another old painting...oh happy halloween!!

last oil painting sketch i did from back in the day

Just rescued my old oil paints, brushes, and crappy easel...gonna start painting again!! Haven't painted in about ten years...got excited when I started pullin everything out of the box.

a few older drawings

Pencil Drawing

Pen, Ink & Pencil

Pen & Ink

little lion

Sketch of my little Millie.  Done with an HB & F pencil

INSPIRE AND BE INSPIRED

Let me introduce myself...My name is Michael Luis Viruet, some call me Mikey V and others just V.  Ive been referring to myself as UNINSPIRED for the last 10 years.  Lemme give you my background, just like any artist I've been drawing ever since I could remember blah blah blah.  In High School I was privelaged enough to be able to draw and paint next to a stable of unbelievable talent.  Up to this point I never imagined that I would find this much talent in one room.  I was truly INSPIRED for the first time in my life.  My artwork took a huge step foward thanks to all the creativity and talent that i encountered on a day to day basis.  After high school I attended the American Academy of Art.  Once again I was pushed with all of the talent that was all around me, and once again I was INSPIRED.  As the years went by my level of inspiration dropped off considerably and I became burnt out and UNINSPIRED.  In my last year I was fortunate enough to be able to spend 3 months in Florence, Italy to attend the Florence Academy of Art with two of my classmates.  As soon as we stepped off the plane we were smacked on top of the head with a bag full INSPIRATION.  It was amazing, the school was amazing the students and teachers all had so much talent that I was blown away.  I soaked up all the information I could, I was so hungry for it I was pickin the scraps off the ground from the other students feet.  Italy changed my life forever and I didn't want to leave, but had to.  Going back to the states after that experience was depressing and the long drought of UNINSPIREDNESS (I don't think that's really a word) began.  I finished up at the academy (thanks to my parent forcing me) and finally recieved the holy grail that all artist strive to achieve telling me that I was finally somebody a somebody with a bachelors degree!  With this magical piece of paper I could.....um....well you can't really do shit with it. Since then i've just gone thru the motions for almost 10 years.  I haven't picked up a paintbrush to paint or clay to sculpt.  I've drawn with my trusty pencils from time to time.  I've spent a little time teaching myself a few 3d computer applications and tried to self motivate myself thru the internet, but that fizzled quickly.  Until about a year ago when I decided to pursue tattooing.  With my girlfriend Irene supporting me the whole way I've quickly picked up on it and have about 15 tattoos under my belt.  And haven't been this excited about my artwork for 10 years.  Needless to say im back for good.  I've just needed to be INSPIRED and tattooing has opened up a whole new way I look at artwork.  Hopefully my artwork will INSPIRE people who need INSPIRATION, and for all those tattooist, fine artist, illustrators, 3d artist who have been doing what they love for so long...keep INSPIRING. I need your creativity to keep my artistic soul alive.