Monday, May 29, 2006
Sunday, May 21, 2006
More ROM sketches with Smook...
Posted by Arna and John:
These are more drawings from the day we went sketching with our friend Mike Smukavic at the Royal Ontario Museum. They didn't make it into our earlier post so here they are now!
These are more drawings from the day we went sketching with our friend Mike Smukavic at the Royal Ontario Museum. They didn't make it into our earlier post so here they are now!
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Harvey Chan's Skateboards
Posted by Arna:
Hi guys! Here's a peek at some of our friend Harvey Chan's gorgeous painted skateboards. Harvey is a noted Toronto illustrator and he was my first sculpture teacher at the Toronto School Of Art a few years back. Check out Harvey Chan's portfolio site for more terrific examples of his work.
These boards are part of a group show this weekend in Montreal:
Life Styles at Yves Laroche l'Autre Galerie
Enjoy!
Monday, May 15, 2006
ROM Sketches With Smook
Last week we took the opportunity to meet our friend Mike Smukavic at The Royal Ontario Museum for a sketch day. We took some snaps too, before our camera battery conked out! We had a great time with Mike, who's about as talented as they come, and also great company. Here's some images from the day (all from the main floor Chinese sculpture exhibit).
Check out Mike's (Smooks) ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) post here.
The totem pole in the main stairwell has always been one of my (Arna's) favourite things since I first visited the museum as a kid. Here's a shot taken half way up. The stairwell is four stories high, so that gives you an idea of the size of this pole:
Check out Mike's (Smooks) ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) post here.
The totem pole in the main stairwell has always been one of my (Arna's) favourite things since I first visited the museum as a kid. Here's a shot taken half way up. The stairwell is four stories high, so that gives you an idea of the size of this pole:
Here's Smook snapping a shot. Notice the resemblance to some of the statues...?
Several of John's sketches:
One from Arna:
This next batch are John's:
John's brush marker sketch of one of the same wooden 'Luohan' monks from the grouping above:
Smook must have been a Buddha in a former life...
This griffin was a challenge to capture. I'd like to go back to work on him again. He's pretty spectacular, and the drawings don't quite capture his furious expression:
That's all for today. Thanks to Mike for joining us at the ROM. Wait till you see his sketches. Great stuff.
Cheers!
~Arna and John
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Saturday, April 29, 2006
More Niko...
Posted by Arna:
These shots are slightly out of focus, but they show the other views of the sculpt posted below, so I figured people might like to see them. I took these shots with a Minolta point-and-shoot camera, in black and white film, then scanned them in colour.
The model, Niko, is a latin dancer who performs from time to time at Lula Lounge in Toronto. I think he'd been dancing till late the night before, because he'd come in to our Saturday morning classes and sit for us and look more and more sleepy as the session wore on. I think he was a good model, sleepy or not.
These shots are slightly out of focus, but they show the other views of the sculpt posted below, so I figured people might like to see them. I took these shots with a Minolta point-and-shoot camera, in black and white film, then scanned them in colour.
The model, Niko, is a latin dancer who performs from time to time at Lula Lounge in Toronto. I think he'd been dancing till late the night before, because he'd come in to our Saturday morning classes and sit for us and look more and more sleepy as the session wore on. I think he was a good model, sleepy or not.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Niko...
Posted by Arna:
I did this two years ago in a sculpting class at the Toronto School Of Art. The model's name was Niko. I think I spent about four, three-hour sessions on the piece. He's just a little smaller than life size, made with Tucker's low fire white clay.
After I took this shot, I cut the head in half and hollowed it out. Then I put the head back together. He's been lying around since then, because we had no facilities to fire him. Now, I'm hoping to finally see it finished. A kind instructor at Central Technical School offered to fire him! Can't wait to see how he turns out...
I did this two years ago in a sculpting class at the Toronto School Of Art. The model's name was Niko. I think I spent about four, three-hour sessions on the piece. He's just a little smaller than life size, made with Tucker's low fire white clay.
After I took this shot, I cut the head in half and hollowed it out. Then I put the head back together. He's been lying around since then, because we had no facilities to fire him. Now, I'm hoping to finally see it finished. A kind instructor at Central Technical School offered to fire him! Can't wait to see how he turns out...
Friday, April 21, 2006
Bloor in black and white...
Posted by Arna.
I noticed after posting these images, that there are almost no people in them. I took these on the first night of Passover and the street was kind of quiet. Dunno if that's why it was quiet.
The intersection of Avenue Road and Bloor Street:
The work on the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto as of last week:
A walkway near the museum on the same night:
I noticed after posting these images, that there are almost no people in them. I took these on the first night of Passover and the street was kind of quiet. Dunno if that's why it was quiet.
The intersection of Avenue Road and Bloor Street:
The work on the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto as of last week:
A walkway near the museum on the same night:
Pay phones on Bloor near Spadina:
Psychic reading, anyone? The handwritten sign on the door reads: "People wanted to deliver flyers full time. Apply within." On Bloor Street, between Spadina and Bathurst:
Monday, April 10, 2006
Prismacolour portraits...
Posted by John.
This first one I drew in my parents living room in the summer of '79. The T-shirt is from the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa, where I'd worked the previous year. The image on the shirt is by the Canadian artist Dennis Burton.
This second one I drew from a photograph my dad took of my friends and I as we were clowning around at my cousin's bridal shower. At the time, we had a 'punk' band called The Clumps. We were a true punk band in that only one of us -- and it wasn't me -- knew how to play an instrument. Can anyone recognize the painting behind me?
This first one I drew in my parents living room in the summer of '79. The T-shirt is from the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa, where I'd worked the previous year. The image on the shirt is by the Canadian artist Dennis Burton.
This second one I drew from a photograph my dad took of my friends and I as we were clowning around at my cousin's bridal shower. At the time, we had a 'punk' band called The Clumps. We were a true punk band in that only one of us -- and it wasn't me -- knew how to play an instrument. Can anyone recognize the painting behind me?
Monday, April 03, 2006
Springtime fresh!
Time for a change. Different colours, and a banner! With art that was actually done in the sixties!! It's kind of a throw back, yet...NEW!!! You're welcome to tell us what you think of the revised look. Like it? Hate it? Don't care?
We appreciate the feedback.
Cheers,
A & J.
We appreciate the feedback.
Cheers,
A & J.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
doggy doodles...
Just for fun, here's a quick doodle in Flash. Saw this dog today waiting for his master to finish shopping. I did a few variations that made me think of kids room wallpaper.
And this one is a photoshoppy dog border, also a kids room sort of thing.
Posted by Arna
And this one is a photoshoppy dog border, also a kids room sort of thing.
Posted by Arna
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
There's the rub...
These are two self portraits done the same summer as the previous posting, before I left for a year long trip to Florence.
I'm pretty sure I created the background texture in this first one by making a rubbing from the sidewalk in front of our house in Oshawa. Obviously, I was influenced by the drawings of Edvard Munch...
The' explosion' from the top of my head is actually a rubbing from a silver serving tray found in my parents' kitchen. If you look closely you can see the image of a tulip.
Both drawings are done with conte in a sketchbook. Posted by John.
I'm pretty sure I created the background texture in this first one by making a rubbing from the sidewalk in front of our house in Oshawa. Obviously, I was influenced by the drawings of Edvard Munch...
The' explosion' from the top of my head is actually a rubbing from a silver serving tray found in my parents' kitchen. If you look closely you can see the image of a tulip.
Both drawings are done with conte in a sketchbook. Posted by John.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
"The Sigh"...
...by Johnny van Munch, circa 1979. Prismacolour.
Not quite "The Scream." This drawing is one of a series of self-portraits I made the summer I worked at General Motors, in anticipation of spending a year painting in Florence. The setting is a bridge in Camp Samac, a short walk north of my parents' place in Oshawa. We will post more from the same sketch book over the next few days.
Not quite "The Scream." This drawing is one of a series of self-portraits I made the summer I worked at General Motors, in anticipation of spending a year painting in Florence. The setting is a bridge in Camp Samac, a short walk north of my parents' place in Oshawa. We will post more from the same sketch book over the next few days.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Eric Bruhn...and a girl's crush...
Posted by Arna:
I had a teenage crush on Eric Bruhn. He was an international ballet star and his appearances in Toronto, dancing with the National Ballet of Canada, caused a sensation. As a kid, I took ballet for several years and briefly fancied that I might become a professional dancer. I didn't have the dedication. However, learning ballet helped to sharpen my awareness of body movement, physicality and drama, which can come in handy when working in the animation biz.
Around 1984, I was doing some banking in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto next to the National Ballet, and Eric Bruhn came into the bank. By then he was Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Canada, headquartered next door. I stared. He asked me for the time. He was smoking a cigarette. (of course it used to be legal to smoke in public places in Toronto) He stood up close, getting in my airspace. I could see the many fine lines that long-time smokers have. He wore a pale leather trench coat, long, below the knee. Faun colour. An unusual coat. I was surprised that he was smaller than I expected. He had a large head. I was thinking all these things, mentally cross-checking my in-person impression of him with my cherished teenage fantasy image, I guess. The moment passed quickly. I wanted to say how much I admired his dancing. Instead I stood stunned and told him the time.
Eric Bruhn died a few years later. His death was attributed to lung cancer.
Below is a mock poster I made, a year or so after I saw him dance in Toronto, before that meeting in the bank. As you can see in the sketch, he had a rather heroic profile. The photograph I took the likeness from was printed in the Globe and Mail. In the original photo, Mr. Bruhn was gesturing towards another dancer during a practice session at the National Ballet. I'd like to see the photo now, and compare it to this sketch.
I don't know the significance of the odd time posted on the poster. I was probably just trying to fill up the space.
Pen and brush and india ink.
I had a teenage crush on Eric Bruhn. He was an international ballet star and his appearances in Toronto, dancing with the National Ballet of Canada, caused a sensation. As a kid, I took ballet for several years and briefly fancied that I might become a professional dancer. I didn't have the dedication. However, learning ballet helped to sharpen my awareness of body movement, physicality and drama, which can come in handy when working in the animation biz.
Around 1984, I was doing some banking in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto next to the National Ballet, and Eric Bruhn came into the bank. By then he was Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Canada, headquartered next door. I stared. He asked me for the time. He was smoking a cigarette. (of course it used to be legal to smoke in public places in Toronto) He stood up close, getting in my airspace. I could see the many fine lines that long-time smokers have. He wore a pale leather trench coat, long, below the knee. Faun colour. An unusual coat. I was surprised that he was smaller than I expected. He had a large head. I was thinking all these things, mentally cross-checking my in-person impression of him with my cherished teenage fantasy image, I guess. The moment passed quickly. I wanted to say how much I admired his dancing. Instead I stood stunned and told him the time.
Eric Bruhn died a few years later. His death was attributed to lung cancer.
Below is a mock poster I made, a year or so after I saw him dance in Toronto, before that meeting in the bank. As you can see in the sketch, he had a rather heroic profile. The photograph I took the likeness from was printed in the Globe and Mail. In the original photo, Mr. Bruhn was gesturing towards another dancer during a practice session at the National Ballet. I'd like to see the photo now, and compare it to this sketch.
I don't know the significance of the odd time posted on the poster. I was probably just trying to fill up the space.
Pen and brush and india ink.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Through the back window at dusk...
A quick sketch with very basic Photoshop brushes. I'm trying to capture the colour that lasts for a few moments late in the afternoon.
Posted by Arna
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