Tuesday, May 12, 2009

he KNEW he looked Kool....


"Kool" is something so undefinable that you cant really describe it, you can only point at it and exlaim , "there it is!" when you see it. Kool is that unexplainable "IT" that makes you just LOOK at a person in awe and wonder. Bruce Lee had IT... James Dean, and Elvis had IT... and so did THIS guy I caught on the Brooklyn bound L train this afternoon. He wasnt doing anything special, just sitting there with his shades and that hair, but he had this prescence that was unmistakable. My frist quick sketch of him made his look a little older and weaker, but there was still something I liked about it, so I decided to develope it more. My 2nd attempt at his was the most satisfying, and even had a touch of cold, cool menace and attitude behind it. I regret overworking the backgrounds on both pictures, which I feel distracts too much and takes away from the visual punch. It just goes to show you how an otherwise excellent picture can get ruined because the artist doesnt know when to stop!

2 comments:

scott said...

Very interesting how he almost 'pops' off the page. Indeed, the entire design is, well, cool.

Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling said...

Thanks. I think the background design works better in the second picture rather than the first.At first I started to do the piece in full color but thought that would take away that"koolness" factor. The blk and white noir look gives me the effect that i needed.