The Grinch who's hands I made that he stole Christmas with.

 I worked again at Kansas City Costume Company last month on "The Grinch" musical. The older tour came into the shop for refurbishment and a brand new tour was built for Madison Square Garden. One of my projects was making the gloves for the Grinch himself. 

I sculpted the fingers, made molds, then cast them in foam.

Painted each finger with acrylic paint.

I made the gloves from dyed mesh Lycra, attached the fingers and painted them in. 

I sculpted the fingers out of plasticine clay, baked them, and made silicone molds. Then poured foam rubber into my molds. After sanding, I painted each one. One of the original actors wanted finger tip hair, which weren't part of the first design so they had difficulty keeping the hair in place. I added an indention in the sculpt to hold the hair more securely. I sewed the gloves, four total, and attached the fingers using a plumbers glue. Finger tip pads from suede were also applied with plumbers glue. My final step was painting the fingers and gloves so they appeared seamless. More hair was vented on the gloves  by a wig maker. The finished gloves were in my humble opinion better than the original.

I should be more careful what I say to the Press

I was part of a nice article on Art hanging in restaurants in Joplin for Joplin Metro Magazine (June 2012 Issue 2 Vol. 3) Though I was misquoted. It said my work was for "display only". What I actually said was that not everyone can afford a Giant Cheshire Cat in there house so I have smaller prints available. Not that I have prints available because no one wants the Giant Cheshire Cat painting. They took some nice photographs though, and any exposure is good right? 

Hot Set on ScyFy Channel

 Since I finished this project months ago, I have watched the show "Hot Set" on ScyFy. Nothing from these concept drawings or any of the set design I saw were used. The check was fat and cleared so it doesn't bother me!

Scy Fy project

 The note for this one said "Mushroom with a doorknob" I assumed there was to be a door so this is what I came up with. Couple minor changes and they went with the very first sketch.

 "Spaceship captains chair" Pretty straight forward. That actually was the major note back, the chair should be facing straight ahead.

 "Robot with exposed gears in his chest" One note said "like I-Robot but not close enough for copy right infringement." This one I did a lot of photoshoping.

 Easiest one "Moonscape with lunar module" Sketch then photoshop.

This one took the most drafts. The original note said "Hell scene with torture victim" The chains and wall were to be the 3D highlighted element. Then add a Demon. Then the Demon should be in the foreground, then the horns and pitch fork should be the 3D element. Everyone was happy in the end, including me...so many drafts for this one, I got to charge for a 7th sketch. Sweet!

Here's the first sketch for the Scy Fy Show. The original line I got was "An Evil juggling clown with a girl on a knife throwing wheel in the back ground. Then notes came back that He needed to be juggling pins not balls, the clown needed more Tim Burton feel, then less Tim Burton Art and more like his movie characters. Also  I am not sure how this will happen or why, part of the design will have a 3D element.  The juggling pins and the Clown nose will be a computer graphic so those needed emphasis. My final note from producers was "Nailed it!" That seemed like a good start.

Finding Need more time to Paint

Haven't updated in a while. Been doing Art Walk on Third Thursdays. It is getting easier to do, though it still makes me very nervous. I started last month bringing a painting to work on, it helped having something to do instead of sit there like it was a flea market. I've gotten most of my paintings now in Prints. Not everyone can have a giant Cheshire Cat in their house but a nice reasonably priced small one...

Also had a great gig for the Scy Fy Channel doing some concept Art sketches. It's for the development stage of a reality show they are working on. My stuff will only be seen by the designers and executives to help everyone have the same vision. I'll post the sketches and describe them in my next post.

I also started a FaceBook fan page...
https://www.facebook.com/TravisEliPaintings
Like me and tell friends!

Otis

Otis the Smelly Belly Dragon. An unpublished children's book I wrote with my sister. We had publishers interested in my illustration but the connection was lost when I sent back a reply that I'd be more than happy to work on other projects.
We also worked for two years on a stop motion animated version of the story. We created amazing work out of it but ultimately it stalled. I still like to think there is life in the project but it's been dead a while.

Time to Paint and Sell

It is nearly Spring, my favorite time to paint. I just applied for the Joplin Art Walk. If accepted it will be the first time my private work has been officially seen in public. Other than online, the only folks to see my stuff in person have been friends and family at my house. It would be nice to start selling again.

I've been working on a portrait of my Cherokee Grandmother. She was killed when a train struck her car a few years before I was born. I am using one of the few photos my mom has of her. She looked happy and is standing in a pose that many of my family does. Mom says she had long hair, but in the pictures we have it's always back. I've taken some license with that, it feels more active.

The Black and White on Gray seems to be a favorite style of mine to return to. It's strange that I never consciously set out to do them, but some ideas just fit better in my head that way.

(You can see the portrait of LaHeather peeking around, I still haven't figured out where she needs to go...I've been working and re-working that one for over a year.)

Clockwork in Orange

I've finished the Clockworks one. I decided to add the highlights on all the gears that I had originally thought about but knew it would take forever to do. I was right. Damn my detail style! It looks complete now. I tried to get a photo but didn't get one with any clarity. I really need to take it outside to get the proper light, so it will need to wait for a freak sunny day or Spring.

(Update: Got a photo of the finished work. I have prints available and the original, like all my work, is for sale)

This took some time

Been working on this one for a while, I am not sure it's finished but for now I will hang it and stare at it. I may come back to it. Unless somebody likes it and wants to buy it as it is...I am ok with that too.
I call it Like Clockwork, it's another acrylic on canvas 36 x 24.

When it is sunny and dry out, I will be taking new pictures. It is such a chore photographing artwork. I find that if I go outside I get less glare and reflection. I also need to take the time to level out everything so I don't get forced perspective.

This one is a dreamscape. I paint from my dreams frequently. Everyone calls it "the boob one".

I've had these sitting for a while...they didn't seem finished to me. I added the tricycle and then decided on the French phrases. I like that they are depressing. Sort of un-motivational posters.
For those of you that don't speak French (neither do I) This one says "Leave me Alone" and the one with the tricycle says "Can you help me?"

Cheshire Cat 36 x 48 Acrylic on Canvas

Day 6 or 7 I think. Cheshire Cat continues.

I am still not finished. I was really hoping to be done with this one. I think the next piece I start will be much smaller, much much smaller.
I do like where it is going. It's becoming very close to the image I had in my head. I messed up the whiskers, tried to do them too late at night, the lines are too thick. I think I will be able to fix them but that's my last thing, I still have screaming flowers and paint splotched leaves to finish up.

Here's the Vampire Bat in 19th Century clothing. I didn't remember that I had a picture of it. He's living in Pasadena now. Asked to paint him by a bat enthusiast. I'll consider any request. It's a small one, 8 x 11 framed, if I recall correctly.

The detail is hard to get in a wide photo. That's one of my strengths, detail, though it can be a little mind numbing (maybe I need that). Each leaf is a several layer process.
I see the appeal of digital medium. I taught my self photoshop and can do a pretty good job with it, but it's not the same as real paint, it never will be. I either look at it as a completely different Art or cheating. I think there is something that time and physical skill gives a piece that a computer can not. Maybe not as philosophical as Soul....but maybe that is what I mean.
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This is probably my half way mark on Cheshire Cat, maybe less.

Here's the smaller 36x24 companion to Requiem in Green. I call it Hallelujah in Green. I finished it a few months back. So I haven't been totally blocked....Kinda tired of this style, it's tedious. I think these "stained glass" types are pretty, folks seem to like them but man that's a lot of work for just pretty.
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Okay so I just read over my last post, basically the same thing I wrote today...I seem to have a pattern, one abstract tedious piece in Winter and then more prolific in Spring. Good to know, I like self awareness.

Cheshire Cat
This is another that began as a background piece for BigLoser. I started with a full drawing of the cat for scale and placement, then removed the areas that have disappeared. Next is color blocking and detail on the cat. I darkened the tree and decided it would be a Queen of hearts rose tree, more on that later. Back to Paint.

So it's March, Spring is trying to come. I haven't kept up with this blog or any painting in a long time. Since my last posting...I nearly died. Dramatic enough? It's true, I was in the hospital blah blah blah...but I DIDN'T die. And for a while I was in poor me mode, which is never a good color, purple suits me better.
I decided I need to refocus my life back to what matters, most importantly my ART.

So here is the beginning of Cheshire Cat. I decided that would be a good place to start. I have spoke of "Wonderland" Inspiration before. This one has been in my head for a while, it's time to put it on canvas. And while I work on it, I can start planning my next piece, getting a portfolio of work I am proud of and not ashamed to show anyone, I need to get a gallery show and join the local Art fairs. And start going to the gym but thats another story.

Here's one I am currently involved with. Very early in it's conception.

Ramble and Whine or Just Paint...

I haven't posted anything in a while. I haven't really worked on anything new in a quite a while either. I am thinking about a new piece, another "Wonderland" (probably my last of that subject) but I haven't even gotten the paints out to start it.

I haven't painted anything all winter (which is finally over). In California, I painted almost everyday, outside on my balcony. Here in Missouri, that's not possible. I don't want to sound all hippie dippy but I need sunshine. I am not sure if I get seasonal depression or what, I just don't feel very creative. I draw a little. Just to practice, but nothing comes out. Of course, now that it is Spring, if I don't produce I will need a new excuse.

I did do a drawing for my brother, something he was or is writing. A boy and his dog tale. Just a sketch...

I did do "Requiem in Green"... I forgot about that one. I have a second in that style(that I haven't finished) so I haven't been totally dry. I should get off the computer and paint...

Tea Party

Line drawing and then acrylic paint.

Closet Monster

Ordinary Tornadoes