Variations

A variation of an earlier drawing. Sometimes I start over in the middle of a pose, not always for the better. In this case I'm not sure if the figure is better, but I kinda like the pillow.

Figure variation
Charcoal on newsprint

A digital color variation of the original variation. 

Saturday Sketch

For the second week in a row I attended the Saturday morning drawing group at Argos Gallery. As usual, random conversations made the 3-hour pose go by very fast. After the drawing session a small group of us walked to the Back Street Bistro for lunch (a regular event for some of the Saturday group regulars). Good soup, good sandwiches, and more good conversation.

I sketched with a red Conté pencil. When I got home I made a color scan of the sketch, then used Photoshop to add color and white highlights.

Original sketch
24" x 18"

Chair and Two Stools
Red Conté pencil on newsprint
Digital print 30" x 24"

A Gallery Somewhere

Whenever someone asks “What are you going to do with your art?,” I reply “I hope to someday put it in a gallery somewhere."

Introducing aGallerySomewhere.com

Alone

Alone
40" x 36"

AloneDetail

Turquoise Miner

Experimentation inspired by an old photo I ran across. I started with a quick felt tip pen sketch on watercolor paper, splashed on some watercolor, then scanned the image and digitally added a background texture and other enhancements/adjustments.

The Turquoise Miner
28" x 20"

Two Models

A model-scheduling mistake resulted in having two models show up for the drawing session last Tuesday. Since attendance was good enough to pay both models, we asked them both to stay. Multiple-model sessions have been requested by several of the regulars in the past, so there ya go. It could become an occasional event.

Two Models
Charcoal on newsprint
Digital color and texture enhancement

The Turquoise Miner

Study for a new image, drawn with a felt-tip pen on watercolor paper. 

Such Stuff

A new print based on a small watercolor I stumbled across in a older sketchbook. A fun departure from the figure studies I’ve been spending lots of time on.

Such Stuff as Dreams
Digital print on aluminum
26" x 18"

Such Stuff as Dreams
Detail

Such Stuff as Dreams
Print on a blanket
52" x 62"

  

Special Pose

I was invited to attend a special drawing session, arranged by an artist who needed two 3-hour poses by a specific model.  I participated in the first 3-hour session only, last night at Argos Gallery.

Since I seldom work with poses longer than 40 minutes, this was a chance to do a longer pose.

Special Pose
Detail

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