I'm elated to share the 2nd Edition of a prior commission named “Arrival,” which depicts the infamous fight between Raditz and Goku from the iconic series Dragon Ball Z.
The original “Arrival” commission.
This commissioned painting was requested by Kim Harrell, who first met me in 2019 while I was selling my artwork outside the MET (the Metropolitan Museum of Art). She had purchased one of my snowy landscapes back then, and one morning she messaged me on Facebook. (My old self hadn't checked messages in a while.) But lo and behold, a great reminder had arrived: people do remember me and my work.
It truly uplifted me. I'd been in a huge slump for the past year and a half with the global pandemic lockdown. It had shut me down as an artist, and I was gearing up to press the restart button. Her message and her request for new paintings were exactly the fuel I needed to get going again. Kimberly Harrell, a supreme thank you to you for revitalizing this old king off his dusty art throne!
From Blank Canvas to Battle
I'm a diverse artist, so I paint many genres, from landscapes to pop art to portraits. Kim bought one of my surreal pieces alongside this DBZ request. Here's the process of how I painted it:
Step 1Step 2Step 3Step 4Step 5Step 6
From the first sky to the final clash.
Step 7: the fighters take shape.Finished: “Arrival,” 2nd Edition.
The inner child in me always smiles wide when I get a paid commission to create something from my nostalgic past, whether it's Dragonball, Pokemon, Super Mario, you name it!
I happen to have one particular client, Diego, who has been a happy patron these past few years. It started with Pokemon! Then, once he found out I can paint anything, he began asking for Dragonball-inspired pieces. How could I refuse? These were all so much fun to make, and knowing this is my profession makes it all the sweeter. It truly humbles me that people still love the simpler things in life, like the cartoons we grew up with.
In progressFinished
From sketch to finish.
Diego, and the rest of the world: please, by all means, keep the requests comin'! I'm more than happy to bring your custom dreams to life on canvas.
Inner Conflict Resolved
For the longest time growing up, I thought that in order to be “taken seriously” as an artist, painting cartoons wasn't the way. Boy, what a bald-headed lie! It's absolutely true, thankfully, that all that matters is that you love what you do. That love adds a certain magic to whatever you create. It gives you more inspiration to keep going, and it makes the next masterpiece even better now that it's fueled.
I suppose I still carry (or carried) the leftover “advice” from long ago that I should stick to one flavor of art. I never understood why, if you're good at all of it and can present yourself properly. When you deal with limited people, you get limited results. It's best not to listen to them, because they will hinder what you can in fact do!
If I Had All Seven Dragonballs
In the story of Dragonball, whoever collects all seven Dragonballs scattered across the world is granted one wish by the Eternal Dragon, Shenron. I made my wish long ago, and it remains the same today: to be with my loved ones throughout all of Time and Existence. In some form or another, but always together. At the core, there is nothing more precious to me than the ones I love and who love me. They are my ultimate treasure.
What would you wish for?
This Painting Is One of My Dreams Come True
In a way, this painting is another ounce of a dream come true, added to an ocean of fulfillment. Every drawing I ever drew, every painting I ever struggled with, every moment I ever looked forward to or doubted, has led me to the next level... and the next level... and the next, until one day I arrive at a certain level. I strongly feel that time approaching the more effort I put in. That excites me, but oddly scares me in some way. Maybe it's that I don't want to reach the end...?
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