Updates from Craig Mahoney Studios

I still won't be able to post what I've spent most of the last week on until after Christmas, but here's a sneak peak at the design for my new website and the underpainting for the Mariano Rivera painting I'm working on. I'm putting down a layer of warm colors before I start laying the cool blues and grays of the Yankee uniform on top.

Gotta Go To Mo

I always find it best, for my own sanity, to have more than one project going at a time. When I'm into some serious, highly concentrated detail work on one piece, I either like to get started laying out another or just messing around with some loose sketches, doodles, or color experiments.

Last night, I decided to take a break from one of the pencil portraits I'm doing for Christmas and lay down a rough sketch and some underpainting on a Mariano Rivera piece I want to do.

End of Day 2

Here at the tail end of Day 2 in my "Artist's Agoge" still working on some Christmas commissions. Back with more tomorrow.

A Big Sloppy Wet One

There's a great scene going on outside my studio window of some great, big, white snowflakes coming down. This photo doesn't do it justice.

I'd love to get a canvas out and do a nice oil painting of it, but I've gotta finish this commission. With any luck there'll be another nice snowfall with some accumulation, and I can get a really nice piece out of it.

Oh well, back to the grind.

Pinup Sketching

Decided to wind the night down by doing a little pen and ink sketch of Marisa Miller's SI swimsuit cover. I wasn't going for a perfect likeness, just trying to see how good a job I could do just going with inks right out of the box instead of pencil. No erasing, drawing without a net.

Nutrition is Key...

Obviously, if you plan on spending roughly 12 hours a day for the next month working in the studio, you're gonna need supplies.

Day 1 - Christmastime is Here

The first few projects I have to get done are some commissions that will be Christmas gifts. Naturally, I don't want to be giving too much away, so I won't post any full or straight-on photos of those until after the 25th.

I'll still be taking some breaks in between working on them and messing around on some other stuff, so stick around for some strangeness.

WWJD?

As of right now it's looking like I'm going to be having my first art reception on Jan. 25th. That's exactly 40 days away. Aside from that I've got a few other things going on that I'd like to get off the ground soon.

So, just like Jesus, I'm spending the next 40 days and nights wandering the desert. Or my studio.

I've got a lot I need to do in the next 40 days and a lot I'd just like to do, so I'm going to spend most, if not all, of every day right here working and blogging it for you as I go.

And... Here. We. GO!

BlackBerry problems

That last post should have ended with "Ren and Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi". That's pretty much the look I was going for.

New Music Flier

I finally got around to producing a good flier for my Wed night Jack's gigs. The name of the show is a bit of a takeoff on Japanese game shows and the look of it is my tribute to Ren and Stimpy creator

I Am Ready For Some Football

A few thoughts as I sit watching the early games waiting for Giants/Cards:

- Listening to WFAN is going to be unbearable this week after the NY Bretts win in Tennessee.

- Donovan McNabb is the most overrated quarterback of the last decade.

- Few things in the NFL right now are as entertaining as Andy Reid and his challenge flag.

- If this is what I do to my dog every Sunday imagine what my poor kids are gonna go through.

SICA Auction pt. 1

It's about 7:30 and there's a decent crowd already. That's Jerry Tapika and Karen Rodeiguez playing light jazz and Richie behind the bar.

Deftet at Sirena

Here's a pastel sketch I did a couple of weeks ago at Sirena in Long Branch of the Deftet Trio playing. I always find it relaxing, after days in the studio doing highly detailed work, to just sit at a bar, have a few beers and do some live sketching. This one didn't turn out half bad.

SICA Art Auction

So tonight the place I rent my studio at, the Shore Institute of Contemporary Art (SICA), is having their annual art auction and I donated one of my Lou Gehrig "A Bad Break" prints. Right now we're setting up, but hopefully there will be a good turnout tonight and we can raise some money for the joint. I'll post pictures of the event later.

Studio Tour

Just finished a bit of cleaning/rearranging of the studio and thought it would be a good opportunity to give a little photo tour. We start from the western wall with my couch/bed and move around the room past all my workspaces as well as my kitchen area. It's not terribly fascinating, but I know some people like a li'l behind-the-scenes look.

End of the day for me and E

So this is pretty much where I'm leaving off tonight. I'll come back to tackle this thing again tomorrow.

Details on Eli

I'm moving along on the last part of my Eli Manning painting. To give you an idea of why it's taking so long to do a simple 36x24 inch painting, I decided to throw in some detail shots. Now it's back to work.

Available for Weddings

Here are a few of the things I've been working on while I wasn't updating this blog. The first is a colored pencil wedding portrait. The only pic I have of it was taken with my phone, so the quality ain't the greatest. The rest are all caricatures I did of my friend Romeo and his fiance Lisa for their save-the-date postcards.

I'm Back!

After far too long not posting a damn thing I'm finally back in the swing of things. I'm spending pretty much all my days in my studio now and I'll be posting a few new art pieces the next few days. I've also got some announcements I'll be making on future performances as well as some public places to see (and buy) my art.

Finally, I've gone and gotten rid of my crappy GoPhone and upgraded to a BlackBerry which means I'll be able to post all sorts of live blog updates from my studio, gigs, or wherever I am.

Above is me this morning putting the finishing touches on my Eli's Escape painting. Enjoy. Talk to you soon, kids.

Mobile blogging

So I got a new BlackBerry and I'm hoping I can use it to update my blog from my studio and on the go. If you can read this it means I can.

New Studio Pics, Eli Update

Here's a quick li'l post that I'll elaborate on later:

So, I finally moved all my junk out of my bedroom and got me a proper studio to work from; free from distraction and fully able to concentrate on my work. And, wouldn't you know it? In just a few days I've gotten more done there than I did in a month at home. Following is another update on that Eli's Escape Super Bowl painting I was working on, then a few snapshots of the new palatial digs.

The Man With No Name

Here's my newest drawing for the Cigar Stop in Shrewsbury: Mr. Clint Eastwood from one of my all-time favorites, "The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly". If you're in the area be sure to stop by and see all my drawings on display there. Then pick up a few stogies and relax in their great lounge. I recommend the Ashton VSG's or the CAO Brazilias.

Sketches, doodles, and other ephemera

Below: an in-progress DiMaggio piece and some doodles from the sketchbook.