Guy Pène du Bois, The Confidence Man, c. 1919, Brooklyn Museum

Love this:

Robert Doak paints

My magical paints from Robert Doak & Associates, Inc. have arrived! Sinopia, Aubergine, Rose Madder (GENUINE!), Flemish White, Flake and Mica (white), Venetian Red (GENUINE!), Ivory Black (GENUINE!), Transparent Purple Oxide, Terra Rosa (GENUINE!), Transparent Pink Grey (a favorite of mine), copal medium and cold pressed stand oil. ‪

Genuine colors are hard to find sometimes. In this case, Rose Madder genuine is a plant-based paint. Rose Madder is usually made with synthetic dyes because it is considered an unstable, or fugitive color. I think the real thing is more beautiful than the synthetic version and I like using the version that has been in use for centuries. From wikipedia: "Cloth dyed with madder root dye was found in the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun, in the ruins of Pompeii and ancient Corinth. It was included in the Talmud as well as mentioned in writings by Pliny the Elder, and other literary figures, as 'rubio', used in paintings by J. M. W. Turner, and as a color for ceramics."


Ivory Black is made from burned bones. It used to be made from actual burned ivory. The genuine pigment is still made in tiny quantities from Ivory harvested from animals that have died naturally.


Genuine Venetian Red comes from the quarry where Titian obtained his supplies!


And if you really want to be old fashioned, Terra Rosa (genuine), is made from natural iron oxide clays from Europe or the Middle East. This is the stuff cave painters were using 30,000 years ago!

Ethan Gill at Julius Caesar

You should all go see this if you live in Chicago. Ethan Gill's violent, strange, wonderful football paintings will be at Julius Caesar Gallery, 3311 W Carroll Ave, Chicago, until April 19, 2015.

Wall of Presents

The wall of presents and present paintings in my studio:

1996 Happy Meal Boxes from the Middle East

Today I heard some great stories from Jerome Walker. He showed me some of his advertising work from the 60's through the 90's, including these McDonald's Happy Meal boxes he designed in 1996 for use in the Middle East.