Portraits

Portrait painting is one of if not the most challenging things an artist can undertake. Capturing the essence of a person requires an accuracy and attention to detail that few artists have. The work can be very rewarding, but it takes time to master and is not for everyone. I rarely do it, it isn't something I feel a natural passion for, but when a client requests it I am always happy to do it.

This portrait is of the great Boris Karloff in full makeup for the original Universal Mummy movies. I am a big fan of his and he had such an iconic look I had to draw him. This image was done in pencil.  

This image was a speed painting done for one of my classes and depicts the actor Vincent Price. It only took two hours and is only vaguely accurate, but it was more about color and teaching the students how to to do things than it was about the final results. 

This speed painting was of a local photographer friend of mine Jeffrey Nelson. It was done for practice sake and as a gift to him. 

Another great actor, Sidney Poitier. This pencil when I was a student. 

Edward Gorey

Edward Gorey's work in ink

 

My own, also in ink.

 

Edward Gorey (1925-2000) influenced my work before I even knew who he was. His style has been mimicked by many artists and I am no exception. His work appeared often in the New Yorker and has a strange humor to his work. 



Buildings are Hard

I am not a draftsman, and I have only drawn a few buildings for people. Part of the reason may be that they are very hard to do in my opinion. I was commissioned to draw the Nashville Renaissance Hotel and was very grateful for the chance to do so, they were very nice and happy with the results. I hope to do business with them again in the future. It is always nice getting out of your comfort zone and to find you can pull it off.