Bee and Purple Flowers

Here's a new piece to help ring in Spring:

You can check our this piece, and others like it, at my Etsy shop - Markers and Paint.

Thoughts While Reading John Locke

The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom.
John Locke

We get so caught up in our systems that we forget the fundamentals.

Men are born free, and the government's place is to protect our freedom.

Our president is an executive, not a boss or a king. Our Congress is made up of our representatives, not our masters. The Supreme Court exists to defend the Constitution, which defends us.

Of course, this all assumes that you want to be free.

I just thought this was a nice thought for today.

Here's the Thing About People Who Talk Too Much

There is a type of person whom you've met (and you may be one yourself) who talks endlessly about things uninteresting to the person listening.

Here's the thing: They all know they're being tedious and they do it anyway.

I don't know what it is. It's a mental wiring issue. Maybe extra dopamine is released - I don't know.

But they know.

They know.

Your only recourse is to fight back with an endless barrage of questions. Maybe, just maybe, you can steer the conversation to more friendly territory.

Good luck.

Want a Good Martini?

You should definitely try Alton Brown's Martini recipe.

Checkitout

He also makes a mean Daiquiri and Bloody Mary.

You Know the Day

Happy Easter!

Holidays are an excuse to be just a little happier. Take advantage!

Baby Woodpecker

If You're Going to Paint Like a Pro...

I'm learning more and more that using the correct VALUE is more important than using the correct color.

Painting is only convincing to the extent that it can communicate. It's important to be able to identify and duplicate values accurately because values contribute up to 80 percent of a painting's effectiveness and will guarantee you a convincing illusion of truth. 

Graydon Parrish 

Hummingbird and Orange Flower

When Judging Politicians Remember...

... your guy/gal needs to have the right enemies.

A Short Truth

Unfortunately, it's easier to spread a slogan than the truth.

A slogan fits on a bumper sticker, while the truth often requires some explanation. A slogan sinks in immediately, while the truth must often marinate.

Don't be fooled by the bumper stickers.

5 Ways to Improve Your Painting

1) Make sure the drawing is sound. Don't try to fix it in the painting stage.

2) Learn the difference between form shadows and cast shadows.

3) Choose a dominant color.

4) If the highlights are warm, make the shadows cool (and vice versa).

5) Treat the background like your subject. Don't just add it in at the end.

h/t Harley Brown

A Dwarf Warrior

I decided to draw a Dwarf Warrior today.

Why? Because it's fun -- that's why.

Announcement - Brand New Prints Shop Online

I'm very pleased to announce to Grand Opening of Markers and Paint - my Etsy shop for digital art print.

My shop specializes in nature images that were made with ink, Winsor & Newton pigment markers and acrylic paint.

All of my image at 6" x 6" and would look great hanging on any wall (yours and all your friends!).

If you'd like to check it out for yourself, click here:

Markers and Paint - Etsy Shop

Random Music Post

Sometimes I have to listen to some Local H.

That grungy, lyrical, melody infused, hooky grunge rock.

Listen for Yourself

To The Blessed Among Us

I admire people who sort of travel organically along a certain path -- each step of their process built upon a previous step in a definite (and useful) direction.

I have to fight the impulse to flit from idea to idea.

A Lesson From the Media

We can learn an important lesson from the childish media.

Responsible, mature people can debate in a measured way, addressing the points and assumptions of others without getting too hung up on the actual language.

Minutely parsing speech is worse than useless.

It is a stain on our discourse that we are too busy being offended and playing "gotcha" to engage in grown-up debate.

A Birthday Lesson

When my wife and friends are so considerate and thoughtful on my birthday, I realize how much more considerate I'd like to become.

What a great birthday gift.

A Lil' Birdie

Just A Thought

It's amazing how frightening another person can be when they explain their views, and you don't share their fundamental views of the world.

Mixed Media Horse on Bristol

1 Tip for the Struggling, Frustrated Artist

Some budding artists bounce around.

It behooves you to focus on 1 thing for a long time. Choose 1 type of subject matter; and 1 media; and 1 size paper / canvas / whatever.

And keep working on the same sort of images. With each new image you add to your technique. You start to experiment. You grow.

ALSO, you'll have a body of work.

Focus -- don't flit.

Before You Argue With Someone...

You can put forward the most solid arguments known to man, but if your opponent has a head full of bad ideas you may as well be making Peanuts teacher noises.

In other words: When you realize that your debate buddy sees the world in a fundamentally different way, it's time to step back and tackle the worldview.

Save yourselves.

Trump and Jargon

Jargon is the enemy of effective communication.

Trump is teaching us what many of us already knew: Part of the reason people despise politicians is that they speak in political jargon.

News Flash: Almost no one is a politician. Almost no one speaks (or likes) the lingo.

And we've learned that jargon is a substitute for authenticity.

Listen, politicians. Don't talk so much. Have a sense of humor. Act like a grown-up. Sell us on the philosophy of America, which can't be beaten.

Freedom.
Happiness.
Dignity.

Ideas and Gravity

It's funny -- We're all wired up to prefer certain opinions and positions.

I find myself naturally wanting to defend certain people and ideas with whom I have no real experience. It's like gravity. And I have to step back and ask myself why I feel like I have skin in that game.

One of the crucial skills we all have to learn is how to take that step back.