Bryan A. Collins

Daily Drawing 64

2012-02-16T12:18:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 64, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

5"x7" watercolor, ink, marker, and pencil on watercolor paper.

Purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 63

2012-02-15T14:09:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 63, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

Any leopard gecko worth his spots knows a good cup of coffee.

5"x7" watercolor, ink, and colored pencil on watercolor paper.

Purchase daily drawings www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 62

2012-02-14T11:47:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 62, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

A panda bear with coffee.

5"x7" watercolor, ink, marker, and pencil on watercolor paper.

Purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 61

2012-02-13T22:28:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 61, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

I had someone ask if I had any fishing-related drawings. The answer now is "yes".

‎"I Got One!" (daily drawing 61) - watercolor, ink, and pencil on watercolor paper.

Purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 60

2012-02-12T21:13:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 60, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

"Gypsy" (daily drawing 60) - 5"x7" watercolor, ink, and pencil on watercolor paper.

You can purchase daily drawings at http://www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 59

2012-02-11T22:05:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 59, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

This was a requested blue budgie after the previous one I did. 5"x7" watercolor, ink, and pencil on watercolor paper.

You can purchase daily drawings at http://www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 58

2012-02-10T20:33:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 58, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

Watercolor, ink, marker, and pencil on 5"x7" watercolor paper.

You can purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Free Stickers

2012-02-10T12:46:00.001-07:00

They're finally here! These "Round Owl" stickers just came in from the folks at Sticker Guy and I am giving them away free with any purchase from my Etsy Shop. Just order anything at all and you will get one with your order while supplies last.

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 57

2012-02-09T21:33:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 57, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

After the last cuttlefish drawing I was asked to do another, this time to look like the "round owls" I've been drawing. It was a challenge, but I managed to get everything in its place.

Acrylic and ink on 5"x7" bristol.

You can purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 56

2012-02-08T20:19:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 56, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

My kids have been asking for parakeets. We told them to wait until we move to Florida, so I drew this in the meantime.

You can purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 55

2012-02-07T22:01:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 55, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

I've been hearing so much nonsense lately, I needed to draw some. Daily drawing 55 - 5"x7" watercolor, ink, marker, and pencil on watercolor paper.

You can purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 54

2012-02-07T10:29:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 54, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

This daily drawing was requested by someone who's lucky number is 54. Acrylic, ink, marker, and pencil on bristol.

Purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 53

2012-02-05T21:17:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 53, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

A little seahorse drawing today. Watercolor, ink, and colored pencil on 5"x7" watercolor paper.

Purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 52

2012-02-04T20:53:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 52, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

Today's drawing was done by request for a collector who likes cuttlefish. Since I am pretty much obsessed with marine life, I always love aquatic requests, especially one for such a fascinating and intelligent creature.

5"x7" watercolor, ink, and pencil on watercolor paper.

Purchase original daily drawings as www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 51

2012-02-02T23:07:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 51, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

Since I will be living in Florida again in about 5 weeks, I thought I would draw one of my soon-to-be neighbors.

5"x7" watercolor, ink, marker, and pencil on watercolor paper.

Purchase available daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 50

2012-02-01T22:54:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 50, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

My daughter said I should draw a pony today. I told her I would if I could do it my own way. We argued a while about how it should look like her "My Little Pony" but I settled it by teaching her to use tracing paper to draw her own pony. Here's mine.

See available daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 49

2012-02-01T00:19:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 49, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

I had a request to draw a phoenix for today's daily art.

‎"Phoenix" (daily drawing 49) - 5"x7" watercolor, ink, marker, and pencil on watercolor paper.

See available daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 48

2012-01-30T22:24:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 48, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

My version of a character from one of the most fantastical tales ever told.

Watercolor, ink, marker, and pencil on 5"x7" bristol.

Purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 47

2012-01-29T20:45:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 47, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

I'm still enjoying drawing on these papers that I've watercolored. It's been fun working with a variety of media. I'll probably keep doing it for a while.

5"x7" watercolor, ink, marker, and pencil on watercolor paper.

Purchase available daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 46

2012-01-28T22:42:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 46, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

Loggerhead (daily drawing 46) - 5"x7" watercolor, ink, and pencil on watercolor paper.

Get daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 45

2012-01-26T22:31:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 45, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

I'm really enjoying drawing on watercolored paper. It's a fun challenge to let the predominate colors be the background. I think it makes me concentrate more on the contrast of the subject.

See available daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 44

2012-01-26T09:39:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 44, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

This daily drawing is another exploration into these visions I've been having of women and marine life in symbiotic relationships.

5"x7" watercolor, ink, marker, and pencil on watercolor paper.

See available daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 43

2012-01-24T22:29:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 43, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

I decided to explore an image I've been dreaming for about a week. 5"x7" watercolor, ink, marker, and pencil on watercolor paper.

Purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 42

2012-01-23T22:29:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 42, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

Today's daily drawing is a mock-up for a sticker I am having made. The original drawing is available (marker on 5"x7" bristol) and the stickers will be available mid February.

Purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 41

2012-01-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

Polar Bear (daily drawing 41) - 5"x7" acrylic, ink, and colored pencil on bristol.

Purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 40

2012-01-21T21:48:00.001-07:00

Daily drawing 40, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

Baby Emperor Penguin (daily drawing 40) - 5"x7" ink and acrylic on bristol.

Purchase daily drawings at http://www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily drawing 39

2012-01-20T23:23:00.001-07:00

Daily drawing 39, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

Hobo (daily drawing 39) 5"x7" watercolor, ink, marker and pencil on bristol.

Inspired by this poem:

Hobo
along the tracks
waiting
for a ride
enjoys the stars

See the author's blog at http://redpicnictable.tumblr.com/

God bless,

Bryan

Daily drawing 37

2012-01-18T21:07:00.001-07:00

Daily drawing 37, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

I needed a decent self portrait as a zombie. Not sure yet what I need it for, but now I have it. 5"x7" watercolor, ink, and colored pencil on watercolor paper.

Purchase daily drawings at http://www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,

Bryan

Daily Drawing 36

2012-01-17T20:02:00.001-07:00

Daily Drawing 36, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

I received a request for another "Round Owl", similar to a previous one. Like the other, this is 5"x7" acrylic, ink, and marker on brisol.

Purchase daily drawings at http://www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,

Bryan

Daily drawing 35

2012-01-16T22:09:00.001-07:00

Daily drawing 35, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

One day I might get a Boston Terrier.

"Boston" (daily drawing 35) :: 5"x7" :: Watercolor, ink, pencil, and marker on watercolor paper.

Purchase daily drawings at http://www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Heading Home Illustration

2012-01-16T14:24:00.000-07:00

"Heading Home" - 3.5"x7.5" ink and colored pencil on pine. I've been painting on wood quite a bit lately but this is just the second piece of wood I have drawn on.

I've lightly covered the surface with archival varnish to protect the ink and pencil work. The original is available at http://www.etsy.com/listing/90521382/heading-home-original-ink-and-pencil

God bless,

Bryan

Daily drawing 34

2012-01-15T20:55:00.001-07:00

Daily drawing 34, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

Frog Man (daily drawing 34) - 5"x7" acrylic paint, ink, and marker on bristol.

Purchase available daily drawings at http://www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 33

2012-01-14T18:16:00.001-07:00

86 Bigfoot, a photo by BryanACollins on Flickr.

I had a request from the 86 Gallery to make a Bigfoot with the number 86 somewhere in the piece. 5"x7" ink, acrylic paint, and colored pencil on bristol.

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 32

2012-01-13T23:00:00.001-07:00

Daily drawing 32 - watercolor, ink, and pencil on 5"x7" watercolor paper. Purchase daily drawings at http://www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,

Bryan

Daily Drawing 31

2012-01-12T22:01:00.000-07:00

Today as I was rummaging through my studio for a piece of bristol or watercolor paper to do today's daily drawing on, I realized I had run out and started scavenging for a substrate. I came across some pieces of wood I had actually set aside since they had knots in them. I didn't think I would use them for anything, but I had sanded them just in case. Here's the case. The drawing was done in ball point pen and colored pencil. The finished piece will be varnished tomorrow.

3.5"x3.5" ink and pencil on pine

God bless,

Bryan

Daily Drawing 30

2012-01-11T22:27:00.000-07:00

‎"Feel" (daily drawing 30) - watercolor, ink, and pencil on 5"x7" bristol.

I am really enjoying working on these watercolored papers. Making the watercolor backgrounds is fun and a different kind of expressiveness than I am used to employing in my work. I feel I am learning a great deal from these mixed media techniques.

God bless,

Bryan

Purchase available daily drawings at http://www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily Drawing 29

2012-01-10T21:13:00.000-07:00

Working again with this idea and theme that I started on yesterday's daily drawing. I want to see where this goes when I get ready to move these brainstorms to full-blown paintings.

"Lost Thought" - 5"x7" watercolor, ink, and pencil on bristol

Purchase daily drawings at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

God bless,
Bryan

Daily Drawing 28

2012-01-09T15:28:00.000-07:00

Working with some new ideas I have for upcoming paintings and just having fun with drip techniques. Watercolor, pencil, ball point pen, and permanent marker on 5"x7" bristol.

Purchase available daily drawings HERE.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily Drawing 27

2012-01-08T16:18:00.000-07:00

Sleepy Owl (daily drawing 26) - acrylic paint, permanent marker, and ball point pen on 5"x7" watercolor paper.

Purchase available daily drawings HERE.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily Drawing 26

2012-01-07T19:32:00.000-07:00

I sold my fish and aquarium today so I can get the funds to move back down to Florida to be with family. I've had this particular 125 gallon African Cichlid setup for about 7 or 8 years. Sad to say goodbye to my Frontosa, but I know it's the right thing to do. Family comes first. 5"x7" permanent marker, ball point pen, colored pencil, and watercolor on watercolor paper.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily drawing 25

2012-01-07T00:20:00.000-07:00

Daily drawing 25 - permanent marker, ball point pen, acrylic paint, and colored pencil on 5"x7" bristol. Wish I would have had more time to work on this, but I wanted to finish by midnight so it was a true daily drawing.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily Drawing 24

2012-01-05T22:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Blob (daily drawing 24) - 5"x7" spray paint, ball point pen, and permanent marker on bristol.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily drawing 23

2012-01-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

After yesterday's puking picture, I thought a cute cat and birds drawing was in order.

5"x7" metallic spray paint, ball point pen, and permanent marker on bristol.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily drawing 22

2012-01-04T16:12:00.001-07:00

"Mental Puke" - acrylic paint and ball point pen on 5"x7" bristol.

Having been out of town for the past two weeks, it's been difficult, if not impossible, to post my daily drawings. I have been doing them, but rather than posting two week's worth all at once, I will just pick up where I left off. If you want to see the others, check out my personal Facebook page.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily Drawing 10

2011-12-21T16:30:00.000-07:00

I hit double digits with this one. Daily drawing 10! I thought the painted area on my first daily drawing looked almost like a bandana on a skull, so I decided to do that intentionally. 5”x7” ball point pen, acrylic paint, and permanent marker on bristol.God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily Drawing 9

2011-12-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

Now that I've completed a few daily drawings, I'm starting to hear from some of you with requests for certain animals or images. I love your ideas, so keep them coming. This penguin drawing was done on request. Like all of my daily drawings so far, this one is 5"x7" ball point pen, acrylic paint, and permanent marker on bristol.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily Drawing 8

2011-12-19T21:55:00.000-07:00

Daily drawing 8 is a CB Radio girl. 5"x7" ball point pen, acrylic paint, and permanent marker on bristol.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily Drawing 7

2011-12-18T17:48:00.001-07:00

I realize I am not flexing my imagination muscles with these daily drawings at the moment, just trying to form the habit of them right now. Daily Drawing 7 - ball point pen, acrylic paint, and permanent marker on 5"x7" bristol.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily Drawing 6

2011-12-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

My cousin suggested a pig for today's daily drawing. Created with ball point pen, acrylic paint, and permanent marker on 5"x7" bristol.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily Drawing 5

2011-12-16T23:21:00.000-07:00

For today's daily drawing I decided to go with a panda. Created with ball point pen, acrylic paint, and permanent marker on 5"x7" bristol.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily Drawing 4

2011-12-15T21:54:00.001-07:00

Sticking with the animal theme for now, I drew a pair of giraffes for today's daily drawing. Ball point pen, acrylic paint, and permanent marker on 5"x7" bristol.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily Drawing 3

2011-12-14T16:23:00.000-07:00

This little round owl is ball point pen, acrylic paint, and permanent marker on 5"x7" bristol.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Daily Drawing 2

2011-12-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

Daily drawing 2 is of a tortoise who enjoys a moment to look up at a dripping star. My first real pet was a turtle.

Ball point pen and acrylic paint on 5"x7" bristol.

Daily Drawing 1

2011-12-12T22:59:00.000-07:00

I have been debating whether or not to start the daily drawing challenge of creating one illustration each day. I tried it a while back and didn't last a week. I made up excuses about why I couldn't do it, but they were all excuses. Now I am committing to the challenge and have a few artist friends who are doing it with me to keep each other accountable to the commitment. Here is my first daily drawing. It is ball point pen, acrylic paint, and Sharpie marker on 5"x7" bristol.

If you are a determined artist who would like to join the daily drawing group on Facebook, please send a membership request here - http://www.facebook.com/groups/256798767715309/

God bless,

Bryan

www.bacstudio.com

Twitter - @useeverycolor

Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Skeleton Boy with Eggs

2011-11-17T16:33:00.001-07:00

I just finished this painting for a collector who requested a unique version of the "Skeleton with Bird" piece I made for the "It's ALIVE!!!" exhibit at Rendition Gallery. It's has been painted on pine, cut from the same board that I salvaged from a home improvement project. (My dad and I turned a window into a door in my house, the pine was for exterior trim.) I've actually been enjoying painting on the wood so much that I will most likely purchase more when I run out of what I have.

To prep the wood I cut a piece in the desired length. The width of the board is 3.5". This painting measures 6" top to bottom. I then use 150 grit sand paper to round the corners and soften the edges by hand. The surface to be painted gets a coat of gesso which dries for twenty-four hours, then a second coat to dry another twenty-four. After painting the piece with acrylics I gave it two coats of archival gloss varnish.

If you would like to add a Skeleton Boy painting to your collection, please reach out to me at bryan@bacstudio.com

God bless,

Bryan

www.bacstudio.com

Twitter - @useeverycolor

Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Caffeine Illustration in Progress

2011-11-12T19:33:00.001-07:00

It was so much fun sharing the progress of my last painting with you here on the blog I thought I'd do it again with this colored pencil illustration. This piece is one that I am doing for the "Caffeine" exhibit at Rendition. The illustration board I am working on measures 11"x14". I began by drawing out the girl with her to-go cup of coffee, tea, hot cocoa, or whatever. The next phase was writing out a list of coffee-related words and printing them from the computer. The next step was to trace them all with pencil and tracing paper, and do a reverse rubbing on the illustration board so the font would be how I wanted.

Once this tedious part was over I moved on to color. Worried about the light pencil rub fading as I worked, I started by coloring the lettering first. In this photo there is already about 7 hours of color work. This one is going to be a time monster!

Now with the background finished I am able to move on to working with the main form in the piece which is the girl holding her to-go cup of coffee. This is where the artistic challenge comes in. Since the background is so colorful, I have to make sure that she does not get washed into a psychedelic ocean of confusion. I have a color scheme planned out for her, but I won't mention it here because I want the freedom to adapt or manipulate the plan if the piece needs me to do so.

Now the roses in her hair are finished, and the hair is getting all colored up. I'm down to crunch-time now and this piece really needs to be finished today, which means all the unfinished work you see here needs to be completed in one sitting. That will probably be about 10-12 hours of work. I better get back to it.

Here is the poster for the "Caffeine" exhibit at Rendition Gallery -

I will update this same post with more progress soon. Stay tuned.

God bless,
Bryan

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Mad Scientist

2011-11-10T14:49:00.001-07:00

This is an older watercolor piece I did in 2007 when I first started painting. It has been hanging in my house for a while because I wasn't sure how it would exhibit with any of my newer work. I showed it in my studio at the Gallery Underground in Fort Collins and then sent it out to Art Whino in Washington DC for a bit. Now, for the first time, it is available online in a custom made frame, and available as a production skateboard deck.

The original piece is 11"x14" watercolor and ink on archival watercolor paper. The plain black frame is made here in Fort Collins at Colorado Frame Manufacturers. It is mounted under non-glare, museum quality glass which displays very well and allows all the detail to be seen without reflections. The original is priced at $275 framed and I will ship for FREE anywhere in the world. More photos and purchase info HERE

These production skateboards are the best quality on the market. I have personally ordered a few with some of my other designs and they are just outstanding. They are made of rock hard Canadian maple and are competition sizes and pop. These decks look great hanging on a wall, too! You can order one through Artsprojekt for just $59.95 or if you want one signed, send me an email (bryan@bacstudio.com) and I will have it shipped to me first, then I will sign and ship it to you. I do ask that you cover shipping from me to you. Please don't hesitate with any questions!

God bless,

Bryan

Stages of a Painting

2011-11-07T12:25:00.001-07:00

Since I just started this painting and it has a deadline of November 11th, I figure it's a good opportunity to share the entire process. I utilize many approaches to creating a painting, so this is just one of them. I will keep updating this same blog post with pics and descriptions as the stages progress. Feel free to engage in conversation with me through Twitter @useeverycolor

This painting has been commissioned to celebrate an engagement of marriage. The client gave me a few elements she wanted in the piece: Mountains in the distance, trees around the engaged couple holding hands, with a faint rainbow to symbolize eternal promise. I began with a very rough sketch to map out the elements requested by the client. At this point I already know of a few things I will change for the painting, but this is enough to get started.

The next step for me is just to get some paint on the canvas. A blank one is exhilarating, but can be intimidating as well, so getting some color down gets me started in the right direction. I painted the whole canvas black and then blended some dark browns, chromium oxide green, and transparent sienna to get my mind focused on outdoorsy colors. Some or none of this may be seen in the finished piece but that's okay. The point isn't to begin the images, but to begin the painting.

I now have most of the base colors in for the sky, mountains, and grassy areas. It's all still pretty rough at this point, but I will start forming out shapes next, starting with the mountains and then some signature Colorado aspen trees. (The clients live in Denver.)

Now we have some aspen tree trunks and about half of the rainbow. I am doing the rainbow in a bunch of highly diluted layers so it will have some transparency to it, like a real rainbow would. I've also defined some of the mountains on the right side. Next I will finish the mountains on the left and add some snow all the way across. Leaves will be on the trees next, too.

Leaves are on the trees now and more will probably be added later. I've also added more detail and tones to the bark of the trees. The rest of the details will come at the end. The focus now is on the couple, who are obviously the center of this painting. I have penciled them both in with a white (and purple over the light blue sky) Prismacolor pencil. The waxy colored pencil erases from the acrylic paint better than graphite so I am able to play around with the arm positions and such. The next step of course is to fill in the people with paint!

So here you can see the couple looking a little like Jim Henson's Muppets. The hands/arms are in different positions that on the original pencil sketch, since in the original it looked too much like they were giving a high-five. The man's shirt and woman's skirt will be plaid, but these base tones give me a bit of a map for shadows, highlights, and textures.

The man is now starting to have some detail and little-by-little I am getting things shaped out and shaded how I like them. Once all the plaid lines in his shirt are in, I can highlight areas of the stripes to give the shirt a more flowing look. His jeans will be given some wrinkles, too. The "blockyness" of the people will begin to relax as these features are completed.

Now come the most tedious part of the painting: Getting all the little details in and polishing up the loose places that need more contrast and definition. The man's plaid shirt still needs a lighter blue strip pattern added, and the female's skirt has a lot more plaid work to do as well. The progress made since the last photo is the highlights in the man's jeans, the base skin tones in the female, as well has her glasses. I've also added highlights to the man's hair and started making the female's hair to look wavy. Small grassy details are now in the area between the couple and more will come in around them. The next photo will be of the finished piece.

Here we have the final painting.
"Engagement"
8"x10" acrylic on canvas

Comments welcomed.

Bryan

New Drawings

2011-11-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about exhibiting at Comic Book Conventions is being able to draw live for people who are curious about the process of making art. While showing work at the Long Beach Comic Con (Oct 29-30, 2011) I came up with these two ACEO drawings which were small enough to complete while people were watching. Both drawings are now available in my Etsy Shop. You can click on either to go directly to the listing. They are just $19 each and would make great Christmas gifts :)

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

No More Custom Toys (sort of)

2011-11-01T10:47:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking for a long time about all of the comments, questions, and suggestions I regularly receive from fellow artists, fans, and gallery curators. After chewing on a great deal of information I began to feel that I needed to abandon either my fine art or my toy art. Although they are both forms of art, the genres carry different vibes and often attract the adoration of different people. I know that a great number of people who like my custom toys really aren't much into my paintings and illustrations. On the other side, most of the collectors whom I've worked with for years just don't connect with the custom toy realm.

(Toy Art) "Qee to the Moon" :: acrylic on 4" tall Mini Qee

(Fine Art) "Play Some Purple For Me" :: 16"x20" acrylic on linen

After putting both the fine art and toy customizing worlds on the chopping block, I felt a little like Abraham with the knife hovering in my hands over Issac, hating what I felt I had to do but willing to do it anyway. Then, like the angel that provided Abraham with another sacrifice, I had a vision of one river that flows to a fork where it parts ways with itself. The one river then has two different names but both are fed from the same source. This gave me the notion that it is time to divide my arts, rather than kill one.

Now you will have a choice to follow what I am doing with paintings and illustrations or with custom toys, or both. Those of you who only want to see my 2D and fine art work may continue to follow me here and you will no longer see posts regarding my custom toys. Those of you wishing to follow my toy customizing adventures will need to jump over to www.facebook.com/colorchemist3d where I am now working under the name Color Chemist. You may also want to follow on Twitter at @ColorChemist3D where I will be posting links to news, shows, and custom toy photos.

Thank you all, both friends of my 2D and 3D art, for the encouragement and support. I love both realms of work and I am excited to continue each by traveling both rivers!

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins (a.k.a. Color Chemist)

Mega Monster $48 for 48 hours

2011-10-23T18:19:00.000-06:00

The current installment in my new 48/48 program is "Mega Monster", created with the upcoming Long Beach Comic Con in mind. (I will be in "Artists Alley" at booth #1611). This piece is being offered at $48 for 48 hours before I list it in my Etsy Shop at a higher, regular price. It will be matted and priced at $85 after 48 hours. This program is to reward those of you who are watching my art on a regular basis. I appreciate you so very much.This piece is a 5"x7" colored pencil drawing on illustration board. The first person to email me at bryan@bacstudio.com will get this piece for just $48 (free shipping). Just email me saying you want "Mega Monster" and I will send you an invoice via Paypal. Don't fall asleep on this one. You have until Tuesday, Oct 25 at 6:30pm (MST) to claim this original illustration at a special price.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

LAST PRINT of Journey Lost

2011-10-17T13:09:00.001-06:00

We are down to the very last print in a limited edition of "Journey Lost". There were only five of these prints made, so 5/5 is waiting for the last savvy collector to give it a place to hang. These prints are 5"x7" overall, with a 4"x6" print area to match the exact size of the original illustration. More information is at the listing in my Etsy shop.

Just $10 plus shipping. Purchase HERE

Please let me know if you have any questions.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Mega Monster 24/24

2011-10-15T16:22:00.000-06:00

You have 24 hours to claim this drawing at just $24. Opportunity ends at 4:30 GMT Sunday, October 16th, 2011. Email bryan@bacstudio.com to purchase.

This is a pencil sketch I made for the Long Beach Comic Con (www.longbeachcomiccon.com) where I will have a table in Artists Alley on October 29th and 30th, 2011. The drawing is 5"x7" graphite on 110lb acid-free card stock.

Although this piece was created specifically for the LBCC, I am offering it now in my 24/24 program. That means you have 24 hours to snag this original drawing for just $24. After that it won't be available again until LBCC where I will be offering the piece at regular price. If you would like "Mega Monster Pencil Drawing", please email me at bryan@bacstudio.com

Offer expires at 4:30pm (GMT) on Sunday, October 16th.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Metal Hands Illustration

2011-10-12T16:07:00.000-06:00

Metal Hands :: 5"x7" colored pencil on illustration board

Metal Hands is a hypothetical character I've created for the Long Beach Comic Con. http://www.longbeachcomiccon.com/

Post a comment with the pros and cons you might encounter by having metal hands!

AVAILABLE :: $75 email bryan@bacstudio.com to purchase

Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Small Monster Paintings

2011-10-10T10:00:00.000-06:00

Now that the "It's ALIVE!!!" exhibit is open at Rendition Gallery, I have made these two pieces available online at just $40 each. They will remain at Rendition until the exhibit closes, but you can purchase them now so they will marked "SOLD" at the gallery and you don't have to make the trip to Colorado to get them! More details at the listings for each. Just click the monsters to see the listings on Etsy.

Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

24/24 Metal Hands

2011-10-08T18:24:00.003-06:00

This is a pencil sketch I made for the Long Beach Comic Con (www.longbeachcomiccon.com) where I will have a table in Artists Alley on October 29th and 30th, 2011. The drawing is 5"x7" graphite on 110lb acid-free card stock.

Although this piece was created specifically for the LBCC, I am offering it now in my 24/24 program. That means you have 24 hours to snag this original drawing for just $24. After that it won't be available again until LBCC where I will be offering the piece at regular price. If you would like "Metal Hands", please email me at bryan@bacstudio.com

Offer expired at 7pm (GMT) on Sunday, October 9th.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Video for Mystery Drawing 009

2011-09-28T13:00:00.000-06:00

After scratching away and hustling my art for months and months, then budgeting with my wife for family needs, I finally procured an HD video camera so I can get back into vlogging, shooting art for time-lapse, and other neat video experiences to share even more art with you. Above you will see the very first time-lapse video shot with this new camera. I am still working out logistics with lighting, angles, and editing, as well as needing to pick up a large capacity, high speed SD card, but those things will pan out in time. Please enjoy the video which shows the making of Mystery Drawing 009 and feel free to post your comments. Thank you!

Grab a Mystery Drawing HERE.
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Monster Paintings for It's ALIVE!!!

2011-09-25T16:11:00.000-06:00

Blue Fuzzy Monster (Untitled) - 3.5"x3.5" acrylic on 3/4" thick pine
AVAILABLE at $45

Funky Monster (Untitled) - 3.5"x3.5" acrylic on 3/4" thick pine
AVAILABLE at $45

Skeleton with Bird - 3.5"x6" acrylic on 3/4" thick pine
SOLD

Sasquatch with Fawn - 6"x10" acrylic on panel (Framed with Gold custom frame.)
AVAILABLE at $195

Lately I've been back into monsters, especially since I am showing work in the "It's ALIVE!!!" exhibit at Rendition Gallery. I love monster portraits because their expressions are so interpretive and the ability to play with color on them is limitless. Three of the four pieces above have been painted on upcycled wood from one of my home improvement projects!The above pieces are available for pre-purchase, meaning they may be purchased now, exhibited at Rendition for "It's ALIVE!!!" as SOLD work, then shipped to you after the show. Each sold piece will be shipped after November 2nd. To purchase, email bryan@bacstudio.com and ask for a Paypal invoice for the piece(s) you like.
God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Charlie 24 (48/48 program)

2011-09-19T22:46:00.002-06:00

UPDATE: This piece is sold. Thank you!

The first 24/24 illustration has been claimed and I am moving on to the first 48/48 piece, "Charlie 24".This piece is being offered at $48 for 48 hours before I list it in my Etsy Shop at a higher, regular price. 48/48 is to reward those of you who are watching my art on a regular basis. I appreciate you so very much.This piece is a 4"x6" colored pencil drawing on illustration board. The first person to email me at bryan@bacstudio.com will get this piece for just $48 (free shipping). Just email me saying you want "Charlie 24" and I will send you an invoice via Paypal. Don't fall asleep on this one. You have until Wednesday, Sept 21 at 11pm (MST) to claim this original illustration at this price.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

My new 24/24 and 48/48 program

2011-09-18T17:52:00.000-06:00

If you receive my email newsletter then you probably already heard about my new 24/24 and 48/48 program. If not, here is the rundown: I have been thinking for a while that I would like to offer something special to those of you who take the time to watch my updates day by day. With smart phones, tablets, netbooks and such, many of you are watching my posts the very minute they come up. Now you will be rewarded. I am starting a new program with two "levels" called 24/24 and 48/48. Through this program I will offer original drawings, paintings, and illustrations at $24 for 24 hours and $48 for 48 hours. They will be posted on my Facebook page, through Twitter and through this blog. Make sure you are connected through those channels because the listings will be first-come-first-serve for the time period specified. If a piece doesn't sell during the designated period, it will then be offered at regular price through my Etsy shop.

The very first 24/24 piece is the one you see here. It is a robot concept I drew to plan out some ideas for the upcoming Long Beach Comic Con. It is 4"x6" graphite on bristol.

This drawing is now sold. I will post more soon. Thank you!

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Small Insect Paintings

2011-09-12T19:10:00.000-06:00

A while back I posted some in-progess shots of insect paintings I was making on wood. I finally finished all four and would like to share them with you. Each one is painted with acrylics and is approximately 3.5"x3.5". The wood they are painted on was left over from one of my home improvement projects. Rather than throwing the wood away, I made some art with it. Each piece is untitled.

1) Moth with green background - available HERE
2) Beetle with purple background - available HERE
3) Beetle with brown background - SOLD
4) Moth with blue background - available HERE

The available pieces are at Rendition Gallery (251 Jefferson St, Fort Collins CO) if you are in the area and would like to see them. They are available for immediate shipping if purchased online and are just $40 each. Please let me know if you have any questions - bryan@bacstudio.com

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

New Pencil Drawings

2011-08-20T09:31:00.003-06:00

I've been traveling the country lately by car, which means a good deal of time in hotels/motels, which means a good deal of time with a sketchbook. On top of that, I've done the Albuquerque Comic Expo and New West Fest in Fort Collins, CO so those weekend-long events also provide some decent time for sketching. Below are some of the pencil drawings I've come up with in the last month or two.

Here are a couple that I recently came across in my studio...

If you like any of these drawings, click them for more information.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Mystery Drawing 008 Video

2011-07-19T21:29:00.002-06:00

I finally made a time-lapse video of drawing. This was my first crack at it, so I hope to improve the lighting and video quality for future videos. Any comments or suggestions are welcome. Enjoy!

Hand Painted Skateboard Decks

2011-07-17T15:02:00.003-06:00

"Man For All Colors"
Acrylic on maple skateboard deck
Approximately 32"x8" - $300 HERE

"From Above"
Acrylic on maple skateboard deck
Approximately 32"x8" - $300 HERE

"Singing a Chorus of Color"
Acrylic on maple skateboard deck
Approximately 32"x8" - $300 HERE

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

I Will Draw For You and Film It

2011-07-13T13:38:00.004-06:00

A few months ago I began offering Mystery Drawings which are spontaneous illustrations created when they are ordered. Quite a few of you have dared to participate, without knowing what you would get. Thank you!

Now, to spice things up a little bit, if you order a Mystery Drawing between now and tomorrow at midnight (East Coast Time) you will get an original drawing for just $25 AND the creation of the drawing will be filmed and posted to my YouTube Channel. You will be able to watch the entire drawing being made, played back in time-lapse fashion.

Your drawing could be anything from monsters to coffee girls, space kids to robotic trees. No requests, please. This project is intended to be completely spontaneous!

If you would like to participate in this event, make sure you have placed your order before July 15th at midnight (EST) at BigCartel. Let's do this!

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

Her Tears Are Stars

2011-07-12T15:10:00.007-06:00

It's been a crazy few weeks with the Albuquerque Comic Expo, still getting settled in to our new house, painting live in downtown Fort Collins every weekend for Streetmosphere, and working on commissions. I know it may seem weird to take a break from art by making more art, but sometimes that's exactly what I do. Every once in a while I need to do something that is just for the sake of making art, and that's what this piece is.

I call this one "Her Tears Are Stars" and it is 5"x7" colored pencil on illustration board. It's been a while since I've made anything in the psychedelic style, so that was really the only theme I had in mind.

There is more information about this piece HERE.

Thoughts and comments welcomed.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart
Shop for art at www.bryancollins.etsy.com

John L. Sullivan Prints

2011-07-07T11:57:00.004-06:00

The Art Whino gallery in Washington DC held a John L. Sullivan tribute show at their 2011 G40 exhibit and I was asked to create a painting for the show. This is an 11"x17" print of the piece I created for the exhibit. It is called "All-Star Knuckles".

These open edition prints are printed on 110lb bright white card stock and hand signed on the bottom right as seen in the photo. All of the photos seen here are of the actual print. Your print ships flat, braced with foam board, and in a removable, protective, polypropylene sleeve. Please message me with any questions - bryan@bacstudio.com

Purchase at www.etsy.com/listing/77352129/all-star-knuckles-11x17-print

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Pencil Drawings

2011-07-05T11:40:00.003-06:00

I just thought I'd put together a list of a few pencil drawings which I currently have available. The links to each are below the photo, or you can just click the ones you like to get more information on how to purchase. As always, you can email me at bryan@bacstudio.com with any questions or requests.

Purchase at http://www.etsy.com/listing/76901810/untitled-ace-01-original-drawing

Purchase at http://www.etsy.com/listing/76900531/untitled-ace-03-original-drawing

Purchase at http://www.etsy.com/listing/76898268/untitled-ace-05-original-drawing

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

2011 Albuquerque Comic Expo Summary

2011-06-28T10:49:00.017-06:00

The first Albuquerque Comic Expo is now in the history books and in my own humble opinion, it was a great success. The residents of New Mexico really came out and supported the event, the celebrities, and the artists. I was very blessed to be a part of this inaugural event and I am grateful for all of the really cool people I met at the Expo. Albuquerque was awesome!

I was very thankful for the First Aid station since I was apparently under attack after setting up my table.

The Albuquerque Comic Expo was my first comic book event and I was impressed with the time and effort that went into the variety of costumes. I could hardly focus on drawing because it was so entertaining to just look around.

R2-D2 even took time out from his busy day to stroll through Artist's Alley.

The photo opportunities were endless.

My daughter in her Supergirl costume. She got a little pink Hello Kitty at the expo and is still excited about it.

My son didn't like Daddy being behind the table all day. He had on a Batman costume when he got to the expo, but it can be hard to keep a costume on a 2-year-old.

Matt Campbell was at the table behind me. Click his name to check out his DeviantArt page.

Alejandro Garza was one of my table neighbors. He's a quiet guy but his drawing skills are fantastic.

After initially getting stuck with a "volunteer" badge, Jeff Herndon was upgraded to "Celebrity Guest"; A title much more fitting. Jeff Herndon and Jamie King were the ones who told me about the Albuquerque Comic Expo and if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have gone. I owe them a great deal of thanks for urging me to attend.

Two people I met at the expo who were exceptionally cool and I now consider friends were Grego and Kaylah from Bean Pot Toiz. Grego sent me home with a few DIY blank platforms which I will be customizing and sending back to him for a show in Dallas, TX in September. I will post pics when they are done but they will only be available through Bean Pot Toiz, so make sure to "Like" them on Facebook and check out their site at www.beanpottoiz.com

Between meeting new people and taking in the scenery, I got some painting done. I will share those pieces in another post. (Thanks to Jamie King for taking this photo).

The dates are already set for ACE 2012 so save June 22-24 on your calendar and check out the Albuquerque Comic Expo website at www.abqcomicexpo.com for updates.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Untitled ACE-05 Drawing

2011-06-22T11:03:00.006-06:00

Another piece created for the 2011 Albuquerque Comic Expo.
3"x7" graphite on illustration board, matted to 8"x10"

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Blue Beanie Watercolor

2011-06-16T15:01:00.003-06:00

Blue Beanie :: 5"x7" watercolor on watercolor paper :: Available

It's been about three years since I've done a watercolor painting. I've just been really wrapped up with acrylics lately and of course, customizing figures. It's summer time and I've been drinking a lot of water, especially since I've been out doing some hiking and mountain biking. Maybe this is why I started thinking about watercolor again?

If you like this painting, email bryan@bacstudio.com to make it yours.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Albuquerque Comic Expo Drawings

2011-06-14T23:03:00.004-06:00

Just a quick post to share some of the drawings I've finished for the upcoming Albuquerque Comic Expo. Although these drawings have been created with the intent to offer them at the expo, they are available now in case you can't make it to Albuquerque. They are priced at $35 each and you can email me at bryan@bacstudio.com to get one.

AVAILABLE

SOLD

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Current ACEO Inventory

2011-06-06T10:32:00.004-06:00

As I begin the scrambling to prepare for the upcoming Albuquerque Comic Expo I decided to take an inventory of how many limited edition ACEO (Art Cards Editions & Originals) I have on hand. As some of you know, I release trading card sized prints in editions of 20 and always release a new one when one sells out. For the Albuquerque Comic Expo I will be making an exception in case some sell out at the expo, and I will be releasing a few in advance.

First things first though, I want to give you the chance to pick up any of the existing trading card prints that still remain in case you can't make it to Albuquerque. Below you will see the image of any card currently available and the current number left of each one. I will try my best to update this post as the cards sell so this stays as current as possible.

The ACEO prints are just $3.95 each and are signed and numbered on the back. Each comes in a removable clear polypropylene sleeve and braced with foam board for protection. Once these are sold out, no more will be made. To order, just click the card(s) you like and you will be directed to the listing on Etsy.

"The Gallery of His Mind" - 2 left of 20

"Light" - 5 left of 20

"Randall's Robot" - 5 left of 20

"Curiosity Permanent" - 3 left of 20

"Twich's Wooden Plane" - 12 left of 20

"I Blame Picasso" - 3 left of 20

"Seeking Solace" - 14 left of 20

"And That One Word Echoed Like a Fortress" - 5 left of 20

"Go Fish" - 15 left of 20

"Intervention" - 6 left of 20

"Minor Setback - 19 left of 20

"Good Thing Zach Doesn't Dream" - 16 left of 20

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Pine Squares Project 3

2011-05-26T00:10:00.004-06:00

Now that the backgrounds have dried on these first four pieces of wood, I have laid down a silhouette on each. I drew the outlines with pencil of two moths and two beetles, then filled them in solid black with acrylic paint. Lately I've been painting this way, where I put down a solid black image of my subject, then build up the detail from the dark base. The detail will come next in these four pieces.

I chose insects for the first four "Pine Square" paintings because although bugs have always been a major inspiration to my work, I've never really painted them. I regularly watch TV programs about insects and even keep a few books about them in the studio, but I usually just incorporate some of their characteristics into my monsters, robots, and patterns. I thought it would be a good study to paint the actual creatures so that I can develop an even more in-depth understanding of their forms and textures.

The next post for this project will most likely be of the finished pieces. Stay tuned.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Pine Squares Project 2

2011-05-25T00:00:00.003-06:00

After giving my first four pine squares 24 hours to let the surface gesso dry, I have given each of them a few layers of background color and also painted the sides black. Last night I thought I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted to paint on these first four squares. However, as I sat down and stared at them and picked them up one by one waiting for colors to come into my mind I had a completely different idea. I was recently inspired by a text book that I've actually had for a few years and I feel that this first set of painted pine will be a great substrate for the inspiration.

I am not sure if I will post any more pics of these until they are finished, so that I can reveal them all at once, but you never know if I may change my mind.

These pieces are NOT commissioned and will be available when they are complete. Please email bryan@bacstudio.com to inquire.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Pine Squares Project

2011-05-23T20:52:00.003-06:00

Now that we are getting settled in to our new house, a few home improvement projects are starting to take place. The first major upgrade to our house was cutting out a window and turning it into a door. My father and I tackled the endeavor in order to have easy access to the back yard. Once the door was in and trimmed, I had two long pieces of pine left over. One piece was about ten-feet long and one about eight-feet long. Rather than taking them to the landfill I decided to cut them up and turn them into art.

The first project for the upcycled wood is a set of four paintings that measure 3.5"x3.5" square. I cut the squares and sanded each one by hand to smooth out the edges and corners. Afterward, each piece got two coats of gesso. They are now sitting in my studio to dry for the next 24 hours. Stay tuned for more.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

New Paintings for G40

2011-05-19T21:09:00.003-06:00

Singing a Chorus of Color - acrylic on skateboard deck

All-Star Knuckles - 12"x18" acrylic on panel

The 2011 G40 exhibit is now underway in Washington, D.C. Art Whino and Vitamin Water have teamed up to present an absolutely huge exhibit with around 30,000 square feet of space and art from around the world. G40 is broken up into different exhibits, each with a specific theme. This year I have a piece in two different G40 exhibits; the Skateboard Art exhibit and the John L. Sullivan exhibit. See more info about the G40 exhibit on the Art Whino website.

G40 / vitaminwater® uncapped LIVE
2213-2217 14th street NW (the corner of 14th and W NW) / Washington, D.C.
May 19th - June 17th

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Mystery Drawing 007

2011-05-18T09:42:00.002-06:00

"Mystery Drawing 007"
Graphite on 5"x7" drawing paper

This is the seventh piece from my series of Mystery Drawings. These are 5"x7" graphite pencil drawings that I create spontaneously when one is ordered. I spend about 2-3 hours on each one. Some of the ideas or images from Mystery Drawings could end up becoming paintings in the future. I'd also like to set up my video camera and make a time-lapse video of some of them being made. Keep ordering them and I will be able to make that happen.

Order Mystery Drawings HERE

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Custom Kathie Olivas Scavenger

2011-05-17T16:20:00.006-06:00

This is the custom Kathie Olivas Scavenger I recently had the pleasure of creating for a client. The client sent me a blank red Scavenger and said he likes the color green and anything with tentacles but other than that I could do what I wanted. Here's what I did.

Acrylic on 3.5" tall vinyl Scavenger.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

$5000 worth of gear STOLEN

2011-05-11T15:44:00.000-06:00

A good friend of mine recently had her camera equipment and laptop stolen from her car in Denver, CO. The gear was worth an estimated $5,000 and has not been recovered. She is a talented, published photographer and I am asking for you to band together with me and help get her equipment replaced. Between now and May 12th at midnight (Mountain Time) I am donating 100% of every sale from my Esty Shop to Coleen. You may also donate directly to Coleen at her Paypal Donation Page.

Below are some samples of Coleen's photography, so you can see the talent that will be wasted if she doesn't get her equipment replaced.

The last one is a pic of Coleen. Let's do this, people. The crime is bad enough so let's not make it worse by leaving it uncorrected. Donate now through her Paypal Donation Page or make a purchase through my Esty Shop and I will send her 100% of all sales by midnight tomorrow (May 12th).

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Mystery Drawings 005 and 006

2011-05-04T14:45:00.002-06:00

I have two new mystery drawings to share with you. Continuing my new series of spontaneous 5"x7" pencil drawings, these two were created when ordered from my Bigcartel Shop. This means these two drawings are spoken for, but you can have me make one for you if you're up for a surprise. Just click HERE to get one.

Mystery Drawing 005

Mystery Drawing 006

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

$1 Art and Summer Events

2011-04-29T10:34:00.008-06:00

The month of May will be here in just a day or two and I have some exciting news for you. I never thought that with The Gallery Underground closing I would be even more busy, but this summer is stacking up to be full of art events for me. Due to freeing up the art I had on display at Gallery Underground, I have pieces which are now available for exhibiting elsewhere, including galleries and businesses in Colorado, as well as art festivals and galleries nationwide.

$1 Original Art Auctions

I have two original pieces currently being auctioned on ebay, each starting at just $1 each with free shipping. Bidding ends May 2nd for "Dark" and May 3rd for "Non-Licensed City Decorator". Click the photos below to go to the auctions.

Art Whino / Washington D.C.

Art Whino is holding some great exhibits in Washington D.C. in the next month or two. I am sending three new original paintings for three exhibits. One is for the G40 John L. Sullivan show and one for the G40 Skateboard Art show. The third is for Zep Fest. These three paintings take me on a journey of themes covering bare knuckle boxing, space monsters, and Led Zeppelin!
Art Whino G40

Streetmosphere 2011

The good folks at Beet Street have selected me as one of this year's live painters for Streetmosphere 2011. This means I will be painting live in various areas of downtown Fort Collins, CO.
Streetmosphere

New West Fest

Last year's New West Fest was amazing, so I will be doing it again this year. Saves the dates of August 13th and 14th to come to downtown Fort Collins and swing by my art tent. Also, G. Love and Special Sauce will be performing for FREE on Friday, August 12th, so don't miss out on that!
New West Fest

There are more exciting summer art events coming up but not all are declassified yet, so stay tuned to my BLOG, FACEBOOK, and TWITTER for immediate updates.

God bless,
Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

New Studio: Part 4

2011-04-28T09:37:00.004-06:00

It looks a little better than the last update, but my new studio is still a mess. It's tough to keep up with the creative work-load and still make time to fix up the new place, but I'm juggling the best I know how. Even though I just took this photo the night before last, the studio already looks different. I have moved the floor easel (you can see part of it on the left) over to where you see the big red tool box in the photo. The tool box is now where the easel is in the photo. The reason for this is two-fold. First of all, I can use the drawing table as a place to rest my paints and other supplies I need while working. The other reason is that in a 1922 house, electrical outlets can be few and far between. In my entire studio there is just ONE outlet. Rather than running a bunch of extension cords or some other method that may become a fire hazard, I can now use just one desk lamp for both my drawing table and my easel.

I still have not put the final coat of paint on the orange wall, and still need to mount shelves before everything can be properly displayed and organized. I will continue to keep updating the progress on the new studio as interesting or significant changes are made, but for now it's back to work!

God bless,

Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Kidrobot Sketch Session at Urban Outfitters

2011-04-26T12:10:00.007-06:00

On April 14th I was granted the pleasure of being Kidrobot's featured artist for a one-night sketch session at Urban Outfitters. I got to meet some great collectors, fans, Kidrobot staff, and Urban Outfitters employees. In about 2.5 hours I doodled on more than 30 Munnyworld figures and had an awesome time.

Thank you to everyone who let me doodle a Munny for you, and special thanks to Kidrobot and Urban Outfitters for hosting this event. I hope to do it again soon!

God bless,

Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Proof of Faith Book - 1st Hard Copy

2011-04-21T13:28:00.004-06:00

After nearly a year of writing, rewriting, deleting the whole thing and starting over, I finally have a copy of "Proof of Faith" in my hands. I am very excited for this release, and also quite impressed with the quality of the book itself. The colors came out so bold and crisp. The black and white pieces even look incredibly sharp!

If you have pre-ordered the book, you will be receiving your copy shortly, along with your exclusive limited edition print. If you missed out on the pre-orders, don't let that stop you from getting your own copy of my very first book. There are 130 paintings, illustrations, and custom figures to accompany the candid story of my failures and successes on the road to becoming a full-time artist.

In this book I share some personal struggles and secrets. I discuss what happened to me during the times I had no creative outlet, and why I now have no choice but to make art. You will read about the first time I fell in love with art and the first time I decided I hated it. You will also hear about why I'd rather be poor and happy than rich and unhappy, and what that sentiment really means.

When you place your order at either Etsy or Bigcartel, please specify if you would like your copy signed or not. Enjoy the book and please post your comments and reviews when you get your copy.

God bless,

Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Kidrobot / Urban Outfitters Sketch Session

2011-04-12T10:55:00.003-06:00

I will be sketching on a variety of Kidrobot Munny figures at Urban Outfitters in Boulder, CO on April 14th from 6-8pm. The sketching is FREE if you pick up a Munny while at Urban Outfitters. Check out the lineup to see what other artists may be near you. Hope to see all my Colorado people in Boulder!

Urban Outfitters
934 Pearl Street
Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 247-0828

God bless,

Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

$1 Scratch Board Auction

2011-04-09T10:55:00.004-06:00

Due to the closing of The Gallery Underground, I am auctioning off a few original pieces of work to keep from storing them in my studio. I do this from time to time so that collectors of any level have a chance at scoring an original piece for a price they can afford. Up for grabs now is the original scratch board piece called "Living Through Ignorance". This etching was debuted at my "Proof of Faith" solo exhibit at Art Whino. The piece itself measures 8"x10" and is framed in black. To place your bid, please search ebay for item 380330859157 or click HERE

"Living Through Ignorance"
Bryan A. Collins (2008)
8"x10" scratch board

God bless,

Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Mystery Drawings Have Commenced

2011-04-07T09:14:00.003-06:00

People love a good surprise, myself included, and prove they do by the success of blind-boxed mini figures such as the Beast Buddies. Because of this, I thought it would be fun to start making Mystery Drawings. These are 5"x7" graphite illustrations that I make when you order them. You don't know what you will get, and at first, neither do I! These are all spontaneous pieces. For a limited time I am offering these Mystery Drawing for just $25 at either BigCartel or Esty.

All of the images are "clicky" and will take you to the BigCartel listing.

God bless,

Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

The Closing of The Gallery Underground

2011-04-03T11:07:00.009-06:00

This is a day I never thought I would see. After three-and-a-half years The Gallery Underground is closing. This is an emotional loss for me, as I was one of the artists who exhibited at GU the very first night it opened, and have been a resident artist there for more than two years. When my daughter was just three I would load her up in the bicycle trailer and ride downtown to the gallery four days a week where I would paint. Many of the pieces I made for my "Proof of Faith" solo show at Art Whino were created in GU. I met many of my current friends there. Countless wonderful people have supported my art by making purchases through The Gallery Underground. Aside from myself, many other artists have come and gone through those weathered red doors and called GU a home for long or short periods. People have been exposed to new ideas and a lowbrow scene developed in an otherwise strictly traditional art town.

But now, after all of the positive things that have come from The Gallery Underground, the physical location has been labeled "unsafe" by the Fire Marshal of Fort Collins. I don't blame him for doing his job, so let that be clear. He told us that our only option to continue business is to move. The problem with this is that roughly 15 artists were splitting the rent cost at GU and already struggling to break even and GU was one of the least costly places in Old Town for us to rent. It doesn't look like we will be able to find another affordable option in the size and scale that we were operating at 109 Linden Street.

In truth, this is a perfect example of a bittersweet happening. I am deeply saddened by the loss of The Gallery Underground and the fact that I will not be building any new memories there. However, I am excited about what new opportunities I will be able to pursue now that I am freed up on first and third Fridays and that I will now have all the extra art to exhibit elsewhere. I am looking for leasing options around town that will either be studio and exhibit space for a small group of artists or perhaps a space that I will inhabit on my own. I will keep you posted on my searches, but for now I will be working in my new home studio and keeping my eyes peeled (as always) for other options.

To express my extreme appreciation to the Fort Collins community I will be offering 50% OFF any original piece during the month of April, our last month at The Gallery Underground. Beginning now and ending April 30th, you can email bryan@bacstudio.com or call my cell at (970) 420-0308 to arrange a meeting at GU and take home any original piece for half the asking price. This offer is to locals only and you must be able to pick up the art in person.

Please do not consider this an end in any way, but a number of new beginnings. The Gallery Underground has been a springboard for so many potential avenues in Northern Colorado and I am so grateful to have been a part of it from the beginning. I wish all of the artists who have come and gone through GU the very best, I am thankful for all of the bands and musicians who have played in our space, and every person who visited the gallery to appreciate the work and support the visual arts. I also ask that all of you continue your support toward whatever is next. Thank you!

God bless,

Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart

Aquatic Chuckboy Dunny

2011-03-24T11:20:00.003-06:00

There's nothing that warms my heart like when someone receives a piece of work from me and then asks for another. That was the case with this custom Chuckboy Dunny. The collector who commissioned it had previously received his Ocean-Life set of customs. He liked the eye on the octopus Dunny and let me run with that. The above photos show what I came up with after letting my mind journey to the deep for a bit. Hope you like it.

Title: Aquatic Chuckboy Dunny
Artist: Bryan A. Collins (2011)
Medium: Acrylic on 3" vinyl
Status: Sold

God bless,

Bryan A. Collins

www.bacstudio.com
Twitter - @useeverycolor
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bryancollinsart