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. 

Desert Landscape Study

Desert Landscape Study

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2012

This work is similar to a cactus study that I posted earlier in the month. Here again I have used directionally focused stroke patterns to build unison across multiple forms in the composition. I've experimented with this approach over the years and continue to return to it on occasion. There is a kind of dynamism to it that is continuously attractive for me.   

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. 

Untitled #301

Untitled #301

24" X 36"

Charcoal on Paper

2014

I used a large sheet of Vellum for this 25 minute drawing completed last year. Vellum is a rather unforgiving surface to use with charcoal because it is very difficult to eradicate any mistakes. Also, the tooth fills up rather quickly. Although there is a kind of stark beauty to the work because it forces you to make definitive choices without hesitation. It's kind of a high-wire act like working in ink without an underdrawing, but on a large scale.

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.