10K VIEWS!! THANK YOU!

Wow guys - I finally hit 10,000 views on my blog!!! This is very cool. Thank you for everyone who visits my blog. lol  I started this blog all the way back in 2007 (4 years ago), and started consistently posting in 2009 (3 years ago). But, I think it's only been this past year - after I graduated from college - that I really started to really take my art seriously and focus on getting better.

As a thank you, I'm offering a 20% off coupon (Coupon code: THANKYOU) for all my blog visitors for my Etsy Shop. All my original paintings come with a deluxe cardstock frame and FREE SHIPPING. This special deal will only last one week - so get it while it lasts! :)

Thanks!!!
Chris Chien

Urban Plein Air and Dice Tsutumi Study

These are paintings that I snuck into last week's blog post, but since they are new to the blog, I felt that they also deserved a proper introduction. 

Plein air at Woodbury.

More Dice Tsutsumi Studies 

Greg Pro Week

Week 2 was Greg Pro Week (www.gregpro.com). You've probably seen a lot of studies I've done from him before. This week was supremely difficult.  Some of the paintings were super detailed in terms of content and took a really long time to paint.

Plein Air Paintings WK2: Pools, Parks, Cozy Houses, Plastic Girls & 1950 Sex Icons

These plein airs are from last week. I've been really busy, haven't hide time to post.  I actually don't my work from this week isn't even that good. I missed my sketch quota on some days, but I made sure to get my pleins airs in. 

I actually took a break from painting this week. I've been a lot of freelance work earlier this week, and also doing a lot of plumbing and painting on my house. 

I have this really cool idea to get really good color theory today. It involves paint swatches from Lowes. Stay tuned!

Monday Night- Painting the Pool. Cool colors...

Tuesday - Irvine Regional Park. 

Wednesday Night - Painting my room. Too busy to go out...

Thursday - Painting Mannequins at Irvine Spectrum.  

Friday - AMC Theater at District. Painting Marilyn Monroe. 

Dice Tsutumi (Toy Story 3 Concept Artist) Mastercopies

So as apart of my 500 environment project, I'm doing a mastercopy every weekday. This week's artist was Dice Tsutsumi (www.simplestroke.com).  I first saw his work in the Toy Story 3 artwork - really gorgeous use of color. He renders forms in a very solid fashion. Yet, his color and temperatures are very subtle. Love this guy's stuff. Will do more studies in the future.

I've been doing more color testing on paper recently. It helps me get more accurate and more harmonious color relationships. 

I got some advice from my friend Jason (www.jasonscheier.com) to make each sketchbook page like a portfolio page. Basically - pay more attention to the composition on each page. So, I've been using the color tests as a composition element.  Spending time to plan the composition in the beginning also saves me time when I'm uploading to my blog. I no longer have to crop, scale, move images to make it look more presentable. :)

Plein Air Painting at Spectrum, District & Marketplace,

Okay - this is what you've been waiting for! This is apart of the 500 environments. I've been going out everyday to draw and do plein air paintings. This is really fun, and I really enjoy being outside and listening to nature. Each experience is unique!  To find out why public painting is like a being a hot girl - check out my experience at Irvine Spectrum in a previous blog post! :D

Friday - Irvine Spectrum 

Thursday - Tustin Market Place

Wednesday - District

Tuesday - Lab at Costa Mesa and Woodbury Town Center

Monday - District (Daytime)

Mastercopies, Plein Air Paintings & Color studies

Did some more Greg Pro Studies. This guy is baller.

Plein Air at Woodbury Towncenter

This is where I go to LA Fitness and Trader Joes.

Color Studies. 

Transitioning from Limited to Full Palette.

Scene at Irvine Blvd. A rare undeveloped portion of the street.

Feeling sad and moody that day, channeled feelings through painting.

Danny Gardner studies. This guy is really baller too. Link to Originals.