Reboot of the Blog and Freelance Career - New Artwork

Hi All, 

 I hope you're doing well. I've been busy for a while outside of design and illustration and haven't posted to the blog in a while. My blog post focus today is on the rebooting of my illustration and design career and a couple of new pieces I've recently added to the portfolio.  

In the past several years I've been working in the holistic healthcare and emergency healthcare fields and I enjoyed it. I feel like I needed to take the opportunities to train and work in these fields. However, recently I've decided to committ myself and my energies back into full-time freelance illustration and design work. This work is my first love, it's what I've done for 30+ years and I'm really excited to be back.

President Zelenskyy of Ukraine - pencil and digital media
Illustration by Tom Kreienbrink

So I started brushing up on freelancing and the first think I needed was to update the portfolio.  While recovering from my recent surgery, I started creating some new artwork and getting back into the swing of regular drawing and creating.  Above is the first new piece; President Zelenskyy of Ukraine.  I'm trying to keep my focus limited in scope and with a certain consistency of style.  This would be an editorial style piece.  Perhaps a piece that might be appropriate in Rolling Stone or a magazine like that.

The Zelenskyy piece starts with pencil on paper.  The pencil is still a valuable tool.  My aim was to produce a bold piece, and yet it's a caricature with a dark cartoon flavor.  However - anyone familiar with the situation in Ukraine will recognize immediately what's going on here.

After I completed a pencil piece that I was pleased with, I took it into my iPad.  I like a program called ProCreate and I have the Apple Pencil that I use to work on that platform as well.  This phase gives me the opportunity to really get some contrast in the piece.  I also can rework some of the details and further define areas that need it.  Finally I take it to the computer and put the finishing touches, formatting, etc.; using Photoshop.  By this time the piece is probably 95% complete.

Taylor Hawkins - pencil and digital media
Illustration by Tom Kreienbrink

The other image I'll share today is an illustration of Taylor Hawkins.  As many of you know he was the drummer in the band, Foo Fighters.  He passed away recently and unexpectedly.  Here again a very similar technique as the first one.  It's not a straight portrait, but more of a sad grieving caricature, where there is a candle of love and remembrance burning for him.

I wanted it to have the monochromatic effect that the other did, but I inserted a little color - the flame and some of the golden light from that flame.  He was an amazing drummer and a very beloved person in the music industry.  He will be missed.

That's all I'll share for now.  It's heating up here in Phoenix.  Looking like it'll be a great summer.  Wherever you're at, have an excellent Spring and Summer...enjoy each day.

I'm open for business - more to come.  

Peace,

Tom

Tom Kreienbrink

Illustrator and Graphic Designer

tom.kbrink@gmail.com

www.behance.net/tk-art  -- on-line portfolio.

Pencil Portraits

Hi All,

Sometimes it all comes down to basics.  That's what the pencil portrait is about.  However, even though you do a portrait with graphite and illustration board, this can be a treasured piece of artwork.  Especially if it's done well, framed and hung - this can be a very sentimental gift that can bring a smile to the recipient for years to come.

Sue - a portrait of my wife done with pencil
on Bristol Board; 11 x 14 inches

The pencil portrait can take differing forms and contain various levels of simplicity, to more detailed and relatively complex works.  The portrait of "Sue" is a simple picture, but the beauty of it is the simplicity.  The happy smiling face that captures her personality, balanced by the right amount of negative space, creating a simple, just right artwork.

The picture of Pat Tillman takes things to a different level.  It reflects his career as a beloved local hero on the football field in Phoenix at ASU and then professionally as an Arizona Cardinal.  It also brings in his military career and patriotism...the successful pro athlete who walked away to fight for his country after the 9-11 attacks.  A more complex story is told by this picture.

Tillman - Pencil on Bristol Board; 11 x 14 inches.
A portrait of a beloved figure depicting his
life and accomplishments

One of my favorite things to do is mix medias.  No, I'm not an art purist...I'm an artist that does what I think looks good.  I was commissioned to produce a portrait of a child and the family cat (with elf hat on).  The customer provided some pretty good reference material and I started with pencil, working light to dark - hard to soft lead.  Afterward, I got out the Iwata custom micron airbrush and added some darker values.  I also added some Sepia tone and lighter complementing colors to it; giving it that "old time photo" feel.  Then, I went in with just a little bit of colored pencil and added a little hint of color.

Child and Cat - pencil/mixed media on illustration
board; 18 x 24 inches.  

There's one other aspect to this that's appealing to some folks; the price.  A pencil based piece of artwork is a great way to add a keepsake to your collection, that will last a lifetime, at a very affordable price.  This can be a great value that will bring a smile to the face of a mother, father, spouse or whomever.

If I can help you with a portrait, or any type of artwork, let me know.  My contact info is in my profile -- I'd love to assist with your project.

Have a great week....keep on smiling :)

Tom