Mark VandenBosch

Recent work

2011-09-30T08:38:00.000-04:00

Here's a bunch of posters I made for Troy this summer. There's one missing I just know it.

And this is a portrait montage I finished last night. I don't know what to say about it. It's not at the level I want it to be at. I know I can do better. It's not the kind of images I want to make or work from. This is all from very undesirable image sources. All photographs. I had no control over any of the images. But this seems to be the kind of work I can make money by doing.

I really would prefer to work from life and take my own source images.

Endeavor to presevere.

Register For "Drawing From Observation"

2011-09-13T23:56:00.006-04:00

Workshop classes start in one week.

Please register as soon as possible.

Call the Marquette Arts and Culture Center: 906-228-0472

First class is on September 21st. I still have room for four more students.

They will run for six weeks on Wednesday nights 5:45-8:45 p.m. in the basement of the Peter White Public Library, the best library in the world. Bring your drawing supplies. I'll bring some for you to use too!

I had a wonderful day today observing nature!

Sincerely,

Mark VandenBosch

Tribal Council Portraits

2011-09-09T10:09:00.008-04:00

I went to the Island Casino the other day to see the work I did up on the wall. I went with my friends Kirt and Kyle. Thank you, dudes!

Here's a picture for my mother.

They look really nice up there. I heard they put them up about a month ago. They are located in the hallway that connects the Island Casino with the new Convention Center and the pro shop for the Sweetgrass Golf Course.

Currently, I have two students signed up for my workshop. I just need four more for it to go. Classes start on the 21st of September.

Later,

Mark VandenBosch

Vacation

2011-08-28T16:58:00.004-04:00

I've been on vacation and I've seen many people, places and things. I want to say thank you to all the folks I've seen on my vacation. It truly has been a joy to see everyone!

When I get back to Marquette there will be many drawing projects waiting for me. I also will be planning for a drawing workshop that I will teach beginning September 21st. Call the Marquette Arts and Culture Center to sign up.

Marquette Arts & Culture Center
217 N. Front St. (Peter White Public Library)
Marquette, MI 49855
906-228-0472

Bring your pencils and your paper.

Here is a picture of me at my Grandma Garzelloni's house. My mother took the photo. You can see my Grandpa Beef's grape arbor in the reflection of the glass door slider. I think this is a unique picture because there are multiple images layered on top of each other.

Tom Cappuccio told me that reflections do not have shadows. Think about that one.

See you soon!

Mark VandenBosch

2010-07-18T19:09:00.002-04:00

Ah, here's a poster I did for Troy Graham. For once I am extremely pleased with myself. All I used was a quill pen and a bottle of ink. Ha! I feel free.

I'm working on comic book stuff now.

Harvey Pekar is dead. I had a hard time with that news. He was a true American Hero.

Until next time,

Mark

What it is?

2010-06-12T00:20:00.002-04:00

I completed an illustration for The Marquette Food Co-op. It's going on the cover of their U.P. Farm Directory. Thank you, Sarah Monte, for asking me to do this!

In other news, I broke my glasses and new ones are in the works.

I've been walking around saying thank you.

That's all. I'm locked in to what's happening and I feel good about it!

I'm looking forward to being in Seattle in August for my brother's wedding!

Until Next Time,

Mark VandenBosch

Here I Am.

2010-03-26T22:37:00.004-04:00

Well, hello out there. You might be wondering what I've been up to: new job, failed relationship, spring cleaning, self doubt, finding new confidence, seclusion, maybe a bit of meditation (I don't know for sure), listening to old records, playing music with Tim, rearranging, thinking about women, vowing celibacy, getting rid of some possessions, eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, being grateful for my life, playing guitar, observing nature, working my ass off and drawing a bit.

That's about it.

Now, I've made a new poster and here it is below. You can click on the image to see it bigger just like on my web site, markvandenbosch.com! I used an old silk screen print I made in college. I scraped away the blue ink around the rectilinear yellow shape with a razor blade to create apparent streaks of light. I pasted the cut out print on a bristol board and did the lettering by hand. My hand writing is horrible and it looks like some little kid who is learning how to write in second grade did it. I like that.

Man, I hated learning how to write. The print style was called D' Nealian. I didn't use it for this poster but I have in the past. It's a real complicated print but it helps with transitioning to cursive. I'm left handed and it was always weird because I couldn't see what I was doing, moving left to right on the page. I remember not doing my print assignments quickly enough and bringing them home to work on. I had homework in second grade!

The future I do not know. I've got a couple of projects I've been putting off. I seem to run myself a bit thin. Oh, well. We only have one chance at this life as far as I know. On the other hand it would be irrational to live as though this were our last day on the earth. Balance is hard to attain and I wonder if it is unattainable. We'll see.

I've entered the show, Above the 45th, at the DeVos Museum here at N.M.U. I can't remember when it is I should hear back from them. I care but I don't worry about it. We'll see!

I really hope that you are well and enjoying your life. I hope all the ones you know are well too.

Peace and Love (Ask your self what is peace and love. Really go into it if you can.),

Mark VandenBosch

New Portrait and Other News

2010-02-02T21:10:00.006-05:00

I got a job! I'll be working at the Marquette Food Co-op in the produce department. The job is full time with benefits!

I'm very thankful for this opportunity. I've been able to meagerly support myself with my art work and a few odd jobs but it's been very stressful these past two years without a full time job. I've had a lot of time to learn how to live! I've also had a lot of time to focus on my artwork and figure out what to do with my gifts! Now I feel like I can have a full time job while utilizing and focusing on the gifts that the creator has given to me and still make the most of my free time by living in a good way and having good relationships with friends and loved ones.

I started a new portrait of my father. I'm very happy with it so far. IT'S NOT DONE YET! Here's a bit of process. I'm gonna put it away for a couple of weeks. I'm getting some things together for the regional show up here: Above the 45th at the DeVos Museum at N.M.U.

I wrote some notes when I started this new drawing. The notes are a very small insight to my process.

I start out with some specific measurements with the knowledge that they are general. Then I start to sketch freely, kind of breaking down the measurements, becoming less attached to the measurements and just respond to the photo. I can respond easily to this image because I know the real person pretty well.

I kind of feel like I take a different approach each time.

Meanwhile I can hear the dog barking downstairs real well. It's very annoying and hard to work. My apartment shares an air vent with the downstairs neighbor. The vent is in the bathroom and I can usually hear what is happening in and near my neighbor's bathroom.

It's amazing to work on this image because as it develops I can see little pieces of myself, my grandpa, my siblings and my Aunt Rose. I see myself in the future too.

When I was taking this photo my Dad was so excited he couldn't stop moving and laughing. Finally, I had to tell him, "Dad, you need to stop moving so I can take a picture". Here I was telling my father what to do!

Well, that's all for now! I'll post the finished portrait of my father later next week sometime!

Sincerely,

Mark VandenBosch

You can see subtle changes in these last three images. Look at how the images of the hair and the background change your perception.

Later!!!!!!

A few words...

2010-01-18T09:50:00.003-05:00

Greetings, I hope you are all well and had a good holiday. I sure am and did!

I haven't been creating anything new lately. I did finish my web site though: markvandenbosch.com.

I've been looking for steady work to pay serious bills. I applied and had an interview at the Marquette Food Co-op. Still have not heard back from them. I called this morning and no answer from the produce department. Patience. If I get a full time job then I can pay some bills. Meanwhile, I've been doing a little writing for a little money. That might lead to some design work too.

Well, I think it's high time I make something, eh.

Until next time,

Mark

New Work

2009-12-16T15:19:00.002-05:00

Greetings Space Fans,

Here's a new work just completed. It's been a while. I've done some cleaning, simplifying and thinking. It has paid off.

This is the second attempt at trying to capture an image of my friend Kyle. What do you think he's thinking? What emotion do you perceive? Please I would like some feed back because I am one of two people who has seen this work. Tell me what you think his emotion is and be honest. You can click on the image and a larger version should pop up.

If you need a portrait done of someone you know or have known and you have an image available or you are close enough to Marquette, MI where I could take my own image then please feel free to contact me. 906-226-7226 or number239@hotmail.com. I'm looking for new work to do!

I will be traveling down to Muskegon, MI for the holiday.

Enjoy the journey!

Sincerely,

Mark VandenBosch

2009-11-13T18:11:00.002-05:00

I said I've been drawing so I did a couple self-portraits because I'm the only reliable model I know and I have a lot of patience because I'm the one who's drawing! I miss drawing portraits from life so much. My last project was all photos and for practice I would draw myself and sometimes Mary. There's nothing like drawing from life. That is where we should be looking. Photographs are unreal even though they appear to be objectively capturing a moment of light. It's just one perspective: the camera. The moment of live is ever changing. Things are alive and that's what I'm trying to show in my portraits: someone who is alive. Photographs capture such a small amount of information. This drawing captured a full day of my life. I wasn't working continuously but that was how much time passed before it was done. Everything I've done in my life prepared me for this drawing. All the things I was doing that day influenced the work.

Overall the brightness structure is mid to high. I stayed high throughout the development of the work and added darker areas towards the end. I measured more carefully than usual but also not exact at all. I used a mixture of knowledge and feeling. I'm actually proud of this one because it's very even in the brightness, it makes sense. I like the way the forehead became because I always have trouble there.

Always observation. Stopping and staring for long periods of time. I used to get nervous staring at the models in art class. Probably because they were naked and most of the time I wasn't, ha! I go to public places and stare at people and sometimes draw them and I feel creepy about it. An artist will stare and there is nothing wrong with that. This is what I'm to do while trying to be an artist.

Sincerely,

Mark VandenBosch

New poster

2009-11-13T10:30:00.002-05:00

Here's a poster I made for Troy Graham. If you would like a poster made for an event then let me know.

I've been drawing too.

Mark

Finished!

2009-11-05T11:02:00.004-05:00

This drawing is as done as its going to be. I delivered it to Earl last night after lodge and everyone went bonkers. I would have liked to put it away for a month and then looked to see what it needed but I don't have that luxury. I see some things that need to change about it. It was not supposed to be a copy of the photo. I had to give him hair and eyes. That's why we did the drawings. These are the only photos they could find.

This was the most difficult project I have ever done. And it was my first.

This marks the end of the Tribal Council project. I have made thirteen drawings. As always, I did the best I could.

The drawings will eventually be displayed in the entrance to the tribal administration building.

What's next? Earl said he wanted a portrait of himself wearing his turban. A while back my friend Mary said she wanted a portrait of her father. And my friend Beth who lives downstate wants some drawings of her daughters. I've also to make a web site. I would like to start on some still lifes. Subject matter? Oh, and I want to make a portrait of Luke Strom.

Until next time,

Mark VandenBosch

The Morning

2009-11-04T08:27:00.003-05:00

Well, I'm at the table again still working on this drawing. I've shortened his face. Today I'll spray fix it and go to office max and have it digitally scanned for the high price of eight dollars. I'll post the results today hopefully.

Back at it!

Mark

So Far

2009-11-03T17:56:00.001-05:00

Here's what I got so far. He's close. I need to work in the ground and his mouth and the area to the right of his neck.

Mark

Progress, Progress, Progress

2009-10-22T13:21:00.004-04:00

Hello World,

Well back at it again. Between compulsive internet addictions, a severe cold, making a logotype for my mother and monkeying with the software and hardware of my computer, I managed to get some work done.

I've also been looking at various art academies, thinking about possible futures. One has interested me the most: Kewaunee Academy of Fine Art. It's location, cost, discipline and class size are most attractive. Who knows!

Meanwhile, here are some images of my current project in the works.

This is the first stage. I started out with a gesture drawing, not specific but still measuring out approximate features. This image is later in the game. I've got the whole support covered with some kind of brightness.

Now here I'm blocking in brightness areas going from general to specific. The ground is lowering in brightness and more layers of graphite are put down.

Now I'm starting to get into some detail and making adjustments to some of the shapes that describe the jawline. I'm getting a little dark already on the neck. I gotta work in the other areas more. I'm just trying to work from general to specific and paying attention to the whole area of the work!

I know these pictures are not that great but I wanted to get this up before I go to Chicago tonight! The drawing still needs a ton more work but it'll be good to get away from it for the weekend and see it with new eyes on my return.

Enjoy yourselves!

Mark

Latest Poster

2009-10-09T10:36:00.000-04:00

Greetings,

This is the latest poster I made. Handmade with ink, watercolor, pen and brush. If you need a poster made then give me a ring.

New chairman project

2009-10-07T09:58:00.000-04:00

Greetings.

I have one more chairman to draw for Earl so I figured I would document the process for some reason. Here are the source images of Frank Wandahsega:

That's all I've got for this drawing. They didn't have many cameras on the reservation back then.

So I'm going to work from the second image the most. I've got a sense of what his hair looks like from the first image. I still can't see his eyes. I'm going to have to improvise.

I do have an image of his grandson or son(?) (I'm not too clear on the relation) Ted Wandahsega:

Earl is his grandson and there's an image floating around of junior somewhere so I've got lots of secondary references.

I don't know what's going to happen and that's o.k.

I'm going to get sketching!

Mark

2009-09-15T20:29:00.000-04:00

Here's a drawing I did of the Hannahville Potawatomi Tribal Council Chairman, Ken Meshigaud. You can click on this to see a larger image.

2009-09-15T20:22:00.000-04:00

Hello out there,

I am working on increasing my internet visibility.

Later,

Mark

2009-02-18T15:28:00.000-05:00

I keep looking for a job because I'm afraid I'll run out of money. I just went to apply for food stamps.

What I really need to do is paint.

I got some images to submit for the artists of the U.P. show: "Above the 45th parallel"

Today is a blizzard and I love it. I won't be going to Escanaba tonight.

Wish me luck!

Love,

Mark

2009-02-11T11:55:00.000-05:00

Yes well my stomach was sour for some reason and I've spent the last two days dieing in front of my toilet. I think it was something I ate.

Here I am, just before being ill, hard at work on my current poster. It was a beautiful springlike day in Marquette.

I ran into my neighbor John who I hadn't seen for a while but I had to cut the conversation short because I didn't feel well. "Maybe it's a virus", he said as I rushed off. I dunno what's wrong with me.

Here's some detail images of the poster.

Today I will make 200 photocopies and then color in the eyes of each copy with red paint. This saves printing costs. It might turn out better if I print in color on the xerox machine eventhough it's a black and white image. If so I'll color the eyes and then print it and just throw in the extra cost of printing.

I really don't understand where this poster came from.

Is anybody reading this?

Check back in the future. I'm working on a new web site. markvandenbosch.com. I'm working on some portraits. I need to get something together to submit to the "Above the 45th parallel" show at the DeVos gallery here in Marquette.

I wish my stomach felt better. It's still somewhat sour.

Love,

Mark

This is from the woods

2009-02-08T14:42:00.000-05:00

I am in the Peter White Public Library and my stomach is sour. I am from the woods though I haven't spent much time there lately. Maybe that's why my stomach is sour.

What is this to be?

This be my art blog.

Soon you will see the present.