Anyone who reads this blog or knows me also knows that I'm kind of a groupie for artist Dorian Vallejo. I'm happy to say he is a good friend of mine, so it isn't simply a case of me being a fan-boy creeper who would randomly appear at his door after work to talk and... wait no, that's exactly what I did :P
Anyway, the Christmas season is upon us and as such there are only a couple weeks left before the exchanging of gifts between friends and loved ones. For anyone who loves art or knows an art lover, especially figurative, then I highly recommend Dorian's book "Drawings Inspired by Life." The book has high quality images of his life drawings, from quick ink sketches to more fully realized drawings in mixed media. He captures the human form with an entirely unique vision that, above all else, speaks volumes of his love for the craft and his subject. Having drawn with him and watched his process, I can also add that he likes to have fun with his experimentations.
Buy the book for yourself, a friend, family, or the homeless guy down the street whose always talking about that time he and Michelangelo snuck into a church basement to do dissections. For a really special treat I would recommend getting the special edition and he'll personalize it with a one-of-a-kind drawing. Click on the image below to visit the book site and order.