By Amy Hood
08/02/2011
Behind the Scenes

The Beatniks, The Bastards, & The Saints: Jordan Sabolick Painting In Progress

Jordan Sabolick Painting of his face

I’ve been working on a painting series called “The Beatniks, The Bastards, & The Saints.” It has definitely been a looooong labor of love, because I have been working on this series for about a year and half and have only finished 3 1/2 paintings. But this is probably because I am a very fickle painter, prone to mood swings and insecurities about my craft. One day I feel like I’m the next Michelangelo, and the next I feel like just another one of those would-be artists with a little talent and a little style, but no real inspiration to make something great. I fall in and out of said moods like the ebb and flow of the tide, wasting time that could be spent finishing more paintings.

That being said I have been on a painting spree. My latest subject is the very talented and always hilarious Jordan Sabolick, guitarist for The Union Line and all around great friend. I just finished up his face and skin yesterday. Now that the hard parts are done, it’s just finishing up the background, his threads and painting on his tattoos. The tattoos are always a beast to tackle, but luckily Jordo’s tats are all black and grey and fairly linear, unlike the incredibly involved full sleeves of my last subject, Matt Zumberge (tattoo artist extraordinaire and owner of Mutant Studios), which took almost as long as the rest of the painting to do. (I believe they call that a run on sentence.) More photos to come as I wrap up this painting and get started on a new one.

Check out photos of my progression below.

Want to see two of the paintings in the series up close and personal? Head over to Newport Tattoo Costa Mesa and scruitinize, ponder, and pontificate to your hearts content. Say hi to Ryan Hopper, Jake Underwood and the gang while you’re there. Newport Tattoo Costa Mesa 1765 Newport Boulevard Costa Mesa, CA 92627-2719 (949) 515-1600

Listening to:   Elton John’s “Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters”