God, Art, and Matt

Imagine This

2010-05-27T00:00:00.002-05:00

There was a random piece of wood and I felt the need to create.

This is different than just about anything that I have done, ever.

I really like it.

Prisma Color on wood panel.

2010-05-26T23:52:00.002-05:00

A project for my Illustration class a couple years back.

The idea was about global warming.

Obviously Lady Liberty underwater.

It looks much better with this color as compared with just the line drawing (I still like the line drawing though).

Benaiah; David's Mighty Men

2010-05-26T23:39:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately, and somehow obliviously I miss referenced this dry point etching.

But I attempt to look past that and look at the composition and style of the image.

There is a plan to do one of these images in watercolor, which scares me.

Story of the Bible; an InfoGraph

2010-05-26T23:35:00.001-05:00

Wordpress linkage InfoGraph

Punch You In the Face, a Commentary

2009-05-25T19:13:00.005-05:00

One of a few videos in which I am driving and talking, believe me, it is completely safe. And, if I do say so myself, quite entertaining, though you may need to know me. Perhaps not, perhaps you will find joy in the ramblings of an un-adolescent, perhaps you will be able to empathize with me.

Just take a watch...

Fish Face

2009-05-18T09:25:00.004-05:00

Alright, here it is, the much much better composition and concept for a birthday painting. My girlfriend, no matter what face she makes, is the most beautiful person ever!, and she makes the craziest fish face ever!! Thus far I am more impressed with my sketch than the painting, but there is still a lot more to be done I guess.

The painting is 4 foot by 4 foot and I have to paint it in the garage...

it's kind of awkward.

prelim for painting

2009-05-14T18:10:00.002-05:00

Isn't she beautiful... I don't think any one could disagree.

Preliminary drawing for a birthday painting for my girlfriend.

Although it is a fine drawing, it did not quite capture her essence.

So, as I will post soon enough, I decided on something much more unique...

TJOP Meijer Draw

2009-02-22T12:04:00.007-06:00

These are lamenting figures. It works better for me to keep them vague, just figures, rather than to identify each as an individual, because that would just be too much work. The concept is derived from the Greek myth the Judgement of Paris, and the competition of three women, the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, to be awarded a golden apple 'for the fairest one.' Paris chose Aphrodite, and ignites the Trojan War.

The overall goal of conceptualizing these figures is to be rendered as a cd cover design for the band 'the Judgement of Paris.'

So instead of actually doing work at meijer, that is if you consider cashiering to actually be work, I draw. I must admit that I don't always have the luxury of doodling while at 'work,' so the times that I do, I take advantage. This is only a sampling of my handi-work, but the better portion of that particular day.

illFri: Similar

2008-12-05T11:21:00.004-06:00

I haven't done an illustration Friday in a while,

pretty much because none of the topics have inspired me, but this one

is just so perfect!

"Me as Arthur," is what I have traditionally called it, but I still have yet to come up with an interesting title.

2008-11-29T12:36:00.003-06:00

Bitterness

This is, yet unfinished, an image that I am very fond of.

That's all i have to say haha, at least for now...

Well, now I have more to say about this beautiful (perhaps beautiful is not appropriate) d'image. D'image sounds french to me, but it is simply the marriage of digital and image, and the perfect conjugation of the two.

The whole idea behind the monster-heart-eating situation stems from my Sabbath class. We were reading through a book about overcoming 'giants,' and there was a poem about bitterness by Stephen Crane-

In the desert

I saw a creature, naked, bestial,

who, squatting upon the ground.

Held his heart in his hands,

And ate of it.

I said: "Is it good, friend?"

"It is bitter-bitter," he answered;

"But I like it

Because it is bitter,

And because it is my heart."

I did several illustrations before developing this diction of bitterness over time for a school project.

illFri: Strings

2008-10-11T18:08:00.004-05:00

When I was employed at Meijer, they said there were no strings attached...

but little did they know, that I was pulling the strings.

Reverend Fun

2008-10-03T21:34:00.004-05:00

I came across this guys cartoons by accident, and I love them to pieces! This is from the site of a hilarious, and, might I say, brilliant, artist's biblical cartoons. To be honest, I don't even know who the artist is, but that could be due to the fact that I haven't yet tried to research it, hrmmm... Anyway, I really love the way this guy uses humor, but stays true to what the bible has to say. All of the illustrations are fantastic.

LOL, like the one about the book by Jonah! No runs, from God, or at least, no one does it and succeeds. But the first one really does have powerful convictions. What else are we doing if we're not praying to God?

illFri: Sugary

2008-10-03T10:47:00.006-05:00

Pixie Stix are just soooo sugary...

Meijer Draw! 6

2008-10-01T13:40:00.000-05:00

So this is really interesting; I found that I did so many more of these drawings than I had anticipated. It seemed for a while that I wasn't finding any time at work (mainly because the fools haven't been scheduling me any hours lol) to draw any of my Meijer Draw!s, but apparently I was quite wrong. I split the different drawings up according to when they were completed, from the most recent on this post, to the furthest back in time in the auxiliary Meijer Draw! blog posts. Wasn't actually sure how to explain that whole thing lol.

two of these drawings seem very familiar.

see what two are not like the other ones LOL!!

do you feel like your back in kindergarten yet?

Meijer Draw! 6-2

2008-10-01T13:34:00.005-05:00

Here are the not-so-recent-but-finally-just-being-posted Meijer Draw! drawings

that were neatly,

or not so neatly, depending on how you look at it,

tucked away.

Reading the Word

2008-09-29T15:08:00.004-05:00

It occurred to me in the past few days that I do not read the bible nearly often enough. It's an easy thing to say, it really is, and I'll say it again; I do not read the bible nearly often enough.

Let me go back to some of the origins of these thoughts. In my Intro to Literature class I have to answer questions pertaining to an assigned section of a work of literature. If I don't take the time to read the section then I won't do well in answering the questions, and my grade will begin to reflect my ineptitude for preparedness. Basically, in reading the section of literature I am able to prove to my teacher that I understand and have a knowledge of the required text.

Similarly in reading the bible, we can show our Teacher that we know the knowledge of His Word, and the Truth that is reflected in every page. I want to know the Word so well that I can pass every test laid before me by my Teacher, the Lord of heaven and earth.

1 Peter 3:15-16

15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander

illFri: Packed

2008-09-26T09:59:00.002-05:00

Well, this guy is packed full!

This is a drawing i did a while back, and i really loved it.

The whole thing about this one isn't that there are crazy spiders

de-figuring this guy, it's whether or not they are coming out or going in.

I would love to hear any insight you might have.

Sunflowerman Logo.ai

2008-09-26T00:44:00.005-05:00

Sunflowerman, yet again!

I don't know if I have really explained the entire story behind Sunflowerman as of yet, and that would make sense... Sunflowerman's origins, as it were, are quite ambiguous. All that is truly known about this terrific hero is that he roams the city of Grand Rapids Michigan, protecting the citizens of this grand city.

All of that is rather superfluous to the idea at hand, which is these logos above. I had a project for my intro to digital illustration class to make a logo, and what other logo is there to do than that of the greatest superhero to ever haunt the streets of Grand Rapids. This project was a stretch for me. I don't do digital artwork, I prefer the real stuff myself. But this seems to look nice for a web page or for advertising.

turtle bug...or something like that

2008-09-23T16:37:00.003-05:00

Here's my first real attempt at doing something in photoshop.

All I really did is use the paint tool, but it was fun.

I still don't feel right using the computer for 'art' though. There's something in-authentic

and underhanded about it, but it was fun lol.

...and this horrible blog page will not let me upload the original image!!

X-Lightining

2008-09-19T16:46:00.002-05:00

Like his counterpart, Sunflowerman, not much is known about X-Lightning.

Some say he is akin to Wolverine, but that is impossible in reality

do to the fact that Wolverine was a comic book character.

He is a man in his own right.

A little bit of what we know is that he realized his ability's when he was a toddler,

playing out in the rain. A brilliant light reminded him of his family,

and what his parent's told him about what he was.

X-Lightning has powers unlike anything known to belong to man.

He can manipulate lightning and electricity, but many believe that at times,

the lightning controls him.

It is as though he does not know how to control his own power.

Self Portraits

2008-09-17T18:27:00.004-05:00

These are two different portraits that I've done of myself.

To be honest, there is no philosophical or 'deeper' meaning to either of them.

Both are done in the medium which I love best; pen!

micron pen

ball point pen

5 Minute Cakes!!!!

2008-09-13T14:22:00.009-05:00

Well, my girls Ellen and Shannon wanted to make this cake

that Shannon found while browsing the internet. So I decided to document what

happened on this cake making adventure, but I decided to use comments

from the yahoo page on which the recipe was posted to describe what

happened on our great escapade...

enjoy.

mr_adam July 21st, 2008 7:06 pm
5 minutes? But I want my cake now!!!!!!

ZorronX July 19th, 2008 11:01 pm
Would this work if you use a box cake mix instead?

-Zorron

Andrew July 7th, 2008 12:17 pm
Hi, looks good, will try it just now!

Tia July 2nd, 2008 9:49 pm
Hi, This is so cute and a fun way to make cake, thanks, I’ll remember it next time I have a cake craving…I feel one coming on now, lol.

tucacamemata July 9th, 2008 2:26 am
yuck!! looks like poop in a cup

Jeff July 8th, 2008 3:11 pm
IT IS DELICIOUS CAKE YOU MUST EAT IT

Peter Butler July 11th, 2008 8:19 pm
Just one word for this - FANTASTIC

Rose July 11th, 2008 11:35 pm
This is awesome! Thx, going to try it!

Guy July 8th, 2008 1:11 am
hold me, i’m afraid. =(

scaramond July 19th, 2008 9:23 pm
absolute genius. this has changed my life forever!

angela July 14th, 2008 11:15 pm
Changed my mind, after the first few bites it taste odd… will try again with normal cocoa!

ejes July 8th, 2008 11:55 pm
the cake is a lie!

illFri: Island

2008-09-12T22:54:00.005-05:00

I can do whatever I want on my own private island!

Perhaps this is outrageously cluttered, but I need have all of these images,

if only for my own sake. I have recently, like, within the last couple weeks,

begun to learn the programs that most of the world already uses;

Photoshop and Illustrator.

These three images are the illustrator-ed,

original (which I really love in all of it's genuine-ness),

and the photoshop-ed versions, respectively.

2008-09-09T21:09:00.002-05:00

Here is Sunflowerman!

This is a sketch i did of my favorite superhero Sunflowerman!

He really is a good guy. You may have never seen him, but believe me,

he is a real man for sure. Some day you will know the magnificence

of this, the #1 superhero in the world!

Itai, the Illustrator

2008-09-09T20:26:00.004-05:00

Alright, alright; I don't know if you know about my disgust with digital artwork, but this is just mind blowing to me. I love it, I love it, I love it... and might I say, I love it!!!! Now, that's not to say that my view on digi-art (as I say), has improved greatly, but it certainly has improved, slightly.

The artist, Itai, born in 1975, is from Israel, and has been in the 'industry' since 1990. I found this work posted on the illustrator world website http://www.illustratorworld.com/.

Perhaps the smooth lines and curves of the face, and soft tones of the skin are not as attainable in painting. Perhaps in a digital age and a media dominated generation, this type of art seems slightly more attractive. Perhaps this is what the world is turning to as the future of aesthetics, but I promise you that when a painting is done by hand, with, yes I know this is absolutely corny and horribly cliche, with love, then it contains so much more beauty, and inspiration, and quality than something done intangibly and simply stored in virtual data.

I guess that what I've said thus far seems confusing and contradictory, but the summation is that, though I completely appreciate the ability of Itai to spend the amount of time and effort in this digital program, I have little respect for digital artwotk.

Meijer Draw! 5

2008-09-05T11:47:00.004-05:00

This day I only had time for one developed sketch. I really like to do more than one when I do a post, but this is a nice change from the normal format. In fact, this day at work, I wasn't even going to do a drawing, then a lovely greeter, who we shall call Janice, asked (paraphrased of course, I do have the worst memory), "What have you drawn today?" At this point I hadn't done any drawing, so I decided that I would. In the end it made the day go by faster, as it always does, and it made me happy to draw, as drawing always does lol.

I don't know what to name this guy, but I think that he could be used as a metaphor for all of the things I find disgusting at meijer. The most egregious offense is that I have to tuck in my shirt! I know right, it's horrible. I hate tucking in my shirts; it's uncomfortable, and ugly! C'mon, back me up on this one. There are a few other things, but I'll just leave those out for now. So... perhaps I'll call him 'the Egregious Tucker.' I kinda like that, please chime in with your thoughts.

Meijer Draw! 4

2008-09-05T11:25:00.006-05:00

yipity yahoo! I finally have the 4th installment, which is really technically, like, the 5th or 6th, but that's not a problem. For all intents and purposes, it's the 4th. Now that that has been established, let's talk about the Draw! I am quite satisfied with how these particular sketches have turned out. The quality of my meijer sketching has improved lol. I'm not gonna lie to you, I think that if everyone did this, many problems in this world could be solved. I think death itself would probably no longer exist. But then, that's just me isn't it.

I've been told that this guy looks like one of our managers.

Not sure if I completely see it, but I understand where they're coming from.

Oh my! this rabbit is rabid.

Just a cute old man.

I like to think of this guy as an extinct, dinosaur warrior

cuz I'm sure they wore armor, we just haven't found it yet...

Here's my favorite cowboy =]

...a shady character...

Aviator eagle.

snowventure

2008-09-01T13:30:00.001-05:00

A movie of drama, action, and cold!

meijer draw, before there was Meijer Draw!

2008-09-01T12:41:00.006-05:00

These are all sketches that I did before I started Meijer Draw!

These sketches had no process as do the Meijer Draw! sketches. Yet, I seem to love these ones almost so much more.

Here's batman!

I still can't believe I found this out of a scribble.

um...it is something, I'm sure of it...

I oh so love dragons.

A conglomeration of different things.

A wormy thingy.

Dragon on a dirk.

A drawing I did for a friend at work, but I still haven't showed him

Meijer Draw! 3

2008-08-31T21:20:00.005-05:00

Here is the third! installment of my ever entertaining meijer draw!

This was a relatively slow day, so I had plenty of time to draw lol.

Finally this time each one is a drawing from a scribble.

Bird wants a piece of you!

(to tell you the truth I love this bird)

A teddy bear with random scribbling I couldn't

figure out anything to do with.

Some sort of Ghost thingy with a banana.

Wouldn't you just like to punch this guy

right in between the eyes.

To be honest, I really have no idea what this monster is.

It's a froggy =]

illFri: Memories

2008-08-30T13:28:00.004-05:00

If thoughts escape me, then

how much more do memories

fail!

Video Games

2008-08-29T02:23:00.002-05:00

I hate video games! Perhaps the reason is because I just plain suck at them. There is really little joy found in hour long exercises of hand eye coordination that generally leave me in a heated rage, rather than satisfied enjoyment, or even contentment for that matter. Beyond my inadequacy are other factors that ruin 'gaming' for me as well; things like games from movies, i.e. LOTR. I don't necessarily agree with the notions of brain rot, especially with such interactive and multi-faceted games as exist today, but finding joy in these games is diff. The types of games that really get me excited are things like pac man and sega-genesis sonic.

illustration friday

2008-08-28T20:44:00.004-05:00

A sketch I submitted to illustration friday.

the topic for this week was 'routine'

Meijer Draw! 2

2008-08-28T18:35:00.009-05:00

Here is yet another installment of Meijer Draw! Duly named Meijer Draw! 2. I can't tell you how much trouble this image up-loader is, and how much I am hating! it, but it's all I have, so I am attempting to deal with it. These drawings are more fun than the last installment I think.

I did deviate from the usual format

on this one. Instead of scribble then draw,

I just kinda drew.

I live here (michigan residents- you know)

Old Lady with Big Nose,

and mole on cheek.

Angry, business man?, or something like that

Let me tell you this, "...

awwwww, what a cute... um... thing.

Meijer Draw!

2008-08-27T11:19:00.015-05:00

Meijer Draw! is something I hope to post with some frequency.

Basically what it is is me being bored at work. I just grab some random paper, scribble on it, then see what I can draw from it. The idea spawned, in some way, from the conjunction of the "Painting a Day" category from one of my favorite sites, lines and colors,and, the fun 'scribble draw' game I do with my friends.

As a cashier at Meijer it's

really rather boring. So I have

to come up with something

that's at least slightly stimulating- right?

This guy I am dubbing 'Tooth Man." I know that it's horribly un-imaginative, but what else could I name him?

Here is a bird about to eat a snake, pretty obvious.

A dude on back of receipt tape.

Who knows what's
going on here?

Happy Birthday!!

I'm the Wolf!

2008-08-25T12:57:00.005-05:00

This is a sketch I did about a song by Reliant K, called Deathbed. The song is really long, but I can pretty much listen to anything Reliant K. The words to this part of the song are written right on the page, next to the sketch (but that all probably goes without saying).

To know that even though Christ's death was due to me and my sins, yet He still loves me and wants a relationship with me is redeeming. The metaphor of the wolf was new and intriguing to me, and since I generally think through my pen, or pencil (whichever may be in my hand at the time lol), I had to draw what I was feeling.

The most amazing thing to me is that believing in His saving Grace through that death and resurrection is all I need for salvation. What an awesome, merciful, loving, and powerful God!!!!!

Meijer Sucks! but I still love it!

2008-08-24T11:01:00.007-05:00

I work at Meijer, which is a grocery store chain found in the lower portions of Michigan and the northern borders of Indiana and Ohio. There are some hundred stores, and I work at store #36. Of the Meijers that I know personally only one store is more ghetto than mine, and that's the 28th street Meijer. If you live in the West Michigan area then you probably know about which one I am speaking. At this point it shall remain nameless.

'What do you do at Meijer?,' you may be wondering, well, I am a cashier. Please hold back on the applause, I know people just looove cashiers, and believe me, the feeling is certainly reciprocated. My favorite customers are the ones who come into the line with false humility in the hopes of swindling the store out of as much money as you possibly can get away with; that's always a joy. Let me tell you, just because you have a coupon does not mean that it has to work, there is such a thing as fine print. Family Fare coupons are not Meijer coupons, Target coupons are not Meijer coupons, Cottonelle coupons do not work for Scott tissue!

And another thing, when you're standing in line and decide that you don't want something, don't stick it in with the magazines! Especially if it's meat, or anything else that could spoil, you know who you are. I don't know if you realize, but when those things go bad because you didn't want to be embarrassed by having to give it to the cashier the store has to cover the cost somehow, and guess what, prices increase. Wow, what a concept.

In all honesty it's not all bad. In general people are really nice and just want to get in and out and move on with their lives. There are even times when you get to have pleasant conversations with people. And in other instances, you get to know about peoples lives and their hurts and joys. One lady in particular, who is a joy to see whenever she comes through my lane, has a sister with lung cancer. She is in my earnest prayers every night.

There are infinite anecdotes being a cashier, and I can't wait to tell them to you, lololol.

2008-08-24T02:45:00.011-05:00

Kareem Iliya

Here are some images I just found by Kareem Iliya, and here's the best part, He works with watercolor and ink on paper. Ooooooohhh, I love watercolor and ink!!!! Those two mediums combined are probably the best things to ever happen to man kind, except for maybe two things; Christ dying on the cross for the redemption of our sins, and Aunt Jemima Pancakes, respectively.

Here's what I've learned about him; in 1967 he was born in Beirut , Lebanon. He attended the Institute of Fashion Technology where he studied fashion design, later getting a degree in textiles and clothing at the University of Texas (that part I could have done without lol). There wasn't much more than that on the surface of things.

Mo' Notes

2008-08-23T14:27:00.005-05:00

Everyone fails, and God is waiting for you to call on His Name.

False Expectations Appearing Real; just count on God.

Don't confuse jealousy and envy...

Being tempted is not sinning; succumbing to the temptation is.

Cast your cares on Jesus!

Here are some more 'notes' that I've taken. I use the term notes loosely, in that these were done in my sketch book and are primarily drawings and sketches rather than actual words. Still, I hold to the fact the images have power, and that, in my instance, they do as much or more for me than the written word. Then again, the written word is such a magnificent and significant form of art that I just can't separate the two.

Failure and Discouragement...

2008-08-23T12:52:00.010-05:00

Failure is the inability to complete a task, and discouragement, rather, is the conception or mis-conception of inability. Discouragement is likely a precursor to failure; conceiving in the mind and heart the inability of a task, maturing in the soul to a belief and 'knowledge' of disability. Discouragement leads to fear of failure as a human condition for self-worth and a desire for false-esteem (self-esteem as a means for happiness). Failure is not ultimately the end; it leads also to discouragement through conceivably inconceivable accomplishment. Truly, failure is a man perceiving inability as the impossible; relinquishing perseverance to discouragement. Through God the Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our Christ and Saviour, there is no failure. Yearning after the Heart of God, the longing for His Love, is the perseverance of life, overcoming of discouragement, and the destruction of failure.

relevant quotes
">Failure Quotes

Pancakes- Aunt Jemima style

2008-08-22T13:34:00.005-05:00

Aunt-Jemima-Pancake-Mixing-Bowl

It's a Sunflowerman-'S'-Aunt-Jemima-Pancake!

oh boy oh boy! Aunt Jemima Pancakes are likely the most refined pancakes you could ever eat. My personal favorite is the 'just add water' kind, because anything else is just a waste of time.

2008-08-21T20:57:00.004-05:00

Here are some notes I've taken during church and classes at church. I mixed in a little o'sketchin' with the writin'.

Sunflowerman

2008-08-21T16:56:00.003-05:00

Hello, hello! I have to start out saying that I am a HUGE fan of Edgar Allan Poe, but my scorching reprise and arrogant degradation do not quite match up the same, sorry. An initial observation I want to share with everyone about me is that I absolutely looove to draw, and I love art in general, but to call me an artist would probably be going a step too far.

Matt and Art, hrmmm, that could be a confusing, perhaps perplexing, title, though probably not as much so as I fancy it to be. So no, there is no one named 'Art' participating in this blog, although I know I would love to meet someone named Art so far as you, yes I'm talking to you future friend Art, enjoy engaging in trivial and generally frivolous conversations that really only end in personal satisfaction and not in 'big' problems we face in this world, such as 'global warming,' and presidential 'debates.'

I can't wait to talk with everyone about, just about anything I guess.

oh yeah, I almost forgot about the coolest guy in the world... Sunflowerman! My hope is that he will chime in every once and a while, perhaps add his two cents worth. If you don't know, he is the superhero! of Grand Rapids