One more great video

This is another great video I found on "Churchfuel". It talks about art as it relates to the gospel, how our creating things is a reflection of the Great Creator, our Father in Heaven. I believe that the desire to create is something God has passed down to his children from his own nature.

Creation from Media Fuel on Vimeo.

The Power of One

Okay, none of these are my videos, but I thought them worth sharing. A friend shared this skit on Facebook, and it blew me away. It's so simple, yet so powerful. It really shows the role of Jesus Christ in our everyday lives, and the meaning of what he has done for us.



This video was really inspiring to me. Look at the power each of us has for good! "By small and simple things, great things are brought to pass". I have been told that a single straw of hay, when picked up by a tornado, can puncture a telephone pole. So too can we, though small and simple, accomplish great things when carried by our God. The skit was a small and simple thing, but look at the impact it has had! 16 million people have watched it, and hundreds have come to Christ for the first time as a result. May we each use our talents to share in the way these people did

Coffee with Jesus from Media Fuel on Vimeo.

Lastly a bit of fun. I have never met Heavenly Father in a coffee shop, but it struck me that this is probably the way a good percentage of my prayers sound . . . I need to repent

By the way, I also just discovered a great resource for positive videos online - GodTube. There's some great stuff- if you have a minute, you should check it out!

Back to Civilization

Hey folks, I'm back to civilization. I didn't post Sunday because I was on a family reunion camping trip, but I have returned with a vengeance! I'm not sure to whom this vengeance might be directed, but whoever it is better look out! Yay idioms!

Anyways, here are a few sketches from this last Sunday:


















Kind of a fun concept for a Nephite warrior. I was thinking maybe he's a one of the "captains of 10.000s" near the end of the Book of Mormon. The weapon is based on a Chinese Pudao or "Da-Dao", meaning "Big Knife". I put a decorative sheath on it, kind of thinking of Donnie Yen's character in the Jet Li movie "Hero", where he takes on like 10 guys without ever taking the scabbard off of his blade. Many cultures had similar weapons, wide-bladed variations on the spear, so I figured, why not? :)


















This is a Lamanite warrior, I'm thinking maybe one of the bandits who attacked Ammon while he was tending king Lamoni's flocks. In his right hand he is wielding the Macuahuitl, sword of the Aztec Jaguar Knights. The decorative feathered shield in his left hand is also an Aztec influence



















Just some fun stuff. A Nephite pot and jug. And some quotes lol


















This Nephite chair is based on a really cool one I saw recently in a book about Egypt. It reminds me a lot of a camping chair my grandpa had





















Once again, Chief Captain Moronihah, son of Moroni, who was the greates Nephite General of all time.


















Goofing around with color and such in photoshop. Lots to learn! Anyways, hope you enjoy, and that this might help inspire you to pick up a pencil, brush, or pen tablet and join in telling these wonderful stories that need to be told.

Sad News

The world of spiritual art suffered a great loss this last month. I recently was informed of the death of Arnold Friberg, a truly great artist and a truly great man. Extraordinarily talented, he studied at the prestigious Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and then at the Grand Central School of art in New York City, working alongside fellow student Norman Rockwell. He was commissioned to paint such subjects as the Prince of Wales, and later, Queen Elizabeth the II whom he painted inside Buckingham Palace (see article below). But despite these distinctions and worldly accolades, the work for which he will be most remembered and loved was of a far different nature. Arnold Friberg's gift came from God, and he used it to paint the things of God. He was commissioned by Cecil Demille to do a series of paintings based on the story of Moses to help previsualise the classic film "The 10 Commandments". Starting in the 1950s, Friberg was commissioned by the Primary Children's program of the LDS church to do a series of paintings intended to bring Book of Mormon stories to life. And he did just that- no one before or since has imbued the stories of the Book of Mormon with such vitality as he did. His images are iconic- Lehi and his family journeying to the promised land, Abinadi standing in shackles before King Noah, the Savior Descending to visit the Nephite Nation, and my personal favorite, Samuel the Lamanite atop a great wall, prophesying the savior's birth amidst a hail of arrows. It was this last painting that helped inspire my first Visual Effects project, a short film based on the story of Samuel the Lamanite. I never knew Friberg personally, though I did shake his hand once. I only really knew him the same way he is known by millions of children and adults the world over- through his beautiful gospel art. His scriptural paintings have inspired and aided the imaginations of millions for over half a century, and it is my hope they will continue to do so in the future. Let us all say a special prayer of thanks to God for sending us such a person.

Arnold Friberg's Website
Arnold Friberg Article on Wikipedia


On that note . . . gosh, after talking about a master like that I feel almost embarrassed to post any of my art. But I made a promise, and I know Arnold Friberg would want all of us to continue in using art to share the gospel. So here goes:

This was a bit of a sparse Sunday, I spent most of it on one drawing, but I feel I learned from it. It's a rough concept sketch, but once again this is the Savior descending from the sky to meet the people at Bountiful.  The smoke rising from the door towards the savior represents sacrifice in the old testament, and how it pointed towards Christ. I've been studying lots of pictures of old buildings and cities, and I'm starting to learn a bit about architecture. Long ways to go, though. One thing I really admire about Arnold Friberg is how thorough he was in his research. He actually spent time on-location at Valley forge, studying the landscape and Revolutionary soldier equipment in preparation to paint his famous "Prayer at Valley Forge", which is now on display in George Washington's own estate at Mount Vernon. I try to do the same thing as much as I can, though I'm too broke to fly to Peru or Guatemala to study as yet. Instead, I let google do the walking and keep files of pictures, I visit museums, and spend lots of time at the public library.

Anyway, that's this week, hope you all enjoyed and that you will read up on Arnold Friberg and look at some of his paintings. May we all follow his example and use our talents to spread the good news of Jesus Christ

Sunday Sketches from July 25 '10 (the apostrophe indicating the numerals "2 and 0", which distinguish the century of the said date) :)

I call this one "Pondering Lehi's Dream", which in Mormonism is a tongue-in-cheek euphemism for "sleeping in church". Sleeping people are my favorite. So entertaining, lol

On that note, greetings all, and happy 25th of July. I have set a couple of new goals this week:

The first, make sure I post every Sunday night. I am constantly drawing, but I want to be more consistent in actually scanning and posting my work to get this blog pumping. My goal is to inspire other artists to use their talents for good, and to tell stories that need to be told. Not to mention, have fun lol :)

The second, is within a years' time to have published a comic book. July 24 is the date. I'll keep you guys updated if you'll keep me accountable ; )

Anyway, here are some of my sketches from church and lazing about the house today:




















This I sketched while watching the documentary "Journey of Faith: The New World". It's a Nephite hut, partially based on one of the lodges the film crew stayed in, partially based on ruins of the Chachapoya people, and partially imagination. I've been trying to learn more about ancient buildings and construction techniques lately, it's very interesting. I think that the people at the public library are getting sick of me though :)




















This I sketched while watching the same documentary. It's Captain Moroni, who is quite possibly one of the most awesome people ever to tread dirt. There is no doubt in my mind that if he were attacked simultaneously by Chuck Norris, Steven Segal, and Jean Cluade Van Damme that he would hogtie them with their own blackbelts (No offense guys, I give you full props, but it's true).

I was just thinking about Moroni, and the attitude he had about his dreams. It wasn't a matter of "Can I do it?" but of "This needs to happen. Now here's how it's going to happen". Nothing stood in his way. He had absolute faith in God, and absolute confidence in himself. He was obedient and humble to God and his servants, yet fearless and courageous in the face of his enemies. He was extremely talented, and with his accomplishments could have had any life he wanted, but instead he lived purely to serve.

Recently I've been getting kind of discouraged about the possibility of accomlishing some of my dreams, but Moroni is an inspiration to me.



















The sketch above is of the Savior descending to meet the Nephite people after his death and resurrection (3 Nephi 11:8, page 428). I have always loved the image of the savior shining, descending through the clouds to teach his people. This drawing is an experiment in inking, which I don't know much about but a skill I will need if I am to publish the aforementioned comic.



















This last one is actually an older pastel drawing, from the summer of 2009. I was serving as a missionary in Couer D' Alene, Idaho at the time. I found it because I have gone back to finish an old mission sketchbook, which has kind of a neat story. You see, when I left to serve a full-time mission, I wanted it to be exactly that, full-time. I wanted to dedicate all of my time to the service of the Lord. This meant, in my mind, less drawing. Or at least, not a serious sketchbook to distract me. I brought along some painting materials, but left my sketchbook at home. It was a sacrifice for me; I have a very real need, as much as breathing, sleeping, or eating, to create and express. Then, when I was serving in Cheney, Washington, a girl we were teaching surprised me one day. She presented me with a beautiful black sketchbook. It was so kind and thoughtful of her. Then, within two weeks, Sister Clark, the wife of my mission president, presented me with another sketchbook. I looked up at the sky and told God, "Okay, I can take a hint!"

Above is one of the drawings from that book. It is oil pastel, a depiction of the Savior's suffering on the cross. I tried to capture what small part of the emotion I could fathom, though I doubt anyone could really understand. I suppose that is why painters, sculptors, musicians, and other artists revisit it so often.