The Last Faces Of 2011

Just a few more faces before the old year ends, and the new one begins! These aren't finished pieces, but all I've been able to squeeze in over a busy holiday season.

Faces #516-#520

          An angel I rendered before Christmas, at about life size, below. I had just seen the movie "Brazil" before working on this piece, and I think I was influenced by dreamier aspects in the film.

This face below is larger than life size, at what I would say is almost twice the average size of a head. I like to occasionally work at different scales to keep "fluid" .

And a few ink drawings...

Well there you have it: my faces for the end of the year! I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

Wishing happy holidays to you and your family!

You Have To Love It...

You have to love Florida, when almost every day ends like this. So why should I get in a twist over just one day in December?

Happy Holidays!

Shells, Shoes, And A Collection Of Ordinary Objects

I am working on a new collection of pieces that revolve around ordinary objects. These are not still lifes, and the backgrounds are more graphic and abstract. The first two in the collection are done. Both are 11" by 14". But I think I will crop the one with the shoes (shown both cropped and un-cropped). Still deciding about that. I wish they had photographed a little better. I may try taking a few pics of them in natural light tomorrow.

Christmas is really coming up fast, and I am nowhere close to getting done all I have to accomplish. So much to do. But I will try to post again soon! Until next time, take care!

Faces #512-#515

Although my focus has been on larger finished pieces as of late, I spent some time just sketching and doing studies over the weekend. This first one is an 11" by 14" pastel study. The rest are done in pencil, starting with this one crowded with imaginary buildings and a palm tree.

That's what I have for my Monday! Until next time, take care!

Daytona Beach: A Visual Playground

I was trying to describe what it is like here, for my blogger friend Libby. I am sure that people who have never visited Daytona Beach, imagine the ocean and the beach...

Maybe they even imagine boats on our many waterways and the ocean.

But it is so much more. You can enjoy, all year round, a helicopter ride, go horseback riding, take a ride on a ferris wheel at our boardwalk, go skydiving in our county seat, and many other things. It really is a playground, with all there is to do here. But it is also a visual playground. 

We have a brightly colored lighthouse in Ponce inlet.

Then there's the Boardwalk...

The Band Shell...

Beach Street (Downtown)

So many brightly colored shops downtown...

Or if you are beach side, there are dozens and dozens of shops in many colors and shapes. And there is the colorful "Ocean Walk"...

A stunning bed and breakfast...

And many, many colorful homes and condos...

It is this artist's inspiration and paradise!

Not Yet...

Although I have made some progress on this piece, it is still not finished nor have I had a chance to work on some of the great ideas I have had. An upper respiratory infection, and the holiday craziness has derailed my creative efforts. You may end up seeing pictures of holiday cookies, breads, and cakes posted here instead of faces in the days ahead! That's December for you! Take care until next time!

I'll Be Glad When...

I'll be glad when I'm finished with this piece! While I do like it, I'm wanting to move on. I must have gotten at least three new ideas for other pieces I want to do in the course of working on this one. Of those ideas, only one involved faces. I may just jump in and start on some of those other ideas before this piece is finished. I'll be sure to share! 

Until next time, take care!

Face #511, A Doodle-scape, And A Finish

Well, you heard it here first! A "doodle-scape". That's what I am calling the piece below. It's not exactly all doodling, and it is not a landscape, either. This is what happened when I didn't feel like drawing a face, and I just felt like playing with my pastels in a more unstructured fashion. I like it, but can't say I care much for my camera bleaching out parts of it with the flash in this picture. This is only half the sheet of Canson. I can't decide if I will just crop it, or if I will do something I had in mind with the other portion of the page.And this one below, I've added a face. But then, I am not sure how and if I will proceed.  Lastly for today, I think this one below is finished. While I am tempted to add some pattern to parts of it, like her blouse, I like the directness of this just as it is. So, we'll see. As with the doodle-scape, this one was also hard to photograph. A lot of the subtle nuances are lost because of the flash on my camera. That's it for today, and I will try to get in another post by weeks end. Until next time, take care!

Face#505-#510

At last, some new faces! I have some sketches and some work in progress to show for today. First up is some sketching on the back of a big envelope. It was just sitting there, and all that blank space was just calling out to me and I couldn't resist!The next two sketches I made before bed the other night. I couldn't sleep, so I pulled out a pastel pad and pastel pencil and started sketching.Here's a piece in progress. I think the background is going to be of a more abstract nature. After finishing this face, I thought it had a slight resemblance to actor Rufus Sewell. Although I have done two portraits of Mr.Sewell, any resemblance here was not deliberate or arranged. I loved working with this medium value blue Canson sheet. The flesh tones really "sing" against it! This very dark blue Canson sheet below has been a study of working with a very dark ground. Here below is a loosely rendered "digital road map" I have been using to assist for where I want to take the piece. That's my show and tell for today. Not sure how much I will get done between now and Thanksgiving. If I don't get another post done before that, let me wish you a Happy Thanksgiving now! And until next time, take care!

Frames And Galleries

While I still have not done any new faces to show here, I thought I'd share a few pointers about framing. Even if one is not an artist, these simple tips may be helpful when selecting frames for photographs. All that being said, my intention is to have some of my work framed for potential gallery display. While an artist may get away without having a frame when selling online, or even at a show, if the work is headed for a gallery it usually needs to be framed. But beyond this, I believe that an artist should have their hand in the matt and frame selection if at all possible since it makes such a huge difference in the way the work is seen. Below are some examples of my work with matting and frames, and some pointers follow afterwards.

• A good matt and frame should be thought of as an extension of what you are framing, and be complimentary without detracting from the piece or photo. Consider the "personality" of what you are framing. Is it simple? Ornate? The frame style should reflect these traits.
• Select a matt that picks up or compliments the colors of your piece, but still provides a jolt of contrast. Take your time in selecting "just that right one".
• The size of your piece will usually dictate the size of the matt and how much of it borders your piece, as well as the same for the frame. For example, a large bolder painting looks better in a big chunky frame whereas a smaller painting may get lost and obscured with such. And the smaller piece looks better in something delicate whereas it does nothing for a larger piece. There are some exceptions to this, but for the most part it is the case.
• Finally, if you want a risk-free way to audition matting and frames, some companies offer great services online. One such company, www.pictureframes.com (Graphic Dimensions) will allow you to upload your jpegs of your art or photos, and see how they will look with a variety of matting and frames. You can then both print up your results, or save them to your "gallery" on their site for future reference!

Until next time, take care!

"Let 'Em Eat Cake!"

No new faces to show because on top of the cleaning spree I'm still on, I was asked to make two cakes for a church raffle. I could have taken better pics (these were taken using the camera on my phone), but you can still get a good idea from them. I can't claim they are the nicest cakes I've ever made, but I think for the raffle they will do very well!

Until next time, take care!