Concept to Completion
Concept drawings are the beginning stage of every painting I create. Pencil and paper offer the fastest way to establish composition as well as areas of light and dark. Often I follow up these drawings with a small oil sketch, playing with color options.
"Guiding Light" - A woman holds her child and looks to the sky where a star can be seen through cloud cover.
"Remembering the Light" - An older man sits on a bench and looks to a brilliantly lit setting sun.
"Filtered Light" - A man sits in the shade of a tree, but a stream of light filters through the branches and onto his arm.
"Keeping the Flame" - A man sits staring into a fire. Behind him a constellation decorates the night sky.
"Subway Performance" - A woman admires a cellist on the subway. His instrument is illuminated from the left, he is mostly in darkness.
"Fishmonger" - The majority of this work is in monotone blues, except the right side of the man's body, which becomes a crescent shape where the light strikes his body.
"Search Light" - Two people embrace on a beach with a lighthouse in the distance.
"Wall Embrace" - Two people embrace next to a wall and a fence, with a street lamp illuminating them.
Drawings are also available for purchase. Framing available.
"A Light Rain" - A business man stands before the rain.
"Evening Light" - A young woman stands at an open window, taking in the evening.
"A Light from Above" - A young woman forgets about the troubles of the day, soaking in the sun from above.
"Journey to Light" - A sailboat seeks the light, but must first face dark waters.
Color Oil Sketches
I then translate the drawing into an oil sketch. The final oil sketch doesn't always have the same color decisions as the final drawing, but the exercise helps me "get to know" the painting. Often it feels like the painting is coming to me rather than me going to it.
Creating the Final Painting
