Elite Animation – Analog Artist Digital World

This was another demo for an Elite Animation student. I was teaching them digital painting and used a highwaymen painting to demonstrate how to use a variety of brushes for various effects.

The Florida Highwaymen, are a group of 26 African American landscape artists in Florida. Two of the original artists, Harold Newton, and Alfred Hair, received training from Alfred “Beanie” Backus. It is believed they may have created a body of work of over 200,000 paintings. Lore is that these painting were sold on the sides of the highway for pennies on the dollar and they are worth a fortune today.

When I do these demos I sometimes start using brushes I haven’t used before. I used this hemp brush that gives nice thick line work. I used if for the palm fronds and various foliage and now I use the brush often.

This was part of the lesson, to encourage students to simply experiment with the brushes while doing a quick landscape. Too often what stops a students progress is the threat of WHAT to paint. So I give them clear and vibrant painting examples to choose from.

By pushing my students to experiment I often push myself in new directions as well. Since the painted ketch isn’t intended for publication, it can be as rough as I like.

This is a sketch I did with one of my Elite Animation virtual students to demonstrate one point perspective. I am always encouraging my students to sketch the simplest of scenes.

This is a view from my desk and shows the entry to my studio space. My sketchbook bookshelf can be seen to the left and books are stacked on a table in the mid ground since each time a sketchbook goes on a shelf another book has to loose it’s spot on the shelf. Even my childhood bible has lost its spot on the bookshelf and been demoted to tabletop storage.

You might notice that the entry to the studio is blocked by plastic storage bins. I step over those bins every time I exit or enter the studio. Stepping over those bins has probably been my best exercise all year during the pandemic. The roll top desk against the far wall was acquired by Pam and was once owned by a renowned local syndicated cartoonist.

Pam’s pup, Sprout, got upset every time Pam went to work each morning. She thought it would be a good idea to get Sprout a play buddy, so we ended up adopting a pup named Donkey. The first day Donkey was in the house, she decided to enter my studio and immediately poop on the carper. That dog never again entered the studio since I blocked the entry with storage containers. Donkey is evil incarnate.

Sprout used to huddle under my Disney Desk while I was working when afternoon thunderstorms rolled in. He felt safe there. Unfortunately he has to deal with the fear of thunder on his own now that Donkey is in the house. Donkey also chewed the hell out of a coffee table in the living room. All four legs are half chewed off. They look like they were splintered by lightning. She also chewed up an antique wooden Monopoly game board. I suspect that is irreplaceable.

Donkey chews Sprouts face and legs incessantly. He growled to assert his dominance but she had outgrown him and literally stands dominant over him. He still pouts any time Pam leaves for work. He probably gets exercise trying to survive Donkey’s attacks but I am not so sure he his happier than before she arrived.

Outside the window, a dark silhouette is visible of an outdoor bar with bar stools stacked on top of the counter. Those seats are covered in rat poop since a rat discovered he could chew his way into plastic storage bins outside filled with seed. He got fat and happy and pooped all around the bar. I managed to catch the rat so he is no longer causing havoc around the bar.