LIFE NEEDS ART

Leonardo's Lost Princess?

2012-01-27T21:24:00.000-07:00

This week I saw a PBS documentary about a beautiful ink and chalk drawing that some believe could be a long lost work by Leonardo da Vinci. The work, now titled "La Bella Principessa" was rediscovered in 1988, and was assumed to be the work of a 19th century German artist. The hour long program laid out compelling arguments that this drawing may indeed be a long lost Leonardo including, the evident skill of the artist, location and carbon dating.

Not the least of these arguments was the fact that stroke angle is consistent with a drawing done by a left handed artist, which Leonardo also was. Notice how the pen strokes angle down toward the right, typical of a left handed artist. These same angled strokes are evident in the "princess".

Every artist leaves his unique hand print on their work and careful study can reveal stylistic tendencies that can be identified and tracked from painting to painting. Drawing style is one of these things that, like an individual's handwriting, can be matched and verified. The highly crafted nature of the work, the sensitivity to drawing and the delicate nature of the woman's features echo other Leonardo works as well. Though the documentary ended with no conclusive verdict on whether this is indeed a Leonardo, to my eye it appears to be such.

Read more on La Bella Principessa here.

Boys' Life Poster Ideas

2012-01-26T11:40:00.001-07:00

Boys' Life Poster Idea 1

Poster Idea 2

Poster Idea 3

Here are three ideas I submitted for a Boys' Life commemorative poster I am working on. The concept was to celebrate the outdoor aspect of scouting and to have the magazine plainly in view as the scout enjoys an outdoor adventure (#3 is less obvious as he holds the mag rolled in his hand). I liked both 1 and 2 but they liked idea #2 the best, so I will now be working up more involved sketches based on that idea as well as scheduling a photo shoot. I'll have to locate the right age and look of model with a full uniform. Should not be too hard with all the scouts in my neighborhood.

Wyeth Shape Design Analysis

2012-01-25T08:16:00.000-07:00

This week I broke down the shapes in N.C. Wyeth's Treasure Island endpaper illustration for my classes during a discussion about shape design. The hallmark of all great narrative artwork is effective composition and I think good composition hinges directly on strong shape design. When designing an attractive composition, it is very important to consider the following items:

Positive shapes (the shape of the actual object you are depicting)
Negative Shapes (the shapes around those objects)
Masses of Light and Shadow
How these masses merge into larger shapes
How all of the above shapes and masses relate to one another

The top sketch shows a simple tracing of the major positive shape masses as well as the major shadow masses. See how simply Wyeth groups together his major forms in this piece.

Within those broad masses, are the shapes that define and separate the individual elements. In this case, the individual figures and details. This gives definition and nuance without breaking up the overall mass of the sihlouette.

The major light and dark tonal masses also act to define the individual forms. Note how many of the light and dark masses merge into one another when simplified.

Here is a posterized and desaturated version of the piece. More variation of shape is added to the broad shape and value relationships. to further strengthen the overall effect of the already effective shapes and silhouettes. No positive or negative shape is left unexamined. the result is an exciting and dynamic composition that jumps from the page and invites the viewer in.

By analyzing great paintings in depth, one can gain insights and new appreciation for the reasons why certain works are so appealing and effective. I think it all boils down to great shape design and composition.

See my master copy of this painting previously on Life Needs Art here

Master Illustrator Copy part 2

2012-01-19T16:29:00.000-07:00

My version of N.C. Wyeth's Treasure Island endpaper (detail).

In my last post, I showed my version of a J.C. Leyendecker painting. Here's my copy of a classic Wyeth image. As I painted, I determined that Wyeth must have given a slight warm tint to the canvas or possibly he was using a warmer version of black since his darks have a warmer cast than my version.

Here again, the scale and medium used in the Wyeth piece are vastly different since my exercise was painted roughly 7" x 10" and Wyeth's is likely somewhere between 30" to 48" in width. Mine is Acryla brand gouache and Wyeth painted in oil. That said, it was very fun challenge to try to capture Wyeth's brush strokes and value arrangement.

Master Illustrator Copy

2012-01-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

My version of a J.C. Leyendecker

Making copies of master paintings is a tradition that goes back centuries. Many museums even today allow students and artists to set up in the gallery and study the techniques of master painters by copying their works. This process allows an artist to break down color, stroke and layers to understand why a painting is successful without all the decision making that went into the creation of the original, thus speeding up the learning process (hopefully). For my Illustration 1 classes this semester, I decided to do a couple of master illustrator copies as demonstrations. Most of my students do not yet have extensive painting experience and this demo served to help them understand basic principles of painting as well as to talk about some basics of design. It was interesting to dissect another artist's technique and understand why a particular painting really works.

Detail of the Leyendecker original that I copied

I chose a nice painting by one of my all time favorite illustrators J.C. Leyendecker. I have long been a fan of his stylized depictions of the human figure as well as of his economy of stroke. I spent about a half an hour each on the two faces (one in each class) and then another hour and a half to two hours in the studio finishing things up. The main differences between mine and the great J.C.'s pieces are that he painted in oil and much larger. My version is in acrylic gouache (Holbein's Acryla brand) and only about 7" x 10". My under painting was also a bit more ochre giving the colors a slightly warmer cast overall. I began the exercise thinking I had a pretty good idea of what makes Leyendecker's work so effective and appealing but after careful study, I came away with a whole new appreciation for his brilliant picture construction. This is an interesting and useful exercise I would recommend every artist do once in a while. I totally enjoyed the process.

Santa Always Brings Art Books

2012-01-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

The best thing about Christmas morning (aside from great times with the family)is looking forward to the inevitable pile of new art books under the tree. This year was no exception and I got some good ones. Some are brand new and at least one is very old, slightly used and long out of print. Here's a rundown and review of what the jolly fat man brought me. I have have only thumbed through them all, so these reviews are still cursory, but they all look great and I look forward to giving them all an in depth reading. Here they are in no particular order:

Blue Collar/White Collar by Sterling Hundley

My only complaint about this book is the size. At 6" x 9", this digest size book is a bit smaller than I would have preferred, but Hundley's work still packs power. It is sprinkled with process sketches and notes that look to be directly from the sketchbook. This collecetion showcases both Hundley's illustration and fine art career. His range and versatility are evident and I found myself inspired by the wide range of color, texture and composition in his work. This volume is a nice addition to my contemporary illustration books.

Howard Pyle- Rediscovering and American Master

This attractive volume has been compiled in conjunction with a special exhibition or Pyle's work at the Delaware Art museum. A number of authors and artists were asked to write on how Pyle's work has impacted American culture in the century since his passing. Howard Pyle was the premier illustrator and art instructor of his day with work appearing in magazines like Harper's monthly, Colliers and Scribner's Magazine. He is credited with influencing the visual depiction of knights, pirates and historical figures in every generation to the present. The reproductions in this book are top quality. I look forward to reading all the essays. Having visited both Pyle's studio and the Delaware Art Museum, this book will have a treasured place among my Golden Age illustrator volumes.

The Brandywine Tradition by Henry Pitz

This book has been out of print for decades, so I was excited to see it under the tree. Pitz was a student of Walter Everett who studied under Pyle, so I am sure there are many first hand accounts in this volume. Many years ago I confess to wanting to keep a Howard Pyle volume written by Pitz rather than returning it to the library. I think I was the only one who ever checked it out since it was eventually surplussed and I could no longer get it. I wish I had kept it and paid the lost book fine. This one I am sure will be an interesting read as well.

Robert Fawcett- The Illustrator's Illustrator by David Apatoff

This book showcases the incredible draftsmanship and composition of one the best mid century illustrators. It contains over 250 illustrations, most in full color. Fawcett's prodigous talent as well as keen business sence led him to become one of the most sought after and well compensated illustrators of his day. I was particularly interested in the several sidebar articles that discussed Fawcett's working process as well as the numerous sketches and examples of photo reference. I look forward to reading and analyzing the volume more in depth. I am sure it will inspire for years to come.

Gallery Announcement

2012-01-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

Near Dusk- 9" x 12" Oil by Greg Newbold

I am pleased to announce that I have agreed to gallery representation with Williams Fine Art in Salt Lake City, UT. Williams is one of the premier galleries in the intermountain west and I am proud that they will be selling my work. In the upcoming days, the following paintings will find their way on the walls of the gallery.

At Bird-In-Hand- Oil, 12" x 12"

Afternoon Cottonwoods- Oil, 6" x 9"

Rabbit Brush- Oil, 8" x 8"

Bales- Oil, 8" x 8"

Hills West of Bishop- Oil, 6" x 8"

If you are in the area, please take a minute to go check them out. Williams also has a vibrant online presence and happily sells and ships artwork to anywhere. I am excited to see where this new partnership leads.

My Favorite Model

2012-01-06T14:50:00.001-07:00

My Favorite Model-John Ferguson Weir

I recently had the opportunity to see a great new exhibit called The Weir Family- 1820-1920: Expanding the Traditions of American Art at the MOA on Brigham Young University's campus. (You can read more about the show here at Artwife Needs a Life) In the exhibit there was this fascinating painting by John Ferguson Weir. Up until the advent and widespread use of photography, it was common for artists to use what were called lay figures to stand in place of the model. It was obviously not practical or feasible to have a live sitting model for every hour needed to complete a painting. These elaborate jointed models would be clothed in the same costume and posed in place of the model. Many artists and critics disparaged the use of lay figures, complaining (and for the most part rightly so) that the figures were stiff and lacked any of the lifelike qualities of a living breathing human figure. We hear the same argument voiced any time there is a time saving innovation in artistic technique. The camera obscura, lay figures, photography and now Photoshop all have had their detractors, and you can argue both sides. My belief is that an artist needs a strong foundation of skills in traditional drawing and painting, ones that are deeply rooted in observations from life. Given that, any of these tools become simply a means to an end in the pursuit of artistic expression. But if used as a crutch or a shortcut, the lack of artistic skill will be evident. Any tool used effectively can yield brilliant results.

James Gurney has done a fascinating series of posts on artist lay figures on his blog Gurney Journey

Bales

2012-01-04T19:00:00.000-07:00

Bales- 8" x 8" oil

finished up this little painting over the Christmas break. I am gearing up to put a few pictures in a gallery and this will be one of them (if the gallery owner likes it). I started it on location as I documented here previously and then adjusted a few things and polished it up in studio.

Grand Canyon Painting Underway

2012-01-03T16:36:00.001-07:00

Canyon Romance- in progress

I thought I'd show progress on a 24" x 24" Grand Canyon oil painting I just started last week. This one is based on a small study I did last year as a Christmas present for my wife. Have a look at the 5" x 5" version here. Not sure how quickly this one will finish up as I have to get back into the post Holiday schedule this week. I need to finish other projects first, but this one whispers to me every time I walk into the studio... "Paint me, paint me..."

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T10:45:00.000-07:00

J.C Leyendecker

The real issue is not talent as an independent element, but talent in relationship to will, desire, and persistence. Talent without these things vanishes and even modest talent with those characteristics grows.Milton Glaser

Many feel that 2011 was a rough year and for a lot of artists (and regular folks too) it was. For me it had its challenges but for the most part I am grateful that things went as well as they did. Despite some bumps along the way, I ended the year in the black with some work on the table as well as a teaching contract that will carry through August. I have a lot to be grateful for and one of those things is that 2011 was a little better than 2010. I see signs of the economy and the markets coming back and I am hopeful for an even more productive and lucrative 2012. The above illustration by one of my favorite Golden Age illustrators J.C. Leyendecker says a little about how I feel going into the New Year. It doesn't matter how many times you get knocked off the horse, anyone who is successful has learned to get back on and continue riding into battle.Whatever your goals for this year are, hard work and persistence will be the beasts of burden that carry you there. Good luck and stay on that horse!

I Made the Recycling Bin!

2011-12-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

The highlight of my walk the other day (other than chatting with my dear wife) was to come upon a piece of my art in the recycling bin. Some might think this strange, but I was excited to see my painting poking out of the blue can waiting to be dumped and eventually shredded into oblivion. I rescued the box so that I could reenact the moment for this post. So this begs the question- is Illustration precious? My answer would be NO, nor do I think it should be considered as such. Don't get me wrong, I love having a painting framed and hanging on my wall after the fact , but the nature of illustration creates art that is transitory and temporary. Magazines are read and discarded, newspapers even more quickly than magazines. Paperback novels are rarely read more than once by the same person before being passed along or discarded. Packaging is torn open and tossed, posters and playbills serve their purpose and go the way of everything else in our disposable society. So, to find my art in the recycling bin got me a little giddy. First of all, I had never seen how the box art turned out and second, I was surprised to see that the client was still using my art ten years after the fact. I admit, that I did not always feel this way about my illustration. I had the mindset that my art WAS precious, that heaven forbid anyone should ever alter or crop my work to fit their needs and worse yet, That someone should create a new piece of art by cobbling together parts of different paintings in some demented artistic Frankenstein experiment.

Part of this painting filled the bottom of the box design

But this is exactly what happened on this project. I had a client in California contact me with a rush job that did not allow time to create new art, but the client loved a mock up that combined the fields of one painting and the lake and mountains of another. Would I be willing to allow use of my work in this altered state? I admit I had a moment of horror followed by a moment of hesitation. How dare anyone ask me to compromise my artistic integrity this way? How could I allow the monstrous grafting together of two of my favorite children's book illustrations? Then I had a pause. The money being offered was decent. More than decent considering that there was no work to be done on my part. I said yes and sent off the scan and the invoice. I have since decided that this was exactly the sort of thing that illustration should be used for- to decorate or illuminate a moment in our lives. I am proud to know that so many of my pieces of art have served their purpose and, like that yam box, have made their way into a recycling bin. I'd love to see even more of my art poking out of those blue cans on my walk.

The Messenger

2011-12-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

The Messenger- acrylic 5.5" x 8"

I found this while rummaging around the studio and it fits this week's Illustration Friday theme perfectly. It was for a story about a man who received a message from an angel while sleeping. Sometimes, I think we can all use a little inspiration from above.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2011-12-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Following the Star- Arnold Friberg

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude

of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:13-14

Merry Christmas everyone and may God bless you and yours this year.

These paintings come from a little book by the late great Arnold Friberg called, appropriately enough, Arnold Fribergs's Little Christmas book.

I picked it up a few years ago when all of Arnold's Ten Commandments paintings were on display here in Salt Lake City. It is signed by him and every time I look at it, I fondly remember the time I met Friberg at our local art supply store. You can read more about that encounter in this previous post.

Santa Claus Comes Tonight!

2011-12-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

The Discovery- Norman Rockwell

Hope everyone is ready for Christmas! Everything is wrapped and waiting. If your kids are not teenagers like mine, I hope the secret is still alive and well. Nothing like the magic of a jolly fat man bringing you presents in the middle of the night. Now to get onto food preparation for tonight's Christmas Eve festivities with the family. Have a great one!

Sketches from a Maui Christmas

2011-12-22T12:00:00.001-07:00

As I look forward to a chilly Christmas again this year, I remember with fondness the two Christmases our clan spent on the Hawaiian paradise island of Maui. See more great photos of our trip here. Memories have a way of being distorted in our minds sometimes and as I looked back at my sketchbook from that trip, I decided to see how closely, my sketched impressions matched the photos that I shot.

We trekked the infamous Hana Highway, a winding sometimes one lane road that is not for the faint of heart (or stomach for that matter). I was driving, and you could not stop at many places along the road so the sketches were done after we reached our destination at the state park. My photos somehow did not include the above scene, so I found this one online.

There were little villages scattered along the coast that could be seen from the highway above. It is interesting to note how my eye edited the scene to include much more than the camera lens captured, including adjacent fields and the curve of the shoreline. I think my sketch more effectively captures what I felt in that moment.

The most interesting contrast came from comparison of my sketch from the Black Sand Beach at Wainapanapa State Park. I got up before sunrise and tried to capture the essence of the place in photos and with a sketch. I noted my thoughts in the sketchbook as well:

The Drive to Hana was amazing, nothing short of spectacular. To think of the variety of terrain and plants on this one island is mind boggling. The Lord certainly created a masterpiece here. The Black sand beach was very cool. When the waves rushed out, the tiny black rocks in one section would clatter along the shore toward the water only to be pushed back in with the next rush of sea. When a big wave hit,the force could be felt through the sand like thunder.

Black Sand Sunrise- Wainapanapa State Park, Maui

I think as an artist it is essential to not only observe and photograph what we see but that making location sketches and studies cement our reactions to a scene more effectively and accurately in our minds.

See a more in depth account of Christmas on Maui at Artwife Needs a Life

Enjoy Free Christmas Music - On Me!

2011-12-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

My friend Shane Jackman has released a great new Christmas CD entitled Peace for which I had the pleasure of creating the cover art. As my gift to all my blog readers and friends, click on the link below to download the entire CD for free.

Download Peace by Shane Jackman here

I hope you will enjoy sinking into this musical treat! One week until Christmas and I am looking forward to a little family time. I still have final grading, sketches for a new project, gift wrapping and cookie baking, so, it will be busy (with a little work- hopefully not too much though), but no commuting to school for a couple of weeks- hooray! Have a great Holiday season everyone!

Renaissance Portrait Finished

2011-12-13T11:20:00.003-07:00

I just finished up with the portrait project I have been working on. I am really happy with how it turned out. As you can see from previous posts, there is now a lot more detail in the faces and clothes. Last step was to insert the final painting into the panel that I gold leafed and distressed and then ship it off to my friend Jeff Dinardo.

He assured me that his significant other would never stumble on this blog, so I feel pretty safe. Now nobody go spoiling it if you know Jeff. I expect the Christmas morning surprise will be a good one.. I'm thinking it might be fun to do more of these type portraits, so I hope I get a chance sometime.

Weekend Wreath Making

2011-12-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

We got our Christmas tree this weekend and I always hate to waste all the boughs that I have to cut off the bottom of the tree to fit it into our stand. For several years, I have been making our own front door wreath with these leftover branches. This year, the place where we got our tree was also giving away excess boughs to those asking. I picked up a few extra branches and using floral wire, saved ribbons, pine cones from the yard and a recycled wreath form, I made this for our front door. It might be a little more rustic than what you might buy, but it took all of a half hour to make and cost nothing. More photos and a rundown of the process can be seen on Artwife Needs A Life

Renaissance Portrait Progress 3

2011-12-10T20:17:00.001-07:00

Lest you think that this project is the only one I have on the table at the moment, never fear. I actually have a number of projects going on, but they are all for a major educational publisher. I am under a non disclosure agreement, so I can't show or talk about them right now. Sometime down the road, I'll show some of that, but in the meantime, I'll show more progress on this little portrait. As you can compare to the last session, I have just about finished up the background and the faces are almost finished now, just a little more modeling and highlights to go. the clothes and hands have a bit further to go, so a couple more days and I think I'll wrap this up. I have another deadline this week, so It'll be tricky to get both of them done. I also have sketches for another project I need to get out before the end of the week as well. Wish me luck!

Renaissance Portrait Progress 2

2011-12-09T14:19:00.001-07:00

Here's where the portrait project sits after another session of painting. It's always a little nerve wracking to show stuff that is not finished. There is always seems to be a point (or two or three) at which you hate how things are going, but you have to forge on, believing that you can pull things out of the fire. This one is actually going about as well as I had wanted, so I hope that moment of doom is not on the horizon. I have blocked in basic colors in the figures and I am working the skin tones on the woman's face. I am pretty happy with the overall color scheme, so now it is a matter of pushing contrasts and getting all the details worked in. Skin tones are always the hardest to get right, so I am taking extra care there. This portrait project has been a fun change of pace and I am liking how it's turning out. I predict a happy recipient on Christmas Day.

Renaissance Portrait Progress

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

I just got off another project and back onto the portrait project I showed a little bit about in an earlier post. I'll be making steady progress until this is finished since it is a Christmas present. After I got the drawing approved, I changes it to a sepia tone and ran it out on some nice printmaking paper. I'll nearly complete the picture before adhering it into the panel.

I sealed the paper on both sides with some acrylic matte medium and had just enough time the other night to lay in some basic color tones in the background. I started with a burnt sienna tone and then added the greens of the trees and the sky and cloud colors. Still a long way to go. I'll post progress as I go along.

Page View Milestone!

2011-12-06T14:33:00.001-07:00

Sometime last night my blog counter clipped past 100 thousand page views. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to have a look at what I am doing, leave comments and indulge my art history and technique lessons. I didn't have many expectation when I started this thing a year and a half ago, so hitting 100K is a nice perk for me. With your help, I hope to make it to 200 thousand even more quickly. If you like this blog and are not a follower, I invite you to formally join me on my artistic journey and also to pass this link along to anyone else you think might like it. As always, your feedback and readership is gratifying to me. A BIG THANKS to everyone. See you again soon.

R.I.P. Dugald Stermer 1936 - 2011

2011-12-03T21:55:00.001-07:00

I just hear the sad news today that noted illustrator, educator and designer Dugald Stermer passed away at the age of 75. Dugald was born in 1936 and grew up in Los Angeles. He loved drawing and cartooning which led him to study art at UCLA.

After working at a design job in Houston, he eventually found himself at San Francisco based Ramparts magazine. Under Stermer's art direction, Ramparts was transformed from a "two year old Catholic literary quarterly that resembled the poetry annual of a Midwestern girls school" into what was considered the first "radical slick" by combining hard hitting investigative stories, and high quality, full color production, all on glossy paper. Subscriber rates soared but the magazine eventually folded five years after Stermer left.

Dugald went on to a forty year career as a freelance illustrator, winning multiple awards from all the major professional annuals. Notable clients included Levi's, BMW, Jaguar, Time, The New York Times, Esquire, GQ and Rolling Stone.

He also designed the medals for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Stermer was also a noted educator, teaching for many years at the California College of the Arts where he earned Distinguished Professor status and chaired the art department.

On a personal note, I had the pleasure of meeting Dugald during the first ICON conference in Santa Fe in 1999. I was just a few years into my freelance career and was still a bit starstruck meeting such illustration superstars as Brad Holland, Gary Kelley, Jack Unruh, Chis Payne and of course Dugald Stermer. Though he did not know me, Dugald took the time to really look at my work and give me much appreciated encouragement as well as valuable feedback. I will always appreciate our conversation.

From all accounts, Stermer was like this with everyone and frequently took time to evaluate and encourage upcoming artists. He was also a staunch supporter of artist's rights and was on the advisory board of the Illustrators Partnership of America. His talent and generosity will be greatly missed.

See more of Stermer's brilliant work here
Brad Holland remembers Dugald
Peter Richardson tribute to Stermer

Call the Fire Brigade? No, Just Repaint

2011-12-02T13:39:00.001-07:00

Yellowstone (after cropping and repainting) 6.75" x 12" - acrylic.

Ever wonder what to do with all those old illustrations laying around your studio? you know the ones that were so specific and had so many dead areas left for type that they are practically useless? I have burned a few bad ones over the years, but rather than torch them all and have the fire brigade on your doorstep, I have started cropping and repainting them. I have a collector friend that has been buying a piece from me every Christmas for the last few years. Last year I pulled out a few candidates for him to choose from and he found one he liked. Well sort of liked. He wanted me to paint out the figure of the hiker. I happily complied and was pleased with the results which I posted earlier here. This got me thinking of how many useless pieces I have laying around. Those paintings that have good elements, but that are not really suitable to hang on your wall, nor are they attractive enough to put in your portfolio or resell.

Here is the painting after I cut it down

I figured I could crop, repaint or collage elements from one of these otherwise bonfire worthy pieces and turn it into something good. There are thousands of hours of work collected in my flat file and it seems dumb to waste these paintings, so I think I'll be doing more of this in the future. This time, I found one that needed some serious cropping and repainting to make it wall worthy.

Tape lines indicate where I wanted to crop

Here is how it looked before I started reworking it and re assembled with it's original parts after. At least half of the picture area was blank because of type restrictions the publisher placed on me. In this new version, the moose got exiled from his habitat since he didn't fit the new vision. Also, the sky got completely revised as did many of the trees and the thermal pool on the left. In the end, a piece that was practically worthless before now will have an honored place on my collector's home office wall.