Christmas Card Artwork - 2018

Hi All,

Seasons Greetings, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays....hope you're having a wonderful holiday season - whatever holidays you celebrate.   I hope the start of winter is going well (or summer if you're way down south).  Here in Phoenix it's going good...it's a little chilly for us, but I'm enjoying every bit of it.

So every year I do a Kreienbrink Christmas Card and share it on the blog.  This year I've combined themes - birth of Jesus (of course), holly, and green/red, and also our location.  At the bottom, just like a physical card, I share a message for friends and family as well.

Kreienbrink Christmas Card design - Christmas 2018 - pen and ink and electronic paint

This years card is above.  I started with a pen and ink drawing of all the elements and imported it into the computer.  Once in the computer, I painted in the color portions in Photoshop.  The city is Phoenix, featuring the Star of David/the star in the east, and some other Christmas themes making the border.  It was a fun little project.  I don't mail Christmas cards out - this is my card and I share it on social media and in direct messaging as well (a little bit).  For me it's a nice way to try to brighten the holidays and let people know you care.

I hope you holidays are going well.  May the peace and joy of the season, fill your heart and mind all year long.  Make every day a great day.  Reach out - and make someone's day - for no reason.  Let's have the best year yet.

Peace and Love,

Tom Kreienbrink

PS - below are a few cards from years past.  Have a great day.

Compartment Syndrome Illustration

Hi All,

I hope you're all doing well and getting ready for the holidays.  I've been working on some illustrations lately and thought I'd share one quickly.

As you may know, I was a medical illustrator for about 10 years for the Air Force, supporting clinical teaching and residency programs, while I was on active duty.  I would do work for teaching lectures, print and publications, public information, murals, etc.  Occasionally I still get a little freelance work, doing some anatomical illustrations.

Pen and Ink and digital pen and ink illustration by Thomas Kreienbrink

Recently I did an illustration for the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.  The illustration will be in one of their publications in the near future.  It's a simple, clean illustration depicting two openings created to release pressure from fluid build up from compartment syndrome.  This build up could be caused typically from trauma/injury that doesn't allow for healthy circulation in the affected extremity.  The incisions allow for excess fluids to be released by seeping/flowing out of the openings.

I'm currently working on more medical illustrations as well.  I'll share them with you when finished.
In the mean time, have a great December and enjoy your Christmas, or whatever holidays you celebrate. 

Tom

to see more of my art, go to...
www.behance.net/tk-art

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween Everyone,

I hope you all have a lot of fun tonight.  Enjoy and also be safe out there - there will be a lot of kids out trick or treating.  Should be a great night.

I'll be in the usual costume....EMT in the Ambulance.   But we'll have some fun out there too.

Enjoy the holiday, be careful for kids, and show a little kindness to others.  I have great memories of trick or treating - people showing thier hospitality and candy to us rug rats.  Good times.

Boo!

Tom

Duane "The Rock" Johnson Caricature

Hi All,

It's been a busy summer and fall has finally come to the Valley of the Sun (thankfully).  Even though it's been busy this summer, I've still been working on some artwork here and there when I get the chance.  I love doing caricature work and I have a new one to share (although I finished it a while ago).

Recently I was hanging out with my granddaughter and we decided to do a little drawing.  I love hanging out and drawing with her - and she's a pretty good budding artist.   She found a topic to draw and I found an old magazine with The Rock on the cover and decided to start a piece based on him.

I started with pencils and a piece of bristol board and started a loose caricature of Duane Johnson.  When finished drawing I put it down and forgot about it.  Eventually I picked it up again a few weeks later and decided to finish the piece.

pencil sketch/caricature.

After I bought the pencil sketch along, I took a photo of it and brought it into Photoshop and did some digital painting.  I started by giving the image a sepia tone (a light brownish color).  I tightened up just a few areas that needed it, added a background design and a border; some finishing touches that I can easily apply with Photoshop and my Wacom drawing tablet.

finished artwork - pencil and digital paint

I enjoyed this project and I like the subject matter.  Typically, D.J. makes movies that are exciting and fun and a lot of times family friendly.  I've enjoyed many of his films and used to watch him wrestle, with my sons, years ago.

In a world as polarized as we live in today - Duane "The Rock" Johnson is a guy most of us can agree on.  This is a rare quality these days.

So remember the things we can agree on and that even though we may have differences, we all share a common humanity.  Have a great week everyone.

"Can you smellllll.......what the Rock is cooking?"

Peace,

Tom Kreienbink

Glenn Frey Portait - Fly Eagle

Hi All,

I hope you're all doing well.  It's been a while since I've posted anything here.  Everything is fine, but I've made some changes and have been pretty busy lately.  So I haven't had the chance to post anything or create any new artwork since the Christmas Card.

I've been working as an EMT in an outreach capacity to assist the homeless community for several months now.  So I've taken a step back from the massage and holistic therapy biz and producing freelance or personal artwork. 

I've got ideas for projects and recently I've been itching to do a little artwork...to make some time to get into the creative mode again.  I haven't been pursuing any freelance work and side biz, but still like to do some projects -- I enjoy creating art and sharing as well. 

In the past few years some of the musical artists that I've enjoyed over the years have passed away.  Folks like Prince, David Bowie, Greg Allman, Tom Petty, George Harrison and others have died.  Another one is gone as well recently - Glenn Frey of the Eagles.  It's been a while, but I decided I'd do a picture of him.

I always thought Glenn Frey was the coolest of the Eagles.  From the time I was a young kid, the Eagles were a band who's music filled the airwaves.  From the country-rock music they made in the early 70's to the more guitar heavy rock of the mid to later 70's and 80's, they were always one of my favorites.  This portrait has an up close larger image of Frey from the mid-70s era and a smaller image from later years, when the band re-united again and went out on tour.  So here's to you Glenn....Fly Eagle, Fly...

"Fly Eagle, Fly" - Electronic Illustration by Tom Kreienbrink

As usual, this portrait started with a pencil sketch on paper.  After working out some of the detail, I imported the sketch into Photoshop and then created the finished illustration with an electronic drawing and painting technique using a Wacom stylus and tablet.  Basically its a freehanded drawing/painting technique, except its completed using the computer instead of traditional media.  It's a little different for sure and can be much more forgiving.  Using the layering features and various brush sizes, opacity percentages, etc...also give it a much different feel from using traditional media.

I hope you enjoy the pic.  This weekend and coming week, get out some of those old Eagles albums (or crank it up on line).  Enjoy some of the great rock and roll that Frey and his bandmates created all those years ago.

Have a great day,

Tom