Daily Figure 11-16-2013

Daily Figure 11-16-2013

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

20 Min. from Life

2013

Female Head Study

Female Head Study

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

20 Min.

2014

Untitled #300

Untitled #300 

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

25 min.

2014

Daily Figure 5-1-15

Daily Figure 5-1-15

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

20 Min. From Life

Untitled #270

Untitled #270

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2014

This 20 min. drawing was completed as part of a daily figure drawing routine. 

Untitled #247

Untitled #247

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2014

Another 20 min. Life Drawing completed at the dA Center for the Arts (the A is capped for dA) in Pomona, CA. It's fun to work on unconventional compositions like this where the image is tight on the subject. I feel as though when I work towards the edge of the frame it compliments the angular nature of how I work. It's as if the mutual language between the subject's definition and the frame becomes more pronounced. 

Herzog in Monochrome

Herzog in Monochrome

12" X 16"

Oil on Paper

2015

Another Werner Herzog study completed a couple of weeks ago. Herzog is a kind of enigmatic figure in the sense that many of his views and life choices are quite original. This makes him difficult to define in any kind of conventional way. On realizing this I decided that this work wasn't doing him complete justice. So ultimately this work is just a stepping stone to another attempt at representing him with convincing authenticity. 

Children's Portrait

Children's Portrait

22" X 30"

Charcoal on Paper

2014

This is a children's portrait completed last year on Stonehenge paper. I used the Pan Pastel sponge tools to apply charcoal and white chalk highlights for most of the work. 

Children's portraits are a unique challenge to my working approach as they display many round and soft qualities in their features, and these qualities fly in the face of straight edged definitions of form. So, using the sponge tools seemed a logical choice in mitigating some of the extremes that can result due to my method of shape interpretation. 

Werner Herzog Sketch

Werner Herzog Sketch

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2015

I sketched this 40 min. portrait as part of a study for a planned painting of Werner Herzog. He is a truly remarkable director and individual, and he makes for a great subject. There is a kind of depth to his gaze which is difficult to deny. His visage seems well suited to be carved into a mountainside at a scale beyond heroic.

Untitled #291

Untitled #291

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2014

I drew the model Val Benavides' head in this 20 min. life drawing way over size. Typically I like to draw the model's head at life size when drawing or painting a portrait. Although, sometimes it's just plain fun to draw something huge and ambitious within a short amount of time. You really just kind of have to let go. No underdrawing, no planning, just put it down. Almost every passage in this drawing is comprised of minimal definition as there was no time to belabor anything.

Untitled #246

Untitled #246

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2014

This was a 40 minute pose from life at a nearby workshop in Palm Desert, CA. I'm often drawn to working more in line than masses when it comes to using charcoal as a medium. The dark broad lines are a breeze to execute with the side of a well formed edge. Also, there is a primitive beauty to working with a simple piece of charred wood. It feels timeless really, as it has been a tool of choice in art for literally thousands of years.

Untitled #311

Untitled #311

12" X 16"

Oil on Paper

2014

Another 2 hour study painted from life. I've really grown fond of working in a monochromatic form with these 2 hour poses. It saves a bit of time not having to spend a lot of the pose mixing as is the case when working with color. Also, you can cover so much ground with paint in such a short amount of time, and the length of the pose allows for some accuracy. So this approach is a nice mixture of both drawing and painting. 

Gwyneth Seated in Monochrome

Gwyneth Seated in Monochrome

9" X 12"

Oil on Paper

2015

I painted this the other morning from life out in 29 Palms in a little under two hours. It was another trek for me across the mass of Southern California to a place I've never been. The workshop was held at a place called 29 Palms Creative Center & Gallery and the host, other artists, and model were more than pleasant company to keep. The drive there was amazing too. So many wildflowers in the desert. The most I've seen in quite a few years. 

Danielle Seated

Danielle Seated

12" X 16"

Oil on Canvas

2014

This 3 Hr. life study was painted on an untoned canvas. Typically I enjoy working on a toned canvas while doing studies like this from life as they afford some forgiveness in terms of coverage. 

When working on such a stark surface you have to work a bit more diligently to make sure that the paint connects so that bright canvas gaps don't show up in-between strokes that have been laid down. To accommodate for this I usually load the brush full of paint while attempting to describe forms with as few strokes as possible. 

This approach to painting is called 'economy of means' by many, and more than a few of my favorite artists worked in this manner. There is kind of elegant simplicity to it when thing work out well.

44th President

44th President Sketch

18" X 24"

Charcoal on Paper

2015

This 45 min. sketch of President Obama is from an image that just seemed to catch my interest the other day. It's always remarkable to witness the ageing of Presidents in office over time as I imagine they endure an exhaustive work schedule and inordinate amounts of stress. There was a kind of 1,000 yard stare in his eyes that was absolutely gripping.

Camille Seated

Camille Seated

12" X 16"

Oil on Canvas

2014

This is a four hour Alla Prima painting from life completed last year at Angels Gate. I used quite a few very large brushes throughout the painting. Especially in the background. Using these can be a bit tricky sometime as it is a very simple thing to ruin prior carefully laid in strokes.

Monochrome Female Head Study 02

Monochrome Female Head Study 02

12" X 16"

Oil on Paper

2014

This painting is another 2 hour study done on Canson Oil Paper. I've really come to enjoy working with it over the last year. Although at first it took some getting used to as it is a "thirsty" surface to work with. What is especially attractive is that there is a soft focus quality to the finished work that is quite unique. Although hard edges are easily defined as well.

The paint bleeds a bit into the tooth with fluid applications. So it can behave a bit like watercolor paper in that way. Although it takes opaque passages with no problem as well, which makes it quite versatile. It's very much like working with Gouache on Illustration Board, but better in that it offers the permanence and luster of working in Oil.

Monochrome Female Head Study

Monochrome Female Head Study 01

9" X 12"

Oil on Paper

2014

I've just opened up a Gallery on DailyPaintWorks.com* and this is the first painting I've posted there. It's a 2 hour study completed last year as part of a daily painting exercise and I'll be posting more work over the coming year or so.

I'm not currently represented in the "Gallery World" as I've been working full-time commercially for over the last 15 years very much under the radar. I made my first portfolio website back in the late 90s and took it down in late 2003. So I've been missing in action in a public way for quite some time. I haven't even really been on social media at all either. I started a Facebook page some years ago but that was mainly just to do research for a commercial project. I've really had my nose to the grindstone for a long time without taking much time to look around or self promote my work. So I imagine some visitors have come here and said to themselves, 'Who is this guy?'. For those that have I've added a bit more biographical info* at my DailyPaintWorks gallery.

*My online Gallery is currently closed to further purchases as of April 2015. Although I may reopen it at some point in the future.

Untitled #212 (Sold)

Untitled #212 (Sold)

11" X 14"

Oil on Canvas

2014

I usually make some effort to soften more edges on my Alla Prima paintings, but I found this angle to be more befitting of a flatter approach. Profile views on figures have always struck me as the most graphic of angles. 

Obviously, this isn't an original insight as it has been a primary means of graphic figurative communication in art going all the way back to the Egyptians. Given this, this viewpoint and those close to it are typically the best suited for an angular definition of shape in portraiture. Even Picasso took advantage of this oftentimes:

Untitled #58

Untitled #58

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2013

This 40 min. charcoal portrait was completed at the El Camino Community College Life Drawing Marathon in the L.A. area. These are held once a month. In one room there are short poses and in another there is one long pose all day. Some artists have been attending these for years and it's always a nice mix of students, professionals, hobbyists and newcomers.