Judd Boloker Art of Hawaii Blog

Last New Print of 2023 !

11/17/2023

Lamarck's Cowrie - Print Number 313

6One more print for the Sea Life series before wrapping up 2023! Lamarck's Cowrie is Print Number 313. Available now on this site and coming to stores soon . . . .

To get a sense of how much work is done with colored pencils vs. the added digital work, also please see the photo of the original drawing below.

To see the original shell and a to get a sense of the scale involved, please see below. My shell model is much, much smaller than the full-sized 24 x 36 inch drawing.

Original Drawing Before Digital Work

Size of the Original Shell

Next Lei Print

10/6/2023

Judd Boloker, Lei Print, Haku Print, Haku, Lei Poo, Lei Art, Haku Art, Hawaii Art

Yellow Orchid Haku - Print Number 179

The next new lei print has finally arrived. "Yellow Orchid Haku" will be available at shows and stores very soon (If you would like one sooner, please get in touch). Lots of details in this one . . . . . the computer work was especially tedious (but hopefully worth it). I'd like to give a special thank you to @hakusofaloha (Instagram) for allowing me to work with her amazing creation. FYI: Our next show will be at the Lanikai Craft Fair on November 18th.

Work in Progress (bottom layers only - before top layer of color was added):

New July Print: Textile Cone

7/20/2023

Judd Boloker Art, Textile Cone, Sea lIfe print, Shell print

Textile Cone - Print Number 312

The next shell of the Sea Life Series is "Textile Cone." Print Number 312 is now available on this site's store. The print will also be available at our next show (Made In Hawaii: August 18 - 20th) and will slowly make its way into stores. The shell is available in 24 x 26 inch full sized, very limited edition prints as well as smaller matted sizes of 18 x 24 (limited edition) and 11 x 14 (open edition).

Work in Progress:

Next New Print for Spring 2023

3/28/2023

Pink Plumeria Arc - Print Number 178

Staying with the Plumeria theme . . . . Pink Plumeria Arc is the latest print for 2023. Available at the next show (Lei Day in Kapiolani Park), on this site, and in stores soon.

Work in Progress:

Layers upon layers . . . .

First New Print of 2023

2/20/2023

Boloker, Plumeria, Plumeria Art, Plumeria Print, Oahuartist

Winding Yellow Plumeria - Print Number 177

Winding Yellow Plumeria - Print Number 177. Back to basics this year with the "dreaded" plumeria - a beautiful flower that is so elegantly simple, I find it really hard to draw. This is my fourth attempt over the years using yet another technique to try to better capture the plumeria's softness and subtlety.

Last Print of 2022 - Cryptospira Elegans

12/29/2022

Cryptospira Elegans Judd Boloker Shell Print

Cryptospira Elegans - Print Number 311

Continuing to work on the Sea Life Series - the 7th shell of the group (11th print of the folio). Cryptospira Elegans - Print Number 311. Available on our www.boloker.com store . . . . . and coming in 2023 to shows and stores. As always, the shells are available in 36 x 24 inch full sized limited edition prints as well as smaller sizes (18 x 24 and 11 x 14 matted).

Work in Progress:

People often ask how much of my work is traditionally hand drawn vs. digital work. To the right is the print as drawn by hand (as opposed to the final print above) before scanning. The shell prints tend to involve more digital work. This digital work (via Photoshop) allows for more color variation as well as techniques to bring different elements of the shell forward and backwards. The lei prints also involve some digital work, but not nearly to the same degree as the shells.

Another Sea Life Print - Orange Sea Urchin

12/3/2022

Orange Sea Urchin - Print Number 310

I've been playing around with this design since 2005 . . . . Finally feel satisfied with it.

New Shell Print

11/24/2022

Working on expanding the sea life portfolio. . . . "Banded Marble Cone" is print number 309. Available in 11 x 14 Open Edition, 18 x 24 Limited Edition, and Full Sized Limited Edition 24 x 36 matted prints. The design can be purchased on this site and will be coming to stores soon.

Photos of Work in Progress:

New Lei Print

7/21/2022

Ohia Lehua Judd Boloker Haku Lei

'Ōhi'a Lehua (Imagined) - Print Number 176

'Ōhi'a Lehua (Imagined) - New print number 176. Please note, unlike all my other work, no actual 'Ōhi'a Lehua lei was used as a model to create this print. Instead the design was literally pieced together from 55 different photographs on Photoshop. This alternative method was chosen to be extra-cautious in helping to prevent the spread of Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death which threatens this crucial native Hawaiian tree. To read more about this issue, please visit rapidohiadeath.org .

Work in progress:

This particular print relied more heavily than usual on computer work to generate the colors of the flowers. Hand drawing was used to create all the lines, but the tiny spaces between these lines did not allow for color to be adequately added. Each of my prints requires some flexibility and adjustment of technique to get the desired effect.

New Print for June

6/23/2022

Judd Boloker Haku Print

Mixed Haku with Thistles - Print Number 175

New print for June . . . . Mixed Haku with Thistles. Print Number 175. Definitely one of the most difficult prints in terms of computer work. The huge amount of small elements required multiple layers / masks to get the color match right. The print is available for purchase on this site and at our next show (Haleiwa in July) . . . . and will slowly make its way into stores soon.