Thursday, October 28, 2010

Drawing Flies 52_43 Jack O' Lantern Spey


Drawing Flies 52_44 Jack O' Lantern Spey

Original status: SOLD. Prints are available email me for information.

Swing by Jason's blog to check out his rendition of the Jack O' Lantern Spey!

Tech Info- Watercolor and Gouache on 140# Arches watercolor paper

My buddy Corey and I were making a stop at our favorite watering hole on the return leg home after fly tying the other evening. During the drive I was trying to decide which fly to paint for this week. That is when Corey said that a Jack O' Lantern spey is in order with Halloween being Sunday. What a great idea! I painted a JOL spey in April of 2008 for the drawing flies project. With the Midwest Fall steel head season upon us and and Halloween occurring over the weekend, I felt Corey's suggestion was the right fly for the occasion.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Drawing Flies 52_43 BWO Floating Nymph


Drawing Flies 52_43 BWO Floating Nymph

Original status: Available, email me for information. Prints are available.

Swing by Jason's blog to check out his rendition of the BWO Floating Nymph!

Tech Info- Sepia ink, Derivans Liquid Pencil, white gouache on Lenox 100 paper

Went with a few of my favorite ink products for this one. To start, I used my rigger brush and the sepia ink and just started drawing. As I was drawing, I would take my damp round brush, and soften and blend out areas to give the image some depth and value. For the tail, I put down a pretty healthy blob of ink, then I took a drinking straw and blew the ink outwards. To give the fly more volume, I worked over the top of the sepia ink with the liquid pencil, using my brush to soften and blend. I finished up with the white gouache to reclaim some highlights and add sparkle in a few spots.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Drawing Flies 52_42 Gray Hackle Peacock



Drawing Flies 52_42 Gray Hackle Peacock

Original status: Available, email me for information. Prints are available.

Swing by Jason's blog to check out his rendition of the Gray Hackle Peacock!

Tech Info- Flair Pen on 20# bond paper - Watercolor and gouache 140 lbs watercolor paper.

I really enjoy producing flies that have a great history behind them. Another joy is producing fly art that moves individuals and has a great family or individual story behind them. It helps to put a personal face on a fly. If I can create artwork that helps to move people, then I know I did my job. I am hoping this fly does just that...

I received an email from Danielle requesting a fly that has great meaning to her personally and her family. I do get many requests for flies, and I try to accommodate most requests. This one was special. Not only does the Gray Hackle Peacock have great meaning to her and her family, it also has a historic connection to her Grandfather. Danielle interested in my rendition of the fly, but she also would like to get a tattoo of my art. I have had 4 others flies inked on individuals. 1 of which was a gal who had her grandfathers favorite fly permanently inked on her ankle. I find it a great honor that someone would permanently ink my art on their body and that the images I create brings back memories of a fond fly fishing loved one.

Here is a bit of what Danielle emailed:

"I would LOVE for you to add a grey hackle peacock to your paintings! My Grandfathers favorite fly was a grey hackle peacock. I am interested in getting a tattoo of this specific fly. This fly is special to me and my family due to mt Grandfather's love of it. Having this done would mean a lot and would be truly appreciated by both myself and my family!!

My Father reports that this was my Grandfather's most successful fly and of any other fly he tied, this specific fly caught the most fish. My Grandfather's favorite place to fish when he was alive was on the high mountain lakes of Colorado. My Father stated that "he would have rather been there and fished there than any other place on Earth. And, when he was there he was catching fish on the grey hackle peacock when nobody else was catching fish."

I, unfortunately, never fished with my Grandfather and picked up the sport/lifestyle/religion when I moved to Montana. The first fly that I learned to tie was the grey hackle peacock. This was also the first fly that my brother learned to tie years ago.

My Grandfather passed away in 1993. And although I will never be able to fish with him, through the grey hackle peacock, I have this attachment with him. Such great memories of my Grandfather surface every time I see that fly!"

So Danielle, in my 30 minutes alloted, I created some "INK" art for your tattoo (which, I expect to see a picture of after you have the tattoo completed) and my watercolor rendition of the gray hackle peacock.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Drawing Flies 52_41 Wool Head Sculpin


Drawing Flies 52_41 Wool Head Sculpin

Original status: Available, email me for information. Prints are available.

Swing by Jason's blog to check out his rendition of the Sculpin!

Tech Info- Watercolor and gouache 140 lbs watercolor paper.

I have a number of sculpin patterns in my box. This one is loosely based on Kelly Galloup's wooly sculpin pattern. I have had many a successful evening swing sculpin patterns late into the evening for large brown trout. I also have a few large sculpin in my "bug" collection sitting in a glass jar of ethyl alcohol on my tying bench. These specimens make for a great tying reference.