Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Making bait fun again!

BaitRageous, trying to make bait fun, again! Yep, that's what I'm trying to do with the BaitRageous Cartoons. I've been very busy lately, doing maps and working on bait cartoons. In fact, I've just completed fourteen new cartoons and I titled them "Bait Perspective". Here's the first, Bait Orgy?


It's kind of funny, but from this time of year until after Christmas, I am at my most creative. It all goes back to the sixth grade in Mrs Smith's room. You see, Mrs Smith noticed that I was creative and artistic, but not an English/Grammar master (due to a dose of dyslectic). Anyway, I ended up doing all kinds of holiday art, from Halloween, Thanksgivings, Christmas, to New Years. So, when this time of year comes around, my creative juices start to flow like sap from a tree. Thank You Mrs Smith! You will start seeing the sap (creative juices) all over this blog in the coming weeks. Remember: BaitRageous, making bait fun, again! "he he he".




Monday, September 21, 2015

Leo Lakes News

Back in October 2007, I started Old Field Studio. In the beginning, Old Field Studio was focused only on wildlife art. I painted in acrylics on Masonite Art Board. My art had a blurred background, which was done with an airbrush.

The foreground, which was mostly waterfowl, was painted very crisp. This effect gave the picture an almost 3-D look. In fact, a lot of folks thought my art was a photograph. The top of this blog has one of my images showing a great blue heron which was cropped from this picture below.

Folks enjoyed my wildlife art, but I discovered that the market was over saturated with wildlife art, even though I did okay with it. During this time, I wanted a decor map of a river that I grew up on as a kid. After some research, I found that nice decor maps of waterways didn’t exist. There were navigation, road, and topography maps, but not a really nice, vintage style lake, river or bay map that would look great hanging in a home or office.


Luckily, with my artistic talent and creativity, I decided to paint my own map of that treasured river. experimented with different colors and styles to finally settle on a vintage style that gave the painting a golden look. I added a few symbols such as the ruby meridian, wildlife and vintage plane.  


Once completed, I found that others liked the map so much that they asked for copies. This gave me the idea to paint additional rivers, lakes and bays for others to treasure their favorite waters. After a year and a half of experimenting, Leo Lakes Treasured Maps was born, which is part of Old Field Studio. It's hard to believe that its been eight years and I'm still in business. That's pretty much the story of Old Field Studio in a nutshell.

Check-out my website LeoLakes.com

Thursday, September 17, 2015

The Debate, we have a winner!

I look at things a little differently than most. I couldn't help but put this "debait" cartoon on the blog. Who won the debate, well this is from a different prospective, "Debate" versus "Debait". As Gilda Radnor would say on Saturday Night Live, "Oh never mind."  

Check-out my vintage style decor maps. They make great gifts for the lake house owner, lake lover, or fisherman. I have over two hundred on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalizes lake, river or bay maps, too. I have maps of Lake Champlain, Lewis Smith Lake, Lake Tahoe, Lake Sinclair, Norfork Lake, Pickwick Lake, Lake Bob Sandlin, Lake Conroe, Lake Winnebago and many others. Oh yeah, I hide a tiny mermaid in the waters of all my maps that folks love to search for. Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoMaps.com

Oh yeah, this is part of my studio, "here a map, there a map, everywhere a map, map!" 



Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Kayak Fishing Marrowbone Lake

A few weeks ago, I went kayak fishing on Marrowbone Lake near Nashville, with my fishing buddy Buttermilk. Marrowbone Lake isn't a large lake at only 60 acres, but it is a beautiful lake. The lake is nestled in the hills of Tennessee with a few small coves and an abundance of hardwood trees framing the shore line. Autumn is a spectacle time for viewing fall foliage on this lake. If you were to fly over the lake, its shape would appear to be a gecko with head, legs and tail.    

Our goal was to catch bass, but this lake is not known for an abundance of bass. The lake is better known for catfish and carp, big carp, in fact it holds a state record for a certain species of carp. 
Here I am loaded in the kayak and taking a break. We had already fished about two hours and not one bite. The bass fishing proved too difficult.
When fishing is slow, I start taking wildlife photos. . This great blue heron flew   over and I scrambled to get my camera. It turned out a little blurry, but I captured the moment. 
Here's Buttermilk deciding what to do after figuring out that the bass were not biting.
We both decide that catching fish is more fun than not, so we changed bait to catch small bream. Unfortunately, after catching a few of these I lose interest and get bored. However, it's always better to be on a big stream, than in front of a big screen!
Later that day, I have the kayak pointed toward the dock. Hey, paddle over to my website, I do Lake Decor Maps... Interestingly, I often get comments about the fish in the waters of all my maps. Folks love to tell me about fishing and love the jumping fish that I show on my maps. Also, they say the children really enjoy hunting for the tiny mermaid and are thrilled when they spot her in the waters. Oh yeah, some folks tell me that mermaid and fish move, but I'm not sure that I believe that. However, if you look closely you may find her and the fish jumping around. 
Add caption

Most folks add a star to a special place on the lake such as a lake house or where they caught that "Trophy Fish". Check-out below, a customer wanted to add the place, weight and fish type of a trophy that he caught.
I've been doing lake, river and bay maps for approximately eight years. Over the years, I have experimented with different elements of map art in order to provide the best and most unique map on the market. Folks will be drawn to the map like a crackling fire on a cold winter night.  I try very hard to make my maps special by adding interest to the maps. LeoLakes.com
Also, each framed map or map over 16x32, comes with a certificate of authenticity, lake poem, and interesting facts abut the map. 



I have hundreds of maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalized vintage style lake maps, too. Lake maps will add beauty to your Lake House Decor! Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoLakes.com


Friday, September 11, 2015

Bait shot?

Ouch, a bait shot.  I can say that I have never hooked my head, but have hooked my hand. This is my fishing buddy, Buttermilk and this actually happened to him. I couldn't resist but to turn it into bait humor. This is Baitrageous!


Hey, check-out out my lake, river, and bay, maps.  Many folks purchase my maps for birthday, fathers day, Christmas, lake house warming, or wedding gifts.

The map come with a Certificate of Authenticity, and an interesting fact sheet about your LeoLakes Decor Map. To see more, paddle over to my website: LeoLakes.com. Enjoy


"May you have fair winds and following seas"



Thursday, September 10, 2015

Bob the bass, Bait Dynasty, Fishing lure study, Fish hook eyebrow tattoos?

There's nothing like a little bait humor to brighten a fisherman's day. I've added a few new ones and some oldies. Yea know, I bet that I have completed 200-300 fishing cartoons over the last few years. I try to be original and funny, but it doesn't always work. I hope you enjoy and remember, Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream!  






Check-out my lake, river and bay maps. I hide things in the waters of my maps such as fish/tiny mermaid and folks love to search for. I call my maps "treasured maps" because most folks have that special body of water that they treasure. These maps make great gifts for the lake house owner, lake lover, or fisherman. I have over two hundred on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalizes lake, river or bay maps, too. If you would like to see more and read about my treasured maps go to LeoLakes.com
Remember: Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream!


Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Tournament Maps

I am now doing the Kayak Bass Fishing awards for the KBF Tournament Champions! KBF has tournaments on many lakes such as Santee Cooper, Kentucky Lake, Toledo Bend etc... Check-out their website at kayakbassfishing.com to learn more. 


Remember! Life is short, getaway from the big screen and get on a big stream!

Paddle on over to my website to see more beautiful maps of your favorite Lake, River or Bay. Makes a great gift for the lake house owner, lake lover, or fisherman.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

What is a Bassmanizer?

A little humor about bass fishermen! Do you know what a bassmanizer is? Find out with three simple questions below. If you are, get treatment at BaitRageous.com.


Check-out my lake, river and bay maps


Thursday, September 3, 2015

A Little Publicity!

Pretty Cool !!! Check-out this article by Robert J. Wiebel, Orlando Outdoor Recreation Examiner, about my lake, river and bay maps, http://www.examiner.com/article/outdoor-artwork-for-all-occasions


If you are interested in a beautiful map of your favorite waterscape, check out my website, LeoLakes.com. Makes a great gift for the lake house, lake lover, or fisherman.

Remember:
"Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream." LEO


Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Oldies but goodies fishing cartoons!

To start off September, I decided to add a little fishing humor to the blog. Here's a few oldies but goodies cartoons that I have done in the past. I bet that I've done 300 different cartoons over the last 4 years. Hope you enjoy!












Check-out my vintage style lake, river and bay maps!