wasted weekend in Dallas, and ipod troubles

It's not what you think. No, I wasn't laying out in the sun with a bunch of beer, though I really wish I had. This is a different kind of wasted.. as in I didn't get a fucking thing done, and was dragged on a long road trip that cost me a whole lotta money.

It all started when I drove to Dallas with my GF. We came up Sunday so she could work on the new Whole Foods the next day.

Monday: She worked on the store while I hung out and watchedthe movie "Touristas". BTW touristas, aside from the great scenery and some nice titties, is a waste of time. There is a ridiculous chase scene that takes place in an underwater cave that went on too long and went nowhere. Also... not enough gore. "Hostel", which this movie totally ripped-off, is much better. Back to the story...

On the way home I started to smell coolant and my temp gauge shot up. We limped to a dealership and they couldn't get to the car until tomorrow. My GF ended up getting a ride home from a stranger from work and I ended up back at her sister's house.

Tues: After most of the day is done, they finally spot what was wrong. I told them what was wrong because I spotted where the coolant was spraying from but they had to do it their way... and of course charge me $99 to diagnose it. I would've fixed it myself but I didn't have my tools on me. The problem was a heater hose on the back of the engine that sprung a leak and of course, no one carries this part, so I have to stay another day for them to order it.

Weds: finally got my car back right before they closed. the service advisor had clocked out early so I couldn't talk to him and so did the tech. I pop the trunk to put my bags inside and there is water in the trunk... and on the passenger side seat. It appears they tried to do me a favor and wash the car. How sweet. And they also tried to access my ipod because all the songs are now erased off it and the thing is reset to factory options. I didn't know this but if you take someone's ipod and hook it to a computer with itunes but no songs in itunes, it will erase what's on your ipod because the ipod is trying to sync songs to a blank computer. AAAAARRRGHH!

I'll be in the 5th ANNUAL EAST AUSTIN STUDIO TOUR!

BIG NEWS! I WILL BE A PART OF THE 5TH ANNUAL EAST AUSTIN STUDIO TOUR! My work will be on display at SHADY TREE STUDIOS. Stop by, have a look and maybe get some early Christmas shopping done. I'll have prints available as well as originals ranging from $350 to 3000 for all you big spenders. Aside from those, I'll also be doing 15 MINUTE SKETCHES. They aren't caricatures per se, but a loose sketch of whatever you can think of. IMAGINE; ORIGINAL ART FOR $10! Here is the map to the studio.

The East Austin Studio Tour is a way to showcase the diverse and incredible talent within Austin and get them in front of the public in a very casual setting. It's a great way to spend the weekend.

home depot sucks

I decided to do something nice and replace my Mom's fence while she was away on vacation. Sounds easy right? It was for the most part. Tearing it down was fun. Just me and a sledgehammer. Most of the posts were still good so it was just a matter of replacing pickets and bracing.

Now, on to my rant.

Home Depot is full of morons. Check this out. Saturday I bought all my materials and needed to rent their truck to haul it to the house. No problem right? Well, one of their empoyees left the store in the truck and didn't come back till near sundown. There's no way I'm going to haul all that shit, unload it, leave it unguarded in my yard overnight, and then watch the game all stinky. So I called and said I'll pick up the truck tomorrow. No problem they say. Bulllshit! On sunday, I call the store to make sure the truck is available and it turns out the tool rental guy had decided to quit his job! To make matters worse, no one else knew how to run the computer in the rental dept! AND THEY WOULDN'T CALL IN ANYONE ELSE THAT KNEW HOW TO RUN THE COMPUTER until 1pm when the next shift starts!!! Oh this is just the beginning.

I had to go to a different store, rent a truck, then go back to the original store to pick up my shit. I go to the Pro desk where I placed my order, and they send my to customer service for some reason. Fine. I go there and the saleswoman can't access my order because her computer is locked. So, she tries to restart the comuter by holding down the monitor power button. At first I thought, "maybe it's a custom unit where the pc is built into the case" Nope. She let the computer sit for 15 minutes, turns it on and what do you know? Same problem! I'm tellin ya, on Sunday morning, Home Depot isn't using their A-squad players. After another saleperson arrives and reboots the computer, they look for my order, which of course, THEY DIDN'T HAVE READY!!! AAARRRGH!!

You see, because there was such a large amount of lumber in my order, Home Depot bundles all the materials together and loads it onto a pallette. That way, it could easily be loaded onto the truck with a forklift. Sounds great... if it they had their shit together. So, what would've been a 1hr rental turned into 2hrs while I wait for them to piece my order together. And to top things off, since I rented the truck from a different store, they didn't offer to give me a discount or anything for the truck.

After all this mess, I finally get to work on the fence, which looks great, but I have to say, HOME DEPOT SUCKS!!

well, I got some book illustrating gigs

That is why I haven't been putting up any new paintings for a while. One of them is for an Austin Author writing a children's book. Technically, i'm coloring the illustrations already created, and later will assemble the page layout and letter the pages.
The other on is for an author in L.A. We were discussing doing an illustration for each chapter head, but the project as been reduced in scope. Instead of 17 illustrations, it has been narrowned down to one for the cover. More details to come.

Shell Harvest- a new painting

Whew, its been a while since I posted. I lost my password and haven't been able to log in. Well, I started a new painting titled "Shell Harvest" It is a 48"x36" piece consisting of five wood panels. Each panel moves the story forward of a girl on a beach collecting shells to create a necklace. Sounds lame, but it looks great. Why five odd shaped canvases? I wanted to break the story up like a comic book page. This would also give me a chance to play with different line making styles and color combinations.

This is the initial sketch.



This is the first panel. An establishing shot of the beach.



The first middle panel is of a Mayan statue that as been encrusted with coral reef and battered by the tides. The idea carries over from my last work, "Finding Roots". Its significance? A marker to show where the reef ends. That is also the reason for the staff (not seen here) The staff has a large conch shell at its head, with ribbons, feathers and streamers of vibrant cloththat will flap into the next panel.



A detail of the head.



This is the middle panel of the girl collecting shells. With each panel I wanted time to pass as well, which is why the color shifts from clear blue of mid morning to darker blues and orange of dusk. (the photo is totally off regarding color, a cheap digital camera).


The next panel is one that I'm really looking forward to. It will take place at night, lit by candle. I had alot of trouble with the hands and the angle so I asked my friend Marta to model for me.



As for the last panel, it will be the necklace, fully stretched out against a black background. I haven't sketched it yet.

I contemplated killing someone tonight

This is a drunk ramble, sorry for spelling errorss.
I wish there was a funny joke attached to that line but there isn't. I was helping a frined out at Karma tonight, working the door for a kick ass lating music night. "Foro Rojo" is the shit. If you ever they're playing in town, see them. They'll be at a boat party next weekend.

Anyway, after 2am, all the drubnk losers come out to play in traffic. (ok, I'm omne of them). While I'm there in traffic a BMW full of young little shits drives by calling out the usual, "faggot" etc because I drive a Miata. This time they added the fact theat I was driving a Miata to it, borrowing the line from that recent stupid movie "bench warmers" (I forget the actual line). Anyway they drive next to me and I couldn't take it anymore so I swerved into them, trying to meake them hit cars on the side of the road. No luck.

We finally get to an intersection an they pull up next to me, yelling more shit and I look over: its a car full of dudes, some oin the backseat on top of each otehr and a chick at the wheel. How fucking gay is that? I couldn't stop laughing.

While we were there I heard some of their shit and the only thing that actually stung me was that I was driving a piece of shit and that I was would always be poor. I've driven these cars for over 8 years and I've heard everything but that's the only time something actually lit a fire in me...I've tried so fucking hard for the last few years to do something with my art and try to raise my station in life to same the same level these motherfuckers were born at.

At that point I decided that if I caught themn at the next light I was going to pop the trunk and get my tire iron out, maybe beat on the doors or smash a few windows. Their windows were down, so I could just as easily reach in and stab one of them with the end that is used to pop hubcaps. It would've been so easy. They were stuffing their fucking faces with pizza which some threw at me and they would've wondered what the hell I was doing up untill I shanked one of them in the throat.

They turned off before the next light. For the rest of the drive home I had this scenario gnawing at me. I'm sorry if it disturbs you but I had to let it out somewhere. Just goes to show you, don't fuck with people on the road.

i feel much better now, thanks for listening.

I sold Her: Oksana is out of my life

A few days, I got an email from someone who was interested in one of my paintings. today, her took delivery of one my girl, "Oksana". This painting, while well done, was never really loved by the public. Some people were intimdated by her presence, others just didn't think she was hot compared to my other girls. But she was my favorite. Now that she's gone, I want to share with y'all some info about her and how she came to be.

Oksana didn’t start off as the girl you see today. Originally her name was Oaxa, a Latin American singer I created for a script I wrote titled, “Dementia”. The story revolved around a musician filming her debut video for America, who becomes stranded without her medication on an island and must wrestle with the demons of her murderous past, and a killer at her front door. Throughout the script there are flashbacks into her past, using the tattoo as a transition device to tell the story of how she became the person she is.

While writing the script, I had a mental block. I wanted to finish the story and see her come to life so desperately I created this painting. This is essentially a character sketch and a huge inspiration. Every night, her eyes would follow me around the room, pushing me to finish the story. While creating the painting, I made one alteration to the character that led to her becoming Oksana: the arm. In the script, Oaxa has both of them.

I made the arm as a variation on what I could with it in the story. This in turn sparked another version of the script where the main character was Bosnian (Oksana), instead of Argentinian (Oaxa). On the arm is a tattoo telling the of the struggle of her people and how she lost the arm.

In the background is a Bosnian flag. Her arm, starting from the shoulder has the beginning of a Catholic crucifix which is cut short by the beginning of her prosthetic limb. Two blood stained and torn flags (Serbia) and (Croatia) start the new tattoo.
The crossing swords represent two factions, (Muslims) and (Orthodox Christian). Underneath the flags is the iron skin pattern of a landmine. This is what took her arm. The words in the banner “Bijes i Snaga” roughly translate to “Strength and Fury”. Its a saying that ties in to the Shriners organization who supply orthopedics and treat burn victims; but I think it fits Oaxa and Oksana’s personality in how they approach their life and music. Below that is a woman surounded by flames, skulls, and barb wire: essentially, a symbol of the people she sings for.

As for the guitar, I found while researching the posthetic that many people are taught to use their limbs by using musical instruments.There was a case in Argentina where a girl lost her arms and learned the violin. Her father had the hand modified to accept a violin bow. On Oksana, the claspers have a guitar tab machined in the tips and a third gripper to turn the dials.

This painting will always have a special place in my heart for all the late nights and conversations we had. Yes, I talked to her. Sometimes when I was frustrated or drunk and I was alone, she was my sounding board.
I still intend to bring her to life one day on the screen where she belongs.

New poster commission!

I got an email yesterday from a woman who had bought a print of mine. She's a filmmaker who made a documentary on musicians in New Orleans. She interviewed them in 2004, and after the storms passed, she went with her crew to find them again. She is putting together a promotion/fund raiser for the Habitat for Humanity of new Orleans chapter, featuring many of the musicians she interviewed,.... and SHE WANTS ME TO MAKE THE POSTER promoting it!

The event will take place later this month, right now the date is August 19th in Austin. Between bands, there will be clips of the film. She hopes to raise enough to enter the film in competitions and festivals along with raising a chunk of change for charity. I'm really excited about this because as soon as she mentioned what the poster was for, an image immediately came to mind when I visited NO with my friends. It will be the one used in the poster. I'll have a sketch up later this week.

Bar Austin is now Spy Bar

The last week was very hectic. I was doing the logo foe Bar Austin when I got a call saying that they were changing the name to Spy. So, after looking at other clubs named Spy and some poring through James Bond posters, I created these babies.















The bar opened this weekend and looks great. They totally redid the bars, couches, and lighting in 4 days. When you stop by, also check out the floor and wall mural on the DJ booth. the music is also changed. Since they have 3 rooms, they will all feature different music. The main red room will have more mainstream top 40, the blue room is more hip hop, and the gallery is ambient and light house. Yes, they kept the gallery intact and the new furniture makes the room look much larger and upscale. They will be booking the rooms for parties as well so if you have an event, stop by 402 e. 6th street and talk to Dave or John.

Finally! I finished the painting

I got my photos back of the painting "Finding Roots" and holy shit, it's gorgeous! I don't say that about my work very often so this one is definitely special. The last time I showed the picture, I needed to fill in the hair and finish the skin. Well, I knocked those out two days after the Bikini mural, added more shadow and highlights to the dress and dirt floor, and made a bluish second light source to help define the hands and hair. The slides turned out great. My only qualm is that my scanner is having a hard time reading the edges of the slide because it is so dark and keep cropping too much. What you see here is a compilation of slide scans ( you can see the separation lines). I made sure to get 4" transparencies as well so they can be professionally printed, which they will so stay tuned. Items featuring the paiting will appear in my store in the next week or so. So here it is, the final version of "Finding Roots"

finished a mural for bikini's bar and grill

Over the last week, i've been scrambling all over the place. I put together a drive for the Tejas miata club which was to a drive-in theater, finished up re-doing a huge amount of sales sheets for Chemcore, and painted a mural for a new bar. The mural is just the Big 12 school logos, but it looks great. too bad the pics aren't that hot. i need to invest in a decent digital camera.

The bar is located on IH-35, between 290 and St.Johns. Bikini's Bar and Grill. It should be open later this month and is going to be a hit. Check it out when you have a chance. The mural is on the main entrance wall, above the doors.

bar austin logo ready for the vote

Ok, I told everyone earlier about the logo I was doing for Bar Austin right? So, here iis your first peek at the two final designs. All i'm waiting for is the OK and to create the final files for delivery. While I'm doing that, I'd like to get an opinion from y'all which you like and why.

Bar Austin shirt is up on my store

I added the BarAustin shirt to my store, cafepress.com/douglasbrown This will be a great way to test out how people receive the shirt.

If you're wondering why I'm putting this painting up, it's because this is actually one of my favorite works. Bascially, it is a character sketch I made for a script I wrote called ,"Dementia". One day I had writer's block and I had to see this girl in the flesh, so I made her. the script is still in limbo, I've added a couple characters and tightened it up but still needs work.

New logo for Bar Austin

Well, I still haven't gotten back to my painting yet, I have a few other projects to do. One of them is designing a logo and t-shirt idea for Bar Austin. I really like the color scheme they have going but have hit a road block. all the decorum, besides my art has been removed, leaving hardly any major design element to draw inspiration from. What I've done so far runs a wide gamut. They play top 40/electronic so a futuristic or geometric feel is what they are looking for. (i found this out after showing the first round of ideas). Anyway, the T-shirt is pretty much nailed down. I'll be posting up more designs for my t-shirts and other bar Austin logos as they develop. Eventually I'll have a poll set up so people can vote. As for now, BUY SOMETHING at my store!. just kidding, kind of.

Here it is:

My plans for May- where you can view my work

Well, I finally finished a painting for some friends who run the Zilker Kite Festival. Turned out very nice. Not my usual stuff so it was a good change of pace.



I've also been creating a shop on Cafepress.com putting up images of my art, and also doing a line of shirts with the coat of arms from different Latin American countries. Check them out:


I'm also moving my work into Bar Austin. Bar Austin is at 402 E.6th Street. Good drinks, not too loud, and of course kick ass art. Alot of the paintings are from older shows but I'll be adding more in as I complete it. I'm going to make that place my rotating exhibit. If anyone out there has a space that could use art and you want to make some bucks, let me know. We can work a deal so you can earn commission off anything that sells while my work is there.

new painting- preview

Just like the title asays. In the ln my first post I talked about a new painting I was working on. Well, here it your first glimpse. The painting is untitlted for now. It is a tripych (three canvas joining to make a single image). When displayed I will separate them by a few inches. The measurements of all the canvases together is 6'x3'. Three months of hard work, lots of reference photos, late nights, AND I'M STILL NOT FINISHED! If you look at the hair and parts of the flesh, they need to be rendered more realistically. I'm also going to add some distinct highlights to show where sun is shining onto the rainforest floor. If you like this piece and want to get a copy of it, don't dispair. I'll be finishing in May as I have another project to do and need to put this on hold. When I'm through with it, I'll be having it professionally shot so I can make prints, and other items available in the store.



Let me know what you think. And help me with a name. right now "Finding Roots" keeps coming to mind. The idea is of this girl literally uncovering her past.

Douglas Brown-Art log

Hello everyone, you can call me doug. I always thought Douglas made me sound too old. This is the first in what will hopefully be a long term gig, if I remember to keep posting. I'm an artist, as you'll soon see when I start posting up sketches of finished works or upcoming pieces. I've been drawing since I was five, went to art school and discovered you can't really make a living just doing paintings. So, I'm also a graphic designer, muralist, and pretty much jack of all trades.

Well, enough blah blah... lets put up some pretty pictures. I'll try to explain some of their motivations as well.




This is "Lynette" she's a 48" x 60" acrylic painting I did in 2004. As you can see, I'm a realist and in love with women. My main influence has been growing up around incredibly strong women. For the last few years, I've been really getting into middle Eastern art and culture. I imagine its because of the war. Amazing how one event can influence so many aspects of your life. I'm drawn to the detail and line work in the architecture and clothing.



This is "Mendhi Bride" 12" x 24" Acrylic with enamel, and ink. I wanted to create an intimate picture that also captured a little bit of "Magical Realism". If you're not familiar with the term, it was used by people to describe the work of author Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He described everyday events and objects but his phrasing and word combinations transformed these thoughts into something fantastical. In this painting I wanted to do something similar.

I guess that's all for now, I need to make dinner. hope you all enjoy the work so far.

P.S.- Mendhi Bride is for sale if anyone is interested. $700 If you don't have that kind of cash handy, I also have a store at: http://www.cafepress.com/douglasbrown