Who Is Real?

"Who Is Real?" is made up of several layers that are pulled together through transparent and solid forms creating abstract figures. While brain storming titles for this painting and talking with Joe Baes about it, he mentioned "Who is Real?," which is the name of one of his songs (click here to listen!) and I thought it fit perfect with the painting.

The layering process was a lot of fun! These first two photos show the two different layers of acrylic paint which were mainly applied with a palette knife. These poses came from a figure in motion exercise I did during life drawing class last fall, so I got a little crazy and added some splatter and lots of strokes to add motion. 

The next layer is oil paint applied very thick with a palette knife to build up the body of the figures. 

Then came the background layer which was just a thin layer of oil to keep the acrylic texture showing through. 

Then comes the final product! I added more definition to the figures with bold lines and thin layers inside of the bodies to add mass. "Who Is Real?" is a fight with individuality and how a person can reflect their character, whether it be true or false, to those around them. So, in the end, I thought it necessary to leave bits of the background in the figures to create a sense of transparency, because in some way or another we all become a product of our environment. 

36" x 48"

Below are a few detail shots to show the texture and layering in the final piece. 

 

 

Portraits as a Learning Tool

Collage is a wonderful way to create art and the possibilities are infinite. When I decided collage was my next new venture in art I did not realize the amount of restraint that I would have to have while finding the materials for each piece. My first take at collage were these portraits. Focusing on a subject and finding materials to create these portraits was a perfect way to break into this medium. Also, figuring out the many styles/possibilities there are was so fun and exciting I couldn’t wait to work on something bigger. After creating portraits and seeing how materials work together, I found that it was easier for me to sketch some ideas out first, and then find the materials for my next project. Although not all of these portraits are successful, the process was rewarding and making all of these strange characters was a blast.

I highly recommend anybody getting into collage to pick a subject they are interested in, such as animals or trees, and create about 15 small collages to work out any problems or insecurities. After that, I guarantee you will be hooked!

 

 

 

 

Fabulous Denim

I have learned much from this fabulous denim! My first take at a study in denim was with ink washes. I had to bring this jacket to life with several values of india ink and I was very discouraged. As I went on the detail was overwhelming with the threads, the folds, the dark shadows and very bright whites. I learned a lot about patience and how to balance what details to add and what details to leave out, it was all so challenging.

 So my next take at denim was with this awkward pose of my boy Maddox, done in graphite. This picture was not only challenging because of the denim jeans but also because of the angle of the body. I learned a lot about foreshortening, how difficult it is to draw a child's face, and how different clothing folds when there is a body inside.

This take on denim was done with pastel. This jacket was the first major study with pastels and again, this was the most challenging thing I had done at the time. I had to learn how to use this material as well  as learn how to bring the subject to life with color. The blending and layering were done like a painting and the small details/highlights were added last to preserve the value changes.

This next piece was  a lot more relaxing and free. This expressive version of the jacket above was done in pastel, with more gestural strokes and less attention to detail. There were a lot of layers of warm colors on top of cool. This style of drawing was much needed after doing the realistic version.

Although denim was a challenging subject to draw, it is also a necessary subject and a great piece to study when beginning a new medium. If anybody else has had a difficult but necessary subject they have had to conquer, please share! 

Series From Fall 2013

Since my last post I have taken a long break from painting models and turned my focus to painting, drawing and collage. Fall of 2013 I worked on my first series of oil paintings. This series consists of five abstract landscapes based off of places I have visited over the years and each painting has a specific complimentary color strategy. I used landscapes from Gatlinburg, TN, Fort Riley, KS, Cheyenne, WY and Wilmington, NC. These places are not only memorable for their beauty but because every visit has been with family, whether it was with my brothers station so far from home, a meeting place for distant relatives to come together or the place where my family now calls home. These beautiful landscapes in connection with the closeness of family have given me much inspiration over the years and there is not a day that goes by that the scenery surrounding me does not fill me with nostalgia.