Spirit of the Season

I enjoyed making this painting and am delighted to place it under the title - Spirit as my Friday Illustration submission.... which was a star this season for I used this original for one of my new line of Greeting Cards.

I also made this Elf Illustration in 3D space on a blank canvas known as an 8" tall vinyl for any artist to make any character as he or she pleases. I made an elf this time and I must say he certainly added to the Spirits I worked with this season!

I had represented both of them in the recent artisan festival I took part in Dubai @ Arte

Thank you for stopping by!

A tribute to a favorite portrait subject!

KATO!!! was lost in LA a few months ago.

On July 4th I made this portrait of "KATO".

But today we remember him fondly while he remains Missing

Kato Rosen was a registered Feline in California who disappeared from his LA home barely a couple of months ago with still hopes that he will find his master.

Thank you for stopping by while I remember this lovely pet who I too had grown fond of with stories of his pranks.

An Arabic Culture Dubai Art Show commemorating 9/11 for the message of peace - Opening night & coverage

This 11th September was opening night for an Art Show in the Ahmediya Art Gallery where more than a handful of Dubai artists united to display their works of art.

Do take a look at the pictures taken on location: 

And here we artists stand with a symbolic gesture to pledge the evenings message, "Against the Tides, United for Peace".

Thanks to Zareen Knan and her dedicated team of lovely art facilitators!

                           Against...

source: http://www.facebook.com/AgainstTheTidesArtists

              the... 

source: http://www.facebook.com/AgainstTheTidesArtists

                                         Tides...

source: http://www.facebook.com/AgainstTheTidesArtists

                                                      United...

source: http://www.facebook.com/AgainstTheTidesArtists

                                                                     in...

source: http://www.facebook.com/AgainstTheTidesArtists

                                                                                         Peace.

source: http://www.facebook.com/AgainstTheTidesArtists

Uh oh! I almost missed posting these pictures below.... Introducing my artist friend with her new passionately created lovely pieces of art with air-dried clay on coffee-base (truly eco)....and a couple of mine in oils and charcoal.

An exciting post featuring Manisha's lovely art....IS COMING SOON...stay tuned for that!

I am so glad to be part of such an ethnic art exhibition organized by the group "Against the Tide" supporting several good causes in a single show which makes me want to donate part of the proceeds of the outcome of my participation to a peaceful cause in the region.

What I want to take away from this show: 

• Is the opportunity to connect with my fellow local artists, art lovers and facilitators. 
• Observing that every artist is a winner as each one of them has their persona impressed upon their masterpiece. Hence contesting each has no room among passionate fine art. 

However the show will pronounce a winner on the last day based upon vote-counts from visitors to the event. 

What I would love to see 

• A winner chosen from a random vote from the general public unknown to the artist except for his or her art, who at the instant of the visit finds a connection to an art-piece/pieces and decides to vote for one which truly has intrigued them. 

Do you agree with me when I say that it is a personal preference which could never be induced. My take anyway is that it is difficult a choice to make among so many beautiful works on display.

• The grand prize (of a solo show sponsored at Ahmediya) to go to such a deserving artist!

The show is running @ the Ahmedia Art Gallery till the 14th September 11am - 8 pm.

I hope to speak to you but only via my paintings at the show as am at work this weekend. Although, I am very glad I could steal some moments to key in this post.

Take care! and Thanks tonnes for having a read!!

An Arabic perspective Art Show in Dubai - Open Invitation!

Welcome to this special group art show in the heart of Old Dubai just a stone's throw away from the 100 year old Ahmediya School at the Ahmediya Heritage Guest House, now a full-fledged art gallery.

I am pleased to be part of the 16 Dubai-based artists who will be participating in an Art Exhibition via Against the Tides 2013, themed "Celebrating the Arabic Culture & Heritage starting this 9/11.

If you are in this part of the world, at this part of town, all set to enjoy a day at the centre of Dubai's heritage localities, do head to the Al Ras area in Deira to experience that diverse flavor of artists' works....just past the Spice Souk, before the Gold Souk where the huzzle and buzzle of Dubai City maybe felt the most.

Have a great week ahead!

Illustration Friday - Theme Hidden

Hello there and thanks for stopping by again!

Here is my submission for this weeks theme @ Illustration Friday - "Hidden".
I was wanting to participate this Friday by drawing specially for the theme when an almost perfect topic was declared which has a metaphorical reference to this charcoal and watercolor pencil piece.

This piece will be in an art show called "Against the Tide 2013" in Dubai on the 11th - 14th @ The Ahmadiya Heritage Guest House.  She is part of a series where I portray women from various regions in the world. I call this lady the "Damsel-Arabia".

I am so thankful for Illustration Friday that I have a good reason to make a few posts on my blog at least sporadically so I don't get all lost in my real-life work activities.

See you the next time when I plan to make a few posts showcasing some amazing independent talents here in Dubai.

It would be interviews with some award-winning versatile commercial artists in Dubai. These freelancers are examples of warriors in this battle of true talentship (just made it up :o)) with a weird world in a typical post-recession environment where it is good against evil business practices and an answer to people who think talents are available at their own disposal. For they who think they could have works of art exchanged as cheap stakes. These talented individuals demonstrate how they defy this phenomenon.

Talents have so many options and so many perspectives to make it a success even if the market turns against them.

And so my experiences the past 2 weeks makes me realize that such posts are the need-of-the-hour for a passionate artist surviving on his/her own to take away from.

So please come back for a useful read.
Happy crusading in your passions and keep the high spirits going, no matter what!

Illustration Friday Jungle theme submission

The Jungle theme of Illustration Friday was an interesting theme and looked forward to it.

So here I am making a submission of some quick sketches I made of Indian Jungle animals from a live backdrop....a good reason to enjoy the nostalgia too....back in the days when I did frequent outdoor sketches and animals-in-motion studies as a growing animator.

At this point I'd like to add a very interesting incident that happened while sketching the elephant rushing-off shown on this piece.

It was a warm summers afternoon back in the early 90s when I set out with a pal to capture jungle friends from a local zoo. When I sat down comfortably under an Indian banyan tree gearing up to sketch this beautiful elephant by its caretaker....perhaps 500 meters away. 

No sooner did I look away for a 30 seconds...and look back, I was startled and almost fell off the platform when I spotted a zoomed-in view of Mr. elephants foot....within inches away from where I sat....he stood right in front staring down at me.

I did not see my friend next to me then for she had made a split second decision to run as far away as quickly as possible in fear :o))). This animated experience sticks with me whenever I pull out this image and am very pleased to make this mention, at this time.

A cartooned-up version of the hilarious scene of that day is somewhere in my archives and will have it up here in a while when I get back to my physical work days. 

Am back at work again and am glad to find you the sketch of the humorous scene here, I promised you I'd upload about a fortnight ago: (Upload date 20 Aug 2013)

It has been Eid in Dubai and I just took a part-holiday this festive-summer holidays in Dubai.

Had the best time enjoying the rains in the peninsula.

Take care!

My Lightpen lightens up my day as I do a very complicated Vector pattern

Today's a big day for me...Am on a deadline to recreate an original sketch I made for a website. Thanks to this favorite client of mine, working for him on this gives birth to a new chapter in my fine art works. Do check back on an extended update on this soon.

Meanwhile I am quickly making this post while I hurry through creating this pattern made up of millions of inanimate shapes on Adobe Illustrator, simply to shout-out to anyone out there working their days out with shapes inside of Adobe without a tablet.....It is your best treasured investment.

The lightpen is helping me make a crazy-complicated pattern digitally in half the time I have taken to create the whole layout.

source: pcmag.com

Considering I took considerable time to sketch it out on paper.... am so excited that I may take just half the time I had imagined it would take with my light pen to draw it out into the computer....in vector format all hires.

It's for an upcoming Website so it is too early to reveal any of the design. Will post an update once this amazing interactive site gets launched. I promise it is going to be a different kind of visual treat....Courtesy of my techy client....who constantly helps complement my designs with his brilliant technological magic to take the design to a whole new realm.

Be right back on this soon. 

Illustration Friday Theme: Surveillance

Happy Friday

It is my pleasure to post here my submission to Illustration Fridays weekly theme "Surveillance" put out there for the participation of the global community of illustrators.

Desert Surveillance

There was a funny twist to how I made this illustration. Will keep the discussion of the making-of-this for another session or for a how-to article as it is too wordy to include on this post.

This illustration was made into something that tells a story of surveillance by adding a few elements like a few frightened wide-eyed people inside the rusting-abandoned vehicle and a couple of other curious desert-lings (like a hare & a hedge-hog) by the vehicle, with the shadow of surveillance-aircrafts on the desert sands.

Thanks to IF....for while making this picture using pencils, watercolor & ink, I realize it has opened up a whole new avenue for an interesting story for me to build upon in the new future.

Really appreciate your visit.

So long until next time!

Soft Pastels - SWOT Analysis

Greetings folks!

Todays lunch-break I did not want to lose the opportunity to make this important post for all the pastel artists out there.

Ferrari Dino 246 GT/GTS

I am here to talk about Fine Soft Pastels. It's my take on them! Simply because I felt I need to share some important facts about working with them and what one may want to get sorted before setting out doing a piece with these materials.

Soft Pastels are such a pleasure to work with. And as usual I get fully immersed into the unique experience that it offers us. This week once again I am on a spree of creating some pieces using my Rembrandt's Soft Half Pastels. These are one of my most treasured possessions which I got all the way from Denver Colorado, way back in 1999. It was a valuable gift from a cousin when I was taken for a memorable evenings outing to a Denver Art store. Man that was an evening to cherish!!

I made the above piece yesterday on a Daler-Rowney, dark-shaded paper which I had purchased a long time ago pending the right time and the right subject to use. As it meant I had to use a new technique to draw using lighter colors and a lot of blending. I will be rolling out some more works in the coming days on Canson paper and cold-pressed Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colour Paper. Aah! I can't wait to get to work on those. When I do, I will talk about my experience with them.

Actually while I did this little automotive project I did indeed dabble with my charcoal sticks. And when the mono-colour got me a bit depressed, I jumped back here to do some more layering on my Winsor & Newton Fixative sprayed Ferrari sketch. By the way the fixative helped the brought yellows over the orcres to settle down a bit. Interesting to note that the layer of fixative on a freshly-made pastel especially on dark paper makes it look earthier, sobering down the bright highlights. So I think am okay to see that it maybe adding to the vintage look.

Another point is that I am not getting overly worried if my proportions are not measure-out at the first shot as I want to give it a hand-drawn look than a commercial mechanical drawing look.

So here it is....it is my pleasure to show you this freehand piece of the work accessible on http://remy-francis.fineartamerica.com/

One other important thing you may want to do before you even open your box of pastels.

If you are allergic to dust... these pastels create a smokey fine dust. What I missed out was wearing either a mask or gearing myself with an anti-histamine before creating this Pastel drawing. So it kept me busy taking breaks for some bouts of uncontrollable sneezing. :o). Anyway, as all chalks and pastels are non-toxic and mine showed that it is certified with a Health label from the Arts & Crafts Materials Institute conforming to ASMD-4236 I did not worry a lot.

The ingredients of my Rembrant extra fine soft pastels are well-know-infact world renowned for their pure pigments. And doesn't otherwise pose any health hazard aside from some physical allergic discomfort.

For those who don't want to go through any of this they can just do some clean business on an Adobe software like what I created here....after my daring trip to the Ferrari world last weekend. All I needed to do is work with the mouse and graphic tablet.

A drawing made with no sweat, no mess, and no violent bouts ;o) are easier but then one is left with a commercial-looking piece with missing characters of natural pencil strokes....and blend of colors. I somehow think a traditional drawing looks vibrant and alive than a digital piece.

A Ferrari Vintage Model (Original color - Emerald Green)

The message of this post is that I give "three-cheers" to another therapeutic experience which my precious pastels have given me. And encourage all you artists and artists-in-the-making to indulge in using these to enhance your masterpieces. That's right! I say masterpiece! I am rather pleased to use my Rembrant's pastels for its high degree of lightfastness and unique warmth, first-class strength and velvety softness. In their own words, this softness is achieved in part by kaolin (a clear china clay). So why not take the opportunity and create one yourself! To make you feel a true creator of a masterpiece!!

Thanks for taking part in my discussion. Welcome to visit again.

Children-themed fine art

Children in Children's Art make great subjects for a therapeutic moment in sketching....where we get to use pastel shades and use subtle blending technique. In a few strokes we could bring out the cuteness and spontaneous innocence in the characters.

This sketch is a repost of one of my favorites, I made for a greeting card. In later years I made it in vector graphics (using Adobe Illustrator & Microsoft mouse) which gave a whole new look.

It was a treat to do the piece and make it come to life especially the blond curls. I hope to create some more children's-themed works in the coming weeks. Will post it on here as I roll out each piece.

Digital Paint on Paper sketch - Posted on IllustrationFriday.com

Do click through a couple of more children's' themed illustrations:

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Children/9237195

Children's Art - Testing my new Genius Graphic Tablet as opposed to my Wacom

Hello there here I am again peeping in after a long break.
with a sketch I made for my first participation in Illustration Friday's this weeks theme "Sweet".

Come July and I hopefully can schedule a regular hour everyday to share my part of the art world here.

I have a lot of writings I would like to share here as soon as possible but I wish I had a couple of more hands to assist in just maintaining my blogs. I keep writing on my sketchpads with a hope of regular transfer to my posts here but work-life is getting too crowded that my sketchbooks are running out of pages... all filled in and waiting to make that leap into the digital world soon. And I keep telling it, day in a day out...."I promise I'll make it happen!" The passion reflects if typed in by ourselves!

While I promise I will be back more often ... let me leave this note with this Children's Art "A Windy Day in Candy-Land" sketch I enjoyed making using a new Graphic Tablet which I recently purchased as a stand-by to my Wacom tablet. Looks like it pretty much does the job I want to.

Having started drawing digitally much before the light-pen age during the mid-80s, subconsciously I usually take to the mouse to sketch within my photoshop or Illustrator. And have to make a special effort to pick up the light-pen (as behind my head there's this voice that asks me technology has made it so simple for artists so the least I should do to challenge myself is to draw using the mouse and get the same effect.

Anyway I must admit though, that once am with the light-pen, the enjoyment of drawing is a whole other world with accessibility to much more easy pick of the tools which technology has to offer to make life easier where boundaries could be limited only to one's imagination. For instance to use certain custom-brushes inside of photoshop, it makes better sense to use a light-pen like I have done for this sketch....and the pressure sensitivity too does volumes to enhance our experience. Just my take!!  Sure... everyone would have their own custom preference! (in order for you to perhaps to look at the brush-strokes more closely I have placed the drawing once again:

Thank you for visiting my space. I will be back in a wink! 

A St. Patrick's Day Wish !!

Though many of us are not from the Irish Origin, an international scenario as we are in now with a world-reach in seconds, there are enough population in the world today who want to share the peace and happiness spent on Paddy's day.

So I take this opportunity to wish all well-wishers. Though I haven't worn a Patrick's day cap like this one, I at least can clad my profile mascot and get into the moment eh? What stops an artist to do that!? ;o)

Happy Patrick's day everyone!

Hands to heal the world

Hi folks

I must apologize to my readers for my long absence from the blogging-online world.
Blogging about art has been such a healing experience for me as I get while I give and share.
The healing when we create art or write to share has a 2-way effect and I can't express how not being able to blog for a few months has slowed down the therapy to my mind and soul. I am sure you all share this opinion. But heck this is only my take!

Real-life caught up well enough to pull me away from any online interactions which has its pros and cons. Came September 2012 and the markets especially in Dubai showed a steep curve up, much to my pleasant surprise. But alas all/most of my leisure got sacrificed in the name of work. Up until then, business has been comfortable and laid-back while some markets were still recovering from the recession with the seasonal stumbles in the UAE. Then came the quick change which took all especially the newbie independent business people like myself by surprise. Being a one-man army I have had to juggle with my projects as well as administrative duties which go into running a business. So there... I had to take a long break from my dear blogging. Since I believe this online-world holds a promising potential for my future occupation I want to be able to come back more often by striking a balance between the real world and online world in business.

See you all very soon. Meanwhile, wish you a Happy, Stress-free business season.
Make hay while the sun shines! :o)