The art of José (Snare) Martinez

Still hangin' around?

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Sat, 07 Sep 2013 06:32:00 +0000

Still hangin' around? I hope so. I'm still doodling and drawing stuff. Here is something I did recently. I'm still trying to work out a few things ... but this one is a fun one.

Logan - warm up

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Sat, 17 Aug 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Gonna stop this doodle right here so I can get my Pink Moscato on ... LIKE A MAN!
fyi ... seriously thinking of changing my name to Logan ...
discuss ...

Logan - Snarl Study

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 01:00:00 +0000

Wolverine "snarl" - study

Back to Work

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 04:11:00 +0000

Here is my latest chalk at the store. I'm really proud of this one considering how long It took me to get back on the 'art bike' (due to injury) and how quickly I was able to knock this out. Lots more to come.
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Enjoy :)

parumpapumpum

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 06:44:00 +0000

parumpapumpum!

We made 2 of these drums for the specialty department. I luv these! ^_^

The drum is made of wood & used to contain cheese wheels. Pretty cool shape!
The green stripes and text are a digital (illustrator) file on 3 sheets of 11"x17" (tabloid) paper.
The rope is ribbon from floral dept.
The 'push pins' are 'push pins' :)
The bottom stripe is a 'red (plastic) grocery channel strip'
The top & bottom edges were pained with woodcraft

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More WFM holiday pics to follow :)

Oh November, how I miss thee ...

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 03:36:00 +0000

Here are 2 more pieces that I was particularly proud of. We did a massive 'fall tree' in the store foyer that actually looked better in person from the outside of the store. The second was my favorite portrait for the month of November. Maybe it was the angle of the photo, but this one was way easier then the 1st.
More to come :)
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Enjoy!

Just havin some fun :)

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 05:32:00 +0000

I've been dying to draw this goofy face!
I had fun with this one ... & still working out the artistic kinks :)
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Enjoy :)

I made this at work today.

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 01:03:00 +0000

We're working on some new stuff at work for the upcoming holidays :) I guess the goal is 5 portraits in 7 days. Vinny has done 2 so far and is working on #3. This is my 1st & I'm hoping my second one goes faster and looks better :D
...
Enjoy!

Figure drawing ... back to pencils

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 03:28:00 +0000

Looks like my experiment with various inks at live model sessions has run run its course. Its time to go back to pencil and start all over again. This was the only drawing I was happy with.
It was the final pose of the night at Sunday's Dr. Sketchy's. Oh well. :)

I'm So Freeking Honored!

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 01:39:00 +0000

The other day, I get a message from a friend of mine on facebook, The Rising Sun Quest. He's an MC, a producer and most importantly, a dad. His son is in HS. He has a sketch book and has been keeping it under wraps. Been there! Done that!

So Quest shows his son my blog & the album art I did for him. Boom! Connection. Dialogue. Bonding. Dopeness! All from 1 drawing I created for him. Pretty cool.

But here's the kicker.
2 days later, Quest gets a text from another friend of his in Bridgeport. Saying "so, my son came home from school and drew this" ...

I don't know this friend ... or how old his kid is. But I do want to say ...

I'm honored and touched. What's that? 4 degrees of separation? I've never had someone draw one of my drawings. Ever. You (mysterious friend) have no idea how much I needed this moment. I'm going to keep drawing and creating ... whatever it may be.
...
The uncertainty.
The doubt.
The questions: "Will they like it?" "Am I good enough?" "Will they understand?"
We go thru it everyday. Every minute. Every second we draw.
The doubt.
It comes.
It goes.
It hides.
Create until its gone ... Then create some more.
^_^

Something New in the Works

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 05:12:00 +0000

Something new I'm working on.
Steampunk girl with a 'Wine Barrel/Pirate Telescope' gun & Sprocket Leg braces. heh
No kitchen sink. ^_^

Pizza & Sandwich Retro Chalks: Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 01:51:00 +0000

Friday was a good "chalk" day. I completed 2 new chalks (sketched above) & started brainstorming 3 others.

Pics will be up soon.
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Yay!

Falling for fall

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 00:46:00 +0000

I've been quite busy the last few months ... so let's get right to it.
Fall is here & that means PUMPKIN BEER! lol ^_^
I attacked this display little by little and eventually just had to leave it alone and move on.

Unfortunately the following characters are not my creation. Simply my execution and rendering of the WFM regional "holiday design package".
But still fun fun fun!

Front

Back

Me ^_^

Trick or Beer!

Die Cut Pumpkin Dangler

Trick or Beer (chalk)

A preview of something ...

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 23:35:00 +0000

... i'm working on

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enjoy

My First Two WFM Milford Chalks ... ever ever

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 01:46:00 +0000

Even before landing the new gig at the Milford store I was presented with a challenge while moonlighting at the store. "There is a sad freezer in the seafood department. Can you make it look better?" :) Well ... once I heard that a chalk fit perfectly on the lid, I immediately went to town. I painted the 3 sides that face outwards in addition to replicating some royalty free images I found on Corbis.

The 2nd smaller chalk you see is still up on the S'Mores display. I refused to write the word S'Mores & my Team Leader backed me up on that one :) Its funny, while I was taking this picture today, a little kid was touching it and calling his Mom over to see it.
Maybe he was trying to steal it? Who knows. That made my day. ^_^

Neither of these 2 pieces are original concepts but they are definitely my 'style.
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Enjoy

From Fairfield to Milford

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 01:48:00 +0000

There are quite a few "final signs" on my WFM Fairfield list but I liked these 2 the best. The baseball one just kicks floor-writing but. I had to prove to myself that I could freehand this with reference & I banged it out. The bakery one (while probably misspelled to some humans) is my take on tic-tac-toe.
'Twas fun Fairfield. Onwards to Milford :)

Sunz Out! Gunz Out!

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 04:45:00 +0000

We went to a farm.
We said hi to the turkeys, geese, and sheep.
Jay grabbed an edge trimmer.
My boss said he looked crazy.
The illustration seeds were planted.
...
Unfortunately no one actually took of their shirts :(
^_^
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Enjoy!

Happy Saturday the 14th

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 12:13:00 +0000

Looks like I missed Friday the 13th by a day.
haha!
Happy Saturday the 14th ^_^
-
Enjoy

Some new WFM signs

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 02:48:00 +0000

Its been a long hard week. I'll be moving to a different WFM store in Milford. I'll be the lead artist there & I've already completed a few cool projects. I just need a better method for taking pics than my busted cell phone.
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Enjoy

My 1st Drink & Draw @ Hope Gallery Tattoo

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 02:00:00 +0000

Sharpie Poster-Paint / Brush Pen

Highlighter / Sharpie Poster-Paint / Marker

Marker / China Marker

Marker

I got my RSVP in on time and got to hang out with some really cool artists at Hope Gallery Tattoo in New Haven last night. I met the uber talented Joe Capobianco and Julio Rodriguez who are super cool and super awesome at what they do.
I've been ditching the pencil a lot lately & jumping right into drawing sessions with straight up ink. The freedom and recklessness that comes with ink is really fun.
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Happy Friday the 13th!

Goose Island Beer (Floor Art)

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 01:13:00 +0000

I've done a lot of floor art at the Market, but none made me smile more than this piece. It's like a Jesus painting. The eyes will follow you wherever you walk :)
~
enjoy

45 Square Feet of Blood, Sweat, Tears and Paint!

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 02:01:00 +0000

Here we have the largest hanging sign I've ever created. The end result was not 100% of what I envisioned but to get this done & hanging in a decent amount of time, I had to sacrifice a few details. Once Corey showed me the 'retro sign' reference I fearlessly jumped right in. Here is what went into creating this 6ft x 4ft "retro sign". Oh yeah ... its 2 sided? omg!

Materials

2 - 2ft x 6ft "peak pick"signs
4 - cardboard boxes
1 - baler wire (secret ingredient)
4 - cans of spray paint (2 red, 1 yellow, 1 blue)
respirator (optional ^_^)
liquidchalk markers (used for priming & detailing)
fishing wire (monofilament)
double sided foam tape

Process
hold breath

grab plenty of reference
sketch out rough sign onto two 2'x6' signs, then precisely measure and mark in white marker - (figure it all out now because there's no going back after you cut)
cut, cut, & cut - (cut glove is optional ^_^)
prime sign (1 coat black primer) - (let dry). You should be able to still see your white lines
tape off (mask) arrow areas, spray paint red area - (let dry)
tape off (mask) red area, spray paint arrow area - (let dry)
transfer 'DIVE - IN' lettering onto cardboard x2 - remember, its 2 signs in 1 ^_^
cut out and then prime 3D lettering (let dry)
spray paint 3D lettering (let dry)

breathe or keep holding breath

detail/shade 3D letters then affix, add drop shadow
transfer 'to something new', paint, then add drop shadow
once the letters were all done I added the pinstripes (aka: faux neon lights) and drop shadows to any elements that needed dimensionality
find a circle template and go nuts with adding 'light bulbs' - these are 5" apart
paint & highlight light-bulbs
thread baler wire thru and get it ready for hanging
loop both wire ends at the top to tie monofilament
call in reinforcements to help hang sign :)

breathe
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enjoy

Quit Bugging Me ...

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 04:22:00 +0000

For Edin:
Now shut up about the graffiti already!
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^_^

1 paninni, 2 paninni, 3 paninni, 4 ...

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:58:00 +0000

I had to bang out 6 small illustrations in 1 sitting. Definitely a challenge. I learned the hard way that you really have to let the paint dry before moving on to more colors :( Chalk paint is tough at times.
ps:
I snuck in a skyline :)

COMTE

noreply@blogger.com (Jose Martinez) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:49:00 +0000

Here is the chalk I did for the May 'cheese of the month'. I like the June chalk I did is way better. I'll post that picture soon.