coloured in photoshop

Test illustrations of some of my line drawings coloured in photoshop

Walking in the Cotton

Walking in the Cotton
dave chapman

We were having a goodbye party for the children of Los Algodones with cake, juice, balloons and videos when I was astonished to see Jasien walk in all by himself assisted by a cane. I wish you could have seen my face, I think my chin bounced off the floor.
I had been giving Jasien therapy for months, he was born with Cerebral Palsy and he had been given an operation to correct his misshapen leg but he had never walked before.

the Dream
8x10" Oil on canvas Painted this several years ago. I was trying to capture a night sky. There is a figure (side view) in the foreground resting on a large upturned hand. It was painted as a reminder to myself that I and all my dreams are in the hand of my Heavenly Father. I find I have to keep reminding myself of this so I keep this painting where I can glance at it from time to time.

New Pen and Ink drawings

I have been doing some very basic sketches in ink lately.  I really like the freedom to create something out of nothing.  Just an idea drawn out in pencil and inked.  Playing with the composition, contrasts and textures created by black line on white paper.   To create something interesting using simple ideas.  

“Ship”  Sometimes my life feels like it's at the mercy of whatever way the wind happens to be blowing.  I guess this is true for everyone.  This is just a sketch I did to express my frustration.

“Dr. Bob’s Three Legged Dominican Dog”  We went up and down the road to Los Algodones at least twice a day carrying people to clinics and every now and then women in labour.  We would visit Dr Bobs clinic twice a week and arrive home at the village in the dark.  Navigating the road was sometimes a challenge as the water level of the river we had to cross would often put out our headlights and we would drive almost blind and mostly by memory.

This is a pen and ink drawn from memory.  I've added one of Dr Bobs adopted three legged dogs in the background. (can you find it?)  On one of our last trips we weren't quite fast enough and Sandy had to deliver a baby in the back of our Jeep.  ( That only happened once)

So good to know we were in God's hands through all of this and that He gave us the strength to do what we had to.

“the Car”  We had the use of a little "Jeepetta" as they call it in the Dominican.  We drove it every day transporting the villagers to clinics and hospital.   There were times when we had more than 12 people in it if you count the babies (it's made for 4)  Driving at night in the D.R. was a real challenge because the primary vehicle used by the locals who can afford it is a motorcycle.  They would ride on the side of the road with no lights at night and spotting them took Sandy (my wife) leaning out the window and saying "I think I see something,  oh yes its a bike"

“Haiti”  It was so hard to watch the news about the earthquake in Haiti.  So many of our friends are from there.  It was also disturbing to see the money being thrown at the problems with so little understanding of the situation.  The problems facing Haiti are going to take a long time to overcome but from what I know of the people they are equal to the task if only they could be given the resources locally.  My heart breaks for Haiti.

To the Moon

Carved and painted stick.

Originally it was just going to be the man in the moon but I added the space walking astronaut as an after thought and then of coarse I had to add the tiny earth at the other end.

Learning to Walk

There are days it feels as though we stand before a chasm,

one foot outstretched.  

But its the other days that leave me unsettled now.

For isn't every day uncertain, except for God?

Looking back I shudder, at all the years spent, foot outstretched.

Unaware.

Today, Thanks to God, I walk, eyes on my Savior.  

I look away, I fall.  

Looking up, there's His hand reaching down.

Anything in Jesus Name

Oh how my heart aches

as I think of my home.

Those whom inhabit my memories,

voices that walked with me through the Cotton.

Was I asleep, living a dream, thin as tissue paper?

Am I awake now?  My soul bleeds, scabs torn off. 

Oh God I cry out for those I love.  I plead.

Have you not said I can ask anything in Jesus name?

stick carving (The Challenge)

My friend Glen gave me a very interesting stick recently.
Being very long and narrow with lots of interesting natural knots and twists of the grain, it provided me with a quite a unique carving challenge.

Well, here it is Glen.

Love (I Guess this one is for Valentines Day)

Feb.7, 2010  Sunday

I wasn't going to post this writing.  Perhaps I thought some might think me crazy or just weird and flaky (but I should be used to that by now)
Something told me this vision was intended for more than just me.

Today, in church, as we sang praises to God, I closed my eyes and saw a multitude stretching out as far as the natural eye could see and beyond.  They were all singing one song. A song of praise to God.  As the sound rose each individual could be clearly heard.  each persons voice was clear and yet all blended together perfectly.   The most extraordinary thing I have ever heard.  And the Holy Spirit told me what it was.  The sound rising up to the throne of God was composed of individual acts of Love.  Millions upon millions.  Love rising up.  That was what I was witnessing.  Each unique, each a gift.  Each singer a frail human spirit with it's own broken beauty.  I wish I could paint that picture.  I'll hold it in my heart, a promise.  But it was not some time in the far distant future, some fantasy land far off.  I see it clearly.  It is now.

Moon Kiss

Several years ago I painted a version of this painting as a gift for my wife Sandy. (It is currently on loan to her son) It has gotten so much interest that I decided to paint a series based on the original. (I rarely paint a painting twice) To date I have painted two versions besides the original. "Moon Kiss" and "Moon Kiss (Aurora Borealis)".  

This one is oil on canvas and 8x8x3 inches deep. (it also makes a handy 

little shelf for my carved self portrait, I think I might keep it)

Moon Kiss

Moon Kiss (Aurora Borealis)

Oil on Canvas 9x12"

Lorison's Garden

There is an older gentleman from Los Algodones that I used to see working his garden plot on a daily basis.  (out behind the clinic where the new houses are now being built)  He would often came and give Sandy and myself a wide smile and a hug and shake his finger at us while laughing.  In particular I remember his hands, they showed the marks of years of hard labour and where like iron when he shook my hand.  His name is "Lorison" and this is a painting of him.  I call it "Lorison's Garden"