Sea Daydream: Process Part 2 What’s wrong with this picture? As I wrote in part 1, I was repurposing a rejected sketch and aiming for a dream-like quality. The larger sketch just wasn’t “it”. Something wasn’t sitting right for me. At this point I was stubborn and decided I...
Sep242014
Sea Daydream: Process Part 2
Sep172014
Sea Daydream: Process Part 1
A while back I said I’d post the process this piece went through so here we go! Sea Daydream: Process Part 1 Here’s the finished version. As I mentioned, she went through a lot of changes. She started out...
Sep102014
In Processs – Fire Elemental
Here’s a little sneak peek at a personal piece I’m working on. She started out as rough thumbnails on paper, then a larger sketch on vellum (about 7″ x 10″). I scanned in the sketch then did some rough digital value and color studies. Now I’m painting her digitally...
Jun182014
Maquettes for Reference
Today I offer up a peak into a bit of my process for creating the cover image of Llewellyn’s 2015 Astrological Calendar. I created maquettes for several of the animals on the cover. Why Make Maquettes? I didn’t want to fly by the seat of my pants for creating...
May292014
Quieting the Inner Critic
April was International Fake Journal Month (brain child of Roz Stendahl, a Twin Cities based artist and graphic designer). As I understand it the idea is to do something different. If you draw dogs all the time, draw cats. The project could also be as elaborate as a visual...
May212014
Portrait Practice – Color Experiments
Colors used for this head study Perylene Black (Winsor & Newton) Yellow Ochre (Winsor & Newton) Permanent Yellow Light (Rembrandt) Permanent Red Medium (Rembrandt) Permanent Magenta (Winsor & Newton) Permanent Alizarin Crimson (Winsor & Newton) Untramarine Blue (Utrecht) The white was either Utrecht White, or Flemish White by Utrecht....
May142014
Practice vs. Perfection
Flash back to art school. I had drawn before so why couldn’t I make “this” work? “This” was whatever skill or project I was working on at the time. All I had to do was draw what I saw. It was right there in front of me, right? Easy...
Apr232014
Oil Painting Demo – Toy Dragon
Today I did an oil painting demo at a local art supply store. You locals probably know I’m a part-time employee there but today I wasn’t. Today I was the “visiting artist”. The manager asked me to “just do your thing”. So I did and I had some fun...
Apr92014
Head Study in Oil – Trying Out Colors
In an effort to see for myself what different colors and paints do and decide what I like, I’ve been experimenting. For this head study I tried Rembrandt Sepia, Gamblin Flake White Replacement, and Gamblin Chromatic Black. This combination also gave me a chance to concentrate on values (more...
Mar262014
Sketchbook Smear Relief and Some Doctor Who Fan Art
I wanted practice drawing people. What better way than to combine learning with fan art of Doctor Who? In the past when I’ve kept a sketch book the pencil would rub off on the adjacent page. This has always frustrated me. Capturing a likeness can be frustrating, why compound...