Where The Wild Things Are Gallery Show - Saturday Night

Here is a piece I recently did for the Terrible Yellow Eyes Gallery Show at Gallery Nucleus . The exhibit showcases a huge amount of amazing work all inspired by the greatest book of all time " Where The Wild Things Are." A few months ago, a guy buy the name of Cory Goodby started this great Blog dedicated to showcasing artwork inspired by the book, as a birthday gift for Maurice Sendak, the Author of "Where The Wild Things Are." Since this book happens to be my favorite book of all time, and now that Spike Jonez is making what will be the best movie of all time, naturally i had to participate. So here is my piece. It's actually a 3-D Painting / Sculpture titled "Wish You Were Here." For me, I wanted to explore the feelings and the sorrow that the monsters might have once Max was gone, this idea of holding onto what ever remains after someone has left felt really inspiring to me.



Since this piece is a small 3-D model, I thought I would have fun with the camera and photoshop and see what the movie might have looked like if it was made as a stop motion animated film. As for the real film, I think Spike Jonez has made the movie of my lifetime. This book seems like it could have been made into a thousand crappy films, and once I saw the first poster, I knew that it wasn't going to be a steaming pile. Spike Jonez is a genius, the move looks fantastic, the art direction looks amazing, my only problem with it is I didn't have the chance to work on it. Anyways, the show is gonna be great, if you can swing by Gallery Nucleus this Saturday Night from 6-11pm, you won't regret it, the artwork created by the other artists is inspiring and truly amazing.

"Wish You Were Here"
Mixed Media

Fun with 3-D

I'm guessing the glasses enhance the experience. Sorry for the lack of updates, just returned from a month long series of vacations, and finishing up a bunch of smaller projects, commissions, and trades, will post more real soon. Until then, grab a pair of these future glasses shown above and have some fun.

"Fun with 3-D"
Acrylic / Paper Collage
8.5" x 11"

This Is Los Angeles

So I've been trying to catch up on a lot of little projects, trades, commissions, and paintings for friends and loved ones, and now that the Ancient Book of Sex and Science storm is over I have the time to do it. This is a piece I did for Steven Gettis. He has a blog where he posts drawings and paintings from artists from around the world who do a little something in response to a literary inspiration they have. For me, one of my favorite book illustrators in the world is Miroslav Sasek. His work is stunning and I particularly love the books he illustrated as he traveled the world. Anyways, Sasek never illustrated a "This Is Los Angeles" so I thought I would paint this tribute piece using the concept of "This Is Los Angeles." My real hope is to start working on an entire book illustrating LA the way he illustrated his books. Not to try and carry the torch, but to honor his work in the best way possible, painting what's great, funny, and inspiring about life. I'll post more of my paintings of LA as I finish them.

"This is Los Angeles"
8" x 12"
Acrylic & Collage

Commission Painting

Here is another commission painting I recently finished. The concept was of course a Yeti bar, but one thing I thought would be fun with this piece was if all the patrons at the bar were either Yeti's or frozen climbers/campers that had been found in the snow. In the piece there is obviously a shortage of frozen co-eds in and around the mountains, so one of the Yeti's was stuck having a drink with a frozen dude. Really fun piece to work on, and one of the bigger ones I've painted in a while.

I'm always taking new requests, just email me if you are interested.

"Having a Couple of Cold Ones"
Acrylic and Collage
26" x 8"

Only a few paintings left

There are only a few pieces left from the Ancient Book of Sex and Science Show in LA, and they can be yours if you'd like. I won't be at San Diego Comic Con so you can only get these here. One of the pieces is Acrylic and Collage ("Monster of Science" above), and the other two (below) are digital prints ("What Has Science Done Book Cover and Movie Still"). All Pieces are framed and ready to hang. Email me if you are interested in any of the pieces. These will ship anywhere should you be near or far.

Sorry but "Space Quickie" has been sold. The others are still available.

San Diego Art Show this Saturday Night

Hey everyone. It's been way too long since I last posted, sorry about that, I've found my self busier than I have been in a while. I'll get to replying to all your coments on previous posts ASAP, sorry about that aswell. As for the piece shown above, this is a painting I've done for an upcoming group art show in San Diego. The theme for the show is "Mind Machine" and is being shown at the DISTINCTION GALLERY in Escondido ( just out side of San Diego.) The opening reception is this weekend on Saturday night, the 11th of July from 6pm - 11pm. There are a handful of great artists showing work in this group show so if you aren't busy and are in the San Diego area this weekend swing by the gallery and check out the show. The show will also be availible for viewing and purchasing online, just check the website link above or call the gallery for more info. My work for the show is centered around the life and times of a BrainBot (a human brain with eyes, floating inside of a robotic body.)

A Kiss Before Work
8" x 10"
Acrylic / Collage

Ancient Book of Sex and Science Book Launch & Art Show

It's official, the book has finally arrived and it looks great! Especially next to the hot little Betty holding it, if she's at the show I'm gonna have to try and get her phone number.

If you want to get your hands on a copy of the book, you can this Saturday Night ( May 16th ) from 7pm to 11pm at Gallery Nucleus . We will be having the official Book Launch / Gallery Show for our brand new book "THE ANCIENT BOOK OF SEX AND SCIENCE!" The book will be on sale for $20 a piece, and Scott Morse, Lou Romano, Don Shank, and my self will all be showing brand new artwork in the gallery as well as having some brand new prints available too. All artwork will be for sale, and all four of us will be at the show as well. So if your in the mood for some sexy Sci-Fi art this weekend swing by Gallery Nucleus and check out the show on Saturday Night. Hope to see you all there.

Possible "LOST" Spoiler Alert

So this is quickly becoming a partial Crystal's sketches / Lost blog, which is great since these are two of my favortie things in the world. After last weeks episode of Lost, which was amazing, my wife dissapeared for a while. While she didin't travel through time, she had indeed travled upstais into my art studio, letting destiny play itself out. Moments later I was given this amazing sketch. Miles and all of his troubles. It had been a while since the last drawing, and I wasn't sure if I was going to get another. These awesome sketches seem to be as random as the white flashes on the island. I'm still hoping for a one of Henry Gale but I feel it will be one I never see. Either way, I should just listen and trust in Daniel Faraday... what's happend has happend. You can't change it!

GO SPARTANS!

April 6th:
When I'm not drawing and painting, I love watching and playing sports. I absolutely love basketball, and tonight my favorite college basketball team (Michigan State)is playing for the National Championship. While I'm from California, I have family roots in East Lansing and my Aunt and Uncle worked for the school for years. Not much else to say about this quick painting other than I felt like drawing the school mascot "The Spartans" as I would like to imagine them going into this game ready to kill. I hope they win.

April 7th:
UNC destroyed us last night to put it nicely. Oh well, there's always next year.

The Convict & The Violin

So I'm currently swamped in a ton of projects both big and small, so I thought I'd post something from a little while back. Last year I did this painting as a commission for someone who wanted me to create a piece inspired from a poem they loved. The poem was centered around the meeting of a convict and a young violinist in a train station who both share a common love for music.

10" x 20"
Acrylic / Gouache / Collage

SEX & SCIENCE

Sex and Science
10" x 13"
Acrylic / Gouache / Collage

Another piece of mine from the Ancient Book of Sex and Science. There is this great book series known as the "How and Why Wonder Books" that I just love. It's a book series that focuses on a particular aspect of science in each volume. The covers are so great and inspiring that I thought it would be fun to do a tribute / spoof of one of those covers for our book. So I refrenced one of the covers I really enjoyed and tried to stay true to the format, color, and typography styling. Obviously the edition that I did the cover to is a bit racy for the series, but I think it would be a best seller if it were included.

I painted the piece with acrylic, gouache, and paper collage. The rips and printing effects were done in photoshop after the piece was finished.

Below is the cover I refrenced, it's awesome.





!SHOW UPDATE!

The book release and gallery show will be at Gallery Nucleus on May 16th, 2009. All artwork will be for sale at the show. More info as we get closer to the event. The offical press release is located to the right in the side bar, just click on the book logo.

You should have believed me!

So I'm hoping this becomes a regular thing here, my wife suprised me with a little John Locke magic the other night, and what better time to post it than before tonight's soon to be awesome episode. Now I like Jack as much as the next guy, but let's be honest, if there are two paths in the jungle, you always go with Locke.

"You Should Have Believed Me"
Colored Pencil
Crystal Wragg

Space Quickie

This is another piece of mine for our upcoming book, "The Ancient Book of Sex and Science." This is an idea I had been kicking around in my head for quite sometime now, I always thought it would be fun to have an astronaut sneek his girl into is suit for a sexy good time. The space city below is all paint on collage as are the two space love birds.

20" x 10"
Acrylic, Gouache, and Collaege

Talk Science To Me

We're closing in on the deadline of finishing our new book "The Ancient Book of Sex and Science." I have a few more paintings to finish up by the end of Febuary, so I'll be posting some more artwork for the book in the weeks to come. Above is one of my pieces for the book, coming out in May.

Talk Science To Me
10" x 14 1/2"
Acrylic, Gouache, and Collage

Lost Season 5 Tonight!

So over the past year my wife Crystal and I have finally jumped onto the LOST wagon, and have watched all the episodes to be finally caught up with the series. My wife doesn't draw that often but when she does, I'm her biggest fan. She usually fills my sketchbooks with mean charicatures of me, but the other day she didn't draw me, she drew something different. While we were watching some of season 3, she took on Hurley and it's awesome!! In a perfect world, she would draw all the characters for me, but for now all I get is Hurley. The new season airs tonight, and it's going to be awesome!

"Hurley"
Pen Sketch
by Crystal Wragg

Happy Holidays!

Last winter was the first year that we made a holiday card for friends and family, so if this year didn't go fast enough... it's already that time again, so here is the holiday card my wife Crystal and I are sending around this year. We hope you all have a great holiday season!

M. Sasek Tirbute Painting

This is a tribute piece I did based on the phenominal artwork of Miroslav Sasek. Sasek is easily one of my favorite artists of all time, and when I was asked to create a piece of artwork inspired by my favorite literary figure for this blog created by Steven Gettis I knew exactly who I would pay tribute to. If you haven't seen Sasek's work ( posted below )




I suggest you check it out. The bulk of his work can be seen in the books he illustrated as he traveled the many cities and regions of the world. The title's are a no brainer "This is San Francisco" for example illustartes his trip and all the people and locations he visited in San Francisco. The paintings are beautiful to say the least. For me his work is the perfect blend of cartoon characature, architechture, ladscape and life drawing.

As for the tibute piece I did, rather than picking a city or a place to illustrate him in, I thought it would be best to put him on top of the world, drawing eveything everywhere.

If you are interested in buying any of Miroslav Sasek's books check them out here

Happy Halloween - Hostile Trolls

Happy Halloween everyone! So this seems to be the perfect combination: halloween and hostile trolls. The character design challange over the past two weeks has been hostile trolls. Given the time of year, it seemed like a perfect oppurtunity to cross some boundries, throw taste out the window, and possibly see how some trolls would interact with some trick out treaters.

Other hostile trolls from my good troll friend:

Austin Madsion

The Ancient Book of Sex and Science

Don Shank
Gouache on Watercolor Paper
7.5" x 15"

Update Time! Don, Scott, Lou and Myself ar busy working away on our latest installment of the Ancient Book Series, "The Ancient Book of Sex and Science." Above is the great cover graphic designed by Don Shank and below is a rough Photoshop mock up of how the new book will look. More details on a release date and Gallery Show / Book Release to come. As for now check out the other guys blogs for a sneak peek at some of the great artwork being done for this book.

Mr. Political

So as we all know, the race for president is really heating up. For me, as much as I love political caricatures and cartoons I've never really inserted any politics into my own art work. However, the more I have become wrapped up in he current election, I began to think it might be fun to play a little with some political cartoons. For me I have always loved the charming characters that Roger Hargreaves created for his Mr. Men and Little Miss Series (as seen below). The thing I love most about his style is he has combined such a simple idea with a simple design, and they just work together perfectly. So I thought it would be fun to take the current people involved in the election and politics and blend them with the style that Hargreaves worked in, to create a little series of my own completely inspired by Hargreaves fantastic characters and people in politics. Anyways, here are the first two in my little series of Mr. and Misses Politics. Above we have Mr. Change and Mr. McSame, based off the two presidential candidates. The style has been a blast to work in, and I'll post more all the way up to the election.



Just above : Roger Hargreaves work

Far Above : My work digital 8" x 10"