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He’s a Cal grad. His roommate at art school? Thomas Kinkade.
They wrote this book together and James is still around living in upstate New York, but Kinkade developed addiction issues and is already passed away some years ago.
I was really enjoying his chat with the Bancroft brothers on their animation podcast, and didn’t realize what a master illustrator he is.
And then they brought up Dinotopia which I remember my college friend Ben Chandler being crazy for.
And then he told his backstory of the rails, and it blew my mind. 2 bucks for a portrait. 7.50 for a picture of your house. Sleeping out of backpacks in the craziest places.
And then I found out he was coming to visit work, so I bought a copy of the new remastered book.
I’ve been carrying my sketchbook and markers and stuff around every day since I started my new job, and hearing him online was so inspiring, I couldn’t wait to hear him speak.
Anyways smash cut to work and he and his wife and Kinkade’s widow are at a table selling the new book and his art is up on easels all around.
I just made the cutoff to get a signed book before his talk, but the new book hadn’t arrived yet.
I got an autograph in my sketchbook.
And his talk was so good. He went though working on backgrounds for a rotoscoped animated film ? Fire and Ice ? And you can hear a different version of that story on the Bancroft Brother’s pod.
Really glad I got to meet and be inspired by this old time legend of illustration, buy his book, meet his spouse and friend, and reconsider my relationship to my practice.
What’s inside this book anyways?
Glossy thick color photo pages of different drawings. Photos of technique practices. Frameworks for starting and improving a sketch as you go.
From a survivor and graduate of cal and art center. A master of markers and gouache painting. Who can draw from life and add his own fantastical fantasy stuff.
Practical advice on plein air painting and dealing with your kit and spectators. Whether to sit or stand. What friendly places and people are. Ideas for knocking on doors.
And drawing methods.
Anyways if you made it this far, you can buy the book from him directly.
His family is stuffing envelopes.
https://jamesgurney.com/products/the-artists-guide-to-sketching
And you can hear some of his stories with these grown men who are also his fans.
There might be a YouTube of this
