Aloft

I have just finished two posthumous portraits. The first of which I'm sharing here. I'll share the other later.

Aloft, 24x54, oil on canvas over panel

The design started with a photo of the model being held up by the three men in the painting. The original photograph was a flashed snapshot so it was super challenging to have the paint look lively. I used several different photos of the model's face as reference as well.

The design involved many different body-double photographs since the photo was cropped in such a way that the hands and much of the bodies from all the subjects were not included in the photo.

My client (the model's husband) and I talked about what the painting should entail and he told me his wife was a fun loving person. She was from New Orleans and had an unconventional spirit. After that conversation I wanted to make this composition work. I knew it captured her playful spirit and was a good place to start.

I've been working on this piece off and on since last summer and consistently since November. I have left my DNA all over this painting in the form of blood, sweat and tears, no kidding.

But I am happy to say the painting has been approved. The model's friends and family that have seen it online think I have captured her likeness and her spirit. I could not be more pleased.

My client shared a favorite quote from my model from her high school year book.

“On with the dance, let joy be unconfined." ~Byron

I will be delivering the two paintings later this month. I’m honored and humbled to have been charged with the task of painting Karen. I am very happy to have had the opportunity to help celebrate her joyous dance through life.

Welcome Home, a New Commissioned Painting

Welcome Home, 37x42, oil on canvas over panel

This is a painting commissioned to commemorate a marriage of 43 years, and a home built by the couple. It was such a pleasure to get to know them better.

I'd love to say more, share insights and technical stuff but Christmas is nigh, and deadlines are looming so for now just...

Some Like it Hot

Here is a recently finished commissioned painting. My model channels Marilyn Monroe. She is a huge fan so that's where we looked for inspiration when choosing poses.

Some Like it Hot, 30x30, oil on panel

This was a fun piece to design, with all the triangles, diagonals and interesting negative space.

Nataliya was an inspiring model. She is originally from Ukraine. When asked about why she related to Marilyn Monroe. She told me: "She was a surviver, I'm too. She has to fight for her life, me too. She was betrayed in love, me too. Always on the public, always play role, always feel lonely. She has some magic."

Painting a model wearing red lipstick is difficult since you want lips to look natural. Luckily, with The Incognito Project I've had plenty of practice painting people wearing make-up.

I like the way this arm pit came out, ya don't get to say that very often, huh?

I had fun with the hair, painting the brush strokes in the direction of the hair, along the length of the strands and painting it loosely to give the painting movement.

I painted brush strokes across the form to create the illusion of volume and mass in the figure. Those french manicured nails were tricky since I had to make them read right without having them just jump off the canvas. I was expecting the fur to be difficult but it turns out- just use the nastiest, most worn-out brush and it does half the work for you. 

The main focus of this part of the painting was to have the legs recede in space. To help create the illusion, I made the edges SUPER soft and cooled the color down and made it slightly darker to push it back and away from us.

The polka dots were a challenge to say the least, since I wanted to have soft edges.  I painted the slip first with a burnt umber rub out, pulling out the dots. Let it dry. Then glazed a transparent black mixture on top, painting in each white dot as I went in varying shades of white and gray so I could soften the edges of each dot. Let it dry.  Then I added another layer of black glaze where the form turns around the body to create the feeling that the slip was slightly transparent.

This is an awesome kind of commission to do. One where you get to know someone really cool, and they are willing to do something out of the ordinary portrait box.

More about "In Defiance of Gravity"

I've been told artists are filters for the reality going on around them and it seems evident in this piece. There's a beat-up Uncle Sam, but he is still standing so I guess there's hope.


Arm yourself with important things salvaged from the detritus of modern life, Love, Spirituality, Resources, and Knowledge/Creativity. We all need a little magic don't we?

I'm entering the Magical World of the Blog

"In Defiance of Gravity", 40x28, A commissioned work that is curing, awaiting varnish and delivery to it's new home. Thanks to my son for being such a great model.