Mabon, Cambodia: More practice with the iPad Pro

As I am preparing for my latest book project, I am revisiting my sketches from Cambodia.

I sketched this on the first day of my trip in February while visiting the Mabon Temple. I painted it using the Photo Sketch on the iPad Pro. I really like the versatility of this app and the ability to create multiple layers. I painted using the watercolor brush.

There sill be more to come.

New Tool, New Sketch

I just received an iPad Pro and thought I would test out the pencil by sketching our Christmas tree. I am pretty amazed at how it looks like one of my traditional sketches. I used the Sketchbook app. Still waiting for funds to purchase a few different drawing apps.

World Wildlife Conservation Day

Every December 4th is World Wildlife Conservation day. AS such I felt it would be good to repost my illustration of the vaquita, one of the most endangered animals on the earth today. There is an estimated 30 left in the wild.  They live in the Gulf of California and are threatened by illegal fishing. For more information on what the World Wild Life Organization is doing and what you can do Visit the World Wildlife Conservation Day page and Worldwildlife.org 

Some Graphic Design Work

I was asked again to design the poster for the Annual Festival of Choirs in Lyndon, Vermont. I love the opportunity to give back in this small way. In the past few years, I had been simplifying the design more and more. This year, I have been studying more about the life of Christ and who he was. I felt the need to refocus on it being a celebration of the birth of Christ and included the image of his birth painted by Carl Heinrich Bloch. The star was not enough.

The Festival is open to all and will be on Saturday, December 9 2017 at 6:30. To add to everyones joy, I will not be singing.

Sketching and Blacksmithing

I have been working on some lengthy projects. I will be starting to post this with in a month or so as I get them more finished. For now I am posting something from a month ago.

This last October, I went with my daughters school to a local blacksmith shop. It was exhilarating to watch a master at work. Not only was I able to do some sketching, I took an opportunity to try my hand at some blacksmithing. Even though I was left exhausted with blisters on my hand, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I can now say I have made a nail.

Facing My Fears

Last spring my graduating seniors gave the faculty at Lyndon State College the assignment to create a work of art based on our fears. In order to truly experience my fear of bees, I needed to immerse the patrons in the experience of being in a swarm with both the visual and the auditory.

The show, The 2017 Faculty Art Exhibit, It Came From the Visual Arts Department, opened last night and is on display until, November 27 in the Quimby Gallery at Lyndon State College.

Seeing your work

It is always a mixed bag of emotions when you see your work in public. For me it is humbling, a little embarrassing, and exciting. I see all the mistakes and all the problems, but it is there in the public to be seen in all it's awkward glory. This was taken at the Vermont Children's Theater this last weekend.

Some one at the theater also took my logo design and made a no smoking sign. I think whoever did it did a wonderful job keeping the same look and feel.

Not My Probllama Paraphernalia

You can now purchase a wide range of products featuring the one and only probllama at my Zazzle Store! 

Todays Drawing

Working more on character design and just having fun drawing.

A New Project

I started preliminary studies for my next project. The book is set in Cambodia and will be featuring elephants as the main characters. As part of the process of designing the characters, I am studying how to draw realistic elephants first. Even though I have done many many studies of elephants in the past, I still feel this is necessary. Even though I have drawn numerous elephants in the past, I am consistently amazed at the new aspects of the elephant that I see.

Bow Tie Guy of the Day: Kangaraffe

Kangaraffe (ˈkaŋgəˈraf)

The kangaraff, sometimes regard to as the giraffaroo, is a large rare created found in the very remote areas of Austrailia, They travel in towering troops. These docile, plant eating creatures are a little smaller than the average giraffe.  If they cannot reach vegetation with their long necks they have the added advantage of being able to jump to reach the highest trees. 

This creature has been jumping around in my head for some time. I am grateful I was finally able to get it out of my head and onto paper.

Summer Sketching At VINS

Last week, as part of my Animal Studies Drawing class, we went to VINS (Vermont Institute of Natural Science) to draw the raptors they had there. Aside from educating individuals about the environment, VINS is an avian wildlife rehabilitation center. They take in wounded birds and help them, if possible, get back into the wild.  It is an incredible place to visit. I scheduled time to draw some of their birds one on one with the students. This allowed us an opportunity to draw the birds up close and in motion, which is a challenge. I found that through this level of observation, I gained a much greater understanding of how to draw the birds we saw. It was nothing short of incredible. I struggled and struggled to capture the birds in motion. It was wonderfully frustrating.  When I went to draw after we left, I could draw the bird better without looking at references. It was imbedded into my memory more effectively. 

Above is my sketch of one of the turkey vultures. The first is my original sketch, the second is my digital painting and the last is my first attempt at watercolors in a long time.

Summer Sketching Softball

Summer is a wonderful time to sketch. As I have mentioned before, I try to always have my sketch book with me. This is my youngest son up to bat.

Aladdin Jr

Again, being inspired by simplicity, I created this illustration for The Vermont Children's Theater's production of Aladdin Jr. I am enjoying going simple.

Sending out some gratitude

A month or so ago I discovered that I was awarded the VSC Faculty Fellowship. This will give me a three credit release next year to work on getting a book ready to send to publishers. I am so grateful for the honor and prepared thank you letters and a limited edition print to those that helped me in the process. This is so exciting for me to start working on something that has been in the planning process for over 10 years now.

Annie

With school out, I know have the opportunity to work on illustrations for this years Vermont Children's Theater productions. After many iterations and concepts for Annie, I felt it best to go simple and iconic with this poster. After a search on the internet, I was surprised that I could not find anyone that had done this before. I also felt I did a good job of infusing a bit of my style into Annie.

This was a bit of a flash back for me as I played FDR in my high school production of Annie. This year my youngest son is in the production. We do not know what role it will be yet. Performances are on June 29, 30 and July 1 at 7pm.

Updated WebSite is Now Live!

At the beginning of the year I set a number of goals with regards to illustration work. Freshening up my web site was one of them. Over the past two weeks, I have been working on updating my web page. It now matches the brand I created a year ago and has more recent work. There will be more to come!

I welcome any feedback and thoughts. This is an exciting time for me with some new projects on the horizon.

You can see the site at barclay-studio.com

The Vermonotaur

The Vermonotaur (vərˈmän ə tôr)

This is a personal project I have been slowly finding the time to work on over the last few months. It has had a slow evolution from concept to bow tie guy to a full illustration.

The Vermonotaur is an ancient creature that roams the forests of Vermont. Part man part moose, this docile creature secretly helps the sugarer by checking taps and collecting sap. 

Cambodia Sketch

This last February I had the incredible opportunity to visit Cambodia for research on a project I am working on and to take a group of students in a sketching class. Today, I gave a presentation on the trip, showing my photography and sketches. This is the first of over 50 pages of my sketches. This is of the Temple Banan just outside of Battambang. The woman was sweeping leaves away form the temple.

More Photography for ART Squared

Another example of some of my Photography work for The Quimby Galleries ART Squared Exhibit.

And Now For Something Completely Different

For the ART Squared Exhibit I like to explore other artistic venues. Last week as I was walking to my office, I was struck by the simple beauty of the light and shadows on the floor. The work is now hanging in the exhibit.

Bow Tie Guy of the day: Phiomia

Phiomia:

The Phiomia is an extinct Northern African animal that somewhat resembles and elephant. There are similarities to the Platybelodon, but they are much smaller.

Rooster in ART Squared at the Quimby Gallery and other exhibits

The Rooster Bow Tie Guy is now hanging in the ART Squared Exhibit at the Quimby Gallery!
You can also see some of my older work on display at the East Burke Library in East Burke Vermont.

It's the Year of the Rooster!

In honor of the Chinese New Year, I drew a rooster.

ART Squared Continued

Continuing my history of bow ties series through art is my De Stijl work, just hung in the ART Squared exhibit.

ART Squared at the Quimby Gallery

We are a little over a week into ART squared, a community art event in the Quimby Gallery. Everyone is invited to submit art created within a 5x5 in square. We started off strong. This week there was an even larger increase of submissions. The main wall is close to being full. I also have close ups of some of my work submitted. The gallery hangs work as it comes in so the art grows and changes day by day. We will be accepting work through March 9th.

New Work in Progress

Over the past few weeks, I have found a few minutes here and there to work on this illustration. I am hoping to scan it in soon and start painting. More to come.

Sketching at the Diner

Went to Miss Lyndonville Diner for breakfast last wee and did some sketching.

Meeting Sketch

This is a sketch of Jeb Spaulding, The Chancellor of the the Vermont State College System. Over the past two years I have been in many meetings with him and drawn him many times. This is the best one to date.

I love finding small moments to draw what I see.

Bow Tie Guy of the Day: Diprotodon

Diprotodon

The diprotodon is is the largest marsupial known to have lived on the earth. They could grow to the size of a hippopotamus in length and were around 6 and a half feet tall. Their skeletons have been found across Australia. Diprotodon means two forward teeth. They existed through most of the Pleistocene epoch becoming extinct 46,000 years ago, give or take a few centuries.

Bow Tie Guy of the Day: Bongo

Bongo (ˈbäNGgō)

Not only do they have a cool name, the bongo is also one of the largest of the African antelopes that lives in the forest. The stripes also add to the visual interest.

The loss of a great artist and influence

Shakespearean Fantasy

 Voyage of the Basset

Some Times the Spirit Touches us Through Our Weaknesses

I just received word that James C. Christensen passed away. He was one of my favorite artist and greatest influences. I read everything I could on him. I purchased all of his books and poured over the  images. He showed me that you could put humor in great art and be successful. He was inventive and insightful. He also showed me that you could incorporate your faith into artistic fanciful endeavors. We have lost a great artist and a wonderful soul in this life.

Meeting Sketches

I find great joy in sketching people in meetings. It is particularly rewarding when I get the lioness done well. Over the next year I am sure there will be more as I already have many meetings scheduled.

Bow Tie Guy of the Day: Axolotl

Axolotl (ˈaksəˌlätl)

The axolotl is a critically endangered Mexican salamander. It is unique in that it keeps its larval form throughout life. Basically it is the Peter Pan version of salamanders.

Their major threat is due to land drainage and the introduction of predatory fish into their habitat. There is thought that they are extinct in the wild.

Bow Tie Guy of the Day: Long Neck Thing

Recently, I was sketching during a meeting and this Bow Tie Guy came out onto the page. So often as I draw real creatures and get used to them odd conglomerations come out in my doodling. Although this one is not as odd as others I have mismatched, he is fun.

Happy Birthday to J.R.R. Tolkien: The Oliphaunt

In honor of Tolkien's Birthday, here is the Oliphaunt Bow Tie Guy. I looked to the poem recited by Samwise Gamgee in The Two Towers for inspiration on the look. 

 “Grey as a mouse,
Big as a house,
Nose like a snake,
I make the earth shake,
As I tramp through the grass;
Trees crack as I pass.
With horns in my mouth
I walk in the South,
Flapping big ears.
Beyond count of years
I stump round and round,
Never lie on the ground,
Not even to die.
Oliphaunt am I,
Biggest of all,
Huge, old, and tall.
If ever you'd met me
You wouldn't forget me.
If you never do,
You won't think I'm true;
But old Oliphaunt am I,
And I never lie.”

The ears are bigger and the trunk longer and snake like. I also adapted many of the prehistoric elephants that I have studied this year to give it a different feel. It has the lower tusks of the stegotetrabelodon and the head and upper tusks of a mammoth. It was a wonderful challenge to give myself.

Happy New Year!

I drew this portrait of one of my sister's dogs, Mr Wilson, as a Christmas gift for her. I thought I would start the year off by posting it.

I am not one to set specific resolutions as I set goals throughout the year. In looking back, I realize that I did draw more last year. It got spotty around August when school picked up with new responsibilities, but overall I did well. Here is to a new year with more drawing. One of my goals now is to post a drawing, Bow Tie Guy or something else, five days a week.