Trumpeter

>oil on linen, approx. 10" x 10", circa 2000.


>oil on canvas, 2000.

_______________________
The Past II
Here's another painting done in two sections that I found in the closet, or rather the dregs of my harddrive. I had painted this while living in Williamsburg, right across the hall from Tomer Hanuka. Someone had posted a question about painting flesh, and this portrait might indicate that you can hide all sorts of color in skin. The trumpeter was painted from life under incandescent light. There are many approaches to observational painting -- one approach is to try and describe atmosphere and capture light, and the other is more like alchemy, when you believe that you are creating flesh on canvas, trasforming the paint into layers of blood, fat, and skin. In any case, five years later, I'm still pleased with how the ear in the portrait turned out . . . it just feels like rubbery cartilage.

Ballpoint Pen drawing, circa 1999

>ballpoint pen, graphite on paper, 5.5 x 8.5", 1999.

_______________________
The Past
During the summer of 1999, when I was living in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn, I started a short series of ballpoint pen drawings on grey paper. Though overly sentimental and facile, this particular drawing reminds me of my artistic convictions at the time and the idealism of a teenage overachiever. Actually, the more I look at the drawing, the more earnest and sincere it seems to become, especially compared to my recent work. The mother and her child were discovered deep in a storage closet and will be on exhibit in a show in NY showcasing ballpoint pen work:

Pressure Printing - Folding Screen 1

_______________________________________________
Taciturn Screen
Brad Keech, founder of Pressure Printing, contacted me about a year ago and asked if I would like to collaborate with him on a print project. I had the idea to do a series of folding screens for a long time, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally make it happen.


> I sent him a sketch of what I had in mind, and we were well on our way.


> Brad sent me a plate of glass specially prepared to accept graphite. I carefully rendered the drawing and mailed it back to him, and he used it to create the printing plate. Brad had the great idea of incorporating a lattice work behind the print, and the translucency of the paper provided an extra level of detail in the project. Please visit www.pressureprinting.com for more production details and to purchase the screen.

Two more screens with Pressure Printing are currently in progress . . .

A Few Items of Note . . .

1. My show, "Taciturn," opens this Friday night! More info at www.jamesjean.com. Secret Headquarters will start accepting bids on Tuesday, April 3rd for the original art to the Arabian Nights (and Days) TPB wraparound cover. Please contact them at 323.666.2228 or email them at dp@thesecretheadquarters.com. The winner will be announced on Friday at 9:00pm.
2. Soon after "Taciturn" opens, original art will be available for sale online, and a link will be posted to a price list with images.
3. Lastly, Check out Comic Foundry for an interview about my cover process, among other great articles.