Wednesday, August 20, 2008


" Marcus" oils, 20 x 24.
Mark commissioned this portrait as part of his legacy to his grandchildren. In creating the painting, I wanted to tell his grandchildren a bit of his life story. One of his interesting hobbies is building historically accurate model ships in wood. He knows the history of each ship he builds, along with a name and purpose of every part on it. (I told him that he has a great deal more patience in building his ships than I did in painting this one! He was happy to allow me to simply suggest the details he labored so hard to create.).
Mark enjoys travel, which inspired the map in the background. He also loves the old west and is a real maverick at heart, leading to his choice of the cowboy hat and bollo tie. I created a rather nostalgic mood with hazy lighting, as he reflects on his rich and full life.
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100 Faces - Introduction

After painting many portraits, I've found I can achieve the likeness, attitude and personality of my subjects, given enough time. Now I want to be able to create them faster!
My art goal for 2012 is to paint one hundred faces - small, quick practice studies, either from photos or from life, in whatever amount of time I have. If I only have an hour on a particular day, the idea is to complete the portrait in an hour. No time for fussing over details. I want to use larger brushes and more paint. Rough studies can have their own charm. Since it's just practice, I may throw them away, paint over them, or go back later to finish them further.

Click on the pictures below to enlarge and see the brushwork.