nealartistry.net - the artwork of Travis Neal - WHATS GOIN ON?

Expert witness

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:32:25 -0800

So Hibb works for WIBC, and every once in a while, he needs someone for the host to bounce off for a particular news topic. He emailed the other day asking if I could jump in on an art and design topic..

so I did..

Here it is..

Don't worry about me- I'm alright!

Wed, 09 May 2012 07:31:47 -0800

Whoa! fell off the planet there for a while! Just had a lot of stuff going on.. Convention in Las Vegas, submitted my proposal for the bridge project, painted an umbrella, band practice.. busy, busy

Well, I didn't get the bridge project- or my designs weren't chosen this time around. Not really sure if I wanted that one or not to begin with. Working up high, on a shitty surface badly in need of repair, above and around traffic, and with some weird working rules required by the railroad.. I'll take a nice flat wall over a parking lot any day of the week over that. It would have been some really good exposure and put me up in the ranks of local muralists, but maybe not the project I want to cut my teeth on. Bummer- but maybe for the best.

The new tunes for the band are coming together nicely- so I am pleased about that. Not sure when we are playing exactly, but it's coming. Matt asked me after practice, "Why did we wait so long to do this? Can you imagine if we had done this 10 years ago?" - If only..

The umbrella was a challenge I have never faced before.. But it was fun and a learning experience. I definitely would do a couple of things differently given the chance to do another. In any case, it turned out great and I got to see a couple of others when I dropped mine off- some really nice work there! They have shown a couple of them on their Facebook page (Search: NICKEL PLATE ARTS) and will evidently have them ALL on display June 2nd Somewhere?.. I'll keep you posted on that. A couple of pics of mine below.

I'll check back in soon!
T

SAILOR JERRY #4- BUBBAZ

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:23:49 -0800

Another Masterpiece! I really enjoyed this one.. I have always been fascinated by eagles, and this pose is one that I have drawn (with varying levels of success) since I was 6 years old- different subject matter, but roughly the same pose. These are starting to come a little easier now and I am really enjoying these SJ walls. Next?

My proposals for the SOUTH & DELAWARE bridge project are due Friday, so I will try to post the color comps before I leave town on Saturday.

And when I get back, it is right back to work on the NICKEL PLATE ARTS umbrella..

Whew!

T

BUBBAZ- Progress report

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 06:22:00 -0800

Not bad for a nights work.. I couldn't get the place dark enough to use the projector on this one, so I had to draw it out by hand. Kind of fun to do it that way every once in a while, but definitely slows down the process. I was hoping to have some base color roughed in, but that will have to wait until this weekend.

It is funny how you stumble across new techniques in the process from time to time. In this case, I found that roughing in with graphite instead of charcoal accomplishes 2 things: It doesn't mess up my markers when I go over with my final line, and it also gives a pretty cool shadow/halo effect when it is rubbed in. On this wall color, it has a 'fresh tattoo' look that I love. So I'll be using that from now on!

More progress pics after this weekend's session, PLUS my entries for a couple more artist calls next week.. Busy! Busy!

T

BUBBAZ- Sailor Jerry

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:27:37 -0800

Starting the Sailor Jerry wall out at BUBBAZ in Geist tonight.. Haven't done an EAGLE on these walls before. Very excited to get started!

Lots of other things in the works.. Especially in the next few weeks. Check back soon!
T

NICKEL PLATE ARTS

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:19:21 -0800

Another big WIN for Neal Artistry! I will have a custom designed and painted on display at one of the stops along the NICKEL PLATE ARTS TRAIL during their art festival this summer. I'll post more details on that when the event is closer (as well as some progress pics of the umbrella itself). I sent a couple designs, but the one they liked was my BUFFALO NICKEL design. First thing that came to mind when asked to design something round for NICKEL PLATE ARTS. This one will be an interesting challenge- I have never tried painting an umbrella before. This should be fun!

Color layout for the BUBBAZ Sailor Jerry wall coming too- Stay tuned!
T

Sailor Jerry #4&5- BUBBAZ

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 06:42:33 -0800

Soooo.. when do I stop numbering them? I don't know, maybe when I get to double digits.. For now, I'm sicking with the numbers.
Met with the owners of my next Sailor Jerry project- BUBBAZ BAR & GRILL- last week and talked about their concept walls. Rough drafts below. He wants an American flag incorporated into the final design- NO PROBLEM.. and this goes right along with my wanting to expand the artwork beyond the pinup girls. For these, I plan to use an eagle instead. Natural choice, right? The American flag and all.. We'll see what he says.
This one is also new ground because I will be doing 2 walls at once- not established yet whether they will be unique designs to each location- but it will be a challenge nonetheless because one location is in Geist and the other down on Washington Street. Can't wait to get started!

T

Sailor Jerry #3- WHISKEY BUSINESS

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:17:11 -0800

Well, here is another one.. I am really having a good time with this! It's great to have a steady outlet for my need to make walls pretty. Tricky one here- the owners of WHISKEY BUSINESS wanted some non-jerry items incorporated, but I think this works really well. I wanted to make the pinup girl a little bigger, but I have been careful to try to keep the SJ bottle the focus of each piece. My SJ labels keep improving, though.. I think at this point I could draw one with my eyes closed.
Jason says he has my next walls set for BUBBAZ (I think it is with a Z) on Washington and up on Olio Road.
BRING IT ON!!
T

What a weekend!

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:54:19 -0800

The festivities in Indy were unbelievable! We, of course, waited until the absolute height of it and went downtown saturday night for a Pacers game. Indy went all out (or all in) for the SUPER BOWL and killed it! With a couple of small exceptions: We've got to have a better solution for the TRASH- it was everywhere.. sure there was a trash can on every corner, but that does little good when they are so overflowing that they look like big garbage pyramids! And the taxi situation.. not handled well. I don't even know how it was handled exactly, but whatever the plan was- it was the wrong plan! The big pickup stations on either side of the main village area were completely overrun, and we were told "sorry, no cabs".. Seriously? NO TAXIS?? but I digress.. other than those 2 points, GREAT JOB INDY!!
Also had our first practice back with the group! 11-11-11 returns! Solid start on some new songs and ready for more. It was great to get some mic time in, although I was still a little shredded from screaming at the PACERS on Saturday night!
And lastly, SAILOR JERRY #3 was started over the weekend. Got a LOT done on this one in just one day.. Interesting crowd at WHISKEY BUSINESS- with a pretty diverse taste in music. Jukebox played: country song, country song, country song,country song,country song, LUCKY STAR- MADONNA.. Couldn't help but laugh at that one! But a lot of very nice people watching the process or coming up to ask questions as I work- Love creating art in front of an audience. I'll be back out there tomorrow night to get some more work done.. Maybe even finish- this one is going pretty quickly!

Sailor Jerry #3- WHISKEY BUSINESS

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:59:01 -0800

Well.. Here comes another one. The final color draft has been approved and I am ready to get started on number 3! Final draft and superimposed copy below. Went with the classic pinup girl again (Getting really good at these girls!), but they wanted some other elements included that aren't normally associated with the SAILOR JERRY brand of artwork. That slowed me down a bit, but I think this final design works really well.

Can't wait to get started!
T