Johnny Dombrowski

Reel Life (Process)

Johnny Dombrowski

I’ve been working on this here and there for a while now but finally had some time to finish it. The original idea stemmed from the notion that, seemingly innocent apps like Vine are being rated +17 because of a “human error” of posting vast amounts of pornography. Even to the the extent where the six second clips of sex were making it to “Editor’s Pick.” It’s a new form of media, so people can and therefore will, like wolves gorging down food, never knowing when the next meal will be within their grasp.

Now, of course sex or wanting sex isn’t bad. It’s completely natural and, well… good. Then again, because sex sells and always has, it’s all over the place. Being surrounded by sexual imagery in tv, movies, advertising- everywhere, makes us very accustom to it and eventually convince people to expect it around every corner. At the drop of a hat. With familiarity comes de-sensitivity and a need to continuously up the ante in a way.

So what I’m worried about, and wanted to illustrate in a noir/pulp-ish way, was my fear of it becoming something as detached or blasé as the other means of social interaction or expectations we have these days. Where people view the world entirely through a screen, with glazed over eyes. Where this “Reel Life” takes over and they begin to fancy it more than reality. Even when there’s a woman or man sitting in their lap and all they’re interested in is the next raunchy update or scene. I’m sure it won’t take over entirely, though. I hope not.

I would quit everything online if I didn’t use it for networking and promoting my illustrations. Except Tumblr, of course. You’re cool…

…What are you doing tonight? 

Reel Life Johnny Dombrowski

Reel Life

Johnny Dombrowski

Star Trek | Into Darkness

Johnny Dombrowski

Blurppy just released their Artist Project #2 for Star Trek Into Darkness. I’m very lucky to be in good company with a group of absolutely amazing artists! If you haven’t seen the others yet, you should definitely check them out:

http://blurppy.com/2013/05/13/exclusive-blurppy-artist-project-2-paramount-j-j-abrams-sci-fi-adventure-star-trek-into-darkness/

The scene of Kirk and Bones running through that red forest was just too good to pass up. It’s like an artist’s dream with all of those strong primary colors. 

Celestial Spheres

Celestial Spheres

Prints are now available! For anyone interested, I’ve signed up for Inprnt and some of my work is now available as fancy schmancy prints. Buy one or three if you’d like. Thanks and please spread the word! 

http://www.inprnt.com/gallery/jdombrowski/

Along with that, I’ve joined Behance! If anyone one wants to follow or appreciate me… go right ahead! I love being appreciated. I really appreciate it. 

http://www.behance.net/johnnydombrowski

I went to the MOMA today with a few friends. I split off from the rest of the group and started looking through the Minimalist work on the 4th floor, eventually stopping in a room with Richard Serra’s “Delineator.” Thinking it was just another piece I didn’t like, I was ready to move on until I read the label “Please feel free to step on the floor component of this work.” 

Go ahead. Step on it. Yes, you can read this again, but it’ll still say the same thing.

I walked up to the edge but didn’t do anything. Feeling this antsy suspense in my body, I physically could not step on it. No one else was there. No guards, no tourists, nothing. I took a step back and began to watch other visitors poke their heads in or even wander in to do the same thing. Walk up to the very edge… but not take that final step. I tried to play it cool, quietly laughing to myself, just waiting for that one person to take the leap I couldn’t. It was surprising at how many people walked in and around the piece without touching it. 

Finally, someone wandering on his own, like I was, walked up to the concrete and casually rubbed his right foot on the closest corner. My heart skipped a beat. I ran up to him laughing and joking, only then realizing he was French and couldn’t speak English fluently. I slowed down and pointed to the sign. We both laughed, walked up to the edge and stepped on it like we were testing the water in a pool, soon jumping in. Stomping all over it, like kids with nothing better to do.

Not sure if any of that was Serra’s intention, but the fact that it made me rethink about the way I approach art in a museum was worth the trip.

If anyone’s interested, you should check out and follow my instagram: http://instagram.com/jdombrowski

Though I post a few here and there- that’s where you can check out a lot of my sketches and even some of the process for my larger illustrations. Museum sketches, Things I’ve done to either warm or loosen up, etc. You get the idea. 

Pandora (Process)

Johnny Dombrowski

First of all, hello to new followers! I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that people are digging my work. Now on to business…

I’ve been thinking about posting more of my process on here, but with reblogs possible, I never wanted to cram posts with too much writing or images. So I figured I’ll post the final illustration and then a second post with more info about the piece later on. I’ll post whatever stages I have, so you can learn a little more about how I work.

With the urge to experiment more, I’ve started this year playing around with my technique a bit along with working on more concept. First with Chump and now this. I’m not sure what initially caused it, but I got this craving to draw Pandora. While reading through my copy of Bulfinch’s Mythology *pushes up glasses* and I came across an interesting take on her story…

Pandora was created by Zeus, not as a punishment to Prometheus for stealing fire, but as a blessing towards man. Every god in heaven contributed something to perfect her. Aphrodite gave her beauty, Hermes persuasion, Apollo music, etc. And instead of evils, each god also placed a blessing into a jar. Eager with curiosity, Pandora slipped off the cover to look inside, when all of the blessings started to escape. She tried to close the lid as quickly as possible, but was only able to keep hope from escaping. That’s why, whatever evils we come across, we’ll always have a sense of hope in our lives. 

Reading through her story, I didn’t see a box ever mentioned- only the jar. Turns out that box is a mistranslation! The original greek mentions it as a “pithos” or jar. But that was later translated to “pyxis” or box, by Eramus of Rotterdam in the 16th century. THANKS ERAMUS.

With the evils of the box gone, I tried my best to instead capture her curiosity. To try and get that peeking look, I used Alphonse Mucha’s photography as reference. Bending her back down, eye level with the jar, taking a quick look at the wonders waiting inside.

And now that I’ve talked your ears off, I’ll wait to see if you all want more of this. If you’d like to share just the image without all of this rambling, you can go to the original post 

And now whenever someone uses the phrase “It’s like opening Pandora’s Box” you can slap them across the face with a white glove. Even challenging them to a duel, if you’d like. I don’t care. It’s your glove- do what you want with it. It’s in your hands. Or should I say ON your hands! Do you get it? Because it’s a glove? You wear them on your h- ok I’m gonna get going.