An Invitation to Microvisions at the Society of Illustrators and a Confession

I'm honored to have been asked to submit to this year's Microvisions show at the Society of Illustrators. MicroVisions is a charity auction for the Society's student scholarship fund that is put on by Dan Dos Santos and Irene Gallo. It goes up April 3rd and will be on display for a month before the pieces are set up for auction on ebay.

This year there are some amazing artists that will be contributing. Among them is Gregory Manchess, whom I must credit with the bulk of my painting eduction.

Confession:
When I was in college I stole a Step by Step Graphics guide that featured an amazingly helpful demonstration by Manchess. I picked it off the shelf, leafed through it, and immediately, I recognized its immense, earth-shattering value. Then, without breathing, without altering a single a muscle, I looked left and then right, like a crocodile, invisible at the water's surface. The magazine snapped into my jacket and I fled out of the library, ducked past the hostess and ran off into the night, clutching this prize to my chest. 

I know that I am a terrible person. I know that I have stolen from future generations so that I could possess this treasure as my own, so that I could hide its dark secrets away inside my brain, swirling through tiny solar systems and packed into cabinets full of old memories. It is a tragedy, I know.

But now, thanks to this Microvisions show, I feel like I can make amends for my past wrongdoing. I feel like I finally can make penance for this terrible act of barbarism against education. Yes, that's right, I am hoping that by contributing to a charity auction that furthers young artist's eductions I will be able to amend this wickedness from my youth.

However, (and this may baffle theologians) if I had it all to do again I have no doubt in my mind that I would immediately steal this Step by Step guide on Manchess again. (moreover, I would also take that other one on Peter DeSeve that Cory got away with.) 

I know it's wrong, but this magazine is a reliquary. It's mine! It is precious to me. Yes, precious... It's mine, it came to me!

Anyway, all that to say I am terrified to be up on display next to such amazing illustrators. (See the final terrifying list here) I wouldn't miss it for the world. My plan is to paint three of these 5 x 7 pieces before April. I am painting three, first as a safeguard against turning in something lousy, and second as a chance to experiment and learn more about oils. So in the coming weeks I will be posting a few of these and hopefully sharing some findings with everyone.

Until then, I want to send my sincerest apologies to every student out there whom I have wronged by stealing that Step by Step guide on Gregory Manchess back in college. To the innocent youth whose chances at a future I have dashed in my greed.  Although I refuse to give it back, (and will take it with me to the grave) I believe I can offer you something just as good and that no serious student of illustration should be without:

THIS LINK TO AWESOMENESS
It is a link to the demo that Gregory Manchess did with Massive Black. It details in real-time most of what was in that Step by Step guide and it is every bit as valuable. This video is worth its weight in gold. 

Greg Manchess is an illustration ninja. He has uncanny powers.