A Curious Snail

Early mornings

black sharpie and water color

Westwood 1986

Let me try to explain myself.

When I was a young man I loved illustration.

Perhaps the two illustrators who had the greatest influence on me were Aubrey Beardsley and Jean Giraud aka Moebius. Both artist drew with a fine line and I tried to emulate that.

Here's an old drawing of mine.

pencil drawing

Venice CA 1978

So back then I saw myself as an illustrator.

Then sometime around 1980 I was introduced to Abstract Expressionism and I had an epiphany...

Could I approach Abstract Expressionism with an illustrator's line?

A new world opened up to me and I started having fun with my drawing.

And then, for about 35 years I never drew an identifiable object.

No joke.

Still Life

black sharpie

Westwood 1985

Attitude Adjustment

pen, colored pencil and watercolor

Duarte CA 1996

Time never began

black sharpie on bond paper

San Francisco 2003

Dan's drawing

black sharpie

Rosemead 2011

i did a lot of these drawings. And I really enjoyed making them. For over thirty years I completely liberated myself from the rigors of drawing something that had to look like something. And I loved it. But then...

Sometime around 2015 I returned to illustration. Why? I'll be honest with you, I started to miss it.

Call it full circle but that's where I'm at now.

I still treasure my line though.

little boxes

black sharpie on paper

Los Angeles 2019

Thank you Aubrey and Jean.

Aubrey Beardsley

Jean Giraud aka Moebius

Pedro UK - Searching for light

I've been doing music video artwork for my friend Pedro UK. Some of them have turned out nicely. Pedro UK's music is great as well. The drawings are all done with pen and colored pencil. I used 'Paint' to assemble the covers. Tumblr only lets me upload one video per post so I uploaded Pedro's song "Then 2" (below). The other videos are uploaded on YouTube.

While we're on the subject, if anyone knows anyone who needs cover artwork done for video's or CD's I'm open for business.

Cheers.

Pedro UK - Then 2 first mix

Pedro UK - Mother

Pedro UK - Lockdown Sessions

Pedro UK - Lockdown Sessions

Zero 7 - Give it away

ballpoint pen and watercolor

Calbayog City 2024

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to deal with his fools." Ernest Hemingway

But what about the sober man?

The sober man

ballpoint pen and watercolor

Calbayog City 2024

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8B pencil

Calbayo City 2024

I know this drawing is finished because it's dinner time.

Btw, I love Filipino food.

A young woman with bangs

8B pencil and finger rubbing

Calbayog City 2024

Bangs make me weak at the knees.

I keep tinkering with this drawing. This is where its at now.

Here's the initial sketch

Besame Mucho

colored pencil & pen, calbayog city, 2025

Not gonna lie, I really like this one. It has a deeply blue, blue, and the red.. the red was an accident. I love accidents.

Lisa Ono - Besame Mucho

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Candy says - The Velvet Underground

pen and ink

Calbayog City 2024

Somewhere between right and wrong there exists a sweet spot.

Candy Says.

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Beautiful things

Black sharpie on beige paper

Rosemead 2012

"Dream pretty dreams of beautiful things,

let all the skies surround you.

Swim with the swans and believe that upon

some glorious dawn love will find you"

Townes van Zandt

This drawing just came out of nowhere. Like a mystical gift, one day it just happened.

Steve's mother

Ballpoint pen and red pencil

Calbayog City 2024

This drawing... I don't know.

But first off, I'm not Steve.

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Each time you fall in love

Coloredpencil and Watercolor

Monrovia 1996

I made this drawing in 1996.

When I drew it, by the grace of God, I had been free form alcohol for one incredible year and I remember, so clearly, that as I drew, I was feeling a deep new creative surge born of hope.

Life is an epic journey my friends.

Each time you fall in love - Cigarettes after sex

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