Tyson Rules

This is a link to my friend Tyson's blog. He did a zombie portrait of me that's pretty amazing. Definitely go check out his work and commission him to do something for you!

http://tysontaumaoe.blogspot.com/2010/10/holly-tamale.html

New Painting- "I'm not who I was"

I finished this painting last night! I'm super happy with it. It's approximately 11 by 14 or something like that. It's my part of a trade I did with Nickhole! Love her.

I have fancy prints made of these- a limited edition run of only 20. Once they're gone, they're gone! No more prints will ever be made, unless Nickhole the owner of the original, for some reason decides to copy hers. :)

Prints are only $20, each is signed and numbered. $5 for shipping if that's applicable. email me for availability if interested! hollymaria25@yahoo.com

Thanks guys!

Hand tattoos are awesome!

I got to do this fun tattoo today on a walk in! I wish everyday was like today! Thanks Ian!

New Painting!

This is a horrible photo, since it's too large to scan I just took a cell phone pic (and I've got an old phone, back when they only put 1 megapixel in a camera phone ^_^)
I'm really happy with how this turned out, and had a lot of fun drawing it and painting it. I'm getting a lot faster at drawing up things and kind of having more fun because of it.

Been getting a lot of shit for liking traditional. I really don't care. I have never knocked on some one for specializing in something that isn't traditional. I don't plan to ever do so, either. To be honest, I really don't care. Some one told me when I started my apprenticeship that I can do what I like- if you like portraits, do portraits, if you like new skool, do it. If you want to specialize in traditional, fucking specialize in traditional.

All I know is that I have more fun drawing traditional, I like the way it looks, I like that it's classic, and there's a simple look to it, although it's complex in a way, and has a great deal to do with composition. Clean lines. It's not the same imagery over and over again, like most people think. You can take any image and make it traditional. And from what I've found out, the assholes that dog on me for liking this style, will admit it's only because they don't understand it.

Ok I'm done ranting.

More paintings soon. Cause it's what I like to do. And I'll probably keep doing it.

Background Walk Through

I just remembered I had a blog, so here's a little update!

We finished with the 30 in 30- I stopped posting paintings so there are a few mysteries. Or did I post them all? Can't remember. Either way, look out for a mini book we're publishing. And prints, as always, blah blah.

Today I'm going to do a quick walk through of one of my favorite backgrounds I like to do for my paintings. Go dark, why not?

Here's a design I drew out this morning when I couldn't sleep. On Arches cold press block.

I usually always paint wet on wet anyway- but first I wet the entire area- and I mean really get it drenched.

Slap some black on it. I use Talens black for my backgrounds- so it wont pick up while you're painting. Pretty much I just get all the outside super black, and bring it in. Even if it's entirely black, which it will be at some point, don't freak out because it's wet you can lift it up with a paper towel.

Dab a little dab a little in the middle.

Drip a few little clusters of Talens from your bottle at the end, pat it with a paper towel so it doesn't take 14 years to dry, and you're good.

I'll play around with it for a few washes. Re-wetting the entire area, re-applying more Talens, getting ink all over my desk and hands. I usually always prefer to do my backgrounds first, then finish painting. Some may argue with me, but whatevs. Do what I want.

Drinking out of Cups!

A little while ago I held a facebook challenge to see who could come up with the best knuckle tattoo idea! This is the submission I chose for the winner. The winner received an original 5 by 7 watercolor painting. Please friend request me, too, because I plan to hold more fun contests like this one with originals as the prize.


I was kinda bored at work one day, so I painted this up real quick. It's a tribute to a great youtube video. It's the animated lizard set to some guys acid trip. So great. I'll link it:

Drinking Out of Cups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skCV2L0c6K0

Two New Collabs!

Just a quick update for today! Both of these were drawn by Nick Bones.

Hope you enjoy the finished rose/crab from yesterdays post. Later!

How to improve just about anything by layering yellow!

I thought it might be fun to write out a little walk through for this post. This is a painting, one of our 30 in 30 collabs Nick and I have been working on. He drew this up and started it, so now I get to finish it up.

I was explaining this little trick to Kelsey one day, and it's something I just about religiously do. It works great with your greens and especially browns! It's so easy to make anything that's brown come to life by layering over a little yellow at the end.

This is the before picture, with no yellow in the leaves/legs. It's pretty simple...


For this, I used Dr Martin's watercolor instead of FWs. If you use Dr. Martin's, just dip your brush in the paint, then brush over the entire area. If you're using FWs, I will usually dip in the paint, then do a quick dip in your water cup to dilute the paint a bit, then brush over the entire area.

If you don't brush over the ENTIRE area, it'll leave choppy paint lines. you want to wet the entire area for each color you add. This is important, but I'll go over that maybe sometime later.


I brush over the entire area here, starting at the tip, then right into the green and over the black. Over the ENTIRE AREA. You can do this, I know Dr. Martins are smudgy and annoying, but you can STILL do layering when you paint.


This is the end result. You can see that the leaves are brighter, and prettier. :) Next time I'm painting something with brown, I'll do another walk through, because it's so so so worth the extra step to do this same thing with your browns. They'll look richer, and less mucky!


I'll post the finished painting in the next couple days with some more collabs! Hope this was somewhat helpful, I'll do a few of these walk through tips every once in a while.

Ohio

If I was doing this right now, enjoying the company of my Ohio friends, I'd be refreshed.

Collabs...Again...

We are nearing the end of 30 in 30, just a few more left to do! Then I can focus on a few things I've been keeping in the back burner. I will try to always update this blog with whatever project I have going on. Usually I'll start about 10 things at once, so I don't get too burnt out on any one thing. But, naturally, I just end up procrastinating. So, needless to say, I've got many many many unfinished paintings stashed away in my apartment.

Also! I've decided to do a convention with Nickhole in January! Surf and Ink in Australia. Check her out at nickholetattoos.com She has become some one I look up to and respect in the tattoo industry. She's a no nonsense type of gal, and I dig that shit. She's very passionate as well. She's just awesome man.

2 New Collabs

I know it's been a while since I've uploaded some new collabs. We are not behind, just slacking on the uploads.
Nick drew these. And my real blood is in the top one. While I was working on it, I pricked my thumb pretty good and it bled out for about an hour. So that was fun.

In other news, my car is still gone. I keep hoping that it'll be found on the side of the road here any day now. I'm still hopeful for that one. Although I'm pretty sure it's being cut up for parts about now. Biiiiiiig sad face on that one.

Work is stressful as well. I love and respect everyone I work with and for, but my cheerful and positive attitude are being misread for cockiness, not confidence. It's hard to stay positive in an environment that is so negative.

Also, it's shark week! Get ready for shark tattoos!!

My Car Was Stolen Today

And I'm very sad about this. More because I know that whoever has it doesn't love it nearly as much as I do. Sure it was old, but it was reliable. I was looking forward to putting another 100,000 miles on it. We've had a lot of good memories together. And I'll sure miss it.

Wear black for us tomorrow. Wear black.

Vegas Tattoos

Finally got some tattoo pictures up here. I'm going to make more of an effort to post the tattoos I like too.

I did these today on a super fun couple from Texas. Fun times indeed. Later gaters.

Two New Collabs

These are additions 14 and 15, according to Nick. I haven't been counting. So that means we're halfway through to our 30 in 30 days. Pretty fun still, getting a little tired of drawing so many damn roses, but it's good practice! Until next time.

Also, I know I need to post some fun tattoos on this blog as well. I'm on it.

Keyhole

Here's a little guy I did today at work. FWs on Arches. Anyone else feel like it should be nap time? I'm sleepy. Bye all.

Gifted to Joey Vegas cause he's pretty much awesome.

Shark

Here's a painting I made for another trade I did with Tyson! Shark, nom nom nom! Enjoy.

Hammer and Shoe Collab

Here are a few I finished tonight that Nick had started. Pretty sweet! More work to do now...laters gaters.

More of these thangs

More collabs done with Bones! I drew these two. And I love them. Enjoy!

Hot Dog Collab

Here's the newest addition to our collaboration project. I think this might be the ninth one. Drawn by myself. Nick rules. Stoked for the next two I've got drawn up, the shits about to get fancy. Love love.

More Collabs with Bones

Huzzah! What a productive day, huh? Here are the latest collabs done with my buddy Nick Bones. He's super awesome. Come to Vegas and let us love you. Together. With art. Art love. Forever.

Ohio

Here's a new painting I did the past couple days. It's FWs on Arches cold press. 5 by 7. pretty happy with how it turned out, enjoy!

Glory!

Just one lil' painting to post for today. Still a whole bunch more ahead of us!

We decided to try and do 30 of these in 30 days, or at least average one a day. We've also developed some rules. Each one must have a rose and a light ray.

We've been knocking these guys out pretty quick, and still having a lot of fun with em. This little project has definitely motivated and refreshed some inspiration for me.

More later!

More Collabs!

Some more collabs done by myself and Nick Bones! Super fun! All 5 by 7s on Arches! Stoked! Love him.

Skull Collab

This is a painting collab with Nick Bones! I saw it laying around the shop, he had drawn it and joking around I said, "I'm just going to go ahead a finish this for you." So, I did the rose and light ray thing and finished it off with the green background. Drawing and rest of the painting was done by him. Talens and FWs on Arches. 5 by 7. More to come!

Chiaroscuro

My two favorite things: chiaroscuro and roses. (and Rosie O'Donnell but never mind...) This was a small exercise I did a few weeks ago done in Talens ink. I've been working on a series of 3 roses in color with oils in this style. It's been super fun...hopefully I'll be able to post them soon.

anchor and eagle

Here are a few paintings I've finished this week. Finished the eagle last night at work for 4th of July. It's a trade I did with Tyson, who is amazing. Both are 8 x 10s on Arches cold press. Ink, liquid acrylic and watercolor. More later!

Key

I've had the pleasure of working with Nick Bones this week. Today was my last morning working with him. It was a slow week, so I had time to paint this key. It was my second time using Dr. Martin's liquid watercolor and first time using FWs liquid acrylic. Lots of fun and super happy with the way it turned out. Gifted to Tuna for our 2 year anniversary.