Salty Dog

 I'm taking part of my work in a new direction,  its getting to a point where it has to become more enjoyable, and what I have been doing has become tedious and almost obsessive.

       I've had an attraction to lettering, characters and certain types of iconography.  How a symbol, letter, word, phrase or image can have larger annotations than its intrinsic value.  I'm researching how writing, any kind of writing, be it gibberish, artificial or fictitious, connotes a desire to understand wat is being posted, and  how images have become icons with meanings other than those that can be seen at face value.

       My first sketches are about maritime folklore. The meanings behind some of the images associated with an experienced sailor, and what stories they tell.  I'm including a couple of links on traditional maritime or nautical tattoos and their meanings.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_were_traditional_nautical_tattoos_and_piercings_sailors_got_and_why

http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tattoos_designs_symbols_nautical.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailor_tattoos

   First sketch for - Disappointed Hula Girl -

Rough sketch for - Hula Girl -

Rough sketch for - Hula Girl -

Quick studies for tattoos.

      Besides this, have been going to live drawing group for some quick sketching and polishing up.

A couple of examples below.