The Eye of the Beholder 001

I want to start showcasing from time to time artists that have inspired me, from all genres and movements and from different times in my life. There are a ton!! I used to spend the majority of my days as a young teen looking through art books at the bookstore as my family went shopping around the mall. I wanted nothing to do with mall shopping!! Just give me some books and some art. I was in love!

What originally got me into art were the covers to fantasy and sci-fi novels and comics. It wasn't until my mid 20's that I was introduced to Fine Art. And my late 20's til I discovered street art. Now I am trying to incorporate it all and find even more!!

So, where do you start something like this? Do you go chronologically, starting with your first influences, or do you go straight to your all time favorite?

I think I will start with a new artist that has caught my attention and has inspired me to try out some new techniques, Jamie Jones. Just like when I was a kid, I can sit there and stare at his paintings for hours! He does a great job of creating atmosphere with very few strokes. Here is one of his paintings that first caught my attention.

Not only do I love the huge robot looming in the distance, but I also love how he creates the city in the foreground with sloppy blocks of colors and haphazard lines denoting windows and shadows and such. I'm a big fan of creating depth and capturing shape and form with very few swashes of color or lines. Here's another one where he creates a sense of atmosphere. Just look at that giant in the distance. It's ginormous!!!

Here's another one where he captures so much with so few elements. Just look at that fella on the right. Just a few sketchy lines and WHAM there's a cloaked figure walking. And look at that background. Looks pretty messy, but conveys the sense of snow drifts in a dark, dreary forest.
And here is one of his figure pieces. Again, very simple looking, but capturing so much in a mess of strokes.
He is a digital painter, but he uses these dry brush and splatter techniques that I love. I'm working on developing my style for my comics am wanting to create the type of atmosphere created here. Something simple, yet tangible. Inspiration is all around us!!