Jamin LeFave

Portrait Painting Event

2011-09-21T06:56:00.000-07:00

I am putting together a series of portrait paintings for my portfolio and looking for people to model. Distance is not an issue, since I can paint from photo reference. The participant would need to be willing to take pictures for me to paint from. Those interested join the event friend me on facebook and message me your email address and I will send you info on what type of photos I am looking for and suggestions on how to take them. Those selected will get a digital copy of the portrait I paint.

Van Dyke Copy

2011-08-26T05:54:00.000-07:00

100th Post

2011-06-01T06:17:00.000-07:00

Here is an update on the progress I have made with painting on Riley. 11x14 on gesso'd panel.

Values, Color and The Masters

2011-04-15T06:13:00.000-07:00

I haven't been very pleased with the results of my work and decided to improve my observation of value, color and edges. I decided to study Bouguereau and a a few others to make needed improvements. I also have been reading Solomon J Solomon's book about painting and have been experimenting with the painting method he describes, which is painting wet into wet alla prima. It is similar to the way Jeremy Lipking and Joseph Todorovitch paint, in as far as I can gather. It is painting lights and darks into an average color value wet base. I have been happy with the results and it is so much easier to work edges when painting wet into wet. Must of the work is small and quick, not much bigger than 4"x6".

On The Easel

2011-02-18T07:12:00.001-08:00

W.I.P.

New Album

2011-02-10T17:06:00.000-08:00

My brothers are in to making music and they just released their new rap album... here is the link - http://www.myspace.com/archbishop13/music/playlists/brand-new-1149769
(Parental Advisory.

Slow and Steady

2010-12-20T07:47:00.000-08:00

Sometimes finishing the portrait is the most difficult. It requires a lot more patience and dedication. Getting closer.

New Self Portrait in Progress

2010-12-13T07:07:00.001-08:00

I don't have much time to work on it, so it is a slow process. A hour here and two hours there. Here is the progress so far.

In Progress

2010-11-30T08:59:00.000-08:00

Here are few things I have been working on.

At It Again

2010-09-09T03:48:00.000-07:00

After moving to NY I finally got settled in enough to start painting again. Having not painted for two months I decided to make some small portrait studies and a quick Velazquez copy to get warmed up. I am also working on another landscape of a local waterfall called buttermilk falls.

Falls

2010-06-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

Here is the finished study 9x12.

9x12

2010-06-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

This is a smaller study that I am working on. If I like it enough I may paint it larger. The small studies really help to see what is working and what isn't without investing alot of time and resources.

Color Sketches

2010-05-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

I come to realize that the only way to get better at painting is to paint! The only problem is time, not enough of it. Solution 1-2 hour color sketches of master paintings that are not much bigger than a post card. Here are the results.

New Work

2010-04-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

I finished another self portrait and here are a couple of figure drawings from the figure structure class that I taught this past semester at Utah Valley University.

I am waiting to hear back from the Springville Muesum if one of my self portraits made it into this years spring salon exhibition. Wish me luck.

Landscape Painting

2010-03-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

I finished it, at least for now. 8x10

Landscape

2010-03-17T06:36:00.001-07:00

I painted a smaller color study a while back of this stream, I am working on a larger version.

Vermeer Copy

2010-03-17T06:33:00.000-07:00

I wanted to study Vermeer's painting technique of the milkmaid. Here is my success and failures so far. In process.

Rembrandt Update

2010-03-11T07:17:00.000-08:00

Update

2010-02-24T07:08:00.000-08:00

Working on the Bouguereau portrait and feel like I am making some progress, fixing some drawing errors and started a copy of Carl Bloch's Christ. I am becoming painfully aware that my edge quality is not up to par.

Bouguereau Update

2010-02-13T09:22:00.000-08:00

After looking at this copy I realized that I could put it a lot farther and there is still a lot of errors to fix. It is testing my patience. I really don't have the patience for this, but I realize that patience is it's own reward and that craftsmanship and workmanship is born in the fire of affliction. Still is process and may be for the rest of my life.

In Process

2010-02-11T07:21:00.000-08:00

This is a portrait of Natalie Malan. I am not sure I did her justice and there is something not right that I can put my finger on. Feedback welcomed.

Carl Bloch

2010-02-11T07:19:00.000-08:00

Carl Bloch is one of my heroes. I did this copy to gain a better understanding of his paint applications. The values are a little too dark.

What Difference a Few Years Makes

2010-02-11T07:16:00.000-08:00

Here is a copy of a Rembrandt I did in 2007, 2009 and one that is in process.

Rembrandt Copy

2010-01-18T14:37:00.000-08:00

This is the Rembrandt I copied before my self portrait. It's 5"x7".

New Self Portrait

2010-01-17T19:34:00.000-08:00

I've been studying Rembrandt lately and been intrigued with the way he applies paint. For me that solves the expressive nature I have been seeking lately in my work. I've also tried to fined that balance between expression and accuracy. I love some of Van Gogh's self portraits for their expressive nature, but they fail to satisfy the accuracy that I seek. Rembrandt seem to do a good job at both. I did a Rembrandt copy in oil before this self portrait hoping some of his influence would rub off on me.

Who Said it is Not Good to Copy?

2009-11-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

I've been working on some copies of Bougeureau and Rembrandt. There is so much one can learn from the master. Copying was a major component of the education of the French Academy in the 19th century.

Update

2009-10-23T09:00:00.001-07:00

I'm posting some copy paintings I'm working on, some drawings from the figure drawing and head drawing class I am teaching at UVU and the first two are a drawing from life and a drawing from memory. One of these days I'm going to learn how to photograph my artwork so it doesn't look like crap.

Drawings

2009-10-15T10:11:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since last post. Here are some drawings that I have been working on. The reference for the Indian drawings is from Edward Curtis. I love his lighting and composition. It makes for a more personal portrait. I am not sure if it is the composition, the lighting, or position of the head, or a combination of each. The other is from a scuplture of Bernini of St. Longus.

New Portrait

2009-01-07T07:03:00.000-08:00

This drawing is for an oil painting that I'm starting.

Tree Study

2008-12-31T08:06:00.000-08:00

This is a little tree study I did in Hunter, NY. The roots were that gnarly, there was no embellishment.

Yet Another

2008-12-15T07:55:00.001-08:00

This is a 6"x8" study I did of North Lake. I decided to paint for the same location Thomas Cole had painted from. They had a plaque that marked the location. It was interesting to see the liberties that he took with what he saw and what he painted in painting that location of North Lake.

This is his painting.

En Plein Air

2008-12-10T09:34:00.000-08:00

My attempts at painting weren't as successful as my drawings. I spent the first couple of weeks painting on panel that was too slick, luckily I had a friend who was able to bring me back some canvas from NYC.

Rainy Days

2008-12-05T07:25:00.000-08:00

A day into the workshop my $7.00 folding chair broke. So, I was left to find a rock or log for support for several days until the new chair I ordered arrived. Unfortunately it rain several of those days I was waiting, oh did I forget to mention that I was waiting for my umbrella as well. One of the days I was waiting it happened to rain. I remember it fondly, sitting on a towel on a rock, slightly sheltered by the branches of the trees, with my sketchbook and only my poncho to cover me in what seemed like a monsoon. Despite the circumstances I felt like I was able to produce a fair drawing. Note: The dark specks are were the paper was wet and I drew into it, making it impossible to erase.

For anyone wanting to see photos of the workshop you can check them out here

Take Courage

2008-11-21T15:47:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned before, attending the Hudson River School for Landscape Painting (HRSL) was a great experience in large part because I was introduced to so many talented artist that shared similar desires to paint the landscape. Here is a link to a list of those artist here

I am posting a couple more of my drawings from HRSL. It was humbling to be around such talented artist and display my meager attempts. But I took courage in Durand advice in his letters on landscape painting. He advised students not to get discouraged with failed attempts but to "meet with courage and perseverance every difficulty in the progress of your studies, and patiently endure the frequent discouragements attending your failures and imperfect efforts."

Tree Studies

2008-11-21T15:25:00.000-08:00

This summer I had the chance to attend the Hudson River School for Landscape Painting. It was a great experience to be surrounded by talented artists and a beautiful landscape (when it wasn't raining).

On the recommended reading list was a series of letters that Asher Durand wrote for inspiring landscape artist. In the first letter he advised the student to "master the pencil first" and "draw with scrupulous fidelity the outlines and contours of sych objects that you select". He further advised the student to begin mastering the components of the landscape such as rocks, trees and foreground plants as a prelude to painting finished landscapes. These are my attempts to follow his advice. There will be more forthcoming.

Building Concept Art

2008-09-10T15:33:00.001-07:00

Here is some concept art for Kingdom for Keiflings.

"Stream" 6"x8"

2008-09-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

I started my own series of daily paintings for sale. This was from when I was at the Hudson River School for Landscape Painting.

click to bid

Busy

2008-09-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates I've been real busy. This a concept painting that I finished while working on Kingdom For Keiflings. I'll post some of my artwork from the Hudson River School for Landscape Painting when time permits.

Take A Bow

2008-07-09T13:14:00.000-07:00

Let me set the stage. A few of my co-workers and I decide to head Fuddruckers for lunch to celebrate my last day at work before my trip to NY. I had mentioned that fuddruckers had a one pound burger, and that I was thinking of getting it. A few of my coworkers doubted my abilities, so I had to do the only logical thing - step up to the plate. In my case I opted for extras - mushrooms, onions and swiss cheese, not to mention the lettuce and tomatoes. So, there I was with only one pound of beef to stand in between me and immortality. As I stared that patty in the face I knew that I would literally have my hands full. It was a daunting task to say the least, but I was up for the challenge. It seemed that 1/3 of the through that I was slowing down, and it appeared for a time that the "one pounder" had the upper hand, but with my co-workers cheering me on and time on my side I prevailed and with my dignity in tacked as well.

For those hoping to see some artwork I'm leaving soon for the Hudson River School for Landscape Painting and promise to post the results of that adventure. Till then, may your patties always be well done and your buns slightly toasted.

A Kingdom For Keflings

2008-06-04T15:17:00.000-07:00

The project that I have been working on at Wahoo Studios has been announced. The name of the game is A Kingdom For Keflings. I am not at liberty to say much other than it is a city-building game that involves little creatures named Keflings. I was fortunate enough to design the characters and buildings. It will be released this fall on Xbox LIVE Arcade. I'll post updates (maybe some concept art) as time goes on. Here is a teaser trailer for those interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXTxBRiyKSs

The Hudson River School of Landscape Painting

2008-05-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

It is official, I've been accepted into the Hudson River School of Landscape Painting. It is a 6 week intensive landscape painting workshop in the Catskill region of New York. The instructors will be Jacob Collins, Nicholas Hiltner, Edward Minoff, and Travis Schlaht. Aside from having amazing instructors tuition and housing are provided for at no cost. Those who are interested can check it out at www.hudsonriverlandscape.com/about.html

Fear Not

2008-04-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

I got a moleskin sketchbook about a year ago from my mom for my birthday. The sketchbook is nice, maybe a little too nice. It is a little intimidating to draw in, in fear that the drawing may degrade the sketchbook. Well last weekend I overcame that fear and put pencil to paper and this was the result. I feel safe to say that the sketchbook has now increase in value having had drawn in it. Moral: fear not!

Drawings

2008-03-31T10:02:00.000-07:00

These are a couple of drawings that I have been working on. I plan to do several other variations.

Mustache March

2008-03-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

I know what your thinking, were can I get a mustache like that! This baby has been a labor of love. I wake up each morning and look in the mirror and think to myself - I look like a complete fool. If it weren't for a contest we are having at work I wouldn't be so courageous. We have until the last Friday in March to see who can grow the best looking mustache. The contest really should have been to see who can keep their mustache the longest. We started with about 15 people and after the first week it was cut in half. Only a real man can walk around looking people in the eyes when he know full well that he looks ridiculous with a mustache. Hopefully I can go the distance, only a week left. Meanwhile you can remain jealous knowing that you can never grow something as hideous as this mustache.

Memory Drawing

2008-02-19T09:08:00.000-08:00

I have come to the conclusion that I am shallow. Shallow in terms of my imagination. So I've determined to make that weakness a strength. I have a small sketchbook that I have for drawing compositions and faces. I got the idea from James Gurney's post about his Facebook. The idea is to find a face that has certain characteristics that appeal to me and draw it from observation. The objective is to concentrate on observing structure and specific facial characteristics in order to later draw the same face from memory. The result is the impression of what you have observed. Later when I am drawing from imagination my brain can call upon these observations to inform my imaginative drawings. These were done with a ball point pen. Total time is 30 mins.

Jared

2008-01-28T06:51:00.000-08:00

This is an oil painting that I finished in November of a good friend of mine.

Another Drawing

2008-01-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

Here is another drawing. I used a blending stump to create softer edges. Trying to work on incorporating atmosphere and form.

Finished

2008-01-14T07:42:00.000-08:00

Finally! I can now say that it is finished.

Staying Warm

2008-01-07T06:28:00.000-08:00

With staying true to my new year resolution I spent some time yesterday morning drawing from life. This drawing was done from my living room. Needless to say I couldn't ask for better a better drawing situation. One of these days I'll muster up enough courage to brave the elements.

Happy New Year

2008-01-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I'm feeling rather ambitious this year. There are a ton of things that I want to accomplish as an artist. Next week I start a figure painting class from the master, Patrick Devonas. I can't wait! In addition to the figure painting class I plan on drawing in my sketchbook from life. Something I've been meaning to do a lot more of, but never made the time.

A Time For Reflection

2007-12-18T13:16:00.000-08:00

Here is another w.i.p of the painting of my daughter Thea. This marks my 50th post! A year ago I started this blog as a way to share my art and to motivate me to get better. I really didn't think that that there would be many people interested in what I had to share. But to my surprise there were. I am grateful for all the comments and those who have shown interest in my blog. I want take the opportunity to thank Charley Parker for taking interest in my art and for helping me reach a larger audience than I could have on my own. I also want to thank my mom for for encouraging me and supporting me in becoming an artist. I want to give a special thanks to my wife and children for their love, support, and encouragement. Without them I wouldn't be half the man I am today. And lastly, I want to thank my Heavenly Father for giving me the talent, and for the beauty of his creations that provide a constant source of inspiration to me.

Why Not Me?

2007-12-11T12:24:00.000-08:00

I have to apologize for the lack of posts. I've been busy with my oil paintings at home. If I ever learn how to photograph them without making them look like garbage I might post a few of them. As always I seem to lose interest with what I am working on and shift my attention else were. I still need to finish the painting of Riley and a few others. So bare with me will I start a new one. This is my oldest daughter Thea. When she noticed that I've painted (or started painting) her brother and sister, she felt excluded. So this ones for her.

Here is the work in progress. For those interested, this is the process: 3 drawings with the values getting darker with each drawing and the brush getting smaller. I also start with painting the shadows, proceed to the halftones and next add the lights, reserving my darkest darks and lightest lights for accents.

Divide Light from Dark

2007-11-21T13:28:00.001-08:00

Here is an example of a simple drawing exercise that I learned from Perry Stewart while I was in college. He referred to it as "shadow massing". The idea is that you are to draw the shadow shapes only. The idea behind this exercise is to train your mind to see the shapes of values. In this case the shapes of the shadows. The same exercise can be done for the lights, except you draw with a white pencil on toned paper.

Collaboration Part Deux

2007-11-05T09:08:00.000-08:00

Here is my second collaboration ever. Drawing by my 3 yr old daughter and color by me. I love coloring in crayon, for some reason I feel more freedom to explore. This pieces owes some credit to Van Gogh, his pen and ink drawings are amazing.

Revisited, Revisioned,and Reworked

2007-10-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

I posted this work in progress awhile back. It has taken some time, but I decided to revisited it and change the color scheme. I think there was something wrong that I could quite put my finger on it and I lost interest. I decided to come back to it and see what I could to improve it. After making some changes to the color I found my excitement renewed. I'll post the progress as I go.

Whimsical Meets Beauty

2007-09-13T17:33:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking about designing a whimsical character lately and wondered how I could combine whimsical with beauty. So, I conjured up this mental image, and this is what came out.

Sheriff

2007-09-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

This was suppose to be a character design for a white rapper. I was going to take grandpa and put him in a suede jumpsuit with tons of gold accessories. But there was something wrong with the design and I was struggling with conceptualizing it. I thought about it for a while and the more I thought about it the more he looked like he needed cowboy boots and then he needed a gold belt buckle to go with it. After adding those elements I said to myself he looks like a sheriff. And as soon as I made that connection painting the character was smooth sailing. When it came to putting him in an environment, I thought he should be in the desert. I'm not sure why, but nevertheless, he is in the desert. I guess I'll leave that up to you guys to figure out. If anyone would like to comment on why you think he is in the desert I would love to hear from you.

As a side note, I want to thank those of you who visit my blog, as well as those of you who leave comments. You guys inspired me to keep doing what I'm doing.

First Mate

2007-08-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

What good is a captain without a first mate?

Arrrrrrr!

2007-08-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to design a pirate character for a week or two and I finally put something on paper. The plan is to do a digital painting of him, then to do an illustration with him in it. Should be done in time for national Talk Like A Pirate Day.

Post-it Note Sketch

2007-08-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

Just a quick ten minute doodle. Post-it notes are great for this.

Pirate Doodles

2007-08-16T16:44:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to draw more from my imagination. Here are a few doodles I did. I've been reading about Howard Pyle lately and pirates seemed to be on my mind, so here is what came out.

Awesome Video

2007-08-03T13:56:00.001-07:00

Power Mustache

2007-08-03T12:35:00.001-07:00

This is a power mustache if I ever saw one. These types of mustache are the envy of every man. There are only a hand full that can produce ear wax strong enough to sculpt the whiskers and make them curl. Hats off to any man that call sport one of these and look studly doing it.

Daily Lunch Special

2007-07-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

Here is another drawing that I did during my lunch hour. Aside from being a great man, Fredrick Douglas had great hair. It was definitely something to be admired. I think I'm envious.

Old Photos

2007-07-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

Finding old photos to draw from are like finding buried treasure. They are like gold because they poses so much character. This makes it a lot easier for me to exaggerate the drawing. This drawing was an attempt to push the features of a female and still try to maintain their feminine. Easier said than done.

When I'm Old

2007-07-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure who this is, but I loved the lighting and the blank expression on the man's face. I also find drawing older people more interesting, the topography on their face make for great shapes. I hope I look this cool when I'm old.

Gotta Love The Chops

2007-07-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

I would have to say that the mid to late 1800's were the best time in this nation's history for male hairdos. Men wore sideburns, had neck beards and their hair had character. If I ever get bold enough I might just grow a set of chops like these.

I thought I should dust off the cob webs, I haven't done a character study like this in awhile. Maybe, I might even add some color one of these days. 8"x6" in Pencil, total time -45 mins.

Rembrandt Copy Update

2007-07-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

Here is an update of the Rembrandt painting that I am copying.

Museum Copies

2007-07-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

Spent some time copying paintings at BYU Museum of Art. This is a great exercise in studying tonal patterns, design and composition. Here are the results. Ball point pen.

Etching

2007-07-05T12:52:00.001-07:00

Etching is a skill that I have been wanting to learn for a while, but having found time for it. This is an attempt to copy a etching that Anders Zorn did. I did mine in ball point pen. I took liberties with the copy and tried to make it my own given the limitations of ball point pen. Size: about 3"x4", time: 30 mins.

A Tall Order

2007-06-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

I decided a couple of weeks to copy a Rembrandt painting in oil. While I would have loved to paint it from the original at the Met, I will have to settle for painting from a photo that I took while I visited the Met. The photo does not show the impasto in the lights. If I get around to it I'll photograph a detail of it. I have about 10 hours invested so far with plenty more to follow. I'll post a photo the painting when I'm finished.

In Progress

2007-06-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

Painting update on Riley. Working on painting the smaller shapes. I have to constantly remind myself to paint shapes of color and to proceed from the largest shape to the smallest. My teach er would say start with a broom and end with needle. For those interested I am painting this is Photoshop and I am only using the Airbrush Pen Opacity Flow Brush to paint and the heal brush to blend.

For Those Interested

2007-06-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

Here is the progress I'm making on painting Riley. If I haven't mentioned already I am painting this from a photo. Total time: 40 mins.

Improvements

2007-06-15T12:39:00.000-07:00

After talking with my art director* I made some much need improvements.

*My art director is my wife.

Something Different

2007-06-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

Chester loves ballons.

Riley: Establishing the Darks

2007-06-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

Focusing on painting shapes. In this case the shapes of the darkest darks firsts then stating the shapes of the lighter darks. I'm not so sure I'm satisfied with the color and richness of the shadows. I'll have to reevaluate it next time. Total time: 40 mins.

Riley 2nd Pass

2007-06-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

This is the second drawing. I'm drawing with a darker color and a smaller brush. The canvas size is the same as the image size, which is about 12x8 @ 240 dpi. Total time: 50 mins.

Riley 1st Pass

2007-06-06T12:35:00.001-07:00

This is an attempt to paint a portrait of my daughter. This is the 1st pass drawing, which is done with a value that is only slightly darker than the background value. Total time - 30 mins.

Lines and Colors

2007-05-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

My thanks to Charley Parker at Lines and Colors for being today's feature on his website. The web address is: http://www.linesandcolors.com, the address to the feature is: http://www.linesandcolors.com/2007/05/25/jamin-lefave/. For those who haven't checked out the site before it is a great website that features a wide variety of artists from fine art, to illustration, to concept art.

Almost There

2007-05-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

Still hacking away at it. Almost done.

Self Portrait - A Work In Progress

2007-05-02T13:15:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this for a while. I am in the process of finishing it before I take up the installments I've previously posted. As a side note - flipping the image horizontally is a great way to see drawing mistakes.

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

2007-03-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this one for a while. I had to restrain myself from posting it prematurely just for the sake of posting something. This is a variation of a painting that got excepted in to the Society of Illustrators Student Exhibition in 2005. I would like to think that this the better of the two.

Jared

2007-03-05T12:24:00.000-08:00

This is a portrait of my friend Jared Miller. His is a great friend and a great artist. I am think of posting a tutorial about realistic observational drawing. It may take a while, but I am sure it will be useful to someone, even if that someone is myself.

Micah

2007-03-01T13:22:00.000-08:00

This is a portrait of my son, Micah. I tried to incorporate more texture, so that it doesn't look so digital. I think I was successful in achieving a very accurate likeness, but we'll see if it passes the "mommy test". What is the "mommy test"? you ask. The "mommy test" is were the mommy looks at the portrait and can tell who's child it is. Amendment March 7th: Upon showing the previous painting of Micah to my wife she was quick to make some suggestions. I deleted the previous painting from my blog made some minor changes and added this image. Hopefully the small changes will make a difference.

Yet Another Page From the Sketchbook

2007-02-27T13:26:00.000-08:00

Here is a drawing from my sketchbook. I am really partial to the mother and child theme. I definitely want to explore it more. A series of paintings would be great. It has been an ambition of mine since I was in college. I might have to continue to put a hold on that idea until time permits me to devote enough time.

Drawing Exercises

2007-02-23T14:40:00.000-08:00

This is an example of a drawing exercise that I like to do. The drawing is a from a cast drawing from the Charles Bargue Drawing Course book. This is a great exercise in and of itself. I use a modified version of the sight size method in my sketchbook which really helps me focus and measure and really observe what I am seeing. After I spend several hours or more drawing I usually wait a day or two or more to draw the same drawing from memory without referring to my previous drawing. I know when I am done because I can't remember anything else to draw. This exercise is so helpful in forcing me to really be observant and to file the information in my brain ready to access at any moment when I am doing my creative drawings. The next step is to redesign my memory drawing, exaggerating some features and the overall shape of the head. I use my memory drawing for reference. I draw just to the right of my memory drawing so I can refer back to it without having to flip the page. This helps me to feel less confined to what I saw in the original, plus it is a simplified version of the original which helps me to simplify things. I take the drawing as far as my memory drawing will let me and then I pull out the original reference and add the details and really refine the drawing. This is an example of the three drawing exercises.

Nu Pastel

2007-02-22T13:06:00.000-08:00

This is a figure drawing I did in Nu Pastel when I was in school at BYU. Nu pastel is a great medium to work in, you can cover large areas and establish values quickly. I love drawing on newsprint. It seems to be more forgiving than other papers I've tried. The only down side to it is that it yellows and becomes brittle over time. I guess that only matters if I thought someone would be seeing them fifty or a hundred years from now.

A Page From the Sketchbook

2007-02-21T12:57:00.000-08:00

Here is a page from my sketchbook. Most of the drawings from my sketchbook are from observation. Every once in a while I draw from my imagination or from memory.

Making Progress

2007-02-20T12:12:00.000-08:00

I took some time this weekend to continue painting the portrait of a friend of mine, Spencer Nuggent. As I had mentioned in a previous post, it had been a while since I last painted it (2 years was too long) and I was a little concerned that I might do something to mess it up. But, I overcame my fears and set the paint brush to the canvas and this was the result. My goal is to finish it by March. I am not happy with the photo I took, I definitely need to make some improvements in take photos of my art work.

Figure Drawing

2007-02-16T12:15:00.000-08:00

This is from a figure drawing session at Wahoo Studio. It's where I work. They have figure drawing sessions about twice a month. These are a great opportunity for me to draw from life and sharpen my observational skills. Every once in awhile I am fortunate enough to produce a drawing that I like. This was one of those.

The Power of One

2007-02-16T11:17:00.000-08:00

Last night I was flipping through a magazine and saw this ad for The Smile Train. A non profit organization that raises donations for children with clef lips and clef palate to receive corrective surgery. There is a special place in my heart for these unfortunate children. Last year I wanted to become a maxillofacial surgeon so that I could help children like them. So I quit my job to go back to school. You may think I was crazy and deranged, or still am for that matter. But I felt that was a way I could use the gifts I have been given to make a difference. Unfortunately, do to some unexpected events, such as beginning chemistry class, I realized that artists do not make good chemist and seeing that I had no chance in passing the entry level class that there was a pretty good chance that I wouldn't do so well in the remaining chemistry class I needed to take. I also realized that not all worthy aspirations are realized and that I could still make a difference in their lives, but in a different way. I believe that each of us posses the power to change lives, including our own. This ad was helpful reminder to recommit myself to making a difference in the lives of others and to live life to the fullest and let others know that I was here.

Work In Progress

2007-02-15T11:19:00.000-08:00

I thought a would post an oil painting that I started two years ago. I still have not finished it. I guess I am posting it because it just might give me the motivation I need to finish it. And for those who are wondering, no that is not blood on his coat, its paint that was smeared from the background when I was painting his face.

Gotta Love That Afro

2007-02-14T10:44:00.000-08:00

This was a demo that I did for my Illustration class that I teach a Utah Valley State College. This was an in-class assignment. The students were to paint a stylized portrait in high viscosity acrylic paint, incorparting tactile texture and use a monochromatic color scheme. I really tried to push texture and exploit the acrylic paint as well as make the most out of the monochromatic color scheme. I did allow students to start with a warm or cool wash before painting with a monochromatic color scheme. The wash is burnt sienna and I painted the rest with raw sienna and black and white.

Kneaded Eraser!

2007-02-13T11:11:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought that you could sculpt with a kneaded eraser? Well, I was looking at my kneaded eraser one day and thought that it looked a lot like clay and so I decided to put it to the test. This was my result. For those who do not know what a kneaded eraser is I will attempted to explain it. It is a pliable eraser that can be reused and holds what ever shape it is formed into.

My oldest daughter, Thea, was so excited watching Chester come to life she later ask if he could talk to her. What a great imagination.

Chester

2007-02-12T13:03:00.000-08:00

I did this drawing in my sketchbook and liked it so much that I named him "Chester." I usually don't name the characters that I draw, but I took one look at him and I thought he looks like a Chester. The next thing I thought was he needs some way to get around, so I gave him a unicycle. I was surprised how quickly he learned to ride one of those things. I have yet to ride one myself. Chester was given an early birthday present this year and by the looks of if he will enjoy it.

Jobby

2006-12-11T16:03:00.000-08:00

This portrait is of my cousin's husband. My family and I spend a couple of months living in New York with my cousin and her family last year. They were kind enough to let me take photos of them. I still owe them a portrait of their children.

Long live the Sock Monster

2006-12-05T13:26:00.000-08:00

This is my first colaberative drawing. My daughter and I created this during a church meeting. We probably should have been listening more and drawing less.

A little bit of practice

2006-12-04T13:19:00.000-08:00

I love painting portraits in oil , but I don't always have time to do so. So I decided that during my luch break I could spend about 45 minutes painting a digitial portrait using Photoshop. This piece took about 6 hours total.

Testing 1,2,3....

2006-11-14T12:07:00.000-08:00

Just testing the water. This was an experiment in pen and ink.