Randall Good on NPR

On Monday I took one of my regular pilgrimages to Blue Moon Art Gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I consulted with my favorite art gurus Pat and Dishongh Scavo. They've updated me on the latest news about my favorite artist, Randall Good. While I was there I acquired my fourth piece of work by Randall. Its a large and dramatic drawing of "The Fallen Icarus". As some of my frequent readers know I've collected a couple of drawings and a couple of small watercolor studies of Good's mythology subjects. Three of the works are in the Icarus series.

My last trip to Blue Moon was in March. Randall just happened to be at the gallery. He had just been interviewed by a local NPR station about his work and the exhibit at Blue Moon Art Gallery. Dishongh and Pat told me on Monday that the radio station had just recently given them a copy of the interview and it is now posted on the Gallery's website. I am including a link here for those of you that would like to hear Randall himself speaking about his work. I'm sure you will hear how knowledgeable he is about art history. He's a very articulate speaker but also a very accessible artist. I'm sure you will enjoy the interview.

There is more exciting news about Randall and his work. His work is currently showing in New York and getting quite a bit of positive notice. Also, several of Randall's major works in oil have recently been acquired by an admiring collector. I'm very happy for Randall and Blue Moon for their success. But, its sad for those of us that love to see his work at the gallery won't be able to see those paintings any longer. The up side is that Randall is always working on new drawings and paintings and the gallery will soon have more beautiful things of his to show us. I'm particulary interested in a new breathtaking series of angel subjects he has started.

I will have the new "Fallen Icarus" drawing framed some time this summer. Its a large piece and I want some special things done for its presentation. I'll be sure to post a whole article of it when its ready. I will also be attending the next Gallery Walk event in Hot Springs on Friday, June 6th and visiting Blue Moon Art Gallery then. I hope many of you will make plans to attend also. I hope to see you there. For more details about the event be sure and contact Pat or Dishongh at Blue Moon via the email links on their website. If you see me be sure and say hi. I will be the guy standing in the Randall Good shrine at the back of the gallery staring hypnotically at the inspiring imagery. Just shake me out of my trance and shake my hand.

Be sure and check out Randall's NPR interview. I'm sure you will enjoy it. Leave a comment here if you feel inclined to share or drop me an email.

Randall Good Exhibit - The Way of the Cross

Blue Moon Art Gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas will be hosting an exhibit of Randall Good's much anticipated Hope Commission of the Fourteen Stations of the Cross. Wow, I can hardly wait.

The brochure came in the mail yesterday and it really made my day. I apologize for the quality of the image in this illustration. I regret the U.S. Postal Service didn't give this parcel the tender loving care it deserved. I was so excited that I took it to dinner with me and showed my friends. Once again I was teased about my love for this work yet not being Catholic. But, if I could attend the church where this work is being installed, I might just have to convert so I could be regularly surrounded by such sublime works.

The exhibit will be held in Hot Springs, Arkansas from March 1-18. I encourage everyone to make time to visit the gallery during this time. I assure you that Pat and Dishongh will make you feel just like family. I've never met an "art snob" at Blue Moon, but I've enjoyed the company of many "art lovers" there. If you come to appreciate beautiful artwork and the skill it takes to create it, you'll be welcome at Blue Moon. I'm already working out the plans for a "road trip" with my friends. I hope we can sync our calendars on a time to go.

For more information about the gallery click on the link embedded in this article or on the side bar link of the blog. You can find directions and contact information there.

Supporting "Real" Art

A friend recently referred me to an online article about research into some of DaVinci's painting techniques. He is aware of my interest in Renaissance artists and thought I would enjoy the article. When I wrote my thank you note for sending the article, I found myself writing my thoughts about our current place in art history. I think I learned a little about myself when I wrote this. I had never quite organized my thoughts about contemporary art in this way. I'll share them with you and invite your feedback about your own opinions regarding "modern art".

I'll begin by posting a link to the original article about DaVinci.

(This picture attributed to Reuters news service)

Here are my thoughts after reading the article:

"Its interesting that so many artists that have become the most appreciated
painted in this layering, canvas-mixing technique. Another artist (a favorite of
mine) that painted in a similar technique was American illustrator Maxfield
Parrish. He painted with only one pure pigment on each layer without mixing them on the palette. He allowed the combined transparent colors to modulate the reflected light to create his images. (Here's an online essay that explains how he did it "Maxfield Parrish")

Pure pigments create brilliant, intense images. Paintings created in this fashion appear to glow even in minimal lighting. Mixed colors get dull and neutralized in their intensity. This amateurish mixing of incompatible colors on the palette is one reason that modern artwork is missing the brilliance of the old works. Working in this style was an important
technique to master back in the days before modern chemistry made lots of subtle colors available through commercial oil paints. The Modernist movement of the early 20th century almost destroyed/supplanted artists that knew how to do this. So, now we're having to do scientific investigations of these old paintings in order to learn how these old masters got the results they did. There's a great website called Art Renewal International that supports the efforts of artists that are trying to maintain the legacy of legitimate art history. It supports artists that use traditional established techniques and methods rather than painters who gain attention just through sheer sensationalism. I'm including a link to the ARC website. Its very informative."

Art Renewal

Echoes of Leyendecker 2

I hope that you read an article I wrote a few months back about the great American illustrator J.C. Leyendecker. I love his work and would like very much to be able to create work in that style.

After painting the "Pink Trunks" man I was very disappointed. I felt as if I had started out with a good idea but got further and further away from the original composition I had planned. The original idea was to work in a very soft and transparent style. I wanted a very romanticized and atmospheric piece of artwork. Instead, my piece was very hard and sculptural and solid. I think the end product was one hundred percent the opposite of the style I planned to create.

While the result was unintended I have to admit that its not unappealing. There are some strong points about this piece. The balance and symmetry of the figure is good. The treatment of light, shadow, highlight, reflected light, and skin tones are appropriate. But, why did I lean in this direction? I thought about what my personal tastes in figurative art were. I tried to remember what influenced me. My first love of art was the Renaissance master works of Michelangelo and Da Vinci. The sculpture of Michelangelo and Bernini. So, is there any wonder why my work might have that very modeled and sculptural look to it.

I've also just been reading a book about the great American illustrators, Maxfield Parrish, Norman Rockwell, and his mentor J.C. Leyendecker. I found some illustrations by Leyendecker and was struck by a few similarities between his work and mine. First of all, there is the very statuesque and stylized rendering of the figure. Secondly, I noticed the cool bluish reflected light on the legs. And finally, I see the strong, almost polished quality of the highlights on the skin.
Am I suggesting that my work matches the quality of Leyendecker? Absolutely not. I'm analyzing this piece with as much modesty as I can muster. But, I am trying to convince myself that the aesthetic that I achieved is one that has been previously demonstrated and widely appreciated in another era. It can't be denied that the beautiful male figures in Leyendecker's work were extremely stylized and decorative. He wasn't trying to show those men as hardworking All-American athletes. He was blatantly celebrating a fantasized, idealized depiction of beautiful men. Apparently the publishers and readers of the Saturday Evening Post were celebrating right along with him.

Leyendecker's athletes had a definite sensual vitality to them. They look waxed and ready to go onstage as Chippendale's dancers more than prepared for a rowing competition. Yet, in the 1930's this image had a certain innocence to it. In that day and age these figures could be admired as beautiful without being overtly sexual. If the same type of cover were on a magazine today it wouldn't be a painting. It would feature a photograph of near naked sweaty fitness models. Where's the "art" in that? When put that way, I'm proud to have painted a piece that reflects Leyendecker's style.

Watch the Artist - Final Chapter

It's Finished! For better or for worse, I'm done with it. Is it successful? Hmmmm? It is successful in some ways more than others. Am I happy with the result? Is it what I expected? Not entirely. Remember that we were working on a new technique here. We were throwing in several new variables I've not dealt with before.

Let's start with the positives. I think the modulation of skin tones is more successful than any of my previous works. My ability to capture the light on the figure is much improved. The inclusion of cool (bluish) skin tones in the reflected light is an improvement over my previous works. I also hit a few spots with harder notes of red and gold that I had been afraid to try before.

I feel I have to stop there with the positives. I ended with several problems I couldn't reconcile. I lost the likeness. That is one thing I have always prided myself on, my ability to accurately render facial features. The foot and hand are a mess! Ugh! My draftsmanship is usually much better than this. For most of the drawing I retained great contours in that hand and foot. I knew we were working small scale and I would have to be careful. But, that last round of painting covered up some landmark lines and I lost the forms. I thought I could bring it back with some pencil work and shading. I couldn't. The background looks like an afterthought. It was supposed to be somewhat impressionistic of a tile wall. I missed. I also made a technical error that ruined the background, also.

Thoughtlessness! I reworked the face and made some adjustments with colored pencil. Things were looking good. I added some blue tiles into the "grout" lines in the background. They really sparkled for a while. I added the little "Gemini Art" cartouche. Then I made the mistake. I started to give the work one last coat of acrylic matte varnish. To my utter horror most of the delicate prismacolor work began to melt and blur away. That hadn't happened on the underdrawing. But then I remembered the underdrawing was done on bare paper. This pencil work was glazed over top of a solid coat of acrylic pigments and matte medium. There was nothing for the prismacolor pigment to hold on to. So most of it simply brushed away. The darkest, most intense pencil work remained but not the delicate blending and shading work. Note to self, "Don't liquid varnish over CP work. Use fixatives only!!" How many times are artists told to spot test a small section before applying chemicals to a whole work? I certainly learned my lesson. Oh well, that's why I'm still considered an "amateur" artist.

I thought about redoing the prismacolor work. However, both I and the subject are tired of this. When I ruined it with the varnish accident I do believe Mr. Pink Trunks scowled at me. I wondered about redoing that last step, but he told me he wasn't leaning against that tile wall for another five minutes. Then he stomped his foot and stormed off while I put up my art supplies. I told him that's the last time I'd work with him. I won't tolerate a model who cops an attitude with me. Maybe he can find work modeling as a superhero for the comic books. I only do "serious" artwork anyway. So there!

P.S. You guys do realize that last little bit was a complete and total fabrication to lighten the mood over the disappointing finish of this work, right?

Watch the Artist, Part Six

The painting stages have officially ended. But, it's not finished. I'm sure some artists would leave it here and say they want to allow it to have that "painterly effect." Or, I could take a few more steps and many more hours of painstaking detail work to finish the hands, feet, face and background in acrylic. However, those parts are going to require a lot of detail and I've never been a fan of working with brushes the size of an eyelash.

I said from the beginning this would be a piece of artwork that combined prismacolor pencil with acrylic. I feel a lot more comfortable with doing the detail work in prismacolor because I like the control I have with the pencil.

In this last painting stage it was all about drybrushing and evening out the rough edges. I mixed a very neutral beige color using mostly white gesso and burnt umber. Just for the sake of harmony I added a generous portion of the original skin tone color. When I felt comfortable with the smoothness of the edges I mixed a bright yellowish white to added some sheen with highlights. As you see, I replaced that awful yellow foreground with a neutral grayish blue.

I'll varnish it again and get started with the pencil work. Please be patient and give me a few days to work on this next part. I'm sure I'll become very obsessive compulsive about the detail. Let me know what you think so far.

Watch the Artist, Part Five - Sunburn!!

Oops, I accidentally gave him a sunburn. I'm sure several of you are laughing at me. After all the big talk I made about not mixing skin tones too red or too pink, here I go and blister this guy. Don't worry, it'll be okay. I'll fix it.

Here's where we are. This is the "dry-brushing" stage. I hadn't intended to be at this stage right now. But, as experienced artists will tell you, you have to go where the artwork takes you. It seems to me that there comes a point in a piece of artwork where it almost takes on a life of it's own. After that, its a mistake to force the thing into being something its not. If you've planned well and have established a well balanced composition and have included solid principles of design, then it'll probably end okay.

I had intended to intensify the shadow edge of the figure. Remember, the shadows were originally painted with a low intensity cool steel gray. It was great for the color scheme but really didn't do much to model the shapes of the form. So, I used a dark burnt umber to intensify the shadow edge. That was working okay. What remained of the steel gray worked perfectly as a reflected light in the shadow. But, I began to notice the burnt umber was to harsh and overpowering for the colors and values I'd used up until this point. I also felt as if the figure was a little too yellow and lifeless looking especially because the blue background served as a complementary color to the yellow in the skin tone and projected it stronger than it should be. So, what to do? Time to add a little color to the skin. I added just a touch of cad red to the skin mixture I was using. I loved the way it looked on the face. So, I kept going. I'm afraid I went a little overboard with it because I liked it so much.

We're nearing the end now. We only have two or three steps left. I'll probably finish one more of them this afternoon. Next is to go back to the more neutral and lighter skin tone and blend the edges of the colors. Then I'll go with almost pure white, possibly titanium white now, and add highlights. I'll probably varnish it again at that point to lock down what I've done. Then, the final step will be to use colored pencil work to detail the face and finish the background.

I'm also going to redo that tile floor he's standing on. I thought putting brown down there would tie into the brown on the figure. Big mistake. I hate the way that looks. I want that to be more bluish so it doesn't detract from the figure. Remember, cools recede, warms advance. That warm yellow on the floor jumps out and takes attention from the figure. Gotta stop that.

Watch the Artist, Part Four

We're about to enter what some art instruction books call "the ugly phase". So, prepare yourself. This part always scares me. I just have to think of it as the challenge to overcome while working toward a beautiful finished artwork. We've covered our figure in a base coat of local color. Basically, we've covered the skin with a light skin color. But, as the light touches our guy his basic skin color will change lighter and darker. We're going to make him start to "pop" off the page now. He looks very flat because he's all one color. To make him start to "pop" we'll add a warm color that will advance toward us, red, right? We'll take a big dollop of that base color we made up and starting adding a hint of cad red to it. When it turns noticebly pink we're ready to use it. Use the reference photo to find all the aread on our guy that is sun-kissed. All the bright areas and highlights get a stroke of this color. Add the glow of health and fitness to him. We'll not cover all of him with this color, especially not the shadow areas. We also want that golden skin tone to peek through here and there. It's more interesting that way, I think.

So, now we go back to the shadows again. We can see them under the skin color because we underpainted them maroon, remember? I'm not one to rush into things too quickly. That's the conservative, non-risk taker in me. I'd hate to get too eager with my color selections and ruin everything I've done up to this point. So, we're going to make a gradual progression toward our shadow areas. Some people might think to create a shadow color would mean to mix up a darker color of skin tone and paint the dark spots. But, that's boring. We don't just see shades of light and dark. We see change in color and changes in temperature. His shadowed areas are not just darker, they're cooler. Cooler colors also change color, they change hue not just change value. I'm going to be bold and choose a cool color. We'll go back to that dark neutral we created for the background and put a big dollop of it into a new area. Begin adding white gesso until it turns about fifty percent gray. I see that this truly is gray and has little temperature to it at all. So, I add a touch of blue until we have a pretty steel blue, or cadet blue as it used to say in the Crayola crayon box. This is going to help harmonize our color scheme. The parent of this shadow color is the same as the dark cast shadow color in the background. It's also very close to the same hue as our blue-gray background. See, there's method to my madness. Color harmony is one of the principles of design. We'll lightly paint the shadows with this color. I work very gradually and keep an old, clean brush handy. After I paint a small area I use the clean brush to gently blend and soften this color as I apply it. I want to start to eliminating my hard edges. Take several breaks to step back and look at him from a distance. Is he starting to lift off the page a little? I hope so. Let's not do too much with this shadow color. We can always add more. It's harder to cover up or take away.

Give the floor he's standing on just a little texture and we're done with this step. I notice that I've lost some of the edges I wanted to keep and I've really lost the face. So, before it's too covered I take a colored pencil and bring those lines and edges back into focus so I can see what I'm doing. I'm gonna cover this guy with another coat of matte varnish. Acrylics have the bad habit of turning loose when you paint several thin layers. The varnish helps lock things down in between layers so we can keep working without worrying about that. Now, let's set him on a bright shelf in the living room and live with him for a while so he can tell us what he needs next. Mist and cover the paints so they don't dry out. Let's watch TV with him for a while.

Watch the Artist, Part Three

Okay, here we go again. In this session we've started to paint. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, what paints shall we use? Anyone out there have a tube of skin colored paint? White skin, tan skin, shadowed skin, shiny skin? No? Then I guess we have to mix our own. But first, use matte varnish and cover the whole page. I don't want the paper to curl and pucker so we'll prepare the paper with varnish and then paint on top of that. While this varnish is drying we'll mix paint.

I'll talk about mixing skin color in a minute but first let's get the boring stuff out of the way, like the big shadow on the wall behind him. I like getting the background out of the way early because I'll feel better knowing I won't have to work on it later. I can focus on the fun of painting our good looking swimmer dude. I learned from a smart artist (and from making several dull paintings) that you never paint with black except for tiny little bits to serve as emphasis. The most beautiful blacks are mixed as rich, dark neutrals. True blacks completely close out the light reflecting potential and cause the painting to look flat. So, we'll mix our "black" using a warm and cool complementary color. I start with equal parts of Raw Umber (a dark warm brown) and Prussian Blue (a dark navy blue). I adjust the mixture until it I can't see a bluish or brownish tint to it. Then paint the shadows.

Now, back to the skin color. For Caucasian skin, which our guy is, we need to have a gold cast to it. Pink? NO! Trust me, if you start with pink the poor young fella will be sunburned from the get go. Take a look at most make-up foundations. The base is usually a very sickly yellowish color. Then, pinkish highlighting powders and shadows are put on to that. Think about painting our guy with those colors. Let's look at our source photo for reference. Sure enough he has a healthy golden glow to his skin. The shadows on his skin are a ruddy brown and where he's had to much sun there's just a slight pinkness. But, we usually focus on the pink in a person's skin because in color theory cool neutral colors recede and warm saturated colors advance. Therefore, the warm reds in a person's skin pop out at us.

I know that if we don't emphasize the drawing with a dark rich color the colored pencil lines will be covered up by the opaque paints. So, let's mix up a dark natural skin color, a dark, brownish maroon color (cadmium red and raw umber with a touch of white gesso). Just about the color of a bad bruise. Paint over the pencil drawing with the bruise color being as careful as you can not to lose the image. It won't be perfect because a brush won't be as accurate as a pencil. This thin maroon color will have some brush strokes in it. But, that's okay. This is underpainting. There will be several layers on top of this. You might still see a little of it when we're finished, but just barely. This is like the skeleton. You don't see a person's bones when you look at them, you just know they're there. Right?

While this dries mix the base coat for the skin. Let's not mix too yellow or we'll give him jaundice. Let's not go too red or he'll look sunburned. Start with a big dollop of cadmium yellow. Then, add just a touch of cadmium red. You'll be surprised how far a little touch of red will go. You'll make orange in a hurry with just a little bit. When you have a yellowish orange color start adding white gesso. Add a little at a time until we have a healthy light peach color. Then add a touch more white because acrylics always dry a little darker than you think. So go lighter to be on the safe side. At this point I use gesso for the white instead of titanium white because I want the easy flow of the liquid paint. Titanium white will be so thick it will cover every thing we've done. And right now we still want some translucence. Carefully, start to overpaint the maroon colored figure with the peach color. If its too opaque to see the underpainting wipe it off. You can do that if you primed the paper with varnish. Add a little water and try again. Then, base coat the swim trunks with a light pink mixed from cad red and white and paint them. When the figure is covered we're done with this session. Gee, that was exhausting let's go take a nap and dream of what he'll look like when finished.

Record Hit Count on Flickr!!

Here's exciting news. I just checked my Flickr album. I have three pieces of artwork that have just past a landmark for my little album. "Gridiron Warrior","Poolboy", and "Ganges" have reached or exceded 100 page views each. I only hope now that everyone that viewed the photo would also go to the gallery site and make a purchase. Or, at least drop me an email and let me know if they like what they saw. But, I see progress. The future is bright.

Watch the Artist, Part 2

Thanks for checking in again. I hope this little drawing is holding your interest. This is the second stage of my process with this drawing. First of all, let's review where we've been. We started with a simple line drawing in graphite of the figure that established composition on the page and proportions. Now, we've undone everything we started with. Honestly, I went back over the drawing with a drafting cleanup bag and almost completely obliterated the original graphite until it was barely a ghosted image. Then, as I removed a few lines I replaced them with prismacolor pencil. I didn't do that all at once. I went very slowly and carefully one line at a time. This is definitely not a time to rush through the work. We all know that every fine piece of artwork begins with a top-notch drawing. Without that, what have you got? Nothing. In this stage I've replaced the graphite with a very subtle neutral pinkish color. I'm still just wanting a ghost of an image. This will be the framework to which we'll ad color and light. As you can see, our guy looks a lot more substantial now. As I replaced the line work I also began modeling forms with a very soft hatching. This is not a step that is supposed to stand out. When I work in this step I like to think of applying the pigment as you would be sprinkling the paper with powder. There is nothing in this stage that is applied so intensely that it can't be edited easily. Just while I've been looking at this drawing while I've been writing I've seen some spots that need editing. I don't really like the balance in the foreground of the tile work on the floor. There appears to be more on the right than the left. So, I'm about to get the kneaded eraser and remove from the right and then add to the left. I'll keep you posted. Click on the picture to see an enlarged version.

Watch the Artist

Here's the beginning of a new piece I'll be working on. I thought it would be fun to let the readers follow along on this one. For those of you who are fellow artists, you can laugh at my mistakes. For those of you who are not artists, I hope you'll get an idea how much time and energy it takes to put a piece of artwork together. To help you get an idea of the scale we're working with, this support (Artagain Paper) is roughly 8.5X 19, in. The paper is about the thickness of poster board (a little thinner) with a light texture to it. This particular paper is a light ash gray. I know this particular dimension is a little strange. However, I'm basically working on a piece of scrap here.

Now, we have the potential for a lot of mistakes, because I'm gonna be practicing new techniques. My last artwork, "Blue Towel," was pretty basic traditional colored pencil technique. But, as with anything, if you want to improve you have to practice. You have to try new things. So that's what I'm doing here. I found an artist's website that executed the most beautiful figurative work using a combo of acrylic paint washes and Prismacolor pencils. He even has a page on his website that describes his process. His finished works have an almost airbrushed delicate quality to them. But, he stresses that there is only hand drawn pencil work on the artwork. Since acrylic and colored pencil are the two media that I work with primarily, and I love figurative subjects, I thought I'd try it out.

This is not the most imaginative or original subject, I realize. But, since I'm trying something new I didn't want to deal with a complicated pose or a lot of wrinkled, flowing, billowing drapery on the figure. So, we'll stick with something simple, a straight forward athletic figure in full sunlight lit from the upper right. I also had this "scrap" of gray paper I wanted to use. Because of it's dimensions I needed an upright standing pose. This one just happened to fit perfectly.

Although we're just at the very beginning of the drawing, there has been a lot of work that has gone on already. I've worked about three or four hours off and on to get to this stage. Let's keep track of the time on this one so I can charge by the hour plus the cost of materials like a building contractor. So far, I've copied the source photo in black and white (you can see values better in black and white) and in color. I decided what part of the photo to use. There is a lot of empty, unimaginative background in the original that we're not going to use. But, there's a contrasting shadow being cast on the wall behind our guy that will lend some interest to the work.

Since this support is a little flimsy, and we're going to be using a little bit of wet media on it, I've taped it down with masking tape on a foamboard backing. I've tested the paper's reaction to getting wet. It puckers a little but smooths out again when dry. I hit it with the blow dryer for about 2 minutes and it was right back to flat. We won't be drawing on it when its wet anyway. And the piece I tested wasn't taped to a backing. We should be in good shape here. I think matte board would be a better choice but I don't have any. If we do this again we'll get the matte board (but have to charge more for the drawing because matte board is more expensive).

After that, it was a simple matter of enlarging the subject to fit the paper. For those of you who are not artists that might not sound so simple. But, trust me, it just takes a little practice. I checked and double checked my proportions and angles. Then did almost an hour's worth of clean up with a kneaded eraser and drafting cleanup bag. I've done all that just to have created the equivalent of a coloring book page. The next step will be a little heartbreaking. All of these dark graphite lines have to be replaced (therefore erased) with a more subtle, neutral Prismacolor line. I'm expecting another two or three hours for that part. Did you notice I didn't work in a lot of detail on the face? He looks a little comic bookish, right? Its because I didn't want to have a lot of eraser marks and roughed up paper on the face. I just drew in the landmarks, I'll detail the face in color. Then, after all that, we finally get to add just a little, and I mean a very little, bit of paint.

Hope you didn't think this would go quickly. It might be almost as interesting as watching paint dry.

Grand Opening - Gemini Art Gallery is New and Improved

At last!!! The new site is up and running. http://members.cox.net/gemini_art/gemini_art.htm.

I can't describe how excited I am about this new site. There are so many improvements that I want to point out to you.

First of all, the color scheme and layout is much more inviting. I got rid of the black and orange that made it so imposing. Also, I have samples of artwork on the very first page. I realized that if I have an art gallery website, I needed to focus on art. I narrowed my focus and only featured the works that I like. I read a few essays online about good website design. They all recommended that the content be very direct and to the point. I've included an artist's statement in the "about me" section. I've decided to highlight my figurative works. On my last site I was showing my landscapes and everything. I thought (in my misguided way) that I was demonstrating my versatility. NOT!! The truth is that they (the landscapes) were just not good. Creating artwork with the male figure as the primary subject is my first love. Its what I enjoy working on and so that's what I plan to showcase on this site.

I've finally decided to sell my artwork. The first website was truly a gallery only. It was my little photo album of what I can do. But, now I've decided that if someone enjoys my work, I'd like to see it hanging on their wall. I've had very kind complements from viewers on this blog and from other sites. Its given me the confidence to put prices on the work.

Now for the disappointments. I want very badly to be able to accept secure payments. I tried for a long time tonight trying to get Paypal sales to work. I have a Paypal account. I took all the right steps of creating "Buy Now" buttons. But, to no avail. If anyone out there in the cyber ether knows how to make this work, let me know. I'm desperate.

I've also included more contact information, even my phone number. I may regret that decision, but we'll see. If it results in my selling a painting, then that's great. I also included a paragraph soliciting commissions and models. I know it looks a little presumptuous, but taking on commissions is one more source of income. If I want paying clients then I have to ask for them, right? I was hesitant about asking for models. However, I know that to create legitimate, respected work I have to create unique and original subjects. I can't spend an artistic career just copying from photos taken by other artists (photographers). I have ideas for artwork that will never be realized unless I contract and pose my own models. I may get some undesirables because of this, but I'll use my own judgement about who to accept. If there are any artists out there with advice, I'm willing to listen. But, for now, please visit the new site and let me know what you think. Link to it and check back often to see when I post new work. It would be nice if you also bought a painting or two.

Painting Balls

Okay, does the silly title of this entry catch your attention? (giggle) Here's the story. I've lately felt my technique was getting a little rusty. I've been drawing and painting and practicing with various techniques but I've just not been happy with the results. So, I decided to take myself back to school, so to speak. Maybe it would be a good idea to practice the basics again for awhile. I recently bought a new book on painting portraits in acrylic (my primary interest as you know). It's a book by Lee Hammond, one of my favorites. Some may feel Hammond is sophomoric in her approach. Some may see her as a commercial sell-out rather than a legitimate artist. Trust me, I've thought the same thing. But, you have to admit, her books are sold on the same shelves as the heavy weights in drawing like Anthony Ryder and Burne Hogarth. I've learned a lot by reading her books. I'll stick with her a little longer. After this I'll try the exercises in painting individual features and practice with different color mixtures for a variety of skin tones. After that, I'll pick a subject and try again. Wish me luck.

The Great Experiement

Some artists would never dare show you their failures. Well, I'm a firm believer that if we don't learn from our mistakes we're bound to repeat them. This thing was a mistake and here is what I've learned. I won't try to create a painting with nothing but glazes ever again!! However, there are parts of the painting (such as the background) that achieved a luminosity and depth of tone I hadn't previously achieved. I was able to get a graduation of values I hadn't gotten before. But, here's the rub. Once you build up those intense darks, you can't come away from it. If I tried to put white back into the work, the opaque spot would suddenly stand out like a birth mark on the Mona Lisa.

This thing was only a little 8X10 experiment. It served its purpose. I learned my lesson (the hard way) and now it can be retired. It is soon going into the experimental artwork graveyard. So, if anyone wants the pitiful thing send me a note. I'll probably give it to you in exchange for a bottle of very cheap wine.

Youth with Lillies

This is another image that gained some comment on the Flickr album. I even had one viewer express interest in acquiring it. I followed up and haven't heard back from him. I guess he's just an artist tease.

I call this painting "Youth with Lilies," a bland but descriptive title. I don't feel like it is complete but I did abandon work on it. I achieved a combination of color contrasts and textural brushstrokes that I thought were interesting and then I stopped. This work is based on old 19th century photographs by a European photographer who went by the moniker of Baron Wilhelm von Gloeden (I don't think he was truly part of any nobility, it was an alias). I also enjoy the paintings of the Pre-Raphaelites. Since von Gloeden was making his photographs during that same time, and posing his models in a mythological/Mediterranean theme like the Pre-Raphaelites, I've tried to combine the two styles into a new medium. I'm not completely satisfied with the result yet, but I want to keep at it.

From what little I've been able to find about von Gloeden on the Internet, I take it he was gay. That would be understandable. Most of his photographic subjects seem to have been male. I can imagine that would have been a scandalous situation in his day and age. It can still be scandalous today in some places. But, there are a few websites that have some biographical and historical information about him that acknowledge his artistic talent. Perhaps one day his work will be viewed credibly.

This painting is starting to grow on me even in its unfinished condition. If it doesn't sell soon I may frame it and stick it on a wall somewhere.

Flickr Hits!!!

Wow, I've just had a lot of new visits and a few comments on my Flickr! album. Over the last few weeks I've posted some very nice pictures of my trip to Vegas and my flowers in the front yard. I have had moderate interest. There were fewer than 10 visits to each of those pictures. Then, over the last few days I posted photographs of my paintings and drawings. You know the ones, right? My favorite subjects, right?

Lo, and behold, my hit count on those pictures jumped very noticeably. This guy to the left, who I affectionately call the "Gridiron Warrior" received 39 hits in just two days. Wow!! I knew he was good looking but I never realized just how much. I've always felt this was one of my better paintings but I never expected such a response to him from the larger audience. Yes, I'm excited!

In addition to the increased hits to my photos, I've received an email from a Flickr member that has requested I paint his portrait. He is a very fit athlete with a great physique. He wants me to use one of his photos as a reference for the artwork. Wow! that's even more exciting. Wish me luck.

I guess its true what they say, "Sex sells!"

More books!

I'm sure there is some type of pathology I suffer from. Perhaps those of you smarter than I can figure it out. I just bought another couple of art technique books today. Regrettably, out of the hundreds of dollars I've spent on books, magazines, and various artistic media, I've never sold a piece of my work. Of course, I'm displayed on the walls of family and friends who love me (or feel sorry for me). I think its the adult equivalent of having your work put on the refrigerator door. You know, when the kids' drawing really isn't good enough to frame and stick on the wall, it temporarily goes on the refrigerator. Same here. I realize I'm not up to professional level yet, but, I keep trying.

I haven't bought near this many books related to my profession. Can you imagine how good I would be at my real life job if I studied it as much as I do drawing and painting. Perhaps I should think of it this way. Art for me is a stress reliever, a distraction from the daily grind. Its a means for me to stretch my imagination, explore and create in a medium that is completely unrelated to my career. I guess it could be argued that it makes me better at work because I have a hobby, a diversionary interest. My hobby may be expensive, but its a heck of a lot cheaper than therapy, huh?

Therapy, huh? I did that once, ya know? Can't say it helped as much as painting. And I enjoy painting a whole lot more than the therapy, too.

Daedalus by Randall Good

This is Daedalus mourning the death of his son, Icarus (see previous post). This is the second watercolor I acquired from Randall Good's mythology series. I feel very fortunate to have it because it complements the Icarus work so well. Anyone who knows this myth should be struck by the tragedy of this story. To understand the anguish here, one must understand what has just occurred. Daedalus has managed to reach ground safely, however his son has not. I think Randall has expressed this tragedy/victory most effectively in the compositional elements of this piece. While the figure's body language very clearly reflects the sorrow this father feels, the upstretched wing expresses his victory in making a successful escape. I'm glad Randall used this element. The upstretched wing would have been a familiar symbol to the Greeks. It meant victory, as seen in the Athena Nike (or Athena of Samothrace). A life-size Athena Nike stood in the palm of the colossal Zeus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. We see it today on the tops of athletic trophies, as well as a stylized wing striping the side of Nike sneakers. This is also a watercolor study for a much larger work. In that piece, Randall juxtaposes an intense solar disk being bisected by the point of the upstretched wing. The counterpoint of the organic figure combined with the precise geometry of the sun's circle adds a poignant dimension to that work. Please visit the Blue Moon Art Gallery to see it. Their link is posted in my sidebar.

Icarus by Randall Good

I love beautiful artwork. I wish I could create it. But, try as I might I'm nowhere near the level of the serious professionals out there. So, since I can't paint it, I occasionally buy it. This is a piece from my very modest collection of work by the incredible artist, Randall Good, represented by Blue Moon Art Gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The folks at Blue Moon are wonderful. More about them later.

This is Icarus. We all know his story. If you don't, please go back to seventh grade because you really should freshen up on your knowledge of mythology. It's part of our cultural heritage, don't ya know? This painting shows Icarus with his wings made of wax ascending to the sky just before he flies too close to the sun and then plummets to his sad fate.

This painting is a watercolor study for a much larger and more sophisticated oil that is absolutely luminous. Oh, that I could win a lottery, it would be mine. This work is one of two watercolors I acquired. The other watercolor is Daedalus, father of Icarus. I'll share it later. This work truly speaks to me. I love the upward thrust of Icarus' head as he defiantly stretches for the unattainable goal of the sun. In Randall's notes on the finished oil he talks about the warning to Icarus to not fly too high or too low. That is such a wonderful summation of the Apollonian philosophy of the ancient Greeks, "All things in moderation." What a great lesson for us even in the 21st century.