A Nice Commissioned Piece.

This is a 9" X 12" charcoal piece done on Strathmore Medium toothed, heavy weight paper. The charcoal pencils I used were General's 557-HB hard, 557-6B extra soft and 557-2B medium. All blending was done with a paper stump. I used a lot of fine eraser technique in this piece as it was small and it allowed me to get away with it without having to fuss about shading around individual details which at this size would have been excrutiating.

Title: Untitled

Price: Commissioned for $600.00

New for June 2008! Cowboy Waistland: Dedicated to J. D. Hillberry

Two months later to the day finds this 11 x 14 rendering done! This is another huge landmark piece for me not only in growth but in technique. This is my first drawing combining Graphite pencils with Charcoal pencils. I think you can see a drastic difference!

I have been carefully studying and practicing the drawing techniques of renowned photoreal pencil artist J. D. Hillberry through his website extensively for the last 6 months or so. My art was growing but agonizingly slow. I was beginning to feel stagnate with it making anything I did feel contrived and unsatisfying. The Problem: Graphite at it's full opacity is shiny no matter what grade of pencil. So unless you are staring directly at the picture with no conflicting light source, the photoreal effect is shot because of all the shiny areas. As you can see, Charcoal renders in true black. So the long and short of it is, with this picture I did the brunt of the silver work in graphite and everything else in charcoal.

Thank YOU sooooooooo much Mr. Hillberry for being there exactly when I needed you. Because of you I will never go back to drawing with just straight graphite again! I am forever indebted to you sir and this picture is proudly dedicated to you. I hope you like it!

For a full step by step tutorial on this picture click here and enjoy! (You must register but it is a simple process and free.)

Signed and numbered print: $150.00

Keepin' It Real: Self Portrait

This graphite drawing was done as a "profile" piece to be hung under my other artwork at galleries and shows. It was done on 11 X 14 Strathmore Medium paper. 4 weeks to finish.

Santa Fe Sun

Graphite drawing on 11 x 14 Strathmore medium paper. Two and a half months to complete.

The beauty, solace and quietude of the Desert Southwest can often be found dwelling inside the hearts and minds of it's residents. I set out to capture the stillness of the barren landscape with the serenity of the expression of this indigenous woman. One could, with little effort, picture this very scene in the Santa Fe Indian Market that happens there once a year. A beautiful artisan and her handcrafted wares of sublime regional design.

This piece marks a milestone for me personally as it was with this piece I decided that from this point forward I was going to set out to render subjects that most wouldn't dare because of the amount of minuscule prolific detail such as the lace in her dress and the stones and linkwork in her jewelry. I didn't miss a one. Agonizing to do, but worth the effort.

Signed and numbered print: $150.00

The Fiercest Hearts

This is a graphite drawing on 11 x 14 Strathmore Medium. I Love the fluidity and musculature of running horses. The power and freedom they exude in this simple act is at once intoxicating and humbling. When you see a herd of wild mustangs barreling down a remote canyon one can't help but feel the dangerous confidence coming off of them and that you are undeniably the invader. I tried to capture just such a moment in this rendering.

Signed and numbered print: $150.00