Here are recent drawing videos that were taken as I was finishing up the portrait details. I wanted to share with you my love for drawing today.
These drawings were completed on Strathmore Bristol Vellum paper. To finish these portraits I used General's charcoal and graphite pencil along with powdered graphite. The most exhilarating part of my job as an artist is getting those beautiful eyes looking back at me! I truly love being a portrait artist and am very thankful to God that I am able to be an artist. If you have any questions just let me know. Thank you for watching. Have a great day! Meet "Gustapher"! When I work on a portrait commission, there is this funny connection thing that starts to happen, especially after I get the likeness in the eyes and they are staring back at me. I start to feel a connection with the person, or in this case very cute kitty! As I'm painting I find myself wanting to learn more about them and their personality. So I thought it would be fun to find out more about Gustapher and share his fun facts with you. Gustapher was adopted from a shelter as a kitten. He had to be such an adorable puff of orange fur! His mom/owner says he is an only 'fur' child. Gustapher was named after the chubby mouse in the Disney movie Cinderella. So of course his nickname, as in the movie, is Gus-Gus. He likes to sleep under the covers at nightime and then on top of shoes in the daytime. Gus is a professional mouse hunter as well as red-dot hunter! Oh yes his best friend is a black Lab named Remmy. What a pair they must make! Lastly he loves going to the vet--everyone spoils him there. A favorite color of his mom's is Tiffany Blue which became the inspiration for the background! So what better choice to give Gus than a lush blue background that complements his beautiful orange coloring so nicely and makes his cute freckles pop...(three on his pink nose)! You may know me more as a figurative artist that primarily paints portraits of people; which I love to do. Capturing a likeness looking back at me is thrilling and a challenge! The same enjoyment comes with painting the beauty of animals; horse, dog or cat portraits always make me smile! Painting this pastel cat portrait was no exception. Thank you Gustapher! Meet Oxford!
His portrait was a fun one for me! I couldn't help but give him a bright contemporary background. It seemed to match his personality and his debonair red bowtie. What better way to show off his handsome black and white markings?! Oxford is an adopted 3 yr. old Wirehaired Terrier Mix who loves having all his friends come over to play. Then for his quiet time he loves watching squirrels and looking for sunlight reflections. Oh and he is a super snuggler! :) The portrait's contemporary look suits his owners, too. They are a very cute young couple who lovingly call their scruffy little guy "Ox"! This was a Christmas gift that was commissioned for them by a sweet friend. Pastel on UArt 400 14" x 11" When it is time to deliver a finished portrait, often there will be an unveiling celebration. Well, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to enjoy a very special unveiling party for Mr. Bob Costas! The opportunity to paint sports celebrity figures is always fun, but this was an extreme honor to paint a very special portrait of Mr. Bob Costas. The portrait was in honor of the Costas Cancer Center and Mr Costas' dedication to Cardinal Glennon Hospital Thank you Cardinal Glennon for giving me the opportunity. The party was for Mr. Bob Costas celebrating his incredible 26 years of dedication for the Bob Costas Benefit for SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center. As a gift and tribute, a portrait was presented to him. The Costas Cancer Center in Cardinal Glennon Hospital was built and is supported through the Bob Costas Benefit, which has raised millions for cancer care at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center. A special thank you to Cardinal Glennon Medical Center and Mr. Bob Costas. Thank you Suzy Gorman for the use of the selected photos. Artists vary in their approach to commissioning a portrait. Here is some information for you about how I proceed with a portrait commission. 1) Time How long does it take to paint a commissioned portrait? Well I'm glad you asked. The time a commission painting takes depends greatly on the scope of work; medium chosen, how much detail, size, etc. Generally speaking it takes about 3 - 4 weeks. As we approach the holidays it gets busy quickly. By November there usually is a backlog into the next year. Since my work is detailed, I don't want to rush on your special holiday gift. If you are reading this after the Christmas deadline, I would love to offer a gift certificate toward a future portrait for your loved one's gift. Then after Christmas we can all talk about what exactly he or she would like for their portrait gift. Sometimes that actually works out better because the recipient can be a part of the decision making, such as the size, what medium, clothing details etc. 2) Deadline In order to complete your portrait on time, my deadline for scheduling is November 1. That will insure that your gift is delivered in time for the holidays. 3) Cost My portraits start at $600 for a charcoal/graphite head & shoulders portrait, as pictured below. Color portraits start at $950 for a head & shoulders portrait (example pictured above). 4) Reference Photos My preference are photos in natural light. No flash please. You can e-mail your photos to me or I can take them if you are local. 5) Shipping Don't worry about shipping - it is free! It all begins with a conversation to start your perfect portrait.
314-409-7740 For more information on commissioning a portrait To start, I loosely block in the shapes with pencil and powdered graphite. Here is a step-by step demo showing how I develop a portrait graphite/charcoal drawing. Here, I start to develop the face of the portrait, working toward getting the likeness. Once I feel comfortable with the face, I move down to the hand, arms and shoulders toning in form and capturing the shadow play of lights and darks from the sunlit window. I am using graphite pencils as well as powdered graphite. Here the fabric layers of tulle of the ballerina's dress are developed. For the contrasting darks in the eyes and hair, I am using charcoal pencil. At this stage I am refining and tweaking everything making fine adjustments. To help with the highlights of the skirt I sharpen up the edges of the fabric with an eraser. Here is the finished drawing! Drawing Class Information HereArt Classes"Marie, I wanted to thank you for the painting 'Protector'...I admire it going to bed and waking up each morning and when I have my quiet time reading. I catch myself smiling at her. I absolutely love that piece. It has been giving me lots of JOY!" Toni, Chicago collector JOY
noun 1.the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation "Experiencing art decreases stress levels." "A study from the University of Westminster found that participants' stress levels decreased after a lunchtime visit to an art gallery reducing cortisol levels." Arts.Mic I would like to venture to say it brought them joy as well. A common thought expressed by collectors of my art is that it quiets them and somehow connects with them emotionally. It is the highest compliment that they could give me. Celebration of Life, Expression of love Commissioned Art can be a very special gift. It can be an expression of LOVE! " Ahh, my beautiful Madeleine" This was stated by Madeleine's father as he was looking at her portrait. Madeleine is no longer three years old, but that precious age will always be there, captured in a special forever way! Still, years later, feelings of love and tenderness rush in, remembering her then. My collectors tell me that a portrait celebrates and honors their child in a special way. It helps deepen their relationships with their children. A child may not fully understand the depth of love his or her parent feels, but their portrait is a way to say "I love you" that endures. It truly is an expression of Love. Join me and subscribe to my e-mail updates! |
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