Winston Takes a Coffee Break

“Stipple Winston” ✍🏼 Art by Dan Victor.

This was a special one. Stippling technique with a coffee wash. I used coffee often as a cheap form of water color in art school. I was smoking Winston’s at the time. I have been quit for 8 years. This drawing was done more recently.

I loved coffee when I was in college. I still do like coffee a whole bunch, but not like then. I would chain-smoke cigarettes and bottomless cups of joe at the 24-hour dinner. There was always a diner around. At Kutztown, it was the Airport Diner, aka the APD. In my home town it was the Budd Lake Diner, 24/7 and a block away from my house. I have eaten there more than any other place. Minimum once a week.

I would also draw in the sketchbook so I had something to do by myself besides read. Killed lots of time like that. No wonder I started using the coffee as water color, and the smokes as charcoal. As a fan of mixed media, I liked the idea of ‘cheap art’. Something accessible, yet still of high quality.

I just love creatures, patterns and robots, so look for more. Follow me on all the things. I am always curating content on my socials. Take a look at the Tshirts I make. Stipple Wilson will make it to one of these shirts soon.

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Cookie Monster Learns Office Skills

via GIPHY

This blob, looking a little like Cookie Monster, is a good representation of how I have been lately. Non-stop editing, shaping and refining the Dan Victor experience. There is a lot to get done before even going live, or writing this. Just so many buttons to click.

Low Profile “Pattern LP” >> Graphic T-Shirt • Unisex Short-Sleeve • Black & Navy

Painting of Ben Eating

“Nephew Ben Eats A Pretzel” 🎨 by Dan Victor. ✍🏼 36 x 24″ – Ink, graphite, watercolor on paper. There is a wild story behind this one. I was in the ER with a broken hand the night before Christmas eve…⁣⠀

This is Ben and he is so much like me it is scary. Creative child and very talented. I wanted to spark imagination, so I drew a perspective of Ben in black and white, to contrast with the colorful background of creatures you might find in “Where the Wild Things Are”.⁣⠀

Detail 1

I wanted to do something special for my brother @jasonvictor and his family. He is always taking pictures of his boys so I thought an ambitious piece a week before Christmas was a good idea. That’s up for debate.⁣⠀

The real world is juxtaposed upon the imaginary. I was very inspired by the Piers Anthony ‘Adept’ series. #Juxtapose was the first book, I think. About a world of science on top of a world of magic, taking up the same space. Great book. This painting is to show what is possible.⁣

Detail 2

I am happy about how it turned out now, but at the time I was #underthegun to get it done. I had to leave for my parents house in #NewJersey the next day and it wasn’t done to my standards & put a lot of pressure on myself. Wouldn’t you do the same? Come on, right?⁣⠀

I suddenly realized I had gone to dark with my cross-hatching because I was working on the floor. I so got frustrated. I thought I ruined it. Threw water on it to pull it up with a paper towel. Got frantic and I punched the floor. Oh crap, what did I just do?⁣⠀

Detail 3

So when I arrived to NJ with the painting, my hand had swollen up to grapefruit size and my knuckle had been pushed back in what is known as a boxing fracture.⁣⠀

When Christmas morning came and my nephew tore the wrapping paper off the frame, I thought… I broke my hand for my art. Who can say that?⁣⠀

Detail 4

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NYC is the Best Model

You need to love where you live. And you know what they say about NYC, if you can make it here, then you’re good. Bushwick is my home, but the city is where I reside. I have always documented my life and creations. Instagram has become a great outlet to share those photos of my journey. It’s a chance to really connect with an audience that actually wants to see your art. Whenever I have a moment that offers a new perspective on my life, I once again become conscious of the fact I’m living in New York City. I have found people crave to experience the unique flavor that being here provides.

Then I get to thinking. It brings up memories of when I was in high school, I dreamt of living in The Village. I wanted to go to a school where I could compete in a stimulating, creative environment. At the time, all I knew about the city was Washington Square Park and Alamo, the giant cube you can spin on Astor Place. It was close the to the NJ PATH train. Being from New Jersey, it was all I knew.

I applied to Parsons New School because I believed it would be the place I could find myself. The city would give me an endless supply of inspiration. I ended up going to Kutztown University, all the way in Pennsylvania, almost the opposite direction, but I never regretted my decision. Things happen in their own time. I have no loans and I lucked out with terrific professors. The piers I studied with were very talented and offered the kind of artistic competition I desired. For me, it set the standard which still guides me today. But I always wondered, “What if I had?”.

After jumping around the country, Philadelphia to San Diego, I came back east to my roots. The city called me, and I started building. Moved to Brooklyn in 2006 and met so many interesting people along the way. Creating, especially your life, is a never ending process. It is also a precious gift. After 13 years, I definitively consider myself a New Yorker.

I am sharing a few of my Instagram posts of places I have photographed in the city. Perhaps it will motivate you to follow your dreams or come to the conclusion NYC is the only place for you to be.

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Dan on Cheddar TV

📡 For full interviews of Dan on Cheddar TV🎸

📼 Compilation of Dan Victor’s interviews as a guest on Cheddar News. Broadcast live from their studios at the New York Stock Exchange & Flatiron building. Hosts included Kristen Scholer, Baker Machado, Brad Smith, Tim Stenovec with topics covering The Emmy’s, HBO, MTV, VMAs, Netflix, Star Wars, Amazon, Streaming, Stranger Things, Stephen King, Katie Perry, Miley Cyrus and more.

⚡️While Dan was the editor in-chief of Popdust, he developed & produced “Popdust Presents”, a weekly show featuring artist interviews and un-plugged performances. It streamed live to the Popdust Facebook audience of 500K.