Three Little Pigs - SOLD

"Three Little Pigs" - 12" x 6" - SOLD

Commission: Velociraptor reading a book!

(I didn't used to sketch out my paintings. I've found that it makes the actual painting go a lot faster.)

(Snapped a quick photo before handing it off! paint)

This was a really quick commission I completed for my friend Jake in time for him to give it as a Christmas present for his girlfriend. I did this commission as a trade for some guitar effects pedals. If you're looking to have me do some commission work but you are short on cash, remember, we can always work out a trade!

He wanted a painting of a Velociraptor, which is his girlfriend's favorite dinosaur, reading a book. I got a little worried: Did I know my wife's favorite dinosaur? (It's the Brontosaurus, I guessed correctly).

What's your favorite dinosaur, and what would you like to see it doing? Leave me a comment, and I will draw the one I like the best!

I Drew This: Bobby Joe Ebola / Tornado Rider / Emily's Army Poster

I drew this up for a string of shows that Bobby Joe Ebola and the Children Macnuggits are playing with Tornado Rider and Emily's Army. I bet you didn't know this, but dinosaurs love ice cream.

Why I like Twitter

I used to be really opposed to Twitter. I didn't see the point of blurting out every stupid idea that popped into my head. However, I've changed my tune in the last couple of months. First off, its a great way to figure out where all the rad food trucks in the bay area are posted up at any given time. Second, it's pretty rad to be able to drop a line to one of your favorite musicians. Lastly, it comes in handy when you forget to document art that you just sold!
I posted this tweet during the Alameda Holiday Fair:

A couple of days later, I received an email from the nice person who bought the paintings! Along with some picture of the paintings:

As it turns out, they also won the painting that I had entered into the raffle, "Extra Parts?!"

Looks like it found a good home!

Twitter is also a good way to find out when I am going to post new clues for the dinosaur painting scavenger hunt I've been doing. If you don't already follow me over there, or if you were like me and didn't see the point of Twitter, maybe now you could give it a second chance.

Music Monday - Freddy Ruppert / Sickling EP

(click to download)

This is what I will be listening to this week while I draw. These are instrumental recordings by Freddy Ruppert, of This Song Is A Mess But So Am I and Former Ghosts. I grew up listening to a lot of the same electronic/industrial music that influenced these songs, so while being brand new songs to me, they wind up also being nostalgic.

I Painted This: Robot Unicorn

Robot Unicorn - 10" x 10" - SOLD

This was a recent commission. I was asked, "Could you paint a Robot Unicorn?" I could, and I did!

ARRRRH! AVAST!!

(click to enlarge)

I completed this commission recently for the 1st birthday of a little boy who has a pirate themed bedroom. I'm guessing that the birthday party will be pirate themed as well!
One of my favorite books growing up was the Peter Pan book I had that was put out by Disney and Golden Books. I loved the illustrations, which I felt like you could actually step into even though they were relatively simple. I used that as the basis for what I was trying to achieve with these illustrations.
My favorite illustration from this project is the clubhouse surrounded by water. I wanted something that mirrored the lost boys clubhouse from Peter Pan, without being exactly the same:

Sorry, you are not a winner. Please try again.

"Extra Parts?!" - 10" x 10" - NFS

When I participated in the Alameda Holiday Fair last week, the vendors were asked to donate something to the raffle. I wasn't sure which painting I wanted to put into the raffle, so I just painted this while I was at the event! I took a picture of it while the paint was drying and hustled it off to the area where all the prizes were staged. Goodbye, little robot!
So, if you like this painting, sorry. Someone who attended wound up taking this painting home that day. You can't win unless you show up!

(I am available to paint commissions though, and I could even have it done in time for a christmas gift! interested? Send me an email - xadamdx@gmail.com)

Music Monday - Big Kids / Phone Home

(click to download)

I posted the first album from Big Kids a while ago, and now I'm posting this one. I think these guys are the perfect soundtrack to doing anything in Oakland. Riding your bike, drinking coffee, making art out of trash, smoking crack... all things people do in Oakland, right? If you like the first album, you'll dig this one too.

Your Friday Awesome: I QUIT!

I have had really bland office jobs for the past ten years. I wound up in this line of work because when I would be home from tour with my band, I would do temp work. In Oakland, that meant working at a Kaiser office doing data entry, so my resume was full of office experience. When band-life slowed down, I found myself working full time in office jobs that held no interest for me.

This week, I say goodbye to that chapter of my life. I have quit my full time office job in San Francisco to be a stay-at-home dad, and to focus on being an artist. It's a little scary to be stepping away from a steady paycheck, but I have a bunch of money squirreled away in savings, I have reduced my spending to almost nothing, and I'm working like a madman to secure commissions. All while making sure my son is fed, changed and well rested. Oh, and I'm trying to keep the house picked up. Busy busy!

So, I'd like to officially announce that I am available to do illustration work, layouts for you next release, poster design or a painting you'd like to give someone for Christmas! Send me your commission requests!

I'll be posting some of the completed commissions I have done recently, along with some other pieces that I need to sell. 

Also, It's my son is six months old today! He is getting so big!