Ali's Art Adventures

I Hope October Isn't Too Cold This Year

2012-01-29T13:09:00.001-05:00

i like his outfit. maybe i'll dress up as a snowman for halloween this year. i wonder if people will know what i am when i wear nothing but a top hat and scarf to parties.

I'm a Pro at Interpreting Bear-Duck Body Language

2012-01-28T14:30:00.000-05:00

the bear is the dominant one in this relationship because his hand is on top. also because he has fangs.

Maybe Throw in a Little Fire Breathing, Too

2012-01-27T17:21:00.000-05:00

a guy wanted me to paint him as a pegasus. it wasn't until the painting was done and i had to create a filename for the photo that i realized this wasn't just a pegasus. this is a half pegasus, half human which makes it a pegasus centaur. he should have asked for a horn on his head to add in unicorn and create a trifecta of crazyawesome.

Just Out of the Humidor

2012-01-26T11:45:00.000-05:00

he's sniffing it like a fine cigar.

Seated Hygiene

2012-01-25T11:16:00.000-05:00

this painting is inaccurate because pandas like to brush their teeth sitting down.

Mr. Mistoffelees, Skimbleshanks, Grizabella and Rumpelteazer

2012-01-24T10:42:00.001-05:00

i believe this is the cover of the playbill from cats.

So Revolutionary That I Didn't Know What It Was

2012-01-23T11:20:00.000-05:00

wikipedia says:

The transistor is the fundamental building block of modern electronic devices, and is ubiquitous in modern electronic systems. Following its release in the early 1950s the transistor revolutionized the field of electronics.

revolutionary. i can't believe i've only been asked to paint it once.

Dolls for Boys

2012-01-22T11:49:00.000-05:00

destro might be threatening until you realize he's only 12 inches tall.

Until Someone Requests the Same Thing

2012-01-21T12:28:00.001-05:00

this fire-head, balloon girl is on the cover of the album "On Letting Go" by the band Circa Survive. i don't know if i did it justice because the album illustration is really gorgeous. well, according to the band's sales there are over 51,000 copies of that illustration. at least this painting's got "one and only" going for it.

Everyone Should Get the Call Once a Day

2012-01-20T11:02:00.001-05:00

duty. hee hee! this painting needs yesterday's painting for after the call of duty.

Needs a Side of Eggs

2012-01-19T11:16:00.000-05:00

the orange background makes it seem more like halloween night ammo.

My Art Won't Make You Dumber

2012-01-18T13:11:00.000-05:00

this painting is more entertaining than 90% of what's on television. i suggest you stare at this for 30 minutes rather than anything on MTV. except Jersey Shore. now that's entertainment! just kidding. but not really.

This Guy Is Dangerous

2012-01-17T11:08:00.002-05:00

ahh!! run! he could kill someone with that second hand smoke!

One Quarter Finished

2012-01-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

i'm past the 15 song mark on my daily music video releases! if you haven't been following the 60 Days of Drinking, i'm releasing a new live video for one of my 60 power hour songs every day and writing about it. make sure you haven't missed any by using the photo montage of me doing stupid things below!

Cheese

2012-01-16T11:10:00.000-05:00

the reference image for this [below] belongs on a dog version of awkwardfamilyphotos.com.

i don't know why this little portrait is happening on a black backdrop but i made an improvement to it.

Realistic Imaginary Character

2012-01-15T12:25:00.000-05:00

this is a character from "masters of the universe". the requester asked for more realism than my usual cartoonish style hence there are no black lines and a more voluminous look.

Blood Is Required for All Vertebrates and Flaming Weaponry

2012-01-14T14:11:00.001-05:00

someone requested a "fire sword (blood optional)". i say, "blood necessary!"

I Didn't Set Up a Still Life for This One

2012-01-13T10:38:00.001-05:00

i'm imagining this in real life. like, a real heart. maybe it's a cow's so it's slightly less offensive. and it's floating through the air held up by enough helium balloons to support it. dripping. the strings precariously wrapped around flesh. good thing i made it cute.

That's Deep

2012-01-12T11:06:00.000-05:00

the three things in this painting are nowhere in the title. they are just devices to suggest the title.

The Next Photo Isn't So Calm

2012-01-11T11:31:00.001-05:00

lion's thoughts: just take the photo so i can eat
giraffe's thoughts: just take the photo so i can run

Next Comes a Bonk on the Head

2012-01-10T12:09:00.000-05:00

the bat seems like it's looking down looming over the ball while the ball is looking away unsuspectingly.

I Always Wear Mine to the Bar

2012-01-09T11:01:00.000-05:00

helmets ensure safe drinking.

Tomorrow I'll Probably Think It's a Glove Again

2012-01-08T12:10:00.000-05:00

when i painted this i was going for a baseball glove. but now it's looking more like a baseball mitt.

French Guys are Hot

2012-01-07T10:47:00.004-05:00

is he single? because i'm looking to marry into royalty. plus he'll have to say yes because he won't find anyone else shorter than him.

And the Kangaroo Plans on Eating the Shark

2012-01-06T10:43:00.000-05:00

strangely enough, the shark's name is Skippy and the kangaroo's name is Jaws.

People Like My Handwriting

2012-01-05T12:06:00.001-05:00

what the heck? i've gotten six paintings with text on them in the past 3 weeks. and the guy that wanted Kanye Gay Fish asked me to write "Motha F****** Gay Fish" on it after i had finished. i usually do everything the requester asks. this was the first time i really just put my foot down and decided i wouldn't create exactly what he wanted because:

1) i'm uncomfortable having an un-bleeped f word in my gallery
2) i was already done with the painting
3) i don't like having text on my free paintings

this project already makes me feel like i'm making dorm posters or cheap crafts similar to door hangers or greeting cards. and somehow adding text seems to magnify that feeling for me. anyway, i'm sure jenny 'n' nathan are in love with each other and with this painting and they will be together forever and it was important that i write their names out. at least it isn't a pet portrait.

Influential Artwork

2012-01-04T10:31:00.000-05:00

this is the last of the three kitchen paintings. i wonder if they'll subconsciously influence the owner to cook with more peppers, garlic and cheese.

Adding More Senses to My Art

2012-01-03T11:44:00.000-05:00

the guy that wanted "pepper on a cutting board" decided he needed two more commissions for his kitchen. this garlic is the first of those. i feel like the painting should smell like what it's depicting. maybe i'll rub it with garlic before i mail it.

Every Painting for this Whole Year Has Been About Me

2012-01-02T10:50:00.001-05:00

this one goes with yesterday's. my friend wanted a couple of paintings about me so she also requested a pair of mismatched shoes in black and gold. they're black and gold because i'm from pittsburgh and they're mismatched because i've been mismatching my shoes for 7 years now. yes, that's right. every time i buy shoes i get two pairs of the same kind in different colors. i'm quite glad my career is in an industry where i can continue to do this into my young professional-hood.

The First Day of 2012 Gets a Painting About Me

2012-01-01T12:12:00.000-05:00

a friend of mine is amassing a collection of art from all of her friends. she wanted my logo along with another painting, the subject of which i will not discuss lest i ruin the surprise for tomorrow.

You Like the Daily Art? Try the Daily Drinking Songs!

2011-12-31T12:47:00.003-05:00

tomorrow is the beginning of 2012 as well as my 60 Days of Drinking! "what's that", you ask? why it's only 60 days of insight into my genius (and drunkenness). check out my power hour site for details.

yeah, i guess i like posting one thing a day.

Not Gonna Happen

2011-12-31T11:32:00.000-05:00

this is based on the south park episode where they call kanye west a gay fish. within one day of that episode airing, kanye posted on his blog that it was funny, although it hurt his feelings. i hope kanye blogs about my painting.

The Art Is a Lie

2011-12-30T11:55:00.002-05:00

this is a fictitious cake from the video game known as portal. when you're solving puzzles in portal, you are encouraged to keep going with the promise of cake. once you've gotten far enough in the game, you see scrawls on the wall from past puzzle solvers saying "the cake is a lie". now the phrase "the cake is a lie" is used to express the sentiment that "your promised reward is merely a fictitious motivator".

VLW Traps Don't Even Need Bait

2011-12-29T11:24:00.000-05:00

the bear is exhausted from tending to his giant roses all day and avoiding the bear trap.

Evolved

2011-12-28T11:32:00.000-05:00

he's lighter and sleeker without that cumbersome front right leg.

Infinity Ball, Corner Pocket

2011-12-27T14:45:00.000-05:00

good thing i was asked to write the word "eight" on this one because some people may have mistaken it for the infinity ball.

Collaborative Art and a Nativity Rabbit

2011-12-26T12:28:00.000-05:00

sorry i forgot to post yesterday. something distracted me. i think. yeah i know something was going on yesterday that stole my attention. whatever it was, i'm posting yesterday's with today's.

i can't believe i encouraged writing on my artwork. i tried. i tried to get this requester to tell me a name before i finished but they still hadn't decided. now i have clearly invited someone to mark my work. i'm imagining them using a bic pen.

this was christmas day's painting. were there bunnies in the manger?

You're Welcome, Rodents

2011-12-24T14:06:00.000-05:00

this is what's happening in my apartment right now. i'm home for the holidays so the rats are all out of hiding, having a christmas eve party and drinking my beer.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve

2011-12-23T12:43:00.001-05:00

tomorrow night's holiday dinner?

Probably a Memorial Painting

2011-12-22T10:54:00.000-05:00

i'm back! and i had a very happy birthday.

this guy is a character in the video game called StarCraft. according to a wiki about the game, these marines "tend to have extremely short combat lives". so this dude was just made to die.

This Art Has Repeating Elements

2011-12-16T19:05:00.003-05:00

this is my last post until i'm one year older. i'm going to NYC for the weekend to celebrate my birthday! be back next week.

uses of the word "love": 2
number of hearts: 3
commas: 2

I Once Met a Level 18 Sculptor

2011-12-15T23:52:00.011-05:00

this is what all the art majors at my school had. they used them to hang all the keys they owned from their hips. the more keys you had, the more powerful of an artist you were. it was like a video game where you could proudly display your achievement level.

Delicious Painting

2011-12-15T01:58:00.000-05:00

my server calmed and came to it's senses. a couple of hours too late, but it's ok. i'm just happy we're friends again.

this is for a lion named aria. zebra is her favorite food.

Server Fail

2011-12-14T20:57:00.000-05:00

i'm posting on time! but my server is being poopy and won't let me connect to it. so i have a painting for you but i have no way of showing it :( hopefully my piece of the internet will stop being mad at me before midnight so i can upload.

A Late Post and an Extra Late Post

2011-12-14T01:57:00.000-05:00

gah! i forgot to post on monday and i'm late posting for tuesday. here are two. today's is coming later.

someone wanted the scariest zombie i could imagine. i'm glad i get to give this one away.

talking dogs sound a lot like talking robots. maybe it's because they use the same voice actor.

I Just Didn't Want to Use a Brownish-Green

2011-12-11T11:01:00.000-05:00

this is vietnam. artistic liberties were taken. the real one isn't yellow and red striped.

Gravity Goes Up in This Painting

2011-12-11T00:48:00.001-05:00

sorry i'm late to post today. i may still be nursing a hangover from this.

she must be in china.

Just a Friendly Beating

2011-12-09T12:59:00.000-05:00

a dude wanted me to paint him punching his friend. also the dude wanted to be wearing a hunting hat.

What About Daughterflowers?

2011-12-08T16:40:00.000-05:00

sexist plant.

Good Art Raises So Many Questions

2011-12-06T17:45:00.002-05:00

what is going on here? is the turtle dead? is it some angel turtle that's come back to speak to mr. squirrel and mrs. wolf? is the turtle dive bombing for some delicious squirrel and wolf meat? what is the koopa paratroopa doing with a couple of less-fantastical animals? is the squirrel giant or are the wolf and winged turtle babies?

Ali Spagnola & the Internet Conquest (Volume 1)

2011-12-05T16:38:00.001-05:00

i watched this movie last week. it made me wish my life was more like a comic book.

Romeo and Juliet

2011-12-04T12:32:00.001-05:00

the feud has gone on as long as anyone can remember. norths just don't mix with souths. but when these two creatures from different ends of the earth came together, they discovered how much they had in common. sure, they didn't see eye to eye literally, but figuratively was a whole different story. thus began their forbidden love.

I Got an A+ In Color Mixing

2011-12-03T17:16:00.000-05:00

thank goodness i went to art school. i acquired the skills i needed to know every color of the rainbow when requested.

At Least Now I Know It's Not French

2011-12-02T16:23:00.000-05:00

google translate tells me that "porsche" is german for "porsche".

I Wonder If Warhol Ever Got Free Soup from Campbell's

2011-12-01T16:03:00.000-05:00

this is a free painting of the logo for a brewing company. i know there's a "free as in beer" joke in there somewhere.

More Like 300 Horses

2011-11-30T17:50:00.000-05:00

when is a mustang not a horse?

Not Getting Wet Is a Motivator

2011-11-29T17:01:00.000-05:00

he's a really good sailor because he hates water so much.

Two Penguins Were Harmed During the Making of This Painting

2011-11-28T15:17:00.000-05:00

professional penguins on a closed course. do not try this at home.

Get Smashed with Me!

2011-11-28T12:35:00.004-05:00

come to my power hour drinking game concert next week! i'll be playing 60 one-minute songs at Diesel in Pittsburgh and the audience will be drinking 60 shots! it's the CD release party for The Power Hour Album. check out more info about the event on facebook.

Friday, Dec. 9th
The Power Hour Album CD release party
Diesel Club Lounge Pittsburgh, PA
$5 cover
Doors open at 9:00 - The first shot is at 10:00

Dumb Question and a Dumb Pun

2011-11-27T11:42:00.001-05:00

the holiday weekend made me forget to post so here are two today.

the giraffe is scared all the time. and the panda speaks very straightforwardly. get it? yellow. black and white. hah!

is the helmet law for all primates or just homo sapiens?

The Head of the Household Is Exactly the Same Throughout All Time

2011-11-25T17:33:00.000-05:00

here's homer simpson drinking a beer. no wait, it's peter griffin. . . . er, ralph kramden?

Sorry, I Don't Control the Timing of the Requests

2011-11-24T11:55:00.000-05:00

happy thanksgiving. here's a halloween themed painting!

You Don't Even Have to Be Doing a Power Hour, Though It's Recommended.

2011-11-23T10:37:00.000-05:00

it's the biggest drinking night of the year. you should drunk text me while you're out partying! check out The 27th Shot website for more info.

Tomorrow I Have No Work and Get to Eat a Lot!

2011-11-23T10:23:00.000-05:00

here's some coral reef. . . yep. . . mmm hmm. . . you know what. it's bon jovi friday. i am completely checked out.

Shot Glass USB Is a Thing

2011-11-22T15:36:00.002-05:00

i made a video about my recently released Shot Glass USB. check it outtttt.

Thomas the Tank Is Washed Up

2011-11-22T15:33:00.000-05:00

in my day, sentient trains were live action.

Money Made of Free Paintings

2011-11-21T16:59:00.000-05:00

a guy i know who is awesome/nerdy wrote a computer program to create mosaics out of all my free paintings! i suggested something money related to be ironic and he chose euros because they're colorful. look how cool it turned out!

The Other Other White Meat

2011-11-21T16:50:00.000-05:00

ad design for a rabbit steak company.

The Things We Do For Fashion

2011-11-20T11:32:00.000-05:00

this season's hot look: purple tie with aviators. also, no head.

The Naked Ones Need to Be Extra Careful with That Open Flame

2011-11-19T12:27:00.001-05:00

this could be a series. just a bunch of famous statues drankin' and smokin'.

Some Musicians

2011-11-18T19:30:00.001-05:00

i hear they're a big deal. though i've painted them an equal number of times as jesus.

Important Question

2011-11-17T17:48:00.000-05:00

he really wants to know.

Portable X-Ray Machine vs. C-Arm

2011-11-16T16:15:00.000-05:00

giving your opponent cancer is fighting dirty.

House Is Staring at You

2011-11-15T17:29:00.001-05:00

house is sticking out its tongue.

Whhhhhisk

2011-11-15T00:03:00.004-05:00

noooo! three minutes late to post. too bad i can't be whisked away back in time to yesterday. hah!

whisk. what a weird word. whisk. you most definitely have to say it with the "h". whisk. hee hee.

Vikings Are Above the Rules

2011-11-13T12:08:00.000-05:00

that rule about not running with scissors should also include axes.

Meta Free

2011-11-12T19:33:00.000-05:00

this is a free painting of a character from a free video game.

You Sunk My Side Dish

2011-11-11T16:03:00.001-05:00

this is how giant sea creatures play with their food.

Would Probably Be Unconfortable on Either

2011-11-10T17:44:00.000-05:00

i can't tell if this is the right or left shoe.

Meme Coincidence

2011-11-09T17:18:00.001-05:00

this is a cat eating spaghetti. i thought the request was a reference to this amazing meme:

but it was not. it is merely a request from a guy for his girlfriend who likes cats and spaghetti. she also likes oreos as you can see by the side dish.

More Than Three Objects Means the Requester Has No Emotional Connection

2011-11-08T16:28:00.002-05:00

back from vegas! back to painting!

that's the genie from aladdin driving a stagecoach pulled by a herd of yodas chasing a viking robot riding a rainbow-trailed unicorn. i suspect this was not requested because someone actually wanted it. it was merely made as absurd as possible for the sake of being absurd. also, it's in space.

The Tradition Continues

2011-10-31T15:32:00.000-04:00

my mother and i have gone on an annual trip to vegas 1, 2, 3, 4 times now. this week will be our 5th! i must take a break from painting to go hang out in a desert. i'll be back soon!

It's a Rental

2011-10-31T15:25:00.000-04:00

today's painting is a dog. in a bear costume. happy halloween!

Pfact

2011-10-30T14:12:00.000-04:00

pterodactyls can't pronounce P's.

Green Hates White

2011-10-29T17:52:00.000-04:00

this is either the green power ranger kicking gandalf or gandalf getting kicked by the green power ranger. i'm not sure who's the star of the painting.

Making Barney Look Like a Genius

2011-10-28T16:12:00.001-04:00

this guy is teaching kids horrible spelling mistakes. a few from the most recent movie alone:

gon = gone
tael = tail
hunny = honey
bizy = busy

Sweetness Over Safety

2011-10-27T17:16:00.000-04:00

these would be the coolest pets ever. totally worth the constant concern that they'd set your house on fire.

Not So Recent News

2011-10-26T23:56:00.004-04:00

a skull. appropriate for the season. though it's not like my paintings correlate with the seasons considering my wait list is now 1103 people. if you requested a topical painting about the beijing summer olympics, i'll be getting to it soon.

High Art

2011-10-25T17:31:00.000-04:00

this request was the result of "the best 'shrooms ever". it is two lions coming together to make a yin yang. clearly, to fully experience this painting, the viewer should be on 'shrooms to look at it. i bet the requester will "fully experience" this painting once he gets it in the mail.

One Less But They're Still Thrilled About It

2011-10-24T16:13:00.001-04:00

the requester asked for a high five but (don't tell him!) this is actually a high four.

Mommy and Daughter

2011-10-23T14:49:00.002-04:00

this was requested by a daughter for her mom. usually people's sappy request stories don't get to me but i really liked this one. the girl's mom had to move to singapore and it was tough on them. the girl got a chance to go visit her mom and this type of flower, frangipani, were everywhere in singapore. frangipani became a theme of the visit and now these flowers have a personal meaning for them. the two flowers in the painting represent the two of them.

Plush and Alive

2011-10-22T21:23:00.000-04:00

the only thing cooler than a pet portrait is a stuffed animal portrait. this is both. the dog is based on a living creature and the shark is based on a stuffed animal.

He Also Eats Honey

2011-10-21T16:23:00.000-04:00

this is a bunnybee. i was going to save this to post on the 31st since we're so close to halloween but i decided not to because then i would have to say that this bunny is wearing a bee costume. or perhaps that it is a bee wearing a bunny mask and shoes. but that is not the case. this is a crazy hybrid creature with both bee and bunny parts.

The Reaper Is Following Those Bridesmaids

2011-10-20T15:37:00.001-04:00

no, this is not another bridesmaid painting. (though it would be funny if i accidentally sent this instead of one of the beach depictions.) i got through all of the paintings for those ladies and was happy to get back to my usual style but this guy came next. the requester wanted it "as grimdark (adj.) as you can." so that means no cute characters in bright colors. here are reapers one through three for comparison:

Immortalizing All Those Great Meals

2011-10-19T16:49:00.000-04:00

today is the last of the painting series for the bridesmaids. it's some restaurant outside of pittsburgh. i imagine it's going to the one bridesmaid that didn't quite fit in her dress as nicely as the others.

Excuse for Boozing

2011-10-18T18:45:00.000-04:00

this is a bar in pittsburgh known as the garage door saloon. i've passed it many times but never actually gone in. i should have drank there as research for this painting.

Most Likely The Correct Garden of Boston

2011-10-17T16:31:00.000-04:00

apparently boston public garden is different than boston garden. good thing i painted the right one. i think.

The Existence of the Act of Camping Confuses Me

2011-10-16T15:05:00.000-04:00

i like roofs and bathrooms. i guess some people don't.

Beach Barter

2011-10-15T15:45:00.001-04:00

there are two beach paintings in this series for a group of bridesmaids. i hope the two that got them liked their version and wouldn't rather have had the other girl's beach. maybe they were both jealous, recognized each other's coveting and traded.

Bridesmaid's Beach

2011-10-14T14:28:00.002-04:00

this is the first of six paintings outside of my usual style. they're all commissioned by a soon-to-be bride for her bridesmaids and they're all of locations that have a sentimental meaning for them. i think it's a cute idea for the bride to give something so personalized. she should have gotten one for every person that attended.