Tag Archives: Erwin Dence surfing illustrations

Black Bear and Coyote Spirit Animal Illustration

Posted on by under Erwin Dence surf illustrations, northwest spirit animals illustrations, real surfers, Uncategorized

Because I worry about ruining a drawing that is going well as much as I’m thrilled that it is going well; I stopped the Coyote illustration without a background.  This is the same reason I added the lettering on the Raven after I’d done the drawing, had copies made; and colored some in. So,

But, because I was stuck at the Les Schwab in Port Townsend getting my ball joints replaced (hey, at a certain age…) for pretty much a whole day, I actually started AND finished the drawing and lettering on the Black Bear.

BUT, I didn’t color it in until I had copies made.  SO, here’s where we are right now:

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MEANWHILE (no, it’s more like a ‘So…’) if you noticed that there’s no color on the coyote itself, and not too much on the raven; it’s that Trish seems to believe that the drawings are, um, better.  We’ll see. I’m planning on doing some others.  We just had a big ass owl show up on our ring doorbell/camera.  I know owls are spirit animals in the northwest, but not sure about some of the other animals that show up; raccoons, possums, squirrels, various other birds, cats… haven’t had a cougar yet, but they are known to frequent our area.

SO (more like ‘Oh’), I am planning on doing some more illustrations.  Stay tuned.

Northwest Spirit Animals

Posted on by under Erwin Dence surf illustrations, northwest surfing, real surfers, Uncategorized

I am planning on doing a series of animals that have a history and a spiritual connection to the Northwest.  Of course, I want to tie it in to the waters, the ocean that spreads its fingers into the land.

The illustration of the raven is the first of these.  I can’t seem to quit on any drawing until it’s pretty much over-done, can’t seem to keep it simple.  So, here’s the latest addition to the raven:

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When I’m pretty happy with the progress of a particular drawing, it becomes a worry that anything additional I do may not improve, and might possibly ruin the whole thing. This is the case with the Coyote illustration.  I got the coyote done, maybe, and then worried about where to place it.  I added the butterfly, and then the lettering, and then got copies of that so that, if I ruin one, I can try again.

Here’s where we are:

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There’s one spot under the front feet that is on the original.  Any other random, out of place spots are from the scanner.  I didn’t want to white it out because there may be some added value in having the original.  For example, Trish wants the original of the raven drawing.  It may be too late.  I did the drawing, 11 by 17, got copies; colored in several, got copies and reductions; added the lettering to one of those.  There is, then, the original without the lettering, and the… yeah, confusing.

I am, however, bravely or foolishly, currently adding background to the original coyote drawing.  Water, waves, driftwood.  Sort of scary.

If we compare it to surfing, the best I can come up with is: If you get one of the best rides of a session, one you probably won’t top, do you come in?  What if the first wave, as is sometimes the case, is the best?

WAIT, here’s another question: When you know one is not supposed to share too much information with too many people on where waves are breaking, or that waves are breaking, particularly in real time (and particularly around the Strait of Juan de Fuca); is there (or can there be) a select group of surfers you CAN share the info with?

I sort of think there is.  YES, it does suggest one can have FRIENDS; which then suggests there might be some sort of community of surfers.  Community.  Hmmm.

I have phone numbers for, probably (only) six or seven surfers. I share info with three regularly, a couple more sometimes, and others rarely.  Mostly I get “You would have loved it” text messages, after the fact.  Sometimes there might be some “What do you think” strike/skunk probability discussions/planning sessions.

It kind of comes down to TRUST, and, YEAH, the fallback position is that there are NEVER waves around these parts, but there are ALWAYS waves in… oh; gotta go.

Two-fer

Posted on by under Erwin Dence surf illustrations, northwest surfing, real surfers coloring book, realsurfers illustrations, Uncategorized

It’s a two-fer because I have a laptop and a tablet, and I can edit things on the tablet, but, for some reason, can’t seem to figure out how to do it on this thing, the one where I can put new scans.  I decided, just after I posted the previous piece, that, since I now have a red and white version of the next-to-the-last illustration, I should also offer a side-by side comparison of that drawing.

Now, I did spend too much time trying to transfer some photos from my phone to my site, or, at least, to my email account; to no avail.  Later.

Anyway, hopefully, you will be willing to check out this and the previous posting.  OR, maybe I’ll just put both versions of both illustrations and you can skip the previous verbiage.  No, check it out anyway.  Thanks.

 

 

New Drawing, New Greeting Logo

Posted on by under "Swamis" the novel, Erwin Dence surf illustrations, real surfers, surf art, surf novels, Uncategorized

It’s my new computer, and I’m trying to figure it out.  I’ve hooked up the printer one other time, found out it’s out of ink. Errrr.  Trish had hooked it up before that, and evidently used the last of the ink.

It’s not that I need ink to scan a few drawings.  No, but I do have to find out where the drawings end up, and how to get them from there to here.  SO:

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Meanwhile… wait, it worked. Great! The first drawing is another one originally drawn as the negative version of this.  It’s a learning experience.  When I saw the resultant re-positive-imaged drawing, I discovered the mountains didn’t show up very well.  So, I went back in with some black lines, and got… what you see.

I do have this drawing available as a print at Tyler Meek’s DISCO BAY OUTDOOR EXCHANGE, and I’m adding the image as another in a group of greeting cards I’ve been working on.

HEY, Tyler has a lot of snow-thrashing gear and clothing, there’s snow in the Olympics; so… check it out!

The other drawing is to be used as one of two (so far), way reduced in size for the backs of the soon-to-be-available, ORIGINAL ERWIN cards.

MEANWHILE, waves continue to miss the Strait of Juan de Fuca, as far as I know, and it’s cold, and, yeah, even though I totally entered a state of hypothermia last time I surfed, I’m ready for some more. Or some.  OH, and I’m at 39,000 words, or so, on my novel, “SWAMIES.”

Wait; It’s that close to Christmas? Ow!

Posted on by under Erwin Dence illustrations, realsurfers illustrations, Uncategorized

Hey, it’s December tenth. This is when, traditionally, I seem to run out of painting work. Not always a joyous thing.

I got laid off from a temporary position with the Civil Service on December tenth. It was a reduction-in-force in Civilservicespeak. RIF. I had reluctantly gone back to work painting for the feds after a two year separation due to my desire to hit the big time as a contractor; a career move with a shaky start (and why I gave up on big-time commercial projects- not a shark, stay out of the shark tank) that cost me dearly (five months working for free, loss of retirement drawn out, first time dealing with real depression, blah, blah); though I did lose a lot of weight.

Yeah, but that was twenty-five years ago or so. I’ve gained all the weight back. And, yes, then some; but I was really pissed-off because they, supposedly, kept employees with special skills. I was pretty much the only classically-trained and the most skilled sign painter, but never did learn the most important Civil Service skill.

I’d tell you what it is, but you might think I’m KISSING UP.

Another December 10th it was announced by one of the main general contractors that I worked for that he wasn’t receiving all the money from a project he had asked and planned for, and he was going to share that misfortune with his subcontractors. Joy.

There are other examples, and, maybe, like saying the surf has always been good on Thanksgiving, I’m using the date as a sort of marker of all the DOWNSIDES OF THE SEASON; the reason people celebrate the various holidays in the darkest days of the year. Yea, we’re alive!

ALL THIS, really, just got rolling out of my fingers as I wanted to write something about how I don’t have HOLIDAY GREETING CARDS ready to sell at TYLER MEEKS’ DISCO BAY OUTDOOR EXCHANGE.

I’ve been busy. But, here are a couple of examples of cards. If I get my job finished early enough I might have some time to get to the printers. I’ll let you know.

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Available soon. Shit, I have to get going so I can finish up another job. MEANWHILE, best to you, including some waves. I hear they’re, traditionally, good this time of year.

It’s not an Oyster, it’s a tag

Posted on by under "Swamis" the novel, Original Erwin t-shirts, real surfers, Uncategorized

I drew up several versions of a price tag for my t-shirts and illustrations available at Tyler Meeks’ DISCO BAY OUTDOOR EXCHANGE. I don’t think this looks like an oyster, or, maybe, an abalone shell, but Trish does.

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And I don’t know if coloring it in helps make it less shell-like. Here’s the other version, not yet colored-in.

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Hey, check out “Swami’s” the novel, a few scrolls and finger-rolls down. I’m working on it. Well, when I get a chance. Thanks.

A Few New Tees A Few Good Waves

Posted on by under Erwin Dence illustrations, Original Erwin, real surfers, Uncategorized

I picked up some tee shirts at DL LOGOS in Port Townsend yesterday. The outfit is run by Dwane and Loren (oh, that’s why it’s DL), and they have what I (having worked in several sign shops), a fan of such places, consider a pretty cool shop.

Rather than the smell of heavy and toxic chemicals (lacquer thinner, paint, methyl ethyl ketone), it is one, warm, due to the fact that the inks need the heat to dry, and, two, has more of a plastic-y smell. It’s similar to the smell of a toy, from some years ago, that enabled kids to melt plastic around all kinds of shapes.

One of the guys, D or L, and I went through the boxes of leftover or extra tee shirts a week or so ago, got a selection of sizes and colors. From the first batch of shirts I learned that not everyone wants a L, XL, or XXL; so I got some smalls and a few more mediums.

SO, after I kept a couple for gifts, one for myself, sold some shirts to friends, one to a woman on the job I was working on, there are now less available at TYLER MEEKS’ DISCO BAY OUTDOOR EXCHANGE.

AND, rather oddly enough, as the first potential buyers were going through the selection, I realized I was a little reluctant to let the shirts in the coolest colors go; mostly because the next potential customers couldn’t see how cool they were. Mine, in, yes, the XXL, is on a sort of forest green, and, yeah, it’s fine, but in maroon…

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Whoa!

I am working on some seasonal, surf-related cards, and, with the knowledge I’m getting from actually producing and trying to market art and products (and throwing in that I enjoy the hell out of the whole process), I will be doing more shirts soon.

Here’s are the first shirts, a black and white version of one of two new designs for tags I’m working on, and an illustration that probably won’t make it to ORIGINAL ERWIN shirts.

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The tag is the one on the bottom. I’ll add the color version soon.

This One Might be a T-Shirt Keeper

Posted on by under Erwin Dence surf illustrations, real surfers, realsurfers illustrations, Uncategorized

Trish told me to just quit looking at it. I had just put the larger and smaller versions in frames, fresh from getting the original reversed at the FedEx place in Silverdale, with help from a Hawaiian transplant I’ve dealt with before.

While he didn’t immediately see the wave in the last drawing, he said, of this one; “Oh yes, I can see it; the surfer, the board…”

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The next time I go to Port Townsend, I’m going to check in with the guys who printed my last t-shirts, see if, maybe, they have some on hand they can use to get some out kind of, well, faster… and, having learned a few things from the first batch, I know now that a lot of surfers go for mediums; some for small.

So, though the double-x shirts are gone (one each to me), I do still have a few larges and extra larges, and some shirts are still available at Tyler Meek’s DISCO BAY OUTDOOR EXCHANGE.

MEANWHILE, I’m working (or better get to work) on some greeting cards using some of the best ORIGINAL ERWIN’s.

Like the promise of waves, coming soon.

AND, Yes, I’m still experimenting with the drawing of reverse images; but I do really enjoy the practice.

Negative Thinking Leads to…

Posted on by under Erwin Dence surf illustrations, real surfers, realsurfers illustrations, surf art, Uncategorized

..negative images.

IT ISN’T that I can’t think negatively; it’s my pre-set and my fall-back position. Maybe it’s defensive; questioning everything, sometimes regretting the times I didn’t; responding to almost any statement with, “What do you mean by that?”

HEY, that sounds kind of confessional. ACTUALLY, I’m just trying to provide a little introduction to some (potential) t-shirt designs I’ve been working on.

THE IDEA is to do white on colored t-shirts, but, in order to do that, I had to do the illustrations as negatives, all the black to be white. AND, sure, vice-versa. SO:

SO, Wait. Here are the negative images. NOW, imagine white ink on a colored t-shirt.

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I have to admit I was pretty jazzed (saying jazzed rather than stoked, just to vary my vocabulary) when the guy at Office Depot in Sequim was able to do a negative image. I called up TYLER MEEKS at the DISCO BAY OUTDOOR EXCHANGE.  I did some variations on logo designs for Tyler, and had stopped by to show the originals. AND to see what progress was being made on the t-shirts. AND, yeah, just about ready to go.

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SO, now I’m thinking; if I can actually get a negative image at the printers, MAYBE I can do the original drawing as a positive image and just get… WAIT, that’s too much thinking, too much imagining. I can’t even imagine the logo (above) as a negative image without risking serious damage to my… um… brain.

BUT, I will let you know when you can get an ORIGINAL ERWIN t-shirt. WHAT I CAN’T TELL YOU is when and where some surf might appear; not that I’m not thinking about it. Constantly. Right now.

Illustration for “Swamis”

Posted on by under Erwin Dence surf illustrations, real surfers, surf novels, Uncategorized

If I get up early enough, I do some work on the novel; but I rarely get up early enough to get very far past the pages I’ve already written. Editing, changing; maybe adding another page.

And then, while working, I think about where it’s all going, think of new plot twists, new names for characters. I actually love this part; it’s like thinking about past surfing sessions, checking the forecast for the future.

It’s interesting how a pretty mediocre session, over time, over time without waves, gets a higher rating in the memory loop. Rides were tighter, turns were hit harder, waves were longer, a little bigger.  One difference here is, I can go back and edit, change, hopefully improve the drawings and the writing.

Past sessions. Yeah, those just get better with age

Here’s my illustration, the first, actually, for “Swamis.”

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Subject to change, of course