Academy of Art University Fall 2016

Since getting here in August it's been an amazing time. Words can't fully describe how positive I feel about everything - the school, teachers, friends, San Francisco, painting and more. 

 

My painting locker full of stuff! 

I don't believe this is by accident. Researching and deciding to come here consumed a lot of deep thought and time. I wanted to make sure I was making a sound decision and that I knew what I was getting into. I advise anyone considering their education *undergraduate or graduate* do the same. 

I'll briefly touch on some specific aspects I love about the Illustration department here. Firstly, Illustration, Visual Development and Animation share the same building. The result is a buzzing hive of creative activity with inspiring student art all over the walls. Resources are unlimited and technology is only the start. There is a full-service model and prop office - crucial for someone like myself who paints in a realistic style. Rooms not in use are always open for doing homework.

Checking out the Illustration prop room 

 The Baked Bear - amazing ice cream sandwiches in San Francisco! 

Moses is a perpetual wanderer.

In his upbringing Moses was a prince of Egypt. He strayed from that and found temporary refuge in Midian. Tending the flock he strayed again to follow a lone sheep. That led him to discover the burning bush and his purpose in life.

Later as Shepherd of the Hebrews Moses became chief wanderer of the wandering people. Even until death Moses never set foot at home. He was forbidden from entering the Land of Canaan. 

Through his wandering in the desert early in life Moses formed his character. Wandering as leader of the Hebrews he formed a nation. 

Moses is a powerful example that the journey forms us more than the destination.

This is a work in progress painting of Moses and the Burning Bush. Follow for more Jewish art! 

www.AdarDarnovArt.com  

New Jersey Jewish News Interview

Big thanks to the New Jersey Jewish News for interviewing me about my art!

You can pickup the newspaper free at any synagogue, kosher restaurant or Jewish school.

The Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel

A fantastic team is partnering to produce a Haggadah graphic novel! 

Jordan B. Garfinkel, a veteran of Batman and Birds of Prey is teaming up with Erez Zadok an Israeli comics artist. 

From the artwork on their Indiegogo page this looks amazing! 

Go here to support it: The Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel

The Academy of Music and Dance Mural Part 2

I'm happy to finally show pictures of the finished mural at The Academy of Music and Dance. It's hard to believe these were blank walls 2 weeks ago. Painting on walls is very challenging. Mostly because there is so much space to cover. It is also a challenge to make sure the design on the wall matches the original design on paper. Before painting on the walls I established a grid pattern. That way I could transfer the design to the wall square by square. 

This room will mostly be used by the youngest students in the school ages 2-6. On walking into the room the curtain is behind and the stage doors are on either side. Straight ahead is the audience sitting in the mezzanine. 

Over the course of painting the mural I used around 30 tubes of paint!

Painting at a place of business was a completely different experience than working in my home studio. It was like going to work each day. In the mornings the school was very quiet. Around 3:00pm students started arriving each day. There were lots of music teachers and kids in the hall. Many of them stuck their heads in to see what I was doing. The social aspect offered some pleasant contrast from my typical working environment. 

One very enjoyable part was seeing the reactions of the small kids. Getting their approval was satisfying. After all that's who the room is for! 

Until next time, 

Adar

The Academy of Music and Dance Mural

I am finally showing the designs for my current client project; a four wall mural at The Academy of Music and Dance in Spotswood, New Jersey. The school opened recently with a beautiful, brand new facility. I am painting the walls to add some visual flare. The intent for this mural is to simulate a theatre stage looking out into the audience where a royal family is enjoying the show. 

Each of the designs shown are about 5" x 10". Currently I am about halfway through working on the real walls. For each inch of the design I am painting two feet in real life. It is a massive undertaking! 

These designs are executed in acrylic paint. This is not my usual medium though I am enjoying it. Getting away from typical modes of operation adds variety to my experience as an artist. 

I would like to thank the folks at The Academy for the chance to work on this project ;) 

Until next time, 

Adar 

Painting Moses

For this blog post I would like to explain the process of painting Moses and the Ten Commandments.

After brainstorming I decide on the composition and create a line drawing. I intend it to show where each part of the picture goes.

Sometimes I think drawings like this one are great pieces of art on their own. Executing precise lines with design and form in mind is a pleasure. When everything locks into place it feels like finding the perfect word in a well crafted sentence.

At the next stage I paint with Raw Umber oil paint to establish basic light and shadow. I actually use a copy of the drawing printed out and mounted onto cardboard. That way I do not risk ruining the original and the painting is more sturdy.   

The Raw Umber dries quickly enabling me to go over it with a first pass of color in oil paint. 

The ability to feel the paint under the brush is wonderful. The texture of the board interacts with the paint to make a unique surface. 

After the oil paint dries I scan the painting into the computer. This is when the major refinement happens. Painting on the computer is just like painting in real life. However there are some key differences that make the process much faster and more intuitive. Finally after hours and hours I arrive at the finished result and I am very happy with it. 

As you can see I use multiple types of media in my process. I feel unlimited by tapping into the advantages of different kinds of tools. I used to hold the opinion that following a strict process to create an image is important. Now I know that as long as I get the result I want, the means matters less. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this, and maybe got inspired about something you are working on. 

Until next time, 

Adar