The art thread of esko-man

[esko-man]

I'm an art student, and I'm gaining experience as the days go by, so my style is getting better. Hopefully this will be obvious over the course of this thread. I'm greatly influenced by the street art counter-culture. I like to work in a street art vs. canvas manner with my personal work. I'm crazy for good stencils, and like to mix this with abstract work.

I do some graphic design work, and it's my emphasis of study. I probably won't show as much of it here just because it's not as interesting as the paint and canvas style of my personal work.

With that, I hope there's something for everyone to enjoy somewhere in my work. I greatly value your comments and criticism, it's the only way to improve. Thanks for viewing.

Mixed Media on vinyl. 48x48"

[esko-man]

I worked with acrylic and UV reactant paint on this piece. This picture is from under a blacklight. It's on a big piece of drywall, about 48x48"

[Sockembop]

At 9/21/10 12:16 AM, esko-man wrote: I worked with acrylic and UV reactant paint on this piece. This picture is from under a blacklight. It's on a big piece of drywall, about 48x48"

Whoaaaaaaaaaah uv reactant paint. Groovy.

[esko-man]

From a photography series on zombies.

[esko-man]

At 9/21/10 12:17 AM, Sockembop wrote:

Whoaaaaaaaaaah uv reactant paint. Groovy.

Yep, pretty much any fluorescent paint works, but it's hard to find a lot of colors in spray cans.

This 16x20" on canvas is "The Optimist". Spray paint and lighter fluid.

[esko-man]

I did this last night, a few good hours of work. Spray Paint on canvas 16x20"

[AJtheRipper]

Very good stuff! I'm anxious to see what your digital art looks like.

[esko-man]

I have a poster design in the art portal actually. I'll find a good digital piece to upload soon.

http://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/esko-
man/burn-the-ban

This is a poppy abstract, it's a beastly 24x36" canvas.

[esko-man]

Fooling around with Shepherd Fairey's "Obey Giant"

[gmanthesandwhichking]

At 9/22/10 04:49 PM, esko-man wrote: I did this last night, a few good hours of work. Spray Paint on canvas 16x20"

This is by far my favorite one in the thread so far. i tried to get into stencils, but I really don't know how to do it, any pointers?

[esko-man]

What you cut on is important. Thicker cardstock, plastic, acetate paper if you can afford it work decently for smaller stencils. Posterboard and cardboard work well for bigger stencils if you use the right kind. Don't be too cheap on the paint, you usually get what you pay for with spray.

Mixed media on canvas, 16x20

not the best lighting on this one

[esko-man]

A little abstraction.

[WaterShake]

At 10/1/10 04:09 PM, esko-man wrote: A little abstraction.

I'm by no means an advocate or aggressor of abstract art; but I do value purpose. Thus I have no qualms with abstract art that has purpose.

I generally find that abstract art is largely misinterpreted by people. Some people seem to think that abstract art is just that, abstract, it doesn't have to conform to any artistic principals. I disagree with that slightly, I see abstract art as an alternative means of expression; but whilst importantly still expressing something.

This is an example of abstract art that I value, as far as I can tell it's a clear and eloquent expression of anger. This however, is something that I don't value, it doesn't communicate anything to me other than "i'm abstract".

You describe this piece as abstract. Why? What is it your trying to communicate and why did you do it in an "abstract" form?

[esko-man]

At 10/1/10 04:50 PM, WaterShake wrote:

You describe this piece as abstract. Why? What is it your trying to communicate and why did you do it in an "abstract" form?

I describe it as abstract because it (aside from the wording) was done intuitively, it's non-representational, it's balanced. It may fit under the style of modernism, but I am expressing exactly what the piece says. I see the traces of content, but an emptiness, the scattered and dizzy remains of the psyche. I didn't pick up on these ideas until I was done working the paint, and that's when I fit the text with the idea.

Abstraction as a concept doesn't necessarily mean any clear message or emotion has to be communicated, but I find just as much meaning in the second example as the first. I don't know how you can see the first as an expression of anger and not be able to associate the second with anything.

What would you classify that piece if not abstract?

[DeviantArt-Forum]

Your work is impressive. I hope to see more of it.

[WaterShake]

At 10/1/10 08:50 PM, esko-man wrote:

At 10/1/10 04:50 PM, WaterShake wrote:

You describe this piece as abstract. Why? What is it your trying to communicate and why did you do it in an "abstract" form?

I describe it as abstract because it (aside from the wording) was done intuitively, it's non-representational, it's balanced. It may fit under the style of modernism, but I am expressing exactly what the piece says. I see the traces of content, but an emptiness, the scattered and dizzy remains of the psyche. I didn't pick up on these ideas until I was done working the paint, and that's when I fit the text with the idea.

So when you were making it, there was no clear intent in your head?

I generally disagree with the idea of making things without intent. Sure, it's fun to just draw/paint/create sometimes without focusing too much, but I tend to think of things created in these sessions as closer to doodles than artworks.

Abstraction as a concept doesn't necessarily mean any clear message or emotion has to be communicated, but I find just as much meaning in the second example as the first. I don't know how you can see the first as an expression of anger and not be able to associate the second with anything.

I can see the first as an expression of anger because the artist made it his intent to do so. The paint is layered thick, haphazardly and then attacked with a pallet knife. The deep ominous read has obvious connotations with anger. The artist of the second peice describes his work as "something I made while I was messing around on my computer last night".

Sure artists intent isn't everything, but I think it counts as something. If I were to make a replica of any of todays classic abstract pieces, it would be practically worthless and pointless. It may look the same or seem the same, but the artists intention was not the same. I couldn't paint a black circle on a white canvas and claim it brilliant. Why? Because I would have no belief in it. And I think that much is vital.

What would you classify that piece if not abstract?

Sure it's abstract. But I don't know if i'd call it abstractart.

[esko-man]

Quick shot of a few pieces I had on my wall.

[esko-man]

This is an experiment using a woodburner to burn the design into a painted canvas.

[esko-man]

Check out my new digital piece in the art portal:

http://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/esko-
man/destroy-all-zombies

And please, if you like my work and you can, scout me.

[JackDGreatest]

At 10/1/10 04:09 PM, esko-man wrote: A little abstraction. "Where's my mind"

obviously not on the piece you're doing...
I don't really like abstract paintings, I like it when they're of something with abstractions here or there but this... its just like gibrish in art form.

[esko-man]

At 10/22/10 12:31 AM, JackDGreatest wrote:

obviously not on the piece you're doing...
but this... its just like gibrish in art form.

You're sending mixed messages.

[Lintire]

No he's not, I think he has your art exactly, in a nutshell.

It has no flow, no blend, nothing to suggest that it's anything more then a bunch of random strokes of the brush (or the spraycan, or whatever the tool) that you've plastered together and presented to us. Seriously. nothing, it's like you haven't even tried. Any good art needs to have something tying it together, even a bloody collage.

This is the sort of thing you see decorating the side of a primary school building. It's not that you don't have any skill, or talent, it's that you're not putting it to good use - study some abstract paintings, the famous ones, if you're going to use that style, and see how they flow - they may be completely meaningless, but they still have style.

[JackDGreatest]

At 10/22/10 01:05 AM, esko-man wrote:

At 10/22/10 12:31 AM, JackDGreatest wrote:

obviously not on the piece you're doing...
but this... its just like gibrish in art form.

You're sending mixed messages.

care to elaborate on how my messages are mixed?

[esko-man]

At 10/22/10 08:24 PM, JackDGreatest wrote:

obviously not on the piece you're doing...
but this... its just like gibrish in art form.

care to elaborate on how my messages are mixed?

I don't know what you're saying exactly. How is it more like gibberish than any other internal expression put on a canvas? When I paint things of that particular style, I paint intuitively, but with reflection to what I've learned about the principles of art. I use a variety of processes because every piece is a chance to try something new, and as a hobby I'd like to improve upon, I think I have to.

[JackDGreatest]

At 10/23/10 12:07 AM, esko-man wrote:

At 10/22/10 08:24 PM, JackDGreatest wrote:

obviously not on the piece you're doing...
but this... its just like gibrish in art form.

care to elaborate on how my messages are mixed?

I don't know what you're saying exactly. How is it more like gibberish than any other internal expression put on a canvas? When I paint things of that particular style, I paint intuitively, but with reflection to what I've learned about the principles of art. I use a variety of processes because every piece is a chance to try something new, and as a hobby I'd like to improve upon, I think I have to.

1. Just because you do not understand what I'm saying does not mean that I'm sending a mixed message. It means you do not understand what I'm saying. So yeah just a little bit of a correction there.
2. I say its giberish because it doesn't make any sense and I understand "abstract" thing more or less, but you outright said that you decide what you don't know what you're painting is gonna be, or symbolize until you finish it, then you apply the tone.... I think something's wrong with that method and then calling it Art. I think you should have at least a vague idea of what you're going to do otherwise its just brush strokes on a canvas.
As a whole I think 100% abstract art is complete and utter bullshit (as an opinion of course). It's all uninspired not at all creative and a lot of the time poorly done, yet abstract "artists" make tons of money selling them. Art that is only partially abstract in someways is a lot of the time very cool and awesome. but a box with a line going through it (example of an abstract piece I was somewhere) is not awesome its just lazy.

[esko-man]

Vector portrait.

[3abden]

interesting vector, more details would have been better imo.

[esko-man]

Lithographic print, hand colored with crayon.

[esko-man]

Another, for substance. This is a lithograph hand colored with crayon. The camera kind of rapes the quality and color of all the digital pictures I upload. Anyone know a cheap way to get your work documented?

[esko-man]

It's "Mother Mountain". (Look for the woman, left is the head)