October-December 2014
Ink & marker on paper
Read the inspiration and see the “before” picture below.
This bottom picture definitely isn’t finished yet. And it was a little too big for my scanner so it’s a little cut off. But this was my first attempt with prismacolor markers, which I have fallen in love with. I have collected only a few colors but eventually I plan to complete this one in full color and expand my marker collection (and eventually did as you see in the photo above, and thank you to my brother for helping me scan this image on a larger and higher quality scanner).
The inspiration for this one has definitely come from last weekend, where I spent a few days in New York. To get from JFK airport to Manhattan, you can either take a taxi or the train, and since a taxi is usually around $70, I take the more inconvenient (but much cheaper) train. The J train runs mostly above ground and goes from the airport, through Queens, through Brooklyn, and into the city. That main stretch through Queens and Brooklyn is my favorite. I love looking out over the neighborhoods, the clustered buildings, and how literally every wall or surface has some kind of tag on it. I’m mesmerized by all the artwork, sloppy, detailed, colorful, simple, and how it’s literally everywhere, overlapping and covering layers of spray paint and older work. I have always wanted to do one of those big murals on a big blank brick wall. It’s on my bucket list. But this drawing definitely came from all of those clever and beautiful tags covering the city, whether religious, political, ironic, or just funny.
Stolen Art 