LIFE NEEDS ART

If da Vinci Painted a Dinosaur Launches

2018-09-11T12:35:00.000-06:00

"If da Vinci Painted a Dinosaur", the follow up to last year's hit "If Picasso Painted a Snowman" is now printed and we received advance copies a few days ago. This one was also a collaborative project written by my talented wife Amy Newbold and illustrated by yours truly.

Opening up a box of new books and holding one for the first time is always a satisfying experience. I hate to make an unrealistic comparison, but it's a bit like the illustration equivalent to holding your newborn baby for the first time. It's magical and you love it in spite of the pain it took to get it there.

This new book follows the same premise as our last book, posing the question, "what would a dinosaur look like if painted by (fill in the name of a famous artist)"? We really beat ourselves up this time by increasing the number of artists from seventeen to nineteen. I bit off a little more than I wanted to chew from a work required standpoint, but I got it accomplished and visually it works well.

Our guide Max the hamster makes a command performance as we tour how a new crop of famous artists might have depicted a dinosaur. Included are imaginative works in the styles of well known artists such as Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Henri Matisse and Edvard Munch.

We also found several lesser known artists that were no less worthy of recognition, such as Aaron Douglas, Alma Thomas, Lois Mailou Jones, Qi Baishi and Marguerite Zorach to include in the mix. Of course da Vinci bookends the tour with playful depictions of "Vetruvian Microraptor" and "Dino Lisa".

Both of our books are an invitation for kids to make art without the constraints of what someone else might perceive as the right or the wrong way. All the artists depicted became famous for their own unique ways of seeing the world and creating art. If da Vinci Painted a Dinosaur is a celebration of creativity and an extrapolation of individual style that we hope gives kids permission to express in art what they see and feel in whatever way they choose. That's what art is all about.

COME JOIN US!
Our first official book signing will be Saturday, September 29, 2018 at the Barnes & Noble Authorpalooza event from 2-4 pm. The store is located at 330 East University Parkway in Orem, Utah. If you are in the area, please join us!

If Picasso Painted a Snowman

2017-12-06T21:14:00.001-07:00

The following is an interview I did with Howard Lyon for Muddy Colors regarding the creation of our new book If Picasso Painted a Snowman. Thanks Howard for permission to repost it here!

My friends Amy and Greg Newbold have recently collaborated on a book called If Picasso Painted a Snowman. I think this is the first children's book that I have ever reviewed on Muddy Colors (I hope it isn't the last, there are so many great picture books out there). I happened to stop by Greg's house on the same day received pre-release copies of his book (I was there to pick up some black walnuts, he has a GIANT giving tree that I believe, without exaggerating, will let me produce about 30 gallons of ink).

This a wonderful book! Many of the readers of MC have kids or are aunts and uncles. This book is for you and yours (I'm including an Amazon link here and at the end of the interview). It is a great introduction to a large variety of artists and their work, but also opens up the imagination to all the possibilities of different artists paint, but also how different thinkers might approach the same challenge.

I asked Greg and Amy if I might interview them for MC. Here goes!

Where did the idea for the book come from?

It all started several years ago when my wife Amy visited Paris with her sisters on a girl’s trip. During a visit to the Picasso Museum she asked the question “What would it look like if Picasso painted a snowman?” She envisioned a book that would teach kids about significant artists and art movements in a fun and engaging way. Honestly, it was to be the book that we could never find for our kids in all the years of taking them to museums. For several years she polished the manuscript, we showed it around and reworked it. Nobody caught the vision of what we wanted to do until Tris Coburn at Tilbury House Publishers in Maine bought our pitch.

What was the most challenging part of creating illustrations in the styles of such a variety of artists?

Since I was young, I have always enjoyed the challenge of learning new styles or techniques. Like most budding artists, I started by trying to copy other artists’ work. In high school I did Prismacolor replicas of album covers and copied drawings from guys like Frank Frazetta and the Hildebrandt brothers. I sold some of them for ten or twenty bucks. Once in college I had the legitimate option of creating an old master copy painting instead of writing a paper. My professor told me my Van Gogh was the best copy she had ever seen because I tried so hard to get the materials and surface texture correct.

Because I like to experiment with new materials and processes, I also find it very instructive to paint these master copies. Studying and trying to recreate the works of great artists allows you to deconstruct and learn from the masters and it’s something I have done on and off over the years. This book gave me the opportunity to learn about the materials and processes of seventeen different artists. Some of those chosen for the book were quite familiar, as I had studied the likes of Grant Wood and Van Gogh. Others Like Jacob Lawrence and Sonia Delaunay were previously unknown to me.

Grant Woods Snowman - The stern coal mouths are perfect

I dug into their processes online and tried to find books that described the way they worked and what materials they used. My goal was to mimic each artist’s materials and process as much as was practical. Of course there are new materials available today and the time crunch I was under forced me to make some adjustments. For instance, the Roy Lichtenstein piece was created digitally as I had neither the time or inclination to figure out where to screen print it and there was no way I was going to get the Ben-Day dots right painting it by hand. Also, scale was sacrificed on a number of pieces.

Roy Lichtenstein Snowman - I love this one!

The J.M.W Turner painting I made is a miniature compared to most of his other pieces as is the Georgia O’Keeffe, who also typically worked much larger than I could justify. Sometimes materials had to change. For instance I painted the Grant Wood in acrylic rather than oil. It was a speed issue and I rationalized that Wood painted his oils using layers of crosshatch anyway, so the result was very similar.

Georgia O'Keefe's snowman is beautiful.

Is there one that you enjoyed the most or least?

Honestly, this entire project was a dream to work on. It was just so fun to try new things. I learned how to make a direct drawing monoprint for the Paul Klee piece, played with gold leafing for the Gustav Klimt painting but the most fun was probably the Jackson Pollock painting. I went all in to figure out what he was all about. I had previously read Tom and Jack: The Intertwined Lives of Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock by William Taylor Adams and I was totally intrigued by Pollock.

As a young artist I scoffed at Pollock thinking that it was just a bunch of random drips on canvas, but as I dug deeper, I began to understand what his “action paintings” were all about. Also, watching the ten-minute documentary filmed in 1951 by Hans Namuth was helpful. In the film, Pollock is seen painting outside and his voice narrates the process. I purchased a large-ish piece of raw linen and several quarts of Pollock-esque colored latex paint for the painting, forgoing the oil enamel Pollock preferred in the name of practicality. I used sticks and hard brushes to drip and fling the paint while walking all around the perimeter just as Pollock did in the film (minus the cigarette and discordant music). It was a little windy and I even had some grass and sticks get embedded in the painting. It was so much fun, there are plans for a Pollock party to let some of our friends create their own “Jackson Pollock”.

What is your hope/goal for this book?

As I mentioned at the outset, this is the type of book we wished we could have found for our kids at one of the many museums we dragged them to. We tried to put across the idea that the possibilities are endless when creating art and that you should not be intimidated or limited by what some people perceive as “rules”. There is no right or wrong way to create art, simply techniques that either allow or prevent you from achieving the vision you have for your art.

We have tried hard to make it more than just an overview of different art styles. With it’s simple text, it also reads as a nice bedtime story, hopefully appealing to fans of snowman books, gift books, or art books in general. There are enough inside jokes to appeal to adults as well. At the end of the book we have also included expanded bios and art making tips. We hope that parents, teachers and children embrace this book as permission to explore art with freedom and joy.

After reading the book, I want to draw a Caravaggio/Bouguereau/Waterhouse/Watterson/Frazetta snowman!

Are there artists whose work you didn't imitate but you would have liked to?

There are too many to count. Luckily we are in negotiations with our publisher to create a follow up book, so hopefully I’ll get to play with another batch of styles with that project.

How did you decide what artists to include?

With so many artists to choose from, it became a question of which ones would be recognized, which ones would add variety and touch on major movements and also which ones whose styles I felt confident enough to try to mimic. We also tried to choose artists that we were fairly sure never painted a snowman. Some artists did not make the cut for one or more of those reasons. We also tried to include a variety of artists including women and ethnically diverse painters. Knowing the overwhelming majority of dead white European artists that crowd the annals of art history, we knew it was impossible to give any sort of equality of diversity to the group, so we did our best and focused on the overall variety in the book.

Gustav Klimt Snowman. Beyond the theme of the book and Klimt's style, this is a touching painting!

What other books or projects would you like the audience to know about that you have been part of?

This year was crazy in that I have never had two new picture books released in the same year, let alone create all the art in that same year. I did all the art for If Picasso Painted a Snowman from January to March and then all the art for The Little Match Girl (coming from Shadow Mountain October 17, 2017) from April to mid July. In the past, I would have shied away from both of those time frames, but I’m at a point now where I have enough confidence to just say yes and figure out the logistics later.

In my twenty plus years as a full time artist, I have worked for most of the large New York publishers and have been fortunate to have my work accepted into all the major juried illustration shows over the years including, Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, Spectrum, AIGA and Society of Illustrators, Los Angeles. I’ve also done quite a bit of advertising work for clients like Fedex, American Express, Smuckers, Heinz and the like.

Here's the Scoop!

2017-03-08T14:28:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to be working with Pioneer Theater Company again this year after a single season gap. I have done probably close to twenty posters for their various productions over the years reaching back to very early in my freelance career. It's always a pleasure to create new work for stage productions and I look forward to it whenever I get the chance.

This year's assignment happens to be for the musical version of Newsies. I admit I have never seen the film but I am looking forward to seeing the stage version later this year. Here's some of the process.

Theater provided this photo as direction

The theater provided me with an historical photo of a newsboy that they thought had the feel they were going for and I in turn found a few more that I felt added a little more of the feel I wanted.

Since the intent was clear as far as the pose, I did something I don't normally do which is bypass the rough sketch and go straight to the photo shoot. Two willing neighbor boys, with the help of their mom, who held the lights for me were my models.

They did a great job and I ended up combining details from both of their shots to come up with my drawing.

After some consultation with the client, I was asked to make the boy look a few years older. I stretched out his face, gave him more of a jawline and beefed up his shoulders and arms a bit to age him to about fifteen rather than the younger age of my models.

The background was composed of actual newspaper articles from the 1899 newsies strike. I composited them and changed a couple of the headlines to match the director's requests.

Overall, I am pretty pleased with the result. Physical drawing was scanned and painted in Photoshop and the entire background was composed digitally also with hand made aged paper textures. Total working time was about two and a half days.

If Picasso Painted a Snowman- Progress Update

2017-02-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram (yes, I have finally joined the Insta crowd) you have already seen some of this work, but for everyone else, here's a little update. If Picasso Painted a Snowman was written by my wife Amy after a visit to the Picasso museum in Paris where she wondered what a snowman painting by Picasso might look like.

Picasso's Snowman- By Greg Newbold

That thought generated the idea for the book and expanded to ask the same question about more than a dozen other artists. What might all these snowmen look like? Well, this book answers all those tough questions! At least it will answer the question of how I might paint a whole bunch of snowmen, attempting to do so in the style of each of the artists mentioned in the book. It's been so much fun to work with Amy to make her vision of this book a reality.

Mondrian's Snowman- By Greg Newbold

If you don't like snowmen, we have thrown in a cute hamster to act as museum guide. This book has been a blast so far and also a lot of stress. The timeline for production has been compressed to just over two months painting time. I did all the sketches in early December and then had to bust out a big project that took the better part of a month. I'm scrambling to get all the paintings done and hopefully do them justice. You can't imagine how challenging (and fun) it is to change stylistic gears every painting unless you have attempted it. Switching gears each piece has required a lot of homework. I have studied up on the materials and techniques of each of the artists before painting each piece.

Pollock's Snowman- by Greg Newbold

Some concessions have been made for each piece for practicality or necessity. The time crunch is a factor here. For instance, Jackson Pollock used an oil based house enamel called Duco for his paintings. I opted for a more affordable and faster drying latex house paint.

O'Keefe's Snowman- by Greg Newbold

Georgia O'Keefe created her works at a monumental scale. Covering so much real estate was not in the cards on this deadline, so I painted my version about fourteen inches high rather than four feet.

Lichtenstein's Snowman- by Greg Newbold

My version of a Roy Lichtenstein snowman was created digitally. I saw no other practical way to create the Ben Day dot patterns by hand and I think the digital version looks adequately passable. The cover and all the little hamster character spots are black Prismacolor drawings. I then scan them into Photoshop and color them using some awesome watercolor Photoshop brushes from Brandon Dorman.

I'm pleased how much these brushes and textures look like hand done watercolor. I continue to be impressed with the increasing pace of digital artists' ability to make pixels look and behave like natural media. Click in the photo to see the texture a little closer. and click Brandon's link above to get your own set. I am now over halfway done with the project but the next few weeks will be a real challenge, as I have a couple of other assignments in the hopper also. I'll post more as I get closer to finishing this.

The book will be released this fall through Tilbury House Publishers, just in time for Picasso's birthday and all your Christmas giving!

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Remembering James C Christensen

2017-01-11T12:42:00.000-07:00

Two Angels Discussing Botticelli- By James C. Christensen.

Some people say seeing is believing. You know, "I'll believe it when I see it". What if the opposite were true? I will see it WHEN I believe it? In Latin, it is "Credendo, Vides". Believing is Seeing.

Around the time I earned my undergraduate degree in illustration, I had the pleasure of walking through an exhibit of paintings titled Winged Words by famed fantasy artist James C. Christensen. I was fortunate enough to peruse the works alongside the artist himself and he kindly explained each piece and why he was or wasn't happy with each one. Among the paintings were several in which he had painted Latin phrases. Jim explained that the hardest part was finding someone who knew Latin who could translate accurately into Latin what he wanted to say, so he could translate it back in the title card for the viewer to understand. I asked him why he just didn't just paint the words in English. "I don't know" he replied, "It just seemed more meaningful that way." Christensen's paintings can be described in many ways but the most common description is magical. But I think that all the trappings of magic were just a facade for the underlying meaning. A vehicle, if you will, for him to communicate his message. And I loved his messages.

James Christensen with dear wife Carole

I woke up Monday morning to the news that James C. Christensen had passed away at the untimely age of 74. Needless to say, I was shocked and saddened at the news and I spent all day wrapping my brain around the loss. To me, Jim was more that just a brilliant artist known for his intricately painted fantastical scenes filled with elves and trolls and magically levitating fish. Jim was my friend. As I read the many tributes and reminiscing posts about him, I realized that Jim was everyone's friend. He had a beautiful way of making you feel important and necessary in HIS life, which I think was one of Jim's true gifts. I write this not to give a chronology of Christensen's work or accomplishments, which are legendary. But simply to celebrate the man I was blessed to rub shoulders with and learn from. His techniques and motivations are well chronicled elsewhere. I want to remember him today for the truths he left embedded in my life and the imprint that will linger with me forever.

Low Tech

I was first introduced to the artwork of James Christensen when I was still in high school. I had only recently come to the realization that it was actually possible to draw and paint for a living. I poured over whatever publications I could find featuring amazing art and was particularly drawn to the work of artists like Norman Rockwell, Frank Frazetta and the Brothers Hildebrandt. Right there in the mix was this guy named Christensen who painted all sorts of quirky characters doing odd things, like flying a spaceship cobbled together from a flashlight, an eggbeater, powered by corroded Energizer batteries, all while wearing only a bomber jacket and a gas mask. I was hooked. I had never known that art could be so delightfully offbeat.

I also soon discovered that all of the artists whose work I so admired were illustrators. Jim preferred to call himself a painter who paints things that don't exist, but I think he fits nicely in the illustrator category. I decided this was what I wanted to do and the illustration program at Brigham Young University was the perfect fit. It also happened that this painter of floating fish which I admired also taught at that institution. I continued to follow Jim's work reveling in the new treasures he had dreamt up. His creativity, fueled my earliest efforts in illustration.

The Widow's Mite

Eventually, I got to meet Christensen when he showed his work in one of my illustration classes. I didn't realize when I enrolled that Jim actually taught painting and drawing in the Fine Art Department, while all the illustration classes were taught in the Graphic Arts Department. In a completely different building. On the other side of campus. Finally, I figured out that I could take some elective classes in the Fine Arts Center, including a drawing class taught by James Christensen. To this day, that class remains one of my favorite undergraduate experiences. Jim was a mesmerizing storyteller. He could keep you on the edge of your seat spinning yarns or whimsically sharing anecdotes.

Lawrence Tried Not To Notice That A Bear Had Become Attached To His Coattail

I wish I had taken time to write down a few specific things, but what matters to me most is how I felt in his class. I was entertained, but more importantly, I always felt both challenged and encouraged. I was pretty confident drawing what I saw in front of me, but Jim would come in and throw a wrench into the system on a weekly basis. At times we would all tape a sheet of paper over our board and blindly draw underneath it, looking only at the model. Or he had us test our memory by looking intently at the model. Then the model would step down and and we had two minutes to draw what we remembered.

The Responsible Woman

Once, all easels were placed facing away from the model, We would look, turn away to draw, and then look back to see if we had captured anything worthwhile. These methods were all, to an extent, exercises in frustration for me. I had never been forced to draw this way. I had never tested my memory like that. One day we even did figure drawing roulette where everyone would draw for two minutes and then rotate clockwise and draw for two minutes on the next person's page, adding or fixing, until we all made it back around to our own pages. It made me see the model from 360 degrees and the subsequent drawing of the same pose was much better. I began to see drawing in a completely different way.

Man with A Lot on His Mind

The final in that class included an exercise in drawing a head "out of your head". Jim wanted us to draw as realistically as possible in both front and profile views. I was convinced mine was a disaster yet Jim assured me that it was a decent effort and not to beat myself up. Jim always had a smile on his face and was always someone you felt better after having been around. I loved that drawing class and was sad I never got another chance to take a class from him.

Your Plaice or Mine?

I graduated and a couple years later I jumped to full time illustration. When I was in Provo, I would try to drop by the department and talk to my professors who were all now becoming my colleagues and friends. I had just landed my first picture book project travelled to campus to take reference photos of one of my professors, Richard Hull. While there, I decided to drop in and see if Jim was around. I found him busy in a painting class but he immediately ushered me outside and down the hall to his office to show me what he was working on. Entering the outer office, he paused and asked if I had a copy of his book. Greenwich Workshop Press had released "A Journey of the Imagination" a year or so previously, but I had not been able to justify the forty dollar price tag. He promptly cracked the cellophane off of one and dedicated it to me. I sheepishly said, "you can't do that". Jim laughed, smiled at me and said "Yes, I can. And I just did" as he handed me the book.

I cradled my new treasure while we looked over his new work. More books followed and I had occasion to get a couple of them signed to me as well. His dedications were always personal and heartfelt. I treasure those books. Since then, I have had several of my own books published. I often take pleasure in making unexpected gifts of my books to special people.

Fast forward a couple of years and I found myself back on campus during BYU's Education Week. My book "The Touch of the Master's Hand" had been released a few months prior and I was scheduled to sign copies at the bookstore. As I found my table, I realized it was directly across from Jim's where he was signing copies of his new book "The Voyage of the Basset". Well, Jim would have none of that and promptly moved my table across the aisle next to his. In fact my table fell ahead of his so that the line had to pass right in front of me (and my book) to reach him. I know he did this on purpose to get me a little more exposure. Jim was never intimidated by anyone else's success. In fact, he fostered it. We spent a delightful two hours chatting and signing books together. I am sure quite a number of my sales that day were due to Jim's thoughtful gesture.

During that signing, I also expressed interest in getting into the art print market. I had seen how well Jim was doing and felt like it might be a good time to dip my own foot in as well. Jim graciously introduced me to Greewnich Workshops' head folks and I had a short affair with the fine art print market. During the time I worked up paintings for possible prints, I got the chance to visit Jim at the his cabin near Sundance ski resort. Affectionately dubbed "The Cottage", Jim would often work there to be free from the distraction. Visiting was like stepping into one of Jim's paintings. It was a place lovingly fashioned in an Old English style but with lots of fantasy touches that I am sure sprung straight from Jim's imagination.

There was the sculpted fireplace mantle and the bronze flying fish weather vane topping the turret room above his studio space. But my favorite part was the secret bookcase door that separated the studio from the rest of the cottage. With the flair of a magician, Jim swung the bookcase aside and we entered the rest of the cottage. He toured me around as we chatted and then returned to the studio where he looked at my work and I looked at his.

The Fablemaker

I was transfixed as I gazed around at shelves lined with skulls and trinkets and all sorts of bits that inspired his work. He showed me the tiny collection of Dungeons and Dragons figures that he painstakingly painted for fun. After a bit, Jim jumped up and said "come on, it's time for my walk". We proceeded out the door and up the hillside, through groves of golden aspen trees. He explained that he liked to get in a walk at least once a day. In addition to the exercise, it gave him time to think, time to dream. That was typical Jim. He was inviting me into his inner sanctum, allowing me to traverse his sacred spaces with him.

Once Upon a Time

Evening Angels

Fantasies Under the Sea

Over the years, I kept in touch with Jim and we would run into each other at shows or guest lectures or signings. I remember once we were at Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah to see some plays at the Utah Shakespearean Festival when we ran into Jim on the edge of campus. Jim had created several posters celebrating the works of Shakespeare and was there signing his latest. We had a great chat and Jim ended the visit by wishing me good luck and that it was great to see me.

Touching the Hem of God

In the fall of 2014, I volunteered to organize a show titled "Lost In Fantasy" at the Loge Gallery in Salt Lake's Pioneer Memorial Theatre. I had created the poster for their production of Peter and the Starcatcher and the gallery director thought it fitting that a fantasy themed exhibit run concurrently with the show. As curator, I could hand pick the participating artists. Of course Jim was at the top of my wish list, but I knew he was busy and I might not be able to secure his participation. When I got Jim on the phone, he admitted that he normally would decline such an offer, but replied, "For you, I'd be happy to be included. Let me know what you are thinking." I explained that I didn't want him to go to any effort, and that I would take whatever he had already framed and available. I would even pick up and return the art myself.

White Faced Fence Walker- 1978

Falling In Love Again- 1981

He thoughtfully pulled out a rich mix of early work, fine art prints and newer paintings that showed a cross section of his long and storied career. Jim's paintings were a fantastic anchor to the show. I was honored to hang my works alongside his.

Tree World Trilogy- Book Cover Art

Guardian of the Woods- 1998

Around the same time that I returned his work in early 2015, I had occasion to visit with Jim at the BYU Motion Picture Studio where he was painting murals for the soon to be completed Provo City Center LDS Temple. This massive undertaking occupied an entire sound stage as each panel was around twelve feet high and forty feet long. He was in his element, painting breathtaking scenes of the creation and nature alongside a few trusted artist friends. Jim took time to show me progress on each panel and describe what was going to happen in the unfinished areas.

One Light

Sometimes the Spirit Touches Us Through Our Weaknesses

On the walk back to the parking lot, I lamented the rough stretch I was going through with not enough work or cash flow to sustain my family. He was kind and encouraging and left me with this thought. "It will be alright" he said with his trademark grin. "You are talented and you work hard. You will figure it out." Then he told me of his own struggle with cancer and his hope to beat it and keep on painting. " Artists are survivors." he said "We have careers because we stick it out, right? You'll be fine."

The Listener

I listened. I believed. We weathered the down time and kept moving ahead. the reality we saw in front of us eventually grew closer to the vision we dreamt of and we pulled through. Jim taught me many important lessons in art and in life, but I think the one that sticks with me the most is that Believing is Seeing. You have to have the faith before you see the miracle.

Journey by Faith

Thank you Jim Christensen for that gift. Peace to you as you traverse the heavenly realms, my friend. Until we meet again.

Henry Patrick Raleigh- Serious Drawing Skills

2016-12-07T11:07:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Christmas, Auad Publishing has unveiled a new book that would make Jay Gatsby drool. In keeping with the long tradition of fantastic books from Manuel Auad, comes Henry Patrick Raleigh-The Confident Illustrator.

This coffee table worthy volume is printed in glorious full color despite the fact that much of Raleigh's work was black and white or limited in it's color range. The extra touch of full color throughout lends nuance and depth to each of Raleigh's monochromatic pieces.

But the star here is Raleigh's unbelievable skill as a draftsman and storyteller. And boy could this guy draw! His characters pop to life with just enough stylization to be animated without dropping into the caricature zone. His confident line and deft use of value pattern makes each illustration in the volume study worthy. No detail is overlooked from the costumes to the furniture to the automobiles. Raliegh's art is a master class in telling just enough and telling it with flair. Lines jump off the page and exude confidence. No wonder he earned the nickname "The Confident Illustrator".

The text of the book is nicely written by Raleigh's own grandson Christopher and reading it, you get a wonderful glimpse into an era when illustrators were rock stars and paid accordingly. Raleigh reportedly was paid $200-$300 per quick spot drawing and as much as $3500 per color piece throughout the 1920's and 1930's. It is estimated that he produced some 20,000 works, or an average of around 800 illustrations per year over the first 25 years of his career. He worked quickly, sometimes spending under an hour on a spot drawing or possibly a few days on a larger piece which facilitated the completion of so many works.

If you do the math, 800 illustrations in 1930, even at an average of just $300, calculates to nearly $3.5 million in today's dollars. Raleigh was a wealthy man and his spending habits bore this out. He loved rubbing elbows with the rich and famous where he arrived at lavish parties in custom tailored suits while driving expensive cars. Despite his incredibly prolific output of work, Raliegh often traveled abroad for upwards of three to four months of the year, making his productivity even more amazing.

The book is divided into sections like The Gatsby Era, Advertising (He did Maxwell House coffee ads for years), Lithographs and Etchings (featuring the famous posters Raleigh did for World War I war bonds)The Authors (including illustrations he created for serialized stories from such notables as F. Scott Fitzgerald and H.G. Wells).

This hardback book with full color dust jacket (featuring an alternate image) is beautifully reproduced. I would rank the print quality right up there with any high caliber art book in my collection. Also included are a couple of nicely done gatefold reproductions and a nice 9"x12" full color print is tucked into the flyleaf.

If you are an illustration junkie like me, this volume is a must have for your library. Auad Publishing's titles nearly all sell out and past titles can be hard to find and expensive. His previous books on Robert Fawcett and Albert Dorne are sold out and online prices for those tomes are now way out of my price range. I'm happy to own them already. If you are thinking about getting this new one, I suggest not waiting around too long.

Buy Henry Patrick Raleigh here
and also:
Al Parker is momentarily on sale from Auad for a ridiculous price of $20

Rejected...Oh Wait...Accepted!

2016-11-28T10:59:00.001-07:00

I recently got word that three of my pieces have been accepted into the Society of Illustrators Los Angeles Annual Illustration Show. This welcome news comes on the heels of complete rejection at the NY Society of Illustrators just a week ago.

While I am always disappointed whenever my work doesn't get accepted in any particular show, I have resigned myself to the fact that any given juried show is highly subjective. Different juries have different tastes and I have absolutely no control over their opinions. These same pieces were ignored in New York while making the cut in L.A. Go figure. But this is not an uncommon scenario and other artists have voiced the same frustrations. Rejection even varies from year to year in the same competition. I have had a piece get the ax two years in a row and then win an award on the third attempt. I have diligently tried to brush off the numerous rejections over the years, Though it never feels good, I have stopped moping around for days on end feeling sorry for myself. In fact this year, for several days I didn't even mention the NY snub to my wife and then, it was only in passing. This new maturity level made the acceptance in L.A. feel a little more satisfying. I think that these competitions with their frequent rejections and occasional successes are a microcosm for life. I have over the years started to worry less about stuff that is beyond my control and focus more on things that I might actually be able to do something about. Things like doing my best work, working hard as well as smart and shutting down shop to be with family more often.

There is a great line from the film "Bridge of Spies" in which the convicted KGB spy Rudolf Abel, played brilliantly by Mark Rylance, is asked if he is worried. He replies "Would it help?" I'm learning to let stuff go when worrying about it won't help. Maybe I am finally learning to be a grown up.

Previous posts about this project can be seen here, here and here.

King George III for Scholastic

2016-09-01T14:07:00.000-06:00

King George III for Scholastic By Greg Newbold

Earlier this year I did a cover and interior spot for one of Scholastic's news publication. If you remember from elementary school, they are the little folded educational paper flyers that came about every two months or so with all sorts of interesting classroom articles and games. I have done a few things for them in the past including one on Ben Franklin and they are always fun projects.

Cover Rough #1

This one featured the Declaration of Independence and they wanted a portrait of King George III reacting to news that the colonies had broken free. One of the biggest problems with historical recreations is that there aren't any photos. I had to rely on old paintings to come up with somewhat of a likeness.

Cover Rough #2

When my first two takes on what the cover would look didn't quite fit the editors' vision, it was finally decided that they really wanted me to riff a political cartoon from the era.

Period Political Cartoon of George III

I was asked to pretty much mimic the expression and exaggeration from the original cartoon, but obviously handle it in my own style and this is what we ended up with. Digital technology made it possible for me to take a photo of one of the original prints of the Declaration and warp it to fit my illustration. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out and so was the client. Thanks to Sandy Mayer at Scholastic for running interference when needed and giving encouragement at that moment of hair pulling. Always nice to work with a great art director.

There was also an interior spot of colonists celebrating the news which actually took more time and work than the cover, but oh well. that's how assignments go sometimes and often you don't realize what you have bitten off until you start chewing. All in all, I am happy how it turned out as well.

Murder at the Male Revue

2016-08-09T10:44:00.002-06:00

I just finished up the cover for the third book in the Bucket List series by Elizabeth Perona. The novels feature a sixty something group of friends who become involved in solving murder mysteries. The first two covers, Murder on the Bucket List and Murder Under the Covered Bridge can be seen here and here.

Murder at the Male Review- Cover by Greg Newbold-Digital

This particular story revolves around a murder that happens during a blackout at a society ladies' fund raiser which features Chippendale style male dancers. The editors wanted to highlight a particular slapstick moment that happens right before the blackout in which a cherry cobbler is spilled, tables are toppled and the slip and slide action literally leaves Francine left holding the beef.

I always feel it is my duty to give at least one alternative solution, which I did with a more dramatic angle of one of the dancers holding the murder weapon behind his back. I admit I didn't have time to read the entire manuscript before the deadline, which I often like to do, so I don't know whodunit.

As often happens, the editors opted to continue with the original idea, which I was fine with. After taking a bunch of photos to get a better grip on lighting and anatomyI created a final drawing and moved ahead to the final color art. As you can tell from my rough sketch, working out roughs without photos can lead to proportion and other issues, but I think I get better design and flow that way, so I always do initial roughs out of my head or with minimal reference. I just like to get my ideas down and establish the mood and overall design. The finished piece was painted in Photoshop over the full value graphite drawing.

Farm Panorama Reveal

2016-07-26T10:32:00.001-06:00

Crop of the large BioMerieux panorama- by Greg Newbold

The client from my recent great advertising project as seen in the previous two posts here and here can finally be revealed. The company that chose me to create all this goodness is called BioMerieux, a French based multi-national corporation with a US division that specializes in testing for biological pathogens.

The Poultry Farmer stand alone image

My particular set of illustrations is for a testing machine and process called Gene Up that tests food products before they go out to market to make sure they are safe and free from any food borne pathogens or contamination. I know, exciting stuff, right? Their previous advertising and that of all their competitors has historically been dominated by photos of dudes in lab coats looking through microscopes and similarly boring imagery. I am hoping that the imagery will soon filter into their website, but print and trade show applications are in full swing.

Left side crop of the panorama

I think it will be refreshing to see something different and unique in this industry. I believe the response will be a very positive one for BioMerieux, one that will definitely distinguish them from their competitors. These illustrations will debut at a large trade show coming up this week, so I am excited to see how my imagery will be used in the BioMerieux booth space and hear how it is received.

Full Panorama size is 37.5 inches wide at 400 dpi!

The giant panorama will dominate the backdrop of the booth and the other images will also be used at large size. The kicker will be a twelve foot circle of sky suspended above the whole setup, Sounds cool, I can't wait to see pictures. Anyway, there you have it.

The final reveal from the best project of the year, or recent years, for that matter. Thanks BioMerieux, as well as Preston Wood and Kim Sorrentino at Love Communications for making this project such a pleasure to work on. Knock 'em dead at the show!

More From the Farm

2016-07-13T11:48:00.000-06:00

Last post I mentioned that my recent huge project included nine pieces, well, here are three more to enjoy. I had a blast working on these and think they turned out especially nice.

Once again, these are for a multi national company in a field where the pictorial and advertising norm includes dudes in lab coats looking very stuffy as they gaze into microscopes and stuff like that. I am fairly convinced that this approach will garner more notice than their competitors.

Down on the Farm

2016-07-07T10:42:00.000-06:00

I have just wrapped up a huge advertising illustration project for a multi national company and thought I would give a sneak peek at the results. This has been a very fun and satisfying set of paintings for me. The agency asked that I leave the actual client anonymous for a bit longer, until the launch at the end of the month, but I got the OK to show some of the art.

Once again, these are all digital painted over full graphite drawings. I have enjoyed this project as much as any I have done in the last couple of years. Thanks to Love Communications for the project and for being so great to work with.

Painting In Little Cottonwood Canyon

2016-06-16T13:18:00.001-06:00

This morning I spent a couple of hours painting up Little Cottonwood Canyon about twenty minutes from my house. I should definitely get out and paint here more often since it is so close to home. I met up with a couple other artist friends Jesse Draper and David McClellan and settled in to see if I could make something happen.

It's always fun to observe and respond in paint to the subject in front of you. This one ended up being a challenge with a couple of misfires on the way to sorting out a decent composition. I particularly like the cloud shape I came up with and the shadow pattern on the peaks. The clouds were moving through so fast, I could hardly even snap a picture before they had blown past.

I ran out of time before I could fully resolve the foreground, but I like where things are going and will certainly be able to salvage a decent painting from it in the studio. I am sure I'll be looking at some good old Edgar Payne and Carl Rungius as I finish this one up.

As I was cleaning up to get home and back to the commercial projects, I saw a young bull moose about twenty yards off in the woods. His nubbin antlers were just beginning to form. By the time I reached the edge of the parking area, he had wandered up to say hello. I didn't get too close, but he could have cared less as he foraged his way along. I love getting out in nature to paint!

Zions Bank Show 2016 Is Tonight

2016-05-20T10:39:00.001-06:00

This piece is my latest large canvas and is anchoring my display.
"The Golden Hour" is 24" x 40" - $4200

Just a reminder that the annual Zions Bank Art Show (and sale) is tonight. I will have over a dozen paintings on display along with the work of over forty other talented artists. Everything is original (no prints at this show) so come by, enjoy the art, have some delicious snacks catered by local restaurants and enjoy some live music also. Most of all, if you are considering buying original art, please do so tonight and support our vibrant Utah area art scene.

I'll be on the 3rd floor where all the good snacks are! Come say hi!

Shout out to my friend and fellow artist Rob Colvin for taking the photo that inspired this painting. I appreciate his graciously allowing me to use it!

Location:

Zions Bank Financial Center
180 N University Ave in Provo, Utah

Time: 6:00- 9:00 p.m.

Remembering Jack Unruh

2016-05-18T10:31:00.000-06:00

The illustration world lost another superstar this week. Jack Unruh, one of the most talented men with a pen to ever grace the publishing world, left us and we are all the worse for his departure. He was an icon and a hero to all of us who wield a brush, pen or pencil. Sometimes in life you get to meet your heroes and I had the pleasure to interact with Jack on numerous occasions.

Rather than give a rundown of Jack's artistic accomplishments, which others have done so well in the posts that have flooded social media in the two days since he left us, I will just mention how Jack touched my life and career as a person. It seems many of the same posts are focusing on Jack Unruh the man more than the art anyway.

I first met Jack at a design conference in Park City, Utah in February of 1994. I almost didn't attend because of the cost but friend and organizer Don Weller allowed me the student rate even though I had graduated two years prior. The other reason to attend was that I would get to hear from and meet some of my heroes including C.F Payne, Braldt Bralds and of course, Jack Unruh. I was mesmerized by Jacks presentation and was equally charmed when he took a moment to look at my student portfolio and give some encouragement.

At the time, I was working full time at an educational software company creating clunky 16 bit illustrations and wishing I could figure out how to leave and begin my real illustration career. Little did I know that less than five months would pass before I would be laid off from that job and be thrown in with the sharks to sink or swim. In the back of my head I kept Jack's encouragement tucked in a safe spot for when I needed a boost. A few years passed and I had the chance to attend the very first ICON illustration conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

This was a watershed event for not only me, but for the entire industry. It was the first time in recent memory (or maybe ever to that point) that such a large group of illustrators were together in one place to discuss and celebrate the industry we all love. The very first evening, during the social hour, which by then had stretched past midnight, I found myself at the quieter edge of the lounge where I happened upon Chris Payne. I nervously reintroduced myself. He remembered me from the Park City conference and graciously agreed to look at my portfolio. My work had thankfully improved quite a bit from the previous years and we began to have a look. As we flipped the pages, I looked up and there was Gary Kelley who also joined in the perusal.

Each of them offered compliments and suggestions. I smiled and pinched myself. Two of my all time heroes were looking at my work! Just when I thought it could get no better, Chris looked up and saw Jack wandering the hall and called him over to join the critique. I could have died right there and been a happy man. Three of my favorite illustrators ever were looking at my work all at the same time! Better still, they had good things to say and offered much encouragement. I still remember Jack saying that he thought I was on a good track and that I just needed to keep working and I would make it. I ran into Jack again at the next ICON and he immediately remembered me. Jack had a wonderful way of remembering people and making you feel like a friend and that you mattered, even if years had passed since your last encounter.

The last time I got to be with Jack was in 2008 during a trip to Fort Worth, Texas. I was part of Murray Tinkelman's University of Hartford Illustration MFA program and we were enjoying a week of remote contact in the Lone Star State. Of course, Jack was a local and Murray had asked him to come in and show his work to our group. As always, Jack knocked it out of the park showing his fantastic pen and ink and watercolor masterpieces. He Juxtaposed the visuals with tales of deadlines, nightmare projects, dream art directors and fishing. There was always fishing. I think Jack would admit that if he didn't love drawing so much, he would only do it to support his fishing habit.

One thing he said during the presentation that day that stuck with me was "If you aren't having fun with your art, then why do it?" I think he loved making art almost as much as he loved fishing. After his presentation, I weaseled my way into the lunch group with Murray, Jack and a couple of others. Jack of course, remembered me and we enjoyed a nice hour of good food and tales of the industry (and fishing). Jack always made you feel like you were important. He asked what I was working on and continued to give encouragement, adding that I probably didn't need it by now. Of course we can all use encouragement. I know I need it, even after twenty two years in the art business.

Jack Unruh was one in a million. He was prolific, diverse, unique, and a sense of humor that could biting at times. He was a fantastic craftsman with a great sense of design a knack for brilliant use of negative space. We will not see anyone quite like Jack again, but I am grateful to have been a witness to his genius and to have rubbed shoulders at least a few times with this master of the pen. You will be missed Jack but take it easy on those trout in heaven. You've got eternity to wet that line.

A Bit of Paradise

2016-05-03T09:53:00.001-06:00

Around the Bend in Paradise- 9x12 Oil by Greg Newbold

So, yesterday I posted about painting with Josh Clare and shared some of the insights I gleaned from him. I had all those ideas fresh in my head as I set out after the morning demo discussion to make a little painting. Josh was really excited about the lighting conditions being mostly overcast. I have to admit that flat diffused light has never been my first choice. I am always looking and hoping for more dramatic light and shadow situations to paint, so this was a bit of a challenge for me.

We all drove to a stretch of riverfront in Avon, the hamlet adjacent to Paradise owned by Josh's friend and I set out to find the perfect vista. I wanted something that would present a composition that had both a variety of values as well as some dynamic lines. I decided to give this particular bend in the river a try. The river turns and separates around a couple of gravel bars and there were some nice areas of contrast between the bleached out log jams and the shadowy underside of the willows and trees. I set up in the trees and got to work.

For the most part the light stayed remarkably consistent over the two and a half hours that I painted and I soon gained an appreciation for Josh's passionate endorsement of overcast light. I don't think I will have such an aversion to painting on cloudy days in the future. About halfway through my effort, Josh swung by and gave me a few pointers on the progress of my painting and even put down a few strokes to show me what he was talking about. I forged ahead and think the end result is pretty successful. I will be touching it up a bit in studio to pull it all together, but overall, it was a good day and a good effort. I learned a lot and made some mini breakthroughs regarding the process I have been using to lay down paint.

Painting with Josh Clare

2016-05-02T10:52:00.001-06:00

Josh Clare explains his working method while demonstration in Paradise, Utah

I had the pleasure of painting the vistas of Beautiful Cache Valley, Utah last week with the very talented Josh Clare. He lives in Paradise, quite literally. His home town is Paradise,Utah. In case you are unfamiliar with Josh's work, here are a couple of examples of his outstanding paintings and you can see more at his website.

As an artist I am constantly looking for opportunities to improve my craft, and I think there is no better way to learn than painting with artists who are better than or have different skills than you do. Since I am a late comer to oil painting (just the last few years), I jumped at the opportunity to spend the day with Josh. I met him last fall on another painting excursion and was struck by his down to earth style of explaining the nuts and bolts of landscape painting and the oil medium in particular. Jost has a great sense of color and his application of paint is lush and inviting. Josh was very generous in sharing tips on how to compose a picture, the importance of value, color chroma and edges. A couple of tidbits he shared struck me and are good reminders to all of us as we try to learn the alchemy that is oil painting.

None of the ideas he shared are new and I have heard them before, but sometimes they sink in a little further when you are better prepared to understand them. Here are a couple of things he shared that I will be incorporating into my process or at least keeping in the back of my head while I work. Josh said "the tonal arrangement is key and must have the most interesting arrangement of light and dark shapes. Good tonal arrangement covers a multitude of sins." Of course I have heard this before and have even pounded it into the heads of my own students when I teach, but it's always a good reminder that without appropriate value contrasts and patterns, a piece can fall apart in a hurry.

Josh also talked quite a bit about the balance between thick and thin paint. This aspect of paint application has been a bit of a mystery to me as I spent so many years of my illustration career laboriously layering thin washes of acrylic paint to arrive at my final result. Josh stressed the need to arrive at a balance between thick and thin paint and the concept of "reserving" as you paint. This, he explained is where you hold back on aspects of color, value and thick juicy paint strokes in order to use those areas of dark accent value (or highlights), high chroma color and thick strokes as accents to your overall statement. These areas should be places where you want your eye to focus.

Early paint application- blocking in the shape, value and color

Josh also reaffirmed my instinct to have at least one favorite "nasty" brush. You know, that brush that is so hammered that it can only be used to apply those random, accidental stokes of paint that look so spontaneous and honest when you lay them down. I was glad to hear he has a few of these that are missing half their bristles and splay out in crazy fashion. I was glad I brought my favorite "nasty" brush.

Josh Clare final demo result. Subject to tweaking in studio.

He also explained why his method of painting on a smooth surface allows so much flexibility in paint application. He prefers working on primed and gessoed masonite panels (as do I) but his starting surface is somewhat smoother than mine which allows smoother early application of paint. The thinness of these first passages allow him to build up easily to the thicker more textural finishing strokes.

The best part of the day was taking this renewed inspiration into the field in the afternoon and trying out some of the tips he shared. The day was overcast which allowed a longer than usual stretch of consistent light. I'll post that painting next.

Art and Soup is This Week

2016-02-29T09:37:00.001-07:00

Oasis- 12" x 12' Oil by Greg Nrewbold.

Sorry for the lapse in posts, but I have been painting like crazy on new oil paintings for this week's Art and Soup event. If you are unfamiliar with Art and Soup, it is a yearly fundraising gala for Community Nursing Services of Utah.

Snow Canyon Morning- 12" x 16" oil by Greg Newbold

Annually they hold a three day event to raise money to help under served and disabled patients get the nursing care they need. At the same time, artists benefit from the sale and exposure of Their work. I think it's a win for everyone and I am excited to be involved this year.

Stansbury Bales- 12" x 20" oil by Greg Newbold

Tickets are $20 available at the door for Wednesday or Thursday sessions. Forty-four artists and twenty five restaurants will be on site so you know the food will be fabulous with something for everyone's taste. A percentage of the artist's sales will go to CNS. Tuesday night's Premiere event is sold out, but if you can make it to the other sessions, come join me! I'd love to chat and share my new paintings with you! If you are looking to buy something, I will have about thirty original oil paintings as well as note cards and prints of the painting featured in this year's calendar, all for sale. Come check it out.

Session times are as follows:

Tuesday, March 1, 2016; 5-9 p.m. -- SOLD OUT
Wednesday, March 2, 2016; Lunch 11:00-2:00 and Dinner 5-9 p.m.
Thursday, March 3, 2016; Lunch 11:00-2:00 and Dinner 5-9 p.m.

Location:

Salt Palace Convention Center Grand Ballroom

100 West Temple

Salt Lake City, UT

Map

Art and Soup Facebook page

Ben Franklin for Scholastic

2016-01-31T19:35:00.001-07:00

Ben Franklin, Inventor by Greg Newbold

In the last few months I have done several jobs that I couldn't show immediately and this one for Scholastic's Science Spin was one of them. I got the chance to do one of the classic inventors and statesmen in American history, Benjamin Franklin. When I was in elementary school, I loved the Weekly Reader and other publications from Scholastic and now I get to work with them. This project involved a cover depicting Ben along with of several of the things he invented, namely, The gas street lamp seen out the window, a book grabbing tool, the famous "Franklin Stove", bifocal glasses and one that didn't catch on. In case you can't locate this lesser known invention in the picture, Ben is sitting in a chair that he engineered with a foot pedal powered flapper that would move the air above his head to shoo away flies while he was reading. Needless to say, it didn't catch on.

Ben's Lightning Rod- by Greg Newbold

The interior article illustrates a live demonstration of his lightning rod, a concept that all modern lightning rods are based on. Not only was Franklin a great inventor, he was a writer, printer, theorist, statesman and diplomat, along with being a signer of the Declaration of Independence. I had a great time working on this, and I'm currently working on another similar project for Scholastic that, of course, I will show at a later date when it is published.

At Night In Tribeca

2016-01-11T11:11:00.001-07:00

"One belongs to New York instantly.
One belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years."

-Tom Wolfe

Anyone who has been to New York knows that evening can be a vibrant and fun time to hit the town. I'm pleased to have my work add to the enjoyment of a night out in the Big Apple, so here's a little show and tell. I couldn't resist sharing this shot of the window mural I did for the Tribeca Barnes & Noble store all lit up for the evening. If you get a chance to drop by the store, check out my contribution to the New York City scene!

Read all about the Tribeca mural project here

Santa Brought Art Books Again

2016-01-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

My wife and kids think that my Christmas lists are boring. I inevitably include the year's rundown of art book wants on my list with things like socks and gum. This year was no different and as always, Santa and the family have obliged. Anyway, I always look forward to digging deeply into my new art book editions and this year is no exception. Here's a quick run down of the books I got this year.

Exploring Calvin and Hobbes

An Exhibition Catalog by Bill Watterson.

Who doesn't love Calvin and Hobbes? I have enjoyed the escapades of Calvin and his stuffed (or real) tiger since the strip debuted in 1985. It's hard to believe that it only lasted ten years before creator Bill Watterson decided it had run it's course, but we take what we can get, right?

This volume was produced in conjunction with a major retrospective exhibit mounted a couple of years back, but the major draw for me was the rare and wide ranging interview that is included. Watterson is candid and funny as he describes the ins and outs of how the strip came about, how difficult it was to maintain the creative edge and what ultimately led to the retirement of the strip. He also touches on why he has never exploited what would undeniably be a cash cow in the merchandising Calvin and Hobbes. This book is enjoyable as a cross section of what is, in my opinion, the greatest comic strip of our generation if not of all time (sorry Schulz), but what makes it worth every cent is the Watterson interview.

Sorolla: The Masterworks

by Bianca Pons Sorolla

My first book on the master Spanish impressionist painter Joaquin Sorolla. I'm glad to finally have one in my collection after many years of covetous longing after previous rare or overpriced editions.

I have not read the text by the great granddaughter of the artist yet, but the reproductions are good, especially given the rather affordable cover price. I hope that it is as insightful as the reproductions are to anyone enamored by the lush paint and fine draftsmanship of Sorolla.

The Idea of North: The Paintings of Lawren Harris

by Steve Martin and Cynthia Burlingham

This is the first major volume on the work of Lawren Harris that I can recall and it's a beauty. I have been fascinated by the works of the Group of Seven artists for quite some time now, ever since I found a volume on these Canadian artists at a used book store in the pre-internet days.

Harris is often overshadowed by Tom Thomson, whose work and untimely early death led to the formation of the Group of Seven, but here he gets his due. The book is essentially the exhibition catalog of a major retrospective spearheaded by art aficionado, collector and comedian, Steve Martin. It is lavishly illustrated in full color with a number of closeups that show Harris' brush stroke and surface texture. I look forward to digging into this volume much deeper as the weeks go by.

The Golden Age: Masterworks From The Golden Age of Illustration

Volume 3 by Daniel Zimmer

Brought to us by the man behind Illustration Magazine, Dan Zimmer unveils this third volume in the series of illustration masterworks. All images have been newly photographed from the original art and is a stunning overview of some of the best picture making of the era. There is no text, just pictures and like previous volumes, the reproductions are top notch. Well worth the price for any lover of early to mid 20th Century illustration, or any fan of good art, for that matter.

Santa knows just how to satisfy my art book cravings (OK, mostly because I give him a list), but nevertheless, it was a banner year for art books under the Christmas tree. Thanks Santa!

Ed Eyestone For BYU Magazine

2015-12-30T17:13:00.000-07:00

I finished these three pieces up a few weeks back for BYU Magazine to accompany an article by All American and Olympic runner Ed Eyestone.

First concept for opener

Eyestone shares several life lesson anecdotes in the article including the time when he gave his last ounce of energy during a race and collapsed short of the finish line. His coach told him that he had "run like a horse" meaning that a horse will run until it collapses and never gives up simply because the task is too hard.

Final Drawing

A mule on the other hand, will simply stop and refuse to continue on when it tires, despite prodding. He had pushed himself until he dropped and that made his coach proud. This experience was the inspiration for the opening spread.

Another spot dealt with Eyestone's interaction with the team trainer when as a freshman, he wanted the same post workout massage as the senior runners. The Finnish trainer said "you don't waste the black powder on the small birds" but then relented and treated him the same as the rest of the team. This experience taught him that everyone is important.

The final spot dealt with how small things can help you reach your goals. Kyle perry had set the goal to run a sub four minute mile and then concentrated on all the small things that would help him reach his goal, including a strict training regimen and diet and focusing on a list of ten small things he would do every day as he trained. He dropped from a 4:05 to a 3:59.16. Concentrating on the small things had helped Perry reach his goal.

All pieces were drawn first in graphite and then scanned and painted in Photoshop. Handmade crackle texture was added at the end.

Barnes & Noble Tribeca Store Mural

2015-12-07T11:34:00.002-07:00

Tribeca Barnes & Noble Facade Mural by Greg Newbold

Last spring, I was approached by Barnes and Noble about creating a full front facade window mural for their Tribeca, New York store. The store facade consists of floor to ceiling windows divided into six sections. The storefront look was a little tired and they wanted to upgrade by installing a site specific mural.

Existing Store front windows were pretty bland

The goal was to spice up the facade, make it more inviting and give a little flavor of what Barnes & Noble has to offer. Having never done a project that was specifically intended to be enlarged to building size, I was excited to tackle something this big.

Initial client provided direction sketch

We went through an initial round of sketches where the focus was to be primarily about what the store offered by way of services and ambiance on the inside. One of the main criteria was to feature the Cafe' cup, so I created a concept that included it prominently. The steam swirling above the cup would fall behind the store logo to add interest in an otherwise empty space.

First round idea sketch

Here is what the first concept sketch looked like with individuals browsing books and a group of kids enjoying a story time. They also wanted to give the impression that gifts other than books were a big part of the store vibe, so we went with some swirling Lego blocks and a gift card along with the books. I sent the sketch off and as sometimes happens, the concept was killed. After seeing what was requested, the client decided that they would scrap this approach and brainstorm something else and get back to me. Of course that's always disappointing, but I was paid a sketch fee and moved on to other projects.

Woolworth Building

Franklin Street Subway entrance with it's distinctive arched roof

A few months went by and then I got word that the Tribeca mural project was back on with a revised direction. This time, rather than focus on the inside of the store, they determined that the focus should be on the the Tribeca neighborhood and include a couple of landmarks that would be recognizable to everyone, namely the Woolworth Building and the Franklin Street subway entrance. The carryover from the first concept was the cafe' cup with it's swirling steam, which the client loved. I also needed to include a space that would be cut out to allow the events poster to be changed out every week as well as the hours of operation. I though it would be fun to have these areas as pages of a book.

Approved rough sketch

Final Drawing with adjusted Events and Hours sections

I set out to revise the sketch and try to capture a bit of the eclectic feel of the neighborhood and New York in general. I wanted something very NYC and after some discussion, we decided there was nothing that said New York more than a yellow taxi cab. Here's the rough sketch as it was approved and the final drawing that I used to create my Photoshop painting.

Final drawing with window template in place to check fit

I wanted a warm palette with nice contrasts of blue and lavender in the shadows and I think I achieved a nice color balance. I particularly like the angle of light coming from the late afternoon sun filtering through the clouds. Below is a later stage progression as I moved from underpainting to final details ( I forgot to save out earlier stages). The most evident areas of change were to the left side of the painting where you can see the purple undertones.

The scale was big for this project. It was determined that the art needed to be somewhere around 100 pixels per square inch on the full size reproduction, so I worked on a file that stretched the RAM capacity of my machine the final file was over 700 MB. I tried to merge layers as much as possible during the process in order to keep the file size down but even so, the finished file was the biggest I have ever dealt with. The upload alone to about three hours thanks to my less than lightning fast upload speeds.

Final are mocked into place on facade

Here is a digital mock up of the store facade with the painting in place. Barnes & Noble is currently working on installation of the full size vinyl reproduction and I will post an update when I get pictures of it. It's kind of fun to know that thousands of people will enjoy my art on the streets of New York in the coming months and years.

Also, see a previous Barnes & Noble Project here

Just a Little Nibble Won't Hurt...

2015-10-30T11:14:00.000-06:00

"Just A Little Nibble Won't Hurt..." - digital by Greg Newbold

I finished my scary version of this piece a little too late for Halloween last year, so it had to wait. I had originally done this as a poster for for the depressingly alcoholic stage play"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", which is scary for completely different reasons.

I just couldn't resist the allure of a gaping mouth and it called to me to turn it into a vampire. Next step is to combine the two into a gif or animation of some sort, but I haven't taken the time to figure out how that works just yet. Maybe next year! In the meantime, have a fun Halloween and stay safe!

September Gallery Sales

2015-10-03T17:09:00.001-06:00

Approaching Storm- 36" x 24" Oil on canvas by Greg Newbold

September Still- 12" x 9" Oil on panel by Greg Newbold

I'm pleased to get word from Evergreen Framing Co. & Gallery that two pieces from my recent show have sold. It's still hanging for a couple more weeks, so take a minute to swing by and see it if you are in town. I'm happy to see these paintings go to their new homes. Now, time to get some new paintings underway for the Art & Soup night at the beginning of March, 2016.

If you can go:

Evergreen Framing Co. & Gallery
3295 South 2000 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84109

Hours- M-F 9:30 am-6:00 pm Sat- 10:00 am- 5:00 pm Closed Sun

Previous Post about the show
And another post as well