Scum Choir

Francis Bacon pt. I Raw Sensations

According to the art market, Bacon is the most successful dark artist ever. He's the guy to point to when people say "you're talented but maybe you'd be more successful if you painted prettier things."

This is one of the pieces from his Tryptic of Lucian Freud that sold for 89 million pounds in 2013.

What made Bacon so successful though? I'd argue that it was mostly branding, his unusual work e...

Choir Sweeties "Alto" Tier| Painting Timelapse

Painting Timelapse for the Alto Tier Sweetie.

Happy April 21st

I'll get back to doing more happy days posts eventually.

Francis Bacon|Art Life and Lives

My face is twisted into a horrific scream (of excitement) because this month we're talking about Francis Bacon.

New work time

I’m making a piece to submit for a show. I did this study for it.

I’m realizing I have a bunch of work from the cave sketches. Seems weird to just do all that for just one painting. So I’ll probably do some other iterations of that piece. It will also probably be easier to sell if I do some at a smaller scale.

After I did some studies I took some notes about the idea I was going for

2024-04-20 06:10:14 +0000 UTC View Post

Choir Sweeties "Soprano" Tier| Painting Timelapse

The Timelapse video of the "Soprano" Tier Sweetie. One lucky choir member will own this as part of the giveaway.

I'm in the mood to experiment with different ways of making these shorter process videos. This one is a straight up timelapse. But I want to figure out different ways to do them.

One problem I constantly have, and this is getting in the weeds a little, is that I end up with too much footage. It just stacks up.

Some videos I make with intention of turning ...

"Softly With You" Disfiguring the Goddess Album Art| Painting Timelapse

Timelapse of the piece I made with music from the album. I think I'll made another video with another song from the album for the studies and maquette I made for this piece.

The Song is Called "Softly With You." The album is coming out soon!

This is my friend Cameron's music.

He's been making music as Disfiguring the Goddess since we were in high school. Made a room in his parent's house into a scrappy but very functional studio.

Cameron taught me how to play the gui...

Enrique Serrato: A Life Amongst Art

I've been scrambling for the past hour or two to find something to post and I'm just simply between projects right now.

So I started looking in my folder labeled "in case of sickness," which is just where I keep older art and pictures for moments like this. And I saw this picture of Enrique Serrato with two of my pieces.

Check out the video featured at the top of this post for mo...

Drawing as thinking| Cave Walkthrough I: Sketching

In this video I work on my initial thumbnail/rough sketches that I did for the Cave while I talk about how to use sketching as a pre-verbal brainstorming stage.

Have Fun

Goodnight Sweeties

Grotesque Portraits from Yesterday

I set up at the Dark art Emporium for the Artwalk. They were also doing their grand re-opening at their new location. They told me I could do this for the Artwalk every month. It's the week after the openings at the Hive. So that gives me two weekends a month where I can go make some scratch doing this if it works out.

In no particular order. I only forgot to take a picture of one. and it was the first kid I've ever done.

2024-04-15 05:09:07 +0000 UTC View Post

The Cardinal

Just about done except for the signature.

I haven't posted progress shots of this one in a while. I've really been chipping away at him the past few nights.

Last time I posted him I had finished the grayscale underpainting.

After that I started adding color

Then Details, texture and highlights

2024-04-13 20:00:31 +0000 UTC View Post

Masters of Lines: Egon Schiele and Ralph Steadman

As I said before, the lines an artist uses will inform the character and emotion of their art.

So look at different artists you like and specifically notice and try to identify the types of lines that they use in their work.

For examples I’ll use Egon Schiele and Ralph Steadman.

In this gouache and pencil piece by Schiele, notice how many different types of lines he is using but how harmonious they are together.

2024-04-12 21:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post

Thinking in Lines

This is from an older Intro to Drawing Bad Art Video in written form using some new graphic references.

In a drawing there are many different kinds of lines to consider. Using a variety of these lines is one key ingredient to making interesting drawings.

There are long thick lines, short thin lines, dark bold lines, light broken lines and everything in between including hybrids of those lines.

Lines all have a weight. Ranging from thick to thin, a value, ranging from ligh...

Self Portraits-March Prompt Submissions

Starting with mine this month. I am going to start trying to use these prompts as a way to paint stuff just because. I've done a lot of the prompts that developed more into finished work. But I like not making a thing out of it. Just experimenting. Trying something out.

Tia @tia.thistle  @mortesmanor

Tia wrote:

This self portrait has a lot to do with my mental disorders...

2024-04-10 21:33:08 +0000 UTC View Post

New Prompt!

I hope this artwork suggests that you can make them as creepy and realistic or as abstract and cute as you want. Or anything in between.

As always, all mediums and styles are welcome.

Send the submissions to scumchoir@gmail.com or through this link before May 9th.

I'm very excited for this one.

Have Fun

Goodnight Sweeties

Shipping out the first free paintings!

A year ago when I started the choir I did these watercolor and gouache paintings for the artwork for the tiers.

I’m giving them away to the first people who sustain their subscription for a year.

So far 2 people have won. One of them hasn’t returned my messages to get their address. I also made 2 extras that will go to honorary members.

So if you joined last year, you still have a chance to win one of these no matter what tier you’re at!

Here’s the...

Grotesques from last night

Happy April 7th everybody

I have a routine when I have to go to a big social event like...

New Patreon Pitch video

Finished my pitch video. My brain feels fried, my neck and shoulders hurt.

My last pitch video just didn't represent what I was doing in here. Or at least trying to do in here. So I revamped it. I went all in on it. and I think it's one of my best videos I've made.

I know if you're reading this you've already joined the choir, but I think it's pretty fun to watch on its own.

Happy April 6th Everybody

I'm going to the Hive Anniversary show tonight. That's always a f...

Grotesques from last night

Trying to remember to as “what’s your name?” Before I start painting them. And to get a picture at the end of it.

2024-04-05 21:47:34 +0000 UTC View Post

New Patreon pitch video progress!!

I’ve been working my little buns off making a new patreon “pitch” video. Here’s a rough edit of it.

I’ve found that every video I make is only as good as the fun that I have making it. So I took that energy to this video. I’ll be back with the regular programming after I finish this video.

Happy April 4th everybody

I’m sitting at the hive trying to scrape some money together with my grotesque portraits.

It’s art night and it’s raining on and off. ...

Let's Vote!

New Month, New Prompt! I'll choose the winner in a couple days and announce soon. Some are just copied and pasted from an ongoing list I have of suggestions. Just a reminder you can always send me suggestions for prompts. The best prompts are ones I get from other people.

Current Prompt is due on the 9th.

By the way, this is one of the stickers you will get mailed to you as part of the new loyalty program.

2024-04-04 04:46:21 +0000 UTC View Post

Grotesque Watercolor Demo

I'm going to be doing more of these live paintings this week to try and bring in some money. So I decided to film myself doing one.

Choir member Joanne was brave/kind enough to send some pictures for me to practice on.

I'll be honest. This isn't my best work. I almost didn't post it. But I'm all about preaching that bad art so here's mine.

Also, I've found that sometimes the work I'm not that proud of is still useful to other people. So I hope you enjoy it

Happy Apri...

2024-04-03 05:57:21 +0000 UTC View Post

One week left!

Prompt submissions due next week!

I’m enjoying going more abstract for mine and treating these prompts more as a way to just paint for fun.

Happy April 1st everybody

Happy April Fool’s day.

My cousin told my grandma that they’re going to stop putting puzzles in the newspaper for April Fools. Got her good.

I’ve been workin hard on making a new promo video for the choir. Here’s an old picture of me I had to find for that.

2024-04-02 06:04:32 +0000 UTC View Post

Can I paint you for a demo?

Making some progress on the Grissaille front.

Here's a picture of the model I'm working from. For this one I'm just painting it from life. So I have this model set up and lit and I just look at that when I'm stuck on something.

The fabric is tough Because it's reflective and foldy. There's a lot of complicated shapes. The values don't announce themselves as clearly as "Light and Shadow" ...

How to get a Choir Painting!

I just updated the artwork for the Choir Tiers. One of these paintings could be yours!

If you joined the choir this year you are eligible to win the painting that corresponds with your membership level.

Bass

Tenor

Alto

2024-03-31 00:45:37 +0000 UTC View Post

Finally getting to work on this one

If you remember I had a mini meltdown involving this idea back in November. That kind of spurred on all this sculpting models for reference and all.

I'm finally getting back to it.

I was attempting to get it finished for the Gallery show next week, but I can't imagine that being realistic.

Happy March 29th Everybody

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. I did it. I ate till I had a stomach ache.

Have Fun

Goodnight Sweeties

Self Portrait in Progress

Fittingly for my birthday I'm working on this self portrait.

For this piece I'm going a little looser and more abstract.

I did do a fairly accurate sketch of myself first getting all the proportions, facial landmarks, and light/shadow right, but then I just did the old decalcomania routine with some plastic wrap and just started painting into the pareidolia void.

Happy March 28th Everybody

I am enjoying my birthday.

I slept in. I'm eating a lot of food.

Weird references I made for the choir paintings

These are the Frankenstein versions-or Frankenstein (Young Frankenstein Reference that only works when I say it outloud.)

These are just the maquettes that I made photographed with the lighting I want.

I bring the picture into photoshop, find some skin texture images, layer them over the heads and use the liquify tool to make the texture wrap around it a little better.

Then I'll play around with the blending mode and opacity so that I can see what is light and shadow from t...

just about done with this puppy

A few more little details probably. But the next time you see her it will be the scanned and color corrected image.

This was a wild color pallet for me.

"Permanent Violet Dark" (Golden pigment numbers PR122 and PB60 if you wanna get real nerdy)

and "Turquoise Phthalo" (PG7, PB15:3)

with Burnt Sienna underneath.

The Turquoise and Violet are deep, transparent, high chroma colors. They are also very cool.

The Burnt Sienna (PBr7) is a very warm, earthy or...

The Whole Choir

Just about done with these guys. Keeping them mounted to a board like this for a couple days and seeing if I want to add anything.

Happy March 25th Everybody

It's my friend Jazmine's birthday.

I'm just realizing how little time I have to make my monthly videos this month. I'll be working pretty hard on getting those done.

There was a lizard on my car tire today. I bet it felt so warm on there for his little lizard body.

Have Fun

Goodnight Sweeties

Almost done with the Choir paintings

Added the butterflies on this one. Now I'm going to put all 4 of these Choir paintings next to each other and add small little details as I see fit.

Happy March 24th Everybody

I've been editing YouTube clips and reels for my friend Chet's podcast. It's called the Dark Art Society Podcast.

Everyone should go subscribe and listen to it wherever you listen to podcasts.

It's one of the best art podcasts I've ever found. It's been a huge influence on my art and career o...