SP WIP4

Here's a small update to my self portrait - I've done more work on the blouse and the curtains, and I will tackle the hand next.

SP WIP3

Another update to my self portrait: here you can see the reference photo, which I am following more strictly than usual for the composition. However, you may also notice that I have changed some of the colors and shadows. For example, the shirt has a strange bluish tint in the photo, which is unlike real life. Also, the shadow on my face is very dark and flat in the photo, so I have added some color and contour.

SP WIP2

Here's a small update to my self-portrait. I'm going to be toning down that teapot in the bottom left corner once I get more of the figure done. (By the way, looking at the title of this blog I just realized that my acronym use has become just as bad as it was when I was working as an engineer!)

Self Portrait Work in Progress

I am continuing work on another self-portrait that I began before the Christmas break, but perhaps the background of this piece will motivate me to start a still life soon. This is 28" x 22", colored pencil on sanded paper.

Art in the New Year

Happy New Year! I’m not one to make New Year’s resolutions, but the timing does seem right to consider some new directions for 2009. Last year was the first full year of my career as an artist, and I feel I made good progress experimenting with new surfaces and refining my style. For the coming year, I would like to experiment further with both new mediums and new subjects. I bought a pastel set a couple of months back, and recently I have been given a starter watercolor kit as well as some oil paints. I don’t plan on giving up colored pencil, but time will tell for sure. I have always enjoyed drawing faces and hands the most, and I foresee that my main focus will remain portraiture and figurative art, but I am beginning to have a desire to branch out and try still life or perhaps some landscapes as well.

I am looking forward to new experiences and challenges for 2009, and to sharing my experiences here!

AJAS Emerging Artists

I am taking somewhat of a break for the holidays, but I wanted to create a quick entry to mention that the American Juried Art Salon has selected me as one of their Emerging Artists: http://artjury.com/EmergingIntro.html
Click on my name to see which of my pieces have been juried into this gallery, and do check out the amazing work of the other artists listed.

I have been making some progress on my latest portrait this week, and next week I will resume regular blogging including some images of my work in progress.

A Portrait of Elise

I mentioned my latest portrait in an earlier blog post, and now I am finally posting an image, above. This portrait was such a breath of fresh air for me because I had been growing weary of the self-portraits with dramatic lighting, poses, and backgrounds. This straight-forward head and shoulders portrait with subtle lighting and a simple background is all about the natural beauty of a girl named Elise.