Aubrey - pencil

pencil; 2020

available; 9"x12"

      I don't post a lot of drawings or sketches - mainly because most of them are very rough value sketches for watercolor paintings. But, some end up getting finished as pretty decent little drawings in their own right. This one finished up a lot better than most.

Communicator - watercolor

watercolor, 2019

available, 11"x15"

      Here's what I consider an everyday figure. I think it would be interesting to do some portraits/figures of people (mostly women) going through normal daily activities in keeping with the "art of the ordinary" theme I've tried to keep going since I started painting.

Window Seat - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 11"x15"

      When I saw this reference photo I knew it would make a great painting. But I didn't know if I could pull it off. A lot of patience and paying attention to everything gave me one of the best paintings of last year.

Amanda - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      I actually paint a LOT of figures and portraits that never make it to this blog. Many don't fit the personality of this blog. This one fits nicely and is one with which I'm particularly happy.

Margie - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 8"x10"

     A quick portrait from an old black and white photo. I used my new favorite caucasian flesh mix of yellow ochre, DaVinci red (or any warm red), and cobalt blue. A bit of perylene maroon (or any cool red) is used in the middle shadows. It looks much better in person. The scan always tends to add a bit more yellow, which is difficult to fix without altering the other colors. I'm still working toward photographing all my paintings. Right now this is a content, if not happy, medium.

Bleeding Skull - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 8"x10"

prints and gifts also available

      Horror never sleeps! It isn't just for October. This is a moody little piece I painted all in neutral tint.

Natalie - watercolor

watercolor, 2017

available, 9"x12"

      Just a quick, loose portrait of a model from some glamour site. There's very little about this one I don't like -- except maybe the scan. Scanning always adds contrast and washes out some of the lighter spots, hiding much of the subtlety inherent in the real painting. I recently went through some originals and was struck at how much better many of them were than I remember them because I'm used to seeing the scanned file. I'm still trying to figure out an easy method of shooting originals with my camera. Theoretically, I should get a much better, truer-to-life image that way.
       I used a pretty limited palette on this one, yellow ochre, a warm red and ultramarine blue for the skin tones - with just a touch of permanent rose to bring the nose forward. The hair and lips needed a couple more colors and I think the background blue is a loose mix of ultramarine and cobalt. The fewer colors you use, the less chance of mud, everyone always says.

#387 - gouache

gouache, 2015

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts available

      I'm pretty happy with how this figure/portrait worked out. I actually had intended to go a little looser. But, it just wanted to be more realistic. I squeezed in some looser spots here and there, though.

Once Bitten - watercolor

watercolor, 2012

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts also available

     It's been a while since I've done any horror-related art. This older piece actually is one of the last ones I did. It's time I got my brushes bloody again.

Jen - watercolor crayon

watercolor crayon, 2014

original available, 9"x12" $125

prints and gifts also available

      You might have noticed my recent posts have been of older pieces. I've been out of commission for a few days. I spent over a week fighting an inner ear infection that left me dizzy and barely able to sit upright. Then the prednisone prescribed to fight that also made me dizzy, disoriented and somewhat manic. Seeing things move has been giving me headaches. So it's been nearly impossible to paint. The virus is gone and I've finished the medication. But, if you've ever had steroids before, you know they can take a few days to get completely out of your system.

      Frankly, I can't wait. I've got several pieces ready to go that I'm excited about. And, I continue to study the work of British watercolor masters, especially John Yardley, and am trying to incorporate the lessons learned into my own work to develop a looser, more impressionistic style.

Samantha In The Sun - watercolor

watercolor, 2013

original available, 12"x16" $200

prints also available