Hide and Seek

Three hours of posing can be tiresome, so sometimes the model plays Hide and Seek. It would probably be more fun for him if the rest of us played too, but we’re busy drawing.

Hide and Seek
Digital print on aluminum
24" x 32"

Scott and Linen

A 5-minute charcoal-on-newsprint pose to which I added color, highlights and a linen texture.

Scott & Linen
18" x 24"

White Bandana

Digital print, evolved from the charcoal on gray Canson paper life drawing shown in the 4/1/14 blog post.

White Bandana
20" x 24"

J on Gray

A charcoal life sketch, unfinished. Or is it? I can't tell.

Finished or not, I'm going to transform it into a digital print worthy of The Tate Modern, or perhaps Musée d’Orsay.

Delusional? I can't tell. But yeah, probably.

J on Gray
Charcoal on gray Canson paper

Gallery Pose: Censored

A charcoal sketch on newsprint — from the most recent weekly drawing session at Argos Gallery. Now a print on paper and also on aluminum.

Censored
Digital print on aluminum
24" x 16"

Censored
Digital print on paper
40" x 28"

  

Woman With Flowers

Another painting in the growing series of aluminum prints, using another stylized approach. 

Woman With Flowers
Digital print on aluminum
24" x 18"

Strands of Hair

Last week’s model had dramatic features: large, dark eyes, full lips, with strands of hair that had pulled free from a tightly wrapped bun behind her head.

Strands of Hair
Charcoal study

Strands of Hair
Digital print on aluminum
24" x 26"

Back and Shoulders

One of at least a dozen interesting poses from last night’s model at Argos Gallery. Background ancient parchment texture and highlights added in Photoshop.

Woman’s Back and Shoulders
18" x 24"

Woman’s Back and Shoulders
variation 1
18" x 24"

Detail

In the Zone

A couple of sketches from a recent Tuesday night drawing session at Argos Gallery, Santa Fe.

In the Zone
Charcoal on newsprint
24" x 18"

Joey and Chair
Charcoal on newsprint with digital paint
20" x 24"

Fame and Fortune

While waiting for a shipment of acrylic paint I experimented with a drawing of Freddie Mercury, legendary lead singer of Queen. I drew the image and scanned it over a year ago. Today I opened the scan in Illustrator, traced it as a vector image and enlarged it from approximately 7" x 7" to 30" x 30". I opened the Illustrator file in Photoshop, applied some filters, masked some areas of multiple layers, applied several texture backgrounds, then change the blend mode of a couple of the background layers. Next I'll order a digital print on aluminum and add it to the series of metal prints that I'm working on now.

And Everything That Goes With It
Digital print on aluminum
20" x 20"

Hidden Tattoo

Many of her friends haven’t seen the tattoo on her back. It’s awesome. 

See the previous post, Snake Tattoo.

Hidden Tattoo

Snake Tattoo

Beautiful decorative body art.

A new digital print based on a recent life drawing at Argos Gallery. 

Snake Tattoo
Digital print on aluminum
42" x 36"

Skin Deep Tonight

The opening reception for Skin Deep: An Exhibit of Life Drawings is just hours away. Looking forward to getting photos of the artists with their drawings.

Today one of my 2-minute sketches appeared in Pasatiempo, the Santa Fe New Mexican’s Weekly Magazine of Arts, Entertainment and Culture.

I know, it's not a perfect drawing, but hey... two freakin’ minutes!

Scriptorium

To add a digital background texture to a charcoal life drawing, I used a page from the Lindisfarne Gospels, an illuminated manuscript from a monastery off the coast of Northumberland (in northern England) from around the year 700. The Gospels are on display in the British Library in London.

The Lindisfarne Gospels, lavishly illustrated and hand lettered with incredible skill and artistry, are thought to have been created in a monastery scriptorium by Eadfrith, a monk who became the Bishop of Lindisfarne in 698 and died in 721.

Scriptorium

40" x 30"

I kind of doubt that Eadfrith had this kind of art in mind as he slaved away in the scriptorium. 

Yep, kinda doubt it. 

Sort of. 

Maybe. 

Hmmmm. 

Eadfrith!

Another Bandana Pose

Bandana
28" x 30"

Bandana and Plaid Shirt

One of our favorite Tuesday night models posed for our group last night. Word is getting out about our Tuesday night group and we consistently have more than a dozen artists in attendance. Last night there were 15 artists, with a couple of regulars missing. Pretty good considering the fact that one year ago attendance was low enough to make us wonder if we could afford to continue.

Bandana and Plaid Shirt
Charcoal and pastel on Canson paper
24" x 18"

Skin Deep Extras

In conjunction with the historic Skin Deep exhibit of life drawings that is destined to shake up the art scene in Santa Fe, Paris, and New York, a snazzy collection of Skin Deep products is being offered at CafePress.  A link will be posted here soon for the 66-page, souvenir Skin Deep Exhibit catalog.

Skin Deep All Over T-shirt, front and back

Black T-shirt

Large Mug

White T-Shirt

Skin Deep Exhibit

Our Tuesday night drawing group has announced an exhibition of life drawings that were made during the course of a Tuesday night session. 

16 artists are participating. Each artists was allowed to select, at their own discretion, up to three drawings for the show.

A 66-page exhibit catalog will be given to each artist and to the models that we’ve drawn throughout the past year or so. Additional copies of the catalog will be available at the show, and on Amazon.com, at a ridiculously low price.

The show features a wide selection of styles and techniques of poses that varied from several minutes long to just under 1 hour, exhibiting a rawness and spontaneity that is both refreshing and compelling.

Anodized Art

I'm experimenting with images printed on aluminum. I use sketches from the Tuesday night life drawing group as reference to make vector art versions of the drawing in Adobe Illustrator, then import the vector art into Photoshop CC to add various effects and background textures. The MetalPrint process should result in vibrant colors, although I'm waiting for a test print to see the results.

I’m also collaborating with a artist/jeweler/metallurgist to explore the possibilities of adding special metal enhancements, such as sterling silver, to the aluminum surface.

Blowing Kisses, detail
Anodized aluminum

Sonnet 30

Sonnet 30
Digital print on metal
16 x 18