Character Collage 2020-2022

 

What up fam, wow its been two years since I uploaded my last character collage. Back in 2020 I was a new dad again, and then the pandemic hit! I have still been sketching, drawing, and painting but lord it was rough balancing the kids at home, my work, and life. So here are a snippet of some of the characters I made over the past two years. This is the 9th time I've uploaded a collage of these over the past 13 years or so. I started making these as a way to practice character based artwork for storytelling, and I still love to do it. Always practicing to see improvement. 

Left to right, top to bottom: 1. Word? 2. Bruce Leroy (Last Dragon) 3. Neighbor 4. Sketchbook doodle 5. Laura Charles (Last Dragon) 6. Hammer 7. Hmmph 8. Motorcycle 9. Sketchbook doodle 10. Deb Never 11. Crate Digger 12. Sketchbook doodle 13. Judging you 14. Spikey 15. Pink Dread

You can see the previous collages here too: 

2019-2020

2017-2018

2016-2017

2015-2016

2014-2015

2013-2014

2012-2013

2009-2012

If you are interested in more information about any of the characters, want to work with me, or interested in a print just email me at info@robdontstop.com

Character 162 - My neighbor

 

This is a quick character based on my neighbor who is always out very early walking their dogs and wearing some of the coolest sneakers or sports gear.

Here's a video showing the painting process

The previous character is Spikey

And here is the last character collage

A few details:

Video: Time lapse character ptg

 

Video LINK

Yo shout out to my brother Deedot for allowing me to put his music on this video. I shared it on IG awhile back but I wanted to put it up on my YouTube w/ music permission. If you missed it, this is a clean version of the image:

Character 161 - Spikey

Character collage 2019-2020

Latino Community Foundation

 

This past holiday season I did some artwork for the Latino Community Foundation to support their effort to get more Latinxs vaccinated. When it comes to this, I understand why hella people don't want to be vaccinated. I get why people do not trust it. I for one am very critical of our government, our society, and political system. However, this is a measure of survival for me and I am vaccinated. So, when they reached out about doing these I was excited to support. 

Please check out the work that the foundation does here and their IG here. 

Here are some examples of artwork I've done for other organizations or groups:

Self Evident Podcast

California Domestic Workers Alliance

California Environmental Justice Alliance

Character 161 - Spikey

 

Ready for school and ready to kick ass! Here's a new character drawing/painting. If you missed the previous character check her out here:

Character 160 -Judging you

Here's he last Character Collage

Time lapse of the ptg

Flashback: Boombox

This is a really old piece I made of a boombox using watercolor when I was just learning it over 20 years ago. As I have been working on some recent music inspired pieces I wanted to share something I made in that same vein many years ago.

Here are some recent/old music inspired art you might of missed:
Roy Ayers Portrait
Andrew Ashong portrait
Drum print

Chapter 510 Poet - Leila

This young lady is Oakland's new Poet Laureate. This is maybe the 8th or 9th time I've painted a portrait for Chapter 510 and the Oakland Public Library's annual poet laureate program. It's an honor to paint these rising and shining minds and an honor to be commissioned by Chapter 510.

You can read her work HERE

Update: This young poet just got her novel "Nightcrawling" featured by Oprah Winfrey!! 

Dig this? Check out some of the other portraits I've painted:
Journalist Jamilah King

Poet Lucy

Self Portrait 

Black is Beautiful (2018) 13 - Greg Liggins

Greg Liggins is a BMX Rider from Hayward California. He came to prominence in the mid 80s for his speed and abilities on the track. He was so fast that he was called "lightning". He won hundreds of  trophies in his teens and early twenties. He would go on to break a record as the first rider to win four ABA (American Bicycle Association) races. He would ride for large bike companies such as Hutch and Jag. But, in the 80s his team for Hutch was invited to ride in South Africa. Although he was excited to travel he declined in protest once he found out about the apartheid and how Black folks were being treated. For this act of protest, much like Kapernick, he was let go and black balled from racing and his team. But, he stood by his principles and later went on to be a newscaster for KTVU. If you have any connections to Greg, please show him this piece.

As a kid who loved to ride my BMX bike, my GT, I was really excited to learn about Greg!

You can purchase a print for $20 (includes shipping) , email at info@robdontstop.com 


Sources: Home Turf, BMX Life, 38th Notes, and Super Kids

Black is Beautiful (2018) 6 - J Dilla

The first record I purchased that had Jaydee's name on it was a remix of "Woo ha" by Busta Rhymes. I thought that beat was amazing. The 2nd time was a beat he did for Phat Kat's "don't nobody care about us" that Harley (drummer for Wild Hunt) had. I played it over and over again. Then tribe LP. Then the Slum Village stuff, then it felt solidified that this guy was one of my favorite producers. I'm not gonna do the whole bio today, go look it up. But for you young musicians, this guy truly studied, made art w/ the likes of D'Angelo, Q Tip, Blackstar, Pharcyde, De La Soul, Janet Jackson, The Roots, Common, Erykah Badu, Madlib, Elzhi, Amo Fiddler, too many to name and his sound lives on through so many musicians today. Dilla! 1974-2006! I remember the day he passed. RIP.

You can purchase a print for $20 (includes shipping) , email at info@robdontstop.com  -a portion will go to Ma Dukes! 

Sources: Music, lots of music

Jamilah King

Had the pleasure of working with journalist Jamilah King for the new year. She's an amazing journalist who has worked for Al Jazeera, Mic.com, The California Sunday Magazine, and now Mother Jones. Please support her and read more about her here at www.JamilahKing.com

Dig this? Check out this portrait of Moses Sumney

Chapter 510 Poet - Lucy

Hello folks, happy new year again. I just got a chance to paint to another portrait of a young poet in Oakland for Chapter 510 and Oakland Public library. Hope you like it. The first image is the final design, the second is of the poet performing this past friday at Chapter 510 alongside some young poets. And the last is a final image. Follow them on Instagram.

Old characters

Original art for sale (from Of Love & Riots)

So these are some of the pieces from this summer's "Of Love & Riots" show up in Sacramento at the Sol Collective. In case you missed it, my crew (Trust Your Struggle Collective) created all new works of art and installations for a month leading up to the final week. Many of the pieces sold, but each member was left with a few extras. These are the pieces I created that were not sold. They are all watercolor and pen on paper, ranging from 12" x 18" size framed pieces to 6" x 6". They are labeled with letters that correspond to these prices. If you're interested and/or have any questions, please email me at info@robdontstop.com

All of the pieces are created with watercolor & pen

A. Puppet presidents
11" x 14" w/ frame
$225

B. Last kiss
11" x 14" w/ frame
$225

C. Get that fool
11" x 14" w/ frame
$225

D. Notice
10" x 10" w/ frame
$175

E. Grief
12" x 12" w/ frame
$175

F. Untitled
11" x 14" w/ frame
$225

G. Overseer
19" x 25" w/ frame
$425

H. Last minute
12" x 12" w/ frame
$175

Setting 7

Lyricist from Bklyn

I painted this nearly 10 years ago. Although life is filled with contradictions, I have hella (a lot of) respect for this MC. The first 2 people who comment on this post with the title of one of his songs or even a name of one of his crew mates will win a hand drawn portrait (like this).