maker's mark

 

My friend use to love ordering this drink.

Oscar Wilde

"Art is our spirited protest, our gallant attempt to teach nature her proper place. " - Oscar Wilde

Highland Park

another 12

Glenlivet

my new favorite drink, after the black.

Johnnie Walker Black Label

The good old Black Label.

Bavarian Style

I miss the freshly baked pretzels with sticks of butter from Ingolstadt, Germany. The ones here tastes like cardboard. no thanks.

Mississippi Mud

drinkin' some Mississippi Mud. The fact that it's in a jug makes this awesome. You just stick your index finger in the eyelet and tip the jar over your shoulder, and enjoy. However, it's missing the 'XXX' markings.

 While enjoying the Miss mud, I watched Castaway on the Moon, Kim Ssi Pyo Ryu Gi. A strange film that I thoroughly enjoyed. It's about a guy who gets stranded on an island when he decided to end his life by jumping off a bridge, but fails. and now is stuck there. The film is absurd and sweet. Check it out if you want to experience something fascinating.

fluorescent kitchen

fluorescent lighting is something that looks unflattering in real life. As someone would say, "it's a girl's nightmare".
however, in films they look interesting. Wong Kar Wei uses a lot of fluorescent lighting. So when I was painting this one, I had his films in mind.

Travel Town

People actually hang out here! With so many people walking about, it almost seems like an active station, with people arriving at their destination, Travel Town.

I keep thinking it's called ToonTown, with the two T's. But as many know, it's a great place to paint trains in Griffith Park.

Watercolor.

Lacy Park

watercolor painting of Lacy Park. It's a really nice park in San Marino. The drive there is nice too, passing by all the mansions. One day...

Rainbow sandals

Rainbow sandals are very popular and known to be very comfortable, but at a price. and who knew that price would be confusion.

(click image)

So one night, I had friends come over. It was a warm night, and so everyone decided to wear sandals, and guess what, we all owned the same pair. you can really only distinguish your sandals from another by the subtle difference in the wear of the sole. and that wear does not look pretty... If you own one, you know what I'm talking about. It turns black. 

well, the next morning, I go to wear my sandals and when I slipped it on, it felt different. and the wear didn't look right. Someone took my sandals!? and the guy who took it just came back from Thailand. I kept picturing where he walked around in that sweaty sandal out-of-country. i felt really uncomfortable wearing it the whole day. It's like wearing someone's used clothing, but worse because how often does one wash sandals? 

giving some color to the veteran

I decided to paint the korean veteran. He's a very interesting character that will be in my head for a while.

korean veteran that looked intense at a McDonalds

i had to draw this guy. he must be the most grumpiest looking McDonald's costumer. He sat there slouched over, soulless. eating slowly. Actually he was there with someone that looked like his wife. They didn't talk. they just ate.
Then a young private walked in. and when the veteran spotted him, you could see the life in the veteran rising from the ashes. He was thrilled! He jumped out of his seat, ran up to the soldier and started chatting it up. the private could only nod. you could tell he wanted to leave but was  being respectful. He kept nodding and smiling. but after his food got cold, he told him he had to go. and said his good-bye and walked off.
The veteran sat back down and resumed his grumpy slouched posture and finished his meal.

new guy at our studio

was sketching during a meeting. then, got some crayons at a restaurant so decided to color it...

long day

musta been a long day

enjoying meatballs on a tuesday

 

This was a woman sitting next to my table, who was just pleasantly enjoying her meatballs.  You just can't beat the $2.49 special

vintage cars

In a different life long ago, I use to design cars.
Cars are fun to draw for fun. :)

James Dean

New York Times

I did this not too long ago, but I haven't posted yet. It was a piece on the Kennedy assassination for the NYTimes OP-ED. I am very happy with the final piece.

Sketching at Ikea

Being Eleanor

This was a piece on Eleanor Roosevelt for Cobblestone Magazine. It's always fun doing portraits, and more exciting doing the cover!