for your time!


Saturday, October 25, 2014

The Short Pose

The short pose can range anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 mins or even 15 mins long. Many of the positions are dynamic in nature, especially the shorter timed ones.  That's also when the models can hold poses that they cannot for the longer 2-hour, day or 3-week sessions.  

Why do I do them?

Being able to sketch these super yoga-like poses allows me to focus on what's important - the gesture or the line of action.  This is the basic foundation of any figurative work.  It keeps my drawings loose and I can churn out as many as 25 sketches per session! Good pencil mileage there!  The build-up of of all these short pose sessions will eventually help me in my artistic design of the human figure. Gestures are empirical and not mathematical. You get better but doing more of them! 

Here are some of my recent studies: 

2 mins with a china marker

5 mins each with a china marker

10 mins with ink

1 min with a china marker

5 mins with a china marker

min with a china marker


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If you are interested in getting my sketchbook of short poses, Figuring Out - the long and short of it, the link is right here:
https://www.booksactuallyshop.com/products/figuring-out-the-long-and-short-of-it

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

New Videos Out!!

Recently, I did a project with il Santo Bevitore for their menu covers and I took the opportunity to record the sketch process inside the kitchen. I've had numerous requests on how I sketch moving objects, specifically people, so I did I tutorial on it too.  The paid tutorial will be for those who are interested in the technicality of sketching in such a situation and will be downloadable. The free time-lapse of the sketch process will be available as a streaming only video. 

downloadable (€2)
7 min video

streaming only (free) 
7 min video



Instructions for those using Gum Road for the first time:
(The time-lapse clip is free for now, so check it out!!)

1. Click on "I Want This"

2. Enter "0" for € is unless you feel compelled to support the artist. 

3. And then key in your email address.
(You should immediately see a "play" button.)

If you know of friends that might enjoy this, please forward them this link. Thank you!!  :)


 Other videos can be found on my account on Gum Road.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Aurora - the process

Aurora is 'dawn' in Italian. In the Dawn tomb of Lorenzo di Medici at the Medici Chapel is a sculpture piece by Michelangelo. Click here for a link to see the full-sized reclining figure. 

Recently, I completed a 13-week study on the bust of Dawn. Why did it take 13 weeks and not 13 hours?  Simply because oil paint is built on layers and the method of achieving a highly finished piece of work demands this kind of attention.  Here are the main steps to the process in case you might like to try this out someday! 

So I begin with a 50cm x 70cm campitura of a value #3. 

The most important step is the foundation and this is the drawing phase. I spend a lot of time on this section to make sure all the shapes are in place. A little shadow is added to help me see those shapes better.


 The next phase is the dead colouring phase where basic colours are laid down.


 Here is where I begin to do a general gradation of colours to bring out the big form of the volumes. This is where values and ideas like fall of light come to play.


The 1st painting stage breaks down the general big form modelling into smaller fragments.


Finally, the 2nd painting focuses on the even smaller sub-forms and brings this piece to a high-quality finish.



If you would like to follow my art on Facebook, go here:

Friday, October 10, 2014

Time-lapse of mobile book vendor sketch

Hi from the streets of Florence!

The mobile book vendor is a really neat idea. Selling books wherever you want without the overhead costs... click on the link below to see my sketch process...




Instructions for those using Gum Road for the first time:
(This mobile book vendor clip is free now! Limited to the first 100 viewers.)

1. Click on "I Want This"

2. Enter "0" for € is unless you feel compelled to support the artist - me. 

3. And then key in your email address.
(You should immediately see a "play" button.)

If you know of friends who might enjoy this, please forward them this link. Thank you!!  :)


 Other videos can be found here --> Gum Road.

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Time-lapse: Via dei Neri (facing the Duomo)


Here's a demo of the sketch I did recently on Via dei Neri. 


The Duomo, from Via dei Neri,
30cm x 42cm
ink on Fabriano


Click here for the video:


Instructions for those using Gum Road for the first time:
(This Via dei Neri clip is free for now, so check it out!!)

1. Click on "I Want This"

2. Enter "0" for € is unless you feel compelled to support the artist - me. 

3. And then key in your email address.
(You should immediately see a "play" button.)

Do send me feedback about using this platform. 
If you know of friends that might enjoy this, please forward them this link. Thank you!!  :)


 Other videos can be found on my account on Gum Road.