Guitar Art...or Guitart (copyright pending)

Ive been pretty busy the past few weeks working on a number of projects. I've resorted to locking myself in "the office" and even going so far as  giving myself office hours and deadlines. In the process of moving houses I misplaced my camera battery and thus, haven't been able to upload any pictures of all my new art projects...so until I find it I thought I would show some past work:

I few years ago, one of my good friends approached me with an idea he had about using one of his old guitars as a canvas. His only requirements were that he wanted something "cool looking". He even gave me an assortment of Sharpie markers to complete the task.
So ...with all the planning of a sophomore doodling in a Biology class lecture, I set about creating...something. One small doodle led to another and another, and the art work seemed to grow on its own. Before too long I had filled the face of the guitar, each separate piece flowing onto the others, like songs in a set.
 Like I've said before, sometimes I get so paralyzed trying to create the perfect work of art that I have trouble even starting. These guitars (I've done 4 and a 1/2 so far) have become an exercise in learning to just "shut up and draw".

 The first guitar- A little rough by comparison, but with zero expectations or planning I dove in and was pleasantly surprised with how this came out eventually.

Another Guitar I did for a friend. A little more planning allowed the overall design to "flow" a little better, fitting the unique shape of the guitar and reflecting a little bit more of the person that will be playing it.

A design I did for the Randy Rogers Band. He must have liked this guitar I did for their merchandise table because he asked me to design his food truck later!

"Nantucket" themed guitar.- Currently at Kristopher's in Nantucket

More Guitars to come!

Texas Dove Hunters Associaton

I just found out that I have the fortune to work with the Texas Dove Hunters Association on a few upcoming projects they have. Will continue to contribute the monthly dove hunting themed cartoons for their magazine but the next projects involve a little more artistic sweating and less clever writing. Whew!
Here are two of my latest cartoons

When in a case of writers block occurs make fun of yuppies

(That really only applies if you draw cartoons for a hunting magazine)

While doing doing some research for a dove related project I can across these old photographs taken for LIFE magazine in 1961. I can't put my finger on exactly why I love these pictures so much. I think it is because every picture screams 1960s.  Everyone is smoking. Women are dressed neatly regardless of the situation. Not a warning label in site. When my grandparents look back and fondly remember "the Good Ol Days before rules, regulations, and lawsuits ruined everything" I see scenes like this and think: This is probably the reason why we now have so many regulations.

All Photos taken by Raplh Crane-Time&Life Pictures/Getty images

To see more of these awesome photos follow this link below:

South Texas Dove Hunting 1961- Life Magazine

Nantucket Speed Sketches etc.

This summer I was fortunate to live on Nantucket, a picturesque island off the coast Massachusetts. The history of this tiny island is facinating, and one of the most unique places I've ever been to. I highly encourage at least googling it. After the island's whaling industry collapsed the island became a haven for artists, and it's easy to see why with amazing views, literally,everywhere. In the spirit of those early artist I kept a sketchpad handy most of the summer and tried to work on quickly capturing images as I saw them. It was the first time I have really sketched in real time, but it definitely won't be the last!
Most places I could only sketch for 2 to 3 minutes before the subject moved. It really forces you to quickly capture the most important things first and then work on the details later. (yet another example of life lessons in art).
I was pleasantly surprised how well these quick sketches came out and I now I have some cool souvenirs to remind me of this amazing island.

The Brand Point Lighthouse

Super quick sketches while waiting in the Newark Airport. (thats not creepy, right?)

I think I filled this whole page in 4 minutes 

The Pacific Club building  on Main St.

Monument in the center of Main Street. (until a car blocked my view)

Scene while sitting on Straight Warf. 

Sailing yacht with Brant Point Coast Guard station in the background 

To stave off the Texan Homesick Blues I sketched out the cover of my Texas Monthly Magazine 

Fishermen at "The Creeks"

(fishermen tend to sit still a little longer)

Fun with Bright Colors

Sheer Volume Continued...

Keeping with the Think Less, Paint More theme I've been trying to stick with, I decided to get back to my roots. I have always been a compulsive doodler, never really thinking about the finished product, I would just keep working on my drawing until church ended/ the bell rang / the plane landed/ the professor saw me. In school I didn't so much take notes as I illustrated the lecture. I have missed doodling since I finished school, and recently when I got a song stuck in my head it gave me an idea.  I decided to take this stream of  consciousness  drawing style to the canvas to see how it would look when it wasn't crammed in the margins of notebook paper.

 Lyrics from Paint the Town Beige by Robert Earl Keen

 1st experiment with "Stream of Conscious" painting for Veterans Day

Quote by John F. Kennedy 

Latest Work

"Art is never finished, only abandoned" - Ron Burgundy (maybe Da Vinci?)

Yes I realize I could've cropped this picture but I needed some scale

A few months ago I wanted to try painting a mural. I was inspired by some graffiti murals that I had seen while in downtown San Antonio, and just decided to go for it. I wanted to incorporate aspects used in those graffiti murals, vivid colors and bold lines, into a traditional landscape scene. I found out that painting on a large scale is very different from the smaller canvases I'm used to. Mostly in the sheer amount of materials used, but also in perspective. You have to step back much farther to take in the "whole picture"....and now I have a huge canvas I dont know what to do with

After a month of intermittently fussing with the details I decided to call it done. 

Note to self: Before experimenting with a new concept, start on a smaller scale! 

Speaking of Large Canvases:

I was finally able to see the food truck wrap I designed for Randy Rogers and Les Lawless last Spring. I never thought I would see my work that big but I have to admit it makes you feel pretty good to point it out driving down the highway. 

Stop by the Outlaw Food Truck on Highway 281 near Spring Branch!

"Best food you'll ever eat out of a Winnebago!"

(not an approved slogan)

Sheer volume

Matt Diffee, acclaimed cartoonist for the New Yorker, and a Texan expat, once summed up one of the  biggest problems I have with my "creative" work: "You can't make a great idea happen by working harder". He goes on, "but the good news is... You can't make a great idea happen by working harder. You have to put in your time and go for quantity over quality."

I'm not a perfectionist. I'm far from it. However, I've found that with artwork and being creative in general, I want to "swing for the fences". I'm not a great artist, but I feel that I am capable of great work, and thus I set the bar very high for myself.
Now, everyone wants to hit home runs and no one wants to strikeout, but I found that the fear of  not hitting a home run every time I step up to the plate is paralyzing. Rather than attempt  a challenge and come up short, I balk, and remain only as good as my last good piece of artwork. What Mr. Diffee said resonated with me. I was so focused on creating something great that I was missing  out on creating something at least good...and good is a good place to start to become great. Or as Diffee clarified, "Going for great ideas is not a great idea"

So here is my first step towards fighting that Greatness Paralysis that has kept me from building a portfolio. Behold! From here on out: The Great,  Bad, and the mediocre of Matt Tumlinson.

The painting above is not something that I am proud of but, after a few months of the idea for it bouncing around my head I finally put the damn thing on actual canvas. Now that I have a tangible image to work off of I can see aspects that I want to work on to fit that vision I had in mind. Its not great, I'm not sure its good, but it might lead to something better. Cheers to quantity over quality!