2 of my New Wacky Packages paintings for Series 9, 2012. p. 103

Here's a gold leaf, bronze powder and enamel painting on stretched canvas. Because of the gold leaf, the highlights on the skull disappear and reappear depending upon the angle you are viewing the painting from (kind of spooky). Please excuse the poor picture as I am no photographer!

http://www.samgambino.com2012-01-17 07:48 ]

[ Edited by: Sam Gambino 2012-08-01 23:23 ]

Sam that looks GREAT.. Are you a Grateful dead fan by chance?
Keep up the "Grateful" work

Very cool as always Sam!

Thanks, Ben and Kanaka. Actually, I'm not a Grateful Dead fan. It started out as a "hot rod" style tribal skull with pinstriping, and I stuck a kind of romanesque frame around him (in honor of some of the old Detroit architecture). It does sort of hint at the Grateful Dead (unintentionally) now that it's finished, though.

http://www.samgambino.com

Sam,
Another cool creation.
It kinda has that Haunted Mansion touch as well as The Dead.

skulls are cool.

nice work, I like it!

i think that sums it up, skulls are cool.

the association of skull/skeleton with grateful dead i think is an accident of graphic design history.

i like that fact that in certain cultures, skulls are a very positive symbol, a reminder that our mortality is something we should embrace and act upon.

but there's nothing like a skull on some badass to make you think they're gonna "skull you" :)

i feel strangely thirsty for some coffee grog... :)

excellent work as ever, mr. g! i look forward to seeing more of your work ~

Thanks for the feedback Unga Bunga, Tiki Wahine and J$. I appreciate your kind words as well.

On 2004-04-02 12:29, Johnny Dollar wrote:
i think that sums it up, skulls are cool.

i like that fact that in certain cultures, skulls are a very positive symbol, a reminder that our mortality is something we should embrace and act upon.

I agree. That's the reasoning behind Keith Richards' skull ring, so I read in an interview.

Very cool piece!

Thanks a bunch, Barnett.

Here's a new gold leaf painting based in part on the fine Ben Davis shrunken head carving #31. I tried to add yet more "UGLY" to him...

http://www.samgambino.com

[ Edited by: sam gambino on 2004-06-22 07:55 ]

Sam, I didn't think he Could get any uglier, but wou must have used the "Ugly Stick" to burnish the gold leaf. I think it is truelyBeautiful to be so Ugly. I Love it.

but there's nothing like a skull on some badass to make you think they're gonna "skull you" :)

reminds me of that scene in Spinal Tap where Reiner as dibergi asks nigel tufnel, (Chris Guest) with his puppy dog/ baby face, sitting there chewing gum with a guileless look on his face... as DiBergie gestures toward a skull Tufnel is wearing:
"are you wearing this because you think this will strike terror in the hearts of your enemies?"

On 2004-06-20 07:40, Benzart wrote:
Sam, I didn't think he Could get any uglier, but wou must have used the "Ugly Stick" to burnish the gold leaf. I think it is truelyBeautiful to be so Ugly. I Love it.

Thanks, Ben. How did you know (about the "ugly stick technique"?) :wink:

http://www.samgambino.com

I guess I just guessed my way into that one. I know you can burnish metal leaf and I know burnishers are sometimes called Ugly sticks, but those are different than the"Ugly stick" you beat someone with until they are ugly. Now They come from the Ugly Tree and you don't wanna be stsnding around one of those when it falls cuz if it falls on you then you are the worst kind of ugly as a result and not only that your kids will all be UGLY,UGLY and your Spouse will Wish she was as ugly just to get along with you you ugly bastard. Watch out for the tree. Don't carve one either...but thats another story for a better time

[ Edited by: Benzart on 2004-06-20 20:29 ]

Well, you hit the nail on the head! I thought my special ugly stick technique was a secret, but now it's out! :)

that shrunken head is badass Sam!
When ever I am feeling uninspired its great to come to TC and see all this great work flourishing.

Chongolio

Rmember....Beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes right to the bone.

-- I believe that our Heavenly Father invented the monkey because he was disappointed in man."
... Mark Twain

Come explore http://www.lost-isle.com

[ Edited by: Chongolio on 2004-06-24 16:14 ]

Thanks, Chongo. Coming from an artist like you, that makes my day!

dude that gold leaf technique is killer bro...poquita mas paintings please! i love these!

rock on and on!

Thanks for the compliment, Miles. It's been a fine Friday! :)

Since I've gone shrunken head crazy as of late (thanks Benzart!), here's a new one. It's enamel (good old 1-Shot) on canvas.

http://www.samgambino.com

Since I've gone shrunken head crazy as of late (thanks Benzart!), here's a new one. It's enamel (good old 1-Shot) on canvas.

Very cool very lowbrow. What is good old 1-shot and how do you get the pinstriping so perfect? Is it painted?

Keep up the good work!

Sam Sam Sam... I Really Love this one too. Man I Love it when you go anything Crazy. I Love it. I think you should do a whole series of shrunken,drunken, heads.

Like the Blue one - he can´t see and speak, but can hear and smell!

Yeah Sam! that is entertaining. That dude reminds me of guy I knew back in the 80's. His lips looked just like that. The funny thing is the guy was always talking.
Your pinstripes are forever flawless.

I have never tried one shot but I have seen it advertised in the sign supply catalogs. Correct me if I am wrong but isn't the charm of one-shot total opacity in one application.

Thanks a bunch, you guys. Flounder, 1-Shot is oil-based lettering enamel. It's really all that I am familiar with other than ink. It's the paint that most pinstripers have used since the '50s, and it behaves like varnish with no texture at all. The pinstriping is done with a trusty Mack Brush - and most of all, Christ-given ability.
Ben, thanks for the shrunken head kick! I have a good number of crazy shrunken head sketches, so maybe a "drunken shrunken" series is in order!
Charles, that's right - he can't see or hear, but he's smiling too. Go figure!

http://www.samgambino.com

[ Edited by: Sam Gambino on 2004-07-09 12:55 ]

On 2004-07-09 07:31, Chongolio wrote:
Yeah Sam! that is entertaining. That dude reminds me of guy I knew back in the 80's. His lips looked just like that. The funny thing is the guy was always talking.
Your pinstripes are forever flawless.

I have never tried one shot but I have seen it advertised in the sign supply catalogs. Correct me if I am wrong but isn't the charm of one-shot total opacity in one application.

Thanks, Chongo. Yeah that's right, it does cover in one coat. I LOVE it. Thanks also for the compliment!

http://www.samgambino.com

Great work SG! One Shot. Who'da guessed? Love that paint. I haven't seen or used it since my sign painting days, many years ago. Purest colors (and paint) I've ever seen. Keep'em coming!

Sam that is one of my favs of all of your work yet, I love it! Are you going to do buyable copies of this piece?

Thanks for the kind words, foamy and Tiki Toa. I suppose I could have some prints made based upon response and inquiries. I'll wait and see what kind of response I get, and if so, I'll post it here. Thanks!

Sam your stuff is awesome, I would love to just buy it from you and say I have a orginal Gambino, but not sure how that works for you, I know you are one of the artists on my list though, but I need to pay off Benzart and Flounder right now then you and me we gonna talk. :wink: But keep the sweet stuff cumin' braddah

Thanks Tiki Toa. Just let me know what/when you want to do, and I'll keep it coming!

I just got "Consultation In Blue" from Sam yesterday it is amazing! get one of his paintings while they are still cheap, Sam has real talent. Thanks again Sam.

Sam I may have to carve your lates one too. In face you draw'em and I'll carve'em.
Keep 'em rollin'

Thanks for the kind words, McDougall - I can't wait until I get that Moai you carved. I'll be like a kid at Christmas opening that box!
Ben, go at it - I'd love to see it immortalized with that fine "Benzart" touch!

http://www.samgambino.com

Here's the latest gold leaf, "Moai in Gold and Green." It's 14x18 enamel and gold on stretched canvas...

http://www.samgambino.com

[ Edited by: Sam Gambino on 2004-10-22 09:26 ]

Very cool...as usual! You've definitely got an original groove goin!

Thanks a bunch, Barnett :)

Sam's at it again..
Lookin Good . I Love lookin at the stuff you post.

Thanks for the kind words, Ben - makes me want to post more artwork more often!

http://www.samgambino.com

On 2004-07-22 09:43, Sam Gambino wrote:
Thanks for the kind words, Ben - makes me want to post more artwork more often!

well, DO IT !!

Pleased to meet you, virani.

Way cool. Love your style and wish I could pin-stripe.

He's doin' it.

The entire series is awesome.

Thanks, foamy and raffertiki. I appreciate the compliments :)

http://www.samgambino.com

those gold leaf paintings are AWESOME - they look 3d. Very cool stuff. Keep posting your work, I love it!

Thanks, Polynesiac. I enjoy doing them, so I'll keep 'em coming.

http://www.samgambino.com

[ Edited by: Sam Gambino on 2004-07-23 07:27 ]

I've been inspired by Dirty Donny's Shrunken Heads, so I had to create. They are inked on 7"x11" bristol plate...

http://www.samgambino.com

[ Edited by: sam gambino on 2004-08-10 07:08 ]