Preliminary Sketches

I'm working away at a bunch of paintings for an upcoming solo show at Helikon Gallery.

One of my favorite ways to relax away from the studio is adding pen-work to my preliminary sketches for those paintings.

 The original prelims are most often loose, red-pencil drawings on toned paper. I do a bunch, and they simply help me in thinking out compositions.

But when hanging out at home, I like to sit on the couch, pull out one of the preliminary sketches, and then apply outline and value using a brush pen, white highlights, and pen and ink. It's meditative (like fishing!) and a great way to unwind from a day at the studio.

 You'll be able to check out all the prelims and finished art this coming June at the show, and I hope you'll join me!

 

And thanks for checking out my blog :)

My Prelim Process

Detail crop of a recent painting.

I used to do detailed drawings and transfer them to the painting surface. But pretty sure that skipping that step has given my work a freshness it would lose with all the re-drawing and transferring.

Now I do preliminary composition sketches. Here's the one I chose for the painting above. I get carried away with the details and values sometimes, but I find working up the sketches to be relaxing and fun!

Here's an example of one for a different painting. I like to use red pencil first. I've found using red--instead of a graphite pencil--frees me up a bit for some reason.

This is a sketch page of some prelims for Sir Baffle and the Dragon...

 

...and here is the finished acrylic painting.

 

Thanks for checking out my blog!