Archive for the ‘Videos’ Category

Something Magical Happened In Paso Robles

It was such a crazy thing to see snow in downtown Paso Robles the other night that I just wanted to aimlessly drive around enjoying the weird experience. And indeed I did. I walked around the park, took photos, froze my fingers off. People were standing outside the bars and restaurants in awe at this strange phenomenon. There is something about snow that turns a lot of us into giddy little kids and when the snow is happening in a place that hasn’t seen snow in 25 years we couldn’t contain ourselves. As I was going through town I just kept saying to myself, “This is so crazy. This isn’t supposed to happen here.” But it was totally happening, so like a little girl with a brand new My Little Pony I let my excitement run wild. After walking around the downtown park I got the idea to strap a GoPro to the front of my car and drive around a bit. I didn’t really think about snow landing on the lens of the camera, but the icy crystals produced some crazy visual effects that I hadn’t anticipated, but happily embrace. So, smoke a joint, sit back, and enjoy the ride.

Enjoy!
– Jeff

You Tube Shorts Are All The Rage

Hello, Internet. I hope you’ve been well.

It’s been a long time since I posted anything here, but damnit…the inactivity is only because there are 38 other social media things to post on. Keeping up with them all is just impossible. In case you never visit my YouTube Channel I am making this post specifically so you can watch all the snazzy things I’ve uploaded over the last few months or so…or year. I mean, you could just go to the YouTube channel, but you’re already here where it’s nice and cozy, so grab yourself an ice cold sarsaparilla, sit back, and enjoy watching the paint dry. Here we go!

This first one is me painting a trucker hat.

This next one is from when I painted about 20 little 3″ x 3″ canvases last year.

Then there was that time I hand painted old paint cans.

These were not as big of hit as I was hoping. Maybe it’s just me, but I totally think that everything I make will sell within minutes of putting it on Instagram. The video goes kind of quick, so if you’d like a better look at them click here.

I made this video for 7 new paintings I released on the same day.

Drink up! Here’s a series of paintings on wine stained paper.

Here’s a quick backstory for the videos you’ve watched so far. I started 2022 off with a bang. Full of that New Year Enthusiasm I tasked myself with a very ambitious goal to release a new series or art product of some sort every 2 weeks. It was going great and the goal made me stay focused and super productive. I managed to pull off 12 of these “Art Drops”, which is to say that I made it all the way to June 22, before I stopped. During that time I only missed one drop and that can be blamed on poor planning since I was out of town for a week long vacation. I should of done mail art where I send hand drawn postcards to people from wherever I was. Anyway…the big ambitious goal came to a dead halt when I decided to make a coloring book. That was one project I could not pull off in two weeks time, so I ditched my biweekly art drops for an even bigger project. If we’re Facebook friends or you follow me on Instagram you must be sick to tears by now hearing about this darn coloring book. It’s pretty much all I’ve posted about since August 2022. Ok, moving right along. More videos!

Here I’m working on an acrylic ink piece and yes, this ended being a page in the coloring book.

Of course, you can’t forget the “Painting On Paint Swatches” thing I do from time to time.

Making some coasters.

This one is from awhile ago, but I did a new edit of the video so I could post it as a YouTube “shorts”, which, like the title of this post says, is all the rage.

Naturally, another painting on a paint swatch. This one has over 900 views on YouTube, which is super good for me there. Even better, for some crazy reason, but totally acceptable to me, is that it has over 15k views on Instagram. I guess the algorithm really liked me that day.

Remember all that talk about the coloring book? Well…

Me digitally coloring a page from the coloring book. The story with this one is that I had an unfinished painting, but I liked where it was going and wanted to put in the coloring book. Since finishing the painting would take too long I simply photographed what I had done, sent the photo to my iPad, and then drew the character digitally in black and white. After the book came out I started coloring some of the illustrations because it’s super fun and also to show people that a digital coloring book is a real thing that actually works.

This last one is a little perplexing, but also an interesting look at social media. I’m not talking about the content of the video. It’s simply me peeling a vinyl sticker off a wood panel to reveal one of my little characters. The social media BS I’m referring to is the fact that on YouTube this video has only received 29 views since it was first uploaded in January 2022 and on Instagram it currently has 9,415 views. Those numbers aren’t even close to being close. It makes zero sense to me, but if I was a social media manager or self proclaimed social media guru I would use this video as an example of why you “need” to post on multiple platforms to get your word out. Enjoy!

Hopefully that was fun for you. I know I had a good time. Until we meet again…

– Jeff

Unboxing: Die Cut Stickers From Sticker Mule

I don’t know what is crazier. That I have been turning my art into stickers for over 20 years or that I have never made die cut stickers in that 20 year span. It’s no doubt that die cut adds a level of fanciness that any sticker collector can appreciate. Embracing that added fanciness I am happy to add die cut stickers to my repertoire.

These new stickers are now available in person at my retail shop:
Viva Paso
1628 Spring St
Paso Robles CA 93446

And also online at: etsy.com/shop/jeffclaassen


“Puzzled Girl”
3″ x 2.61″ – available here.


“Some Bitch Stole My Lunch Money”
3″ x 2.23″ – available here.


“Inez The Bunny”
3″ x 2.73″ – available here.


“More Amor Por Favor”
3″ x 2.68″ – available here.

In case you don’t make it to the end of the video and I somehow managed to hold your attention long enough for you to make it all the way down to this part, I will just tell you. I am stoked with how the stickers came out! Sticker Mule has never disappointed. The quality is awesome. The turnaround time is quick. Going through the order process on their site is super easy. So yeah, if you are looking to get stickers made with your own designs I highly recommend giving them a shot. Check them out at stickermule.com.

Enjoy!
Thanks for watching/reading/being alive.

– Jeff

Coming Soon – New Screen Print Edition, Sneak Peek

I spent the weekend working on a new edition of prints. It’s a very small edition of 10. The official launch time is 12pm on Jan. 19, 2022. Here is a little sneak peek at 2 of the prints.

Each print has a totally different spray painted background. It’s so fun making prints like this because each one is essentially an original. They all have the same main character printed over an abstract background. To keep the edition cohesive I only used three colors: turquoise, lime green, and black. I used stencils for some and others I did some free hand spray painting.

Here’s a quick 33 second preview to show you a little bit of the process.

This will be the second “Art Drop” for 2022 and this time around it’s going to be a bundle that all focuses on my “Responsibility Is For Losers” character. The bundle includes one limited edition print, an enamel pin, and a sticker. The pin has never been available online before. I’ve been holding onto it for awhile because I knew I wanted to do something other than just a random “check out this new pin” announcement. I just didn’t know what until this screen print idea hit me a few days ago.

This drop will be happening on the Viva Paso site. I hope you like the new edition as much as I liked making it. And please keep in mind, there are only 10, so if you see one you like get it before it’s too late.

See you tomorrow!
– Jeff

Screen Printing On A Donut Box

I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. I only wrote two blog posts in 2021 and those were in January. Needless to say, this blog has become a ghost town. Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook got most of my online attention in 2021. If you follow me on any of those then you are probably up to date with any new artwork I made in 2021.

Here are some screen print works I made towards the end of Summer. This first one is a one of a kind original on a donut box.


“Faces In The Sky, With Donuts”
17.5″ x 23″ – acrylic and screen print ink on donut box
$100, signed and dated on the back.
To order: add to cart

I also used this same image for a small run of limited edition prints. When I say “small” I’m not kidding. I only made 6 of these in this color combo. The blue background is different on each one making each print its own unique art piece.


“Faces In The Sky”
16” x 20” – screen print ink on paper
$40, signed, numbered, and dated on front.
To order: add to cart

On the order page you’ll see a drop down menu so that you can pick the exact number/background print you would like. Also, 16″ x 20″ is a standard frame size, perfect for do-it-yourself framing, so you can avoid custom framing costs.

Here’s a video to show you part of the process of making this edition.

If you have any questions about these art pieces, let me know.

Thanks for looking!
– Jeff

New Owl Painting And Video

First post of 2020. I’ve started the year off being as productive as possible. Before 2020 was upon us I told myself I was going to focus on making bigger paintings, but here I am making a series of 3.5″ x 7″ paintings. In my defense, I had some paintings in the works that weren’t quite finished, so I am working on those and then I really would like to make some bigger paintings this year. Anyway…for now I have one new piece to show you.

This is Ginger. She’s 3.5″ x 7″, mixed media on wood with epoxy resin coating. She’s available in my online shop or in person at Viva Paso – 1211 Pine St in downtown Paso Robles.

You know, come to think of it, I have more than one new piece to show you. I finished these next two a few weeks ago, so you might have seen them on Instagram, but if not, here ya go.


“Gilligan”
3.5″ x 7″ – mixed media on wood.
Available in my online shop.


“Mary Ann”
3.5″ x 7″ – mixed media on wood.
Available in my online shop.

Yes, I am using all the characters names from Gilligan’s Island. I have a few more to go, so be on the lookout for Lovey, Thurston, The Skipper, and The Professor.

Enjoy!
– Jeff

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What, that’s not enough for you? Fine…
follow me on the IG: @jeffclaassen.
and on TikTok: @jeffclaassen

10 New Mini Paintings

I have been obsessed with making these little 3″ square paintings. Here’s a little video showing the newest batch.

All of these are one of a kind hand painted originals. They are 3″ x 3″ canvases and are available on my site for $30 each. Yes, the awesome little easels are included.

If for some reason watching a video makes you cringe here are photos of the paintings in all of their 3″ glory.


“Prankster” – adopt me


“Gordie” – take me home


“Denny” – let’s hang out


“Philip” – hold me


“Joel” – let’s get donuts


“Ace” – fly with me


“Teddy” – kiss me


“Chris” – let’s be friends


“Lydia” – be my roommate


“Vern” – be my roommate

And there you have it…that is what 10 mini canvas paintings look like.
Thanks for checking them out!

– Jeff

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If that wasn’t enough for you…
– I’m now on TikTok
– Follow on The Gram: @jeffclaassen

They’re Back!

The journals/notebooks were new this year. I had toyed around with the idea for awhile and finally got off my butt and figured out what would work best for me. I’m super stoked with how popular they’ve been. I recently ordered a new batch. In case you haven’t kept up on Instagram I now have 4 designs to choose from.

All of them are 120 lined pages and are 6″ x 9″, which is the perfect size for a notebook.
Right now they are all in stock, so I can ship them out within 24 hours. If you’d like to order one they are all available in my online shop. They are also available in person at Viva Paso – 1211 Pine St in downtown Paso Robles.

Thanks for the support!
See ya!

– Jeff

Time Lapse Tuesday: Pirate Digital Doodle

So, I got this GREAT idea last month. You know how every day is National Something Day? Like, National Donut Day, which is one of my personal favorites. Well, for every day of the year there are actually multiple things honoring all kinds of random shit for that particular day. There is even a National Day Calendar to keep track of all of them. Take today, for example. You may not know it. In fact, you probably shouldn’t know it and I almost feel bad taking up your time telling you, but today is National Cheese Curd Day. It’s also National Grouch Day as well as National I Love Lucy Day. Why do any of these things get a day? I have no idea, but back on September 19 it was National Talk Like A Pirate Day. And this is where my GREAT idea came from. I figured I could use the absurdity of some of these National Days as a prompt for something to draw.

True to form, I did it once and then never again. I actually attempted a few more, but ditched those digital doodles because other things took priority. I do love the idea though and totally encourage you to give it a try if you find yourself stumped on what to draw on any particular day. What made it a GREAT idea to me is the hashtag possibilities. Obviously, I am not the first person to think of this. National Talk Like A Pirate Day was trending on Twitter and there were a lot people using #nationaltalklikeapirateday on Instagram, so it could be a good way to find some like minded individuals as well as promote your art and maybe pick a up a few fans along the way. Ok, enough jibber jabber. Here’s the time lapse.

Enjoy!

Thanks for reading and watching and hanging out.
See ya!

– Jeff

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Was that enough? Are you not satisfied yet? Well then…
Check out these “stump paintings” from five years ago.
If you like painting time lapses here are some more.

Three Project Videos I Never Posted

Hello and happy Sunday!

Six days into daily blogging and I have no regrets. Yet. Today I’m taking it easy and posting some videos that have been on my channel for awhile, but I never shared them on here because I’ve been a bad blogger. On the real, making videos and writing blog posts is something I would love to do full time. I’ll try not to whine too much, but running a retail shop is a pretty demanding job, especially when you’re the one responsible for making a lot of the products in the shop. On the plus side, as an artist it’s really incredible to have a venue to sell my creations in. Ok, now on with the videos.

This first one is a late night vinyl sticker cutting session. I treated myself to a Cricut at the beginning of the year because besides wanting to make videos and blog full time, I also dream about being a crafty stay at home mom. Jokes aside (sorry fellow Cricut owners), the Cricut is a pretty amazing machine. Ok, here you go. Late night sticker making at Viva Paso.

This next one actually goes hand in hand with yesterday’s post about hanging artwork. It just goes to prove that I am constantly chasing this goal of getting 100 pieces of art on the walls. It’s a great goal to be chasing and if you think about it, if I wasn’t chasing it that would mean people are not buying artwork and I really like that people buy artwork. Thanks, art supporters! Anyway, this is basically a video version of yesterday’s post.

I probably don’t need to share this next one because I just realized it’s similar to the last one, but what the hell else am I going to do? Also, it’s only 1 minute and 19 seconds. In this video I focus more on how I view wall space in my shop as valuable real estate. It’s a very short video. Hope you enjoy it.

Thanks for watching!
-Jeff

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If you want to keep this party going…
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel.
Follow on Twitter.
Follow on Instagram.

Can A Bunny Fit In This Box?

New Painting And Video: A Fine Frenzy


(* Disclaimer: Although the title of this post is “New Painting And Video” the truth is that the painting was made last summer, but it is new to you and to this blog. With that said, let’s continue.)

I don’t talk much in my videos. Or at least I try not to because it makes me cringe when I have to watch/listen to myself when I’m editing video. Anyway, how this painting came to be is very interesting to me and I wanted to share the story. If you’re only here for the video then feel free to scroll down and skip all this gibberish. If you’re a loyal reader/voyeur of this blog you might remember my “Secret To Selling Art” post from last August (I can’t even remember what I ate for dinner last night, so if you remember my blog posts from 11 months ago you should seek professional help.) Well, the story of this painting is even crazier than the story about the painting from that post. In the chance that you don’t know, I am a bit obsessed with stories about synchronicity or, for the layman that’s not referencing Wikipedia while typing their blog trying to appear smarter than they actually are, “meaningful coincidences”. That’s right, coincidences do not exist. Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes we don’t understand the reason, but let’s not get into that here because it’s a rabbit hole best saved for another day. I’m also quite fascinated with the butterfly effect. I think the two theories work hand in hand to some extent. Anyway, enough psychobabble, let’s get on with it already.

Back in 2008-2009 my sister and her husband opened a pizza restaurant. One of their employees, Amy, liked my artwork. Well, let’s be honest, ALL of their employees probably adored my artwork 😜. Fast forward 10 years or so and Amy walks into my shop in Paso Robles. We chit chat about Pizza Fusion and whatnot. I have this canvas print on the wall called “Gone But Not Forgotten” and she tells me it would look great in this black and white themed room in her house.

She wants to buy it, but it’s not quite what she’s looking for. She wants something bigger and vertical and, if possible, with a little gold added for fun because the room she wants to hang it in has some gold accents. Naturally, I said I could paint her one.

And that’s how a commission painting comes about. Some of them take 10 years to happen and others happen in 10 seconds. Here’s a time lapse of making Amy’s painting.

Bored yet? No? Well, shit…let’s just keep this thing going, shall we? So, what does this have to do with synchronicity? Remember, “synchronicity” means “meaningful coincidence”. You would never think that my sister and her husband opening a pizza restaurant would result in me getting a commission job 10 years later. Amy walking into my shop was not just a meaningless coincidence. Synchronicity was at work here. It had been years in the making and I find that incredibly fascinating.

Is there a lesson to be learned here? Probably. As cliché as it sounds, good things can come from anywhere and they can be totally unexpected. I think the lesson here is to continue to put yourself out there. Being an artist can be frustrating and it’s easy to get jaded when things feel like they are not working in your favor. I can’t tell you how often I think of deleting my Instgram account and my YouTube channel while spiraling in a fit of frustration. But, I don’t because I remember stories like this one and remind myself that we just never know when something we do (like meeting somebody 10 years ago) will have a positive impact (getting commissioned to make a painting) on us later.

What are your thoughts or crazy stories about synchronicity? I’d love to hear them.

Thanks for reading!
– Jeff

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Still not bored? Wow…
Then you should follow me on Twitter.
And probably Instagram too. Before I delete it.
And while you’re at it, what the heck, check out some of my videos. Before I delete them too.
Also, please share this with all your artsy friends. Thanks!