Daily Portrait

www.kurtaspland.com

Daily Portrait

www.kurtaspland.com

Daily Portrait

www.kurtaspland.com

New Year's Resolutions

I resolve to lose money and gain weight this year instead of the opposite.


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Daily Portrait

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Daily Portrait

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Daily Portrait

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Daily Portrait

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Man wrap

I just received another gift from one of my best man buddies. The best thing is that both came in plastic bags... Man Wrap. So it is official wrapping paper for men.



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15 min. Portrait Series..

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Portorait series

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Portrait day 3

I am not sure how long I will keep posting these quick portraits, but so far it seems to be working. Make every effort not to think of features, but rather think of intersecting forms.
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Portrait Day 2

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Portrait a day

I am going to try at least one quick portrait each day...

A Recipe to growing Faith!

George Muller The Word of God is the best place to learn how do to anything. It is The Recipe to Life. So to find the recipe to growing faith starts and ends with Romans 10:17. If you are unfamiliar with this passage..it would be good to look it up. Anyhow it is my opinion that George Muller is one of the best modern example of one who got this recipe down. Since God gave us the ingredients, Mr. Muller lived out the steps. Step 1. Read and meditate on the word. Step 2. Where it is possible keep an upright heart and clear conscience. Step 3. Seek out situations where you will have to lean on the help and intervention of the Lord. Step 4. Resist the temptation to take matters into your own hands, Let God do the work. For if you wait until He does the work how much greater will the praise be unto Him as He brings out the solution outside of yourself.

On a walk with the Lord

This is the best road near my house to pray and worship the Lord.


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New Landscapes...

I have just started three new fantasy landscape paintings. I am really excited so far and can’t wait to see where they are going. Stayed tuned.

Faith in an Invisible God

I was singing to myself the other day this old hymn and the opening line goes like this... Immortal, Invisible, God only wise...

It is one of my most favorite hymns, and I have lost count of the number of times I have sung it to myself, but this time I stopped at the word invisible. Why would we describe God as invisible? Because it is right out from His word in 1 Timothy 1:17. But why does God stay invisible? I see the results of His handy work ever moment of everyday. I see how He arranges things so that everything works out for my ultimate perfection(good). Maybe it is because of the need for faith and that is a gift from God the invisible. Faith is made up of two parts: part one is hope for the future, and secondly evidence that is not clearing seen. It might even be said to be evidence that just does not exist. So if God was visible, maybe there would not be any need for faith. It is just the way He designed it. What do you think?

People, Creatures and things...

Hey everyone... just added some more stuff to my portfolio. Hope you like.

A sigh of relief...

I was talking to my wife the other night telling her how much I regret things I have said or done in the last couple of days. How in the world does the Lord work with someone so flawed...a complete idiot. The verse from Ephesians Chapter 1 jumped out at me. "who works all things according to the counsel of His will." I am so thankful that He uses even stupidity for His glory. The singer Bono had it right when he wrote "grace makes beauty out of ugly things."

A new concept...

I have added a concept section to my website now that I am looking for full time employment in the Video Game industry. So take a look and if anyone hears of anything let me know.
Thanks
Kurt

New Portfolio

I recently attended this Game conference called Game X. I received some great feedback from a representative from Obsidian and Firaxis Games. I needed to rework my entire portfolio. Here are some sample pages.

Back in the saddle...

I went back to one of my drawing groups last night for the first time in a couple of months. It is called the Charcoal Club. It is an art group that has met in Baltimore for over the last 100 years or so. Anyhow this is not a history lesson on the Charcoal Club. It is about getting back into good habits. NIKE had it right when they said ”Just do It!” When is it a good time to restart or start a good habit. Right now, Today, This minute... This is the problem...the first couple of weeks can be very difficult, because it is going to take a conscious effort, new energy, and over coming that nagging voice that says ”I am tired, It wont last, Just quit quitter, etc.” So as I try to get back to attending 3-4 different weekly drawing groups in the evening in the city (takes about an hour of driving to get to them), I will be humming...back in the saddle again!

Now available...

Just added one of my personal favorite paintings to the marketplace link on my website. Firefight! I just love the idea of shooting fireballs at bad guys not to mention that I used my youngest son Ryan to be a model for this and my neighbor Greg to be the bad guy.
Enjoy

Backup Plan!! The Golden Bird:Part 1

Well most of you know I am trying to break into the world of children and young reader publishing. It is always wise to have a backup plan. So end of the month is this video game conference in Philly, which I plan to attend with portfolio in hand. The only problem is that the portfolio I used in NY will not work for the Gaming Industry. Most of my work needs to be more of the concept type. So over the next couple of weeks I will be working on putting together a body of work that reflects more of the concept gaming type. What is concept art? Well it is more ideas, brainstorming, sketches of a story. Say I suggest the idea of a log cabin in the woods...what comes to mind when I say that? Can you picture it? Now my job would be to draw it so everyone else can see what I am thinking.

With that being said, I was inspired by a book called The Skillful Huntsman, where a group of talented artist drew out concepts based upon a tale written by the Brothers Grimm. I am going to take another tale called The Golden Bird also by the Brothers Grimm to illustrate my concept skills. I have about two and a half weeks to see how far I can take this. Here are my first ideas:

Raining Cats and Dogs...

Just added this painting to my Marketplace section of my website-more next week. Enjoy

A change of heart

Luke 6 Give to every man that asks of you; and of him that takes away your goods ask them not again.

Repentence is a u-turn. I was eating lunch with a friend the other day and sharing about my time in NYC when I had mentioned to him about this change of heart I had while I was there. I have always struggled with giving to homeless people. Are they using this money for drugs, alcohol or are they just lazy and in giving them money will I just encourage this pan handling. Well sometime in NY I decided to give to all who asked. I would simply drop a coin or two to all who asked. How they use that money is between God and them. It was really freeing to just let go of this. What is nice about the scriptures is that it never tells us how much to give, but just give to all who ask. This was the only stipulation...they must ask. This got me thinking, what a sight it would be if every single person dropped a quarter in their cup. Some would waste it, some would be lazy, and then there might even be a few that might rise up to a better life. I would love to here what you do.


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100 Pushups

So I started to get in Shape last year on February 16th. Still at it, but the summer really slowed me down. In fact I stopped losing weight and just maintained over the last four months (starting weight 2/09 236lbs-todays weight 208lbs). Anyhow, my brother introduced me to a great Iphone app called 100 pushups. The program helps you to get to 100 pushups in 6 weeks or so. I just started it Tuesday and I completed 9 pushups as a starting point. Wow I was sore and still am today, but onward and upward. Anyhow I will let you all know how it goes. I did take a couple of Advil for the soreness today, but I did complete the program this morning.

New Work in the Marketplace

I just uploaded three more paintings to the marketplace section of my site-The Mermaid, The Ball Man and The Triangle Man. Let me know what you think. Just click on the paintings above and it will take you right where you need to go.

Open for business!

A lot of you have asked if you can purchase prints of my work. Well now you can by clicking right here or by clicking the marketplace tab on my site www.Kurtaspland.com. I have used a site called Fine Art America to print, frame and ship my work. Right now I have three of my more popular pieces for purchase. I will be adding more over the weeks so keep looking back to see what is new. What is so great about working digitally is that each painting is exactly the same as the first so there is never any breakdown of color or quality.

If there is something that I have done that you like let me know and I will add it sooner than later. If you purchase an unframed piece and have it shipped to me, I will be happy to personally sign it. There will be a slight additional fee in shipping from my studio to your home, just let me know by email or phone that it is coming.

Texas Gold

Just finished a week ago. This illustration was for a magazine in Texas. For all of my southern California TRBC friends... do you know the person in the bottom right?

Recap NYC Tour:

So here are a few selected images from NY
With this trip so successful, I think I might blow on over to the Windy City!

Day 5 NYC Tour: Things end right where they begin

One thing that surprised me about NYC was the number fruit vendors scattered across the city. It was really sort of neat to be walking along, reach into my pocket for some spare change and buy a peach, banana or apple for some quick energy. Anyhow I was packing my things for my flight home and noticed I had an apple from the day before. That apple I was going to take with me and eat it in the airport to a fitting end to this great week. Little did I know that I would literally take a bite out of an apple on the last day of my trip. My work is done, seeds well planted, now I will have to wait to see if anything grows. Stayed tuned.

Day 4 NYC Tour: All things have a purpose

A missed subway train, a postponed appointment or even a fly getting trapped in an elevator. I have been riding the L train back and forth and back again all week long. In the process so many things either got in the way or sped my pursuits. My last appointment ended at 3:30 and I had only a couple of hours until I met a good friend for dinner. Could I make another cold call and get in someplace? Sure, a moment later I found myself showing my work at another publisher, who intern gave me a name of someone in there young adult division. Not sure where this new contact will lead, but it amazes me how the Lord causes all things to work together, even a fly getting trapped in an elevator. Another great day, I have the blisters to prove it.

Day 3 NYC Tour: Both ends of the spectrum

An artist friend told me that one of the most important things that any painting must contain is contrast. Contrast to the eyes is like ants to honey. There is so much to look at in NYC and so many different stories. I was near the UN in the morning and lost count of the number of Iranian-Americans protesting against the Government of Iran. Then at the end my day I was in Union Square where I got a picture of a guy with his cat sitting on top of his head, holding a vanilla ice cream while his cat gleefully enjoyed licking it. It is all about contrast. On the illustration side... Another fantastic day, two more publishers, a Madison ave advertising agency and Forbes magazine. Somebody pinch me so I know that this is real.

Day 2 NYC tour: Crash and burn!

All things that go up must come down. I decided to celebrate my first day of success. 10:00 pm Monday night football local bar. So I ordered a glass of chardonnay wine, free range roasted chicken seasoned with rosemary and pepper, garlic mash potatoes, and spinach. My conscious said to stop at one glass, but no do I listen. I am going to have another glass... Fast forward to 4 am and I awoke with one nasty hangover. I really had only two glasses, after a day of not eating a lot nor drinking enough water, I was doomed. Well I made to all my appointments, they all went well, in light of my killer headache, cold sweats, upset stomach. Onward and upward.

Day 1 NYC Tour: Taking a bite out of the big apple!

Day One: Euphoria
So surreal... I cannot believe that I am really walking through the streets of NewYork, portfolio in one hand and my trusty iPhone in the other leading me every step of the way. Dream big, when I was young, the idea of knocking on the doors of some of the biggest publishers in the world in NYC with a body of work escapes me. But by the Grace of God here I am doing it.

NYC or Bust

Well the year has come down to this... Next week I will be heading off to the Big Apple with a lot of hope, prayer, and one killer portfolio. It is everything I have been working toward over the last 10 years. I would of never imagined that I would actually be going to NYC to promote Kurt Aspland the Illustrator, but here I am. Maybe just maybe in the coming year you might be able to head off to the local bookstore and see a book with my artwork on the cover... I have done all that I can, now I will leave the rest up to God.

Armed and Ready!!!

ASPLAND

One Illustration at...

By Kurt Aspland

Book Preview

Solomon once said...My son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Thank God for the internet age, because anyone can publish a book. In a couple of weeks I will be heading off to the Big Apple to pitch my work to publishers, advertising studios, etc. Instead of a big bulky portfolio, I decided to show my work in a book format. Anyhow if anyone wants to see my artwork in book form, just check it out using this link.

The Gingerbread House

www.kurtaspland.com
I woke up early this morning to shut the oven door on this illustration. This illustration was quite the challenge. Up to this point most of my work only included one figure in a very natural environment. Well, I knew it was going to be a difficult to combine multiple figures, architecture and expression all in one piece. In the end I am pleasantly surprised at the results. It is a subtle reminder to press on when something seems to be a challenge or a bit risk taking. Many times I got very frustrated, angry and disappointed, but all of feelings were nothing more than steps that I had to take in order to reach my goal of completion. Press on, do not be afraid, always remember if you are being squeezed that is probably a good thing - God is at work, you are growing.

Tortoise and the Hare...

Here is the final drawing of my tortoise and the hare thumbnail...I have been very busy with my gingerbread house illustration. Hoping to be finished with that by the end of this week end. Stay tuned.

The Tortoise and the Hare

I was in the woods yesterday with the dog and was inspired...so I pulled out my sketchbook and did a quick sketch. Then I started thinking of the tortoise and the hare and put down this second idea. I will be working on a more detailed drawing of this in the coming weeks, maybe a whole painting... will see.

Sheep or Goat? Check youself...

What would we write in a letter at the end of our life, given the chance. This is the letter that Senator Ted Kennedy wrote. And following is the Passage of scripture where Jesus describes the difference between the Goats and the Sheep's.

Most Holy Father, I asked President Obama to personally hand-deliver this letter to you. As a man of deep faith himself, he understands how important my Roman Catholic faith is to me, and I am so deeply grateful to him.

I hope this letter finds you in good health. I pray that you have all of God's blessings as you lead our church and inspire our world during these challenging times. I am writing with deep humility to ask that you pray for me as my own health declines. I was diagnosed with brain cancer more than a year ago, and although I continue treatment, the disease is taking its toll on me. I am 77 years old and preparing for the next passage of life.

I have been blessed to be part of a wonderful family. And both of my parents, particularly my mother, kept our Catholic faith at the center of our lives. That gift of faith has sustained and nurtured and provided solace to me in the darkest hours. I know that I have been an imperfect human being, but with the help of my faith, I have tried to right my path.

I want you to know, Your Holiness, that in my nearly 50 years of elective office, I have done my best to champion the rights of the poor and open doors of economic opportunity. I have worked to welcome the immigrant, to fight discrimination and expand access to health care and education. I have opposed the death penalty and fought to end war. Those are the issues that have motivated me and have been the focus of my work as a United States senator.

I also want you to know that even though I am ill, I'm committed to doing everything I can to achieve access to health care for everyone in my country. This has been the political cause of my life. I believe in a conscience protection for Catholics in the health field and I'll continue to advocate for it as my colleagues in the Senate and I work to develop an overall national health policy that guarantees health care for everyone.

I have always tried to be a faithful Catholic, Your Holiness, and though I have fallen short through human failings, I have never failed to believe and respect the fundamental teachings of my faith. I continue to pray for God's blessings on you and on our church and would be most thankful for your prayers for me. – Senator Ted Kennedy

Matthew 25:31-46 (New International Version)

The Sheep and the Goats
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Gingerbread House Update...

After a bit of a delay, I got back to work on my Gingerbread house. You can see my initial sketches here. I hope to be finished by wednesday. Of course I still need to add the elves, Mrs. Clause and more detail in and around the house.

Red Robin Sketches...

I was in Red Robin the other day waiting for my friend Chris O Shea and sketched these people.

Schedules...a Necessary Evil

Autumn, back to school, cooler weather, and covering the pool... this is my most favorite time of the year. I work in our basement and having the kids home during the summer is fun, yet very distracting. So I sat down and wrote out a schedule this morning and thought I would post it. My point is to stick to it and by posting it, it just makes it seem a bit more official in my mind. Now the hard part for me is to stick with it. OOOO look at the clock/schedule, I should not even be blogging right now. Enjoy

New Painting...Vampire #2

I just started to work out some color roughs...we will see what happens today. Enjoy

New Painting...

I have started to work on new painting with the hope that it will be done by Monday...I will try and upload each morning the progress I make so you all can watch. This vampire is a drawing which I did at the beginning of last month at a new drawing club here in Baltimore called Drawnk!.