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I have to do at least 1 or 2 drawings for every illustration job I do. They get the idea across to me and the clients, before
going to final art. The better the drawing the easier it is to get the sketch approved. For fine art, I use drawing as an
aid to develop some of my more complex paintings. I usually start an idea by doing a very abstract sketch that makes little
sense, except to remind me of what I saw in my head. A mental note I suppose. From that, I can develop a more finished sketch
before getting any models or other reference needed to pursue the idea. Most of my final work is made up, but, like most realistic
artists, I do use photos that I shoot to aid me in how to see a form in space. A lot of life drawing, several times a week,
keeps you fresh, but after a while I felt that it wasn't as important as drawing with color and a brush, which is essentially
how I paint. Its important to stay sharp though, and every once in a while I find myself sketching out something in charcoal
or pencil just to see where it will take me. For a student of realism, it is the single most important way of understanding
how forms relate and in developing the skill to discern distances and the hand and eye coordination it takes to do quality
rendering.
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| 20 minute charcoal sketch 18x24" |
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| Real size head detail of the life drawing above |
This top piece is an interesting technique that combines a charcoal drawing on regular drawing paper with pastel color here
and there. After spraying a moderate amount of fixative (2 or 3 light coats) I simply taped down the paper and coated it quickly
with pure, unthinned gloss or matte acrylic medium, using a house paintbrush of 3 or 4 inches, whatever is quickest. This
seals the paper completely and, after drying, I can paint freely with oils over this ideal underpainting. Total time just
under 2 hours and fun to do.
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| 3 hour nupastel wash with conte highlights |
Click here to see a brief demo of this drawing
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| 20 minute conte on rough paper |
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| 2 hour charcoal drawing on light gray conte paper |
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| 15 min conte on newsprint |
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| 15 minute conte on newsprint |
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| Brown red and black chalk on craft paper |
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| 20 minute charcoal and black conte |
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| 40 minute charcoal smooth newsprint |
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| 5 minute red conte- detail |
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| 2 minutes wax pencil on newsprint |
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