Surly Seagull framed

Finally got this guy dressed to the nines in a frame from Newfoundland Canvas. He's the last painting available from the series of Victorian animals I started this year (message me for pricing if you're interested). Now that market season has ended, I'm looking forward to a break from producing t-shirts, embossings and prints so that I can get back to painting.

The original postie

Santa mulls over the new system in the December issue of the Northeast Avalon Times. A dig at the recent announcement by Canada Post to eliminate home delivery. Imagine if Santa took such measures.... not very merry.

Cornelius Cod linocut

Printed this guy last week. Cornelius is the third in the postage stamp series I started this year. Last night I started working on screens for t-shirts but had some issues. The short of it is that I ruined 3 screens over the course of the evening. Then I had to spend this morning cleaning, de-hazing, and de-greasing said screens. Frustrating. So this afternoon I got the Cornelius plate out and spent some time making prints... clearly relief printing is my happy place. Made some nice crisp prints that I was really pleased with. Found my center again. Ready to try the screens again tomorrow.

Linocut progress

Chip-chip-chipping away at the latest (and probably last for the series) postage stamp linocut. Hoping to have prints available for markets on the weekend. Will post a proper pic when he's presentable.

Copper cod

Trying out Arthur the Stout Cod on copper instead of Guinness cans this week. Adding patina and mounts today.

Surly Seagull

Instead of doing things like starting the paintings I've been planning for the last few weeks, prepping for market or, y'know... sleep, I painted this surly seagull tonight. Is it just me or is he sporting some eye makeup? These things can happen in the wee hours.

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Limes fully limed

Finished this one the week.

Limes 
Oil on canvas
16" x 20"

Easter Island head

I planned on making a cement Easter Island statue for the garden this year but the summer got away from me. This guy is probably as close as I'll get to that project this year. Made in the wee hours last night with air-dry clay. Just realizing he's got a bit of a Simpson's vibe.

Alphonse goes to Some Good Market

Alphonse finally got his mug on a t-shirt! Printing these today for Some Good Market Comes to Town at Canon Wood Hall (aka St. Thomas Hall) on Military Road, Saturday Oct. 19, 10am-4pm. Come on down! I'll have shirts, linocuts, prints of my paintings, and new embossings. (And please say hello to Alphonse or he'll get his nose out of joint.)

Cat catcher

My latest cartoon for the Northeast Avalon Times... a little dig at our mayor of St. John's and his recent crack-down on roaming cats.

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BTW, I've been a little more focused on social media updates these days than this blog. Blogs seem to be waning in popularity. I too have noticed my traffic dropping and driving people here seems like an arduous task. I'll continue to do periodic updates but if you're interested in catching my day-to-day activity, check out my Facebook page.

Copper Raven

In my fleeting spare time this past week, I've been working on a new embossed copper piece. I put a goodly amount of liver of sulphur on it to achieve a dark patina, followed by a light buffing with fine steel wool. Next up: mount and varnish. Got a big response to this on my FB page... sold it in fact!

Ferry alternative

My little jab at the state of the ferries in the province in this month's Northeast Avalon Times. Pick one up if you're in the area. If you're not up on the story, it's a reference to Sheilagh O'Leary's recent "Tickle Swim for Mental Health" from Portugal Cove to Bell Island.

Some Good Market

Made a new copper "Trout Zepplins" this week which you can check out in person this Saturday at Some Good Market at Canonwood Hall in St. John's, 10am-4pm. Grand puffin prints, Alphonse Moose linocuts, Arthur the Stout Cod embossings, hand-screened shirts... a whole yaffle of crafty, arty goodness...  and that's just my table. There's 60 quality vendors! If you're in town, drop by!

More details and list of vendors here.

Age of the Paper

I came across Félix Vallotton's ‘L’âge du papier’ on my Tumblr feed the other day. I'd seen his work before but this one stuck. I guess I was feeling sentimental about newspapers. I spent 12 years in the newspaper industry. I don't think I'll ever work there again, but I do miss it. I think the inky smell at the plant gets in you. And lingers.

Vallotton's image (see below) is an etching. Mine is soft pastels on paper (above). Approximately 12"x13". The soft pastels are chunky... probably the wrong medium for such an image. Tough to get fine detail. It's a bit rough but I'm happy with it. Colours are Van Dyke Brown and Naples Yellow. I simplified the background at the top. And added some puffins. :) Can't wait to hang it in the house.

Félix Vallotton, ‘L’âge du papier’, published in Le cri de Paris, 23 January 1898

Painting exits; enter embossing

"Noble Cod" is off the easel and at the framers. He'll join me at future markets in print form in the coming weeks. Arthur the Stout Cod re-emerged in the workshop today (see below), after a lengthy absence. Hoping to make quite a few embossed pieces in the coming weeks.

Noble Cod progress

On the easel this week is Noble Cod, the next of the Victorian-style portraits I've been doing lately. He's only half-way to the finish line yet, but I thought he's presentable enough for a progress shot.

Charles Puffin t-shirts

After a few months of gathering gear and ordering supplies, I've started a little screen printing operation with my friend and t-shirt mentor Doug Bird. Having a great time with the process. Our first screen is based on my Charles Puffin linocut... I suppose Alphonse Moose will have to be next or he's going to get his nose out of joint.

Red Unravelled, poured paint abstract

It's been a while since I've poured some paint. Had a hankering for it lately and this is the result from Monday evening. It's not exactly subtle... has quite a bit going on actually... but I'm happy with the result. There are several patches of crazing on each panel which was unexpected considering the amount of pouring medium I used. I like the look of it. Letting it fully dry for a week or so before putting a coat or two of varnish on it.

I love taking the time to look at the details of each panel, letting my brain try to make sense of the chaos... eventually faces, creatures and landscapes start to emerge. Although I can't wait to hang this one in the house, it's certainly for sale! I'll post it in the shop soon... if you don't see it, message me for pricing/availability.

Red Unravelled
Poured acrylic on three canvas panels
Total size 48"x 24"

Alphonse Moose linocut

Finished Alphonse last week, just in time for Saturday's market. He was a big hit.

Some people questioned the "14 points" and counted them out.

"I only see eight" they'd say.

"Hunting accident," I'd reply.

Still chip-chip-chipping away at the new linocut... day 2. Should finish on Thursday or early Friday. Hoping to have prints for the Some Good Market on Saturday (Canonwood Hall, 10-4). This is a pic of the top of the plate. I seem to be working from the outside in. Glad I did all the lettering first... the rest seems relaxing by comparison.

Linocut process pic

Working on a new linocut which I'm hoping to print by the end of the week. The blue is from the transfer paper. I started the illustration in Sketchbook Pro (iPad) finished it in Illustrator. When everything is just so, I print it out and use the transfer paper to, well, y'know... transfer to the linoleum plate. Then the knives come out and the real fun begins. I'm using Xacto blades for the lettering this time around to get cleaner lines.

This is my major art project for the week. Printing on Friday for Saturday is a realistic goal as I'm using water-based inks these days. Got a big market on the weekend, hence the deadline.

If you're in St. John's, drop by Canonwood Hall for Some Good Market (10am-4pm), Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013. I'll be there with my linos and painting prints.

Historic sites gallery

I was really fortunate to get a few pieces in the new Historic Sites gallery on the second floor of their Water Street shop in downtown St. John's. If you get the chance, drop down for a looksy. Should be on until the end of August.

Surly puffins

A little jab at the tourists in Newfoundland for the Northeast Avalon Times. Pick one up!

Puffin dood

Some puffin scratches from the sketchbook.

Scallywag show pix

Formal puffins, cartoon kitchen parties, large surreal woodcuts, expressionist landscapes and more! Here's a sneak peek an the Four Scallywags show, on now at Hava Java until mid-September. The Scallywags are Nick Kokis, John Andrews, Bill Ryan and Doug Bird. If you find yourself in downtown St. John's during the next two months, drop by and check it out! It's a great variety of styles, mediums and subjects. 

Scallywags have a show

This Sunday I'll be hanging pieces for another group show with Nick Kokis, Bill Ryan and Doug Bird at Hava Java in downtown St. John's. If you get the opportunity, please drop by and check it out! It's on from July 15 to September 14. There will be a wide assortment of paintings but I'm really looking forward to seeing Nick's woodcuts... he's a very talented printmaker. His "Croc" woodcut is the artwork on our promo material (see above).

Doodlepalooza gets Facebooked

I've finally got a Facebook page for Doodlepalooza.

This five-year-old blog name seems to be my brand now. FB, Twitter, Etsy, Blogger, Tumbr. And now that I'm doing the local craft circuit, that's my market name as well. I toyed with doing something more "professional" but Doodlepalooza has a whimsy to it that seems to reflect my work and attitude.

The Facebook page seemed like a no-brainer. I've been spamming my work to the same bunch of Facebook friends for years now... this way they can choose to follow my work or not. Plus people outside my friend circle can find me.

Aside from the weekend markets, I'm taking baby steps into retail.

After making a few sales at The Tickle Trunk on Water Street, they now carry the full gamut of my embossed work... about 10 pieces in total. Pretty pleased about that. (Thanks Doug!)

Made a submission to Historic Sites today for their product review meeting. It was a wide array of my linocuts and prints of my paintings. I'm hopeful that will turn into something. (Fingers crossed)

So that's what I'm up to... sticking various irons into various fires and seeing what flares up.

Embossed commission piece

Putting the finishing touches on a large (12"x12") commission piece tonight. Embossed pewter tree.

"Dandy Walrus" finished

This guy's finished. He found his hat and seems to fit more snugly on the canvas now. Moving on to some more puffin paintings...perhaps.

I'll be at the St. John's Farmer's Market tomorrow. Unfortunately it's calling for rain so if the weather is poor, I'll have to cancel.

Dandy Walrus
Oil on canvas
18"x24"

Walrus portrait (progress 2)

So here's where the walrus stands after last night's progress. Unnecessarily purple, I suppose, but hey -- walruses don't usually wear suits, either. (Unless they've got an important social engagement, of course.) Still debating a top hat and/or monocle. Going to let him dry for a few days before tackling him again.

Walrus portrait (progress)

Started this fellow the other day. Going to take another crack at him tonight. So now I have two unfinished walrus paintings. As I mentioned on FB, this guy is a welcome distraction from the number of hours I've been spending in front of my Mac these past few weeks. Not that I'm complaining! The freelance work pays my mortgage... walruses, not so much.

NEAT cartoon, June edition

This is my cartoon for the June Northeast Avalon Times. Pick one up! Always great read brought to you be Kathryn Welbourn and her cast of mad scribblers. Quite happy to still have a toe dipped in the newspaper industry... even if it’s just a monthly cartoon.

Biker gangs moving into St. John’s was in the news last week and again this week. Also some questions raised as to whether or not it’s just an over-hyped story. Either way, people are talking about it.

Between the weekend markets and my freelance work, there’s been no art-making the last week or so. But the ideas are percolating madly. Anxious to get the next painting underway as soon as the schedule clears a little.

Gentleman walrus

I had a busy few days and couldn’t be arsed to work on the walrus painting tonight. I became one with the couch. The best I could do was grab the iPad and push a few pixels around in the direction of this guy.

Charles Puffin linocut

I posted the linocut plate last week but neglected to post the final result on the blog so here he is, in all his stamp-like glory, Charles Puffin.

Hand-pulled prints are available at my Etsy shop. (Which is gradually filling up with personified puffins.)

Walrus study

I started this walrus a few weeks ago. Last night I had another crack at it. Went a bit crazy with the purple which is not realistic but I’m liking it nonetheless.

I’ve got a large piece in mind for this character so this is essentially a small study to help me get sense form and colour. And it’s still in progress. Among other issues, his snout is still a bit wonky which is causing problems with his lower lip and tusks. Poor fellah.

In line with my personified puffins, I’m imagining a burly, Victorian barkeep behind the bar cleaning glasses or pulling a pint. And with a fat handlebar moustache, the size and shape of his snout. So that might be the next big painting.

Below is another progress shot from the very early stages when I was just blocking out the shape. It isn’t pretty, but you’ve got to start somewhere, right?

Linocut progress

Been working on this all week. Monday I was working on the digital image in Illustrator. Tuesday I transferred the image to the linoleum via carbon paper (yes, that was ridiculously time-consuming). Started cutting the plate last night. Spent the day chip-chip-chipping away. Still much to cut but I think another full day will get me there. The really tricky bits are the letters which are all done now.

I’m not going to say what it is but you might be able to figure it out.

Yes, there’s a puffin involved.

If the stars align in the coming days, I should have a print to post by Friday. Will have to use water-based inks for this so that I can have dry prints for Saturday’s market.

Now I’m having a beer. I hear it’s good for tired eyes. Better have two.

Bags, bags and more bags

I remember the first market of this year -- my first in about 10 years -- someone was buying one of my embossed pieces and I asked if she wanted a bag. She said yes and as I fumbled around my gear beneath the table I realized I had run out of my small stash of plastic grocery bags. Oops.

Five or six markets later, I finally ordered some proper paper kraft bags which arrived last week. I’m tinkering with a linocut to apply some homespun branding.

Got another Some Good Market in Makinsons this Saturday! In other market news, I’ve been accepted as a vendor at the St. John’s Farmers Market for this season. Hopefully I will find out in the coming days what my schedule will be.

Fancy Puffin finale

This little fellow is finished (though I’m debating adding some colour to his tie). I originally planned to have a lot less colour (like in the Grand Puffins piece) but I’m happy with the way he turned out: he still has the flavour of an antique photo which was the goal. Much more detail in this one as well. I’ll repost the underpainting below so you can see his humble beginnings.

Fancy Puffin
Oil on canvas
18" x 24"

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