Detail of "The Doctor is...
I have always been a curious, creative person. I loved taking things apart wanting to understand what made them work. I loved working with wood and tools and making things out of anything I could get my hands on. However, an older cousin, who was quite a draftsman, really inspired me to draw. I was so taken by his ability to copy album covers that I knew it was something I had to do above than anything else.
Although I dabbled with drawing, it wasn’t until I moved to California in my early 20’s when that I started taking art seriously. I got a job as an installer at an art studio that did art displays and billboards for the record industry. In my down time I would watch the painters and pick up their techniques. After hours a few of us budding artist would practice what we had learned earlier that day.
As a young painter I thought photo realism is what great painting was all about. I really liked the blending qualities of the airbrush and gravitated to artist like Oliva, Sorayama and many of the great illustrators such as Mark Fredrickson and Craig Fraser. It’s funny how ones taste changes over time. Back then I probably wouldn’t have thought much of Sargent and positive I wouldn’t have appreciated Freud.
As I discovered more great art I realized they were all oil paintings. Most of the great art in the museums and galleries were oil, so, I taught myself by copying the great master works.
Bouguereau, Leighton and Sargent were among my favorites. I highly recommend this to beginners. The information you'll acquire will be invaluable!
I have also tried many techniques and approaches such as, knife painting, glazing, the wipe out method, mono underpainting, direct painting and Alla Prima. They all have their pros and cons and can be utilized to determine the direction of the picture.
As a student, I enjoy reading the gospel of the great teachers. Carolus Duran, David Leffel, Gregg Kreutz and my personal favorite Richard Schmid. I highly suggest reading any material from these masters!
Some of the current artist I appreciate are Odd Nerdrum, Alex Kanevsky, Nicola Samori, Dan McCaw…the list goes on and on. If you don’t know any of these incredible talents, do yourself a favor and look them up.
My goals as an artist are to develop my artistic sight and continue searching for unique and exciting ways to express my pictures.
Some advice for young artist would be to embrace the journey. Enjoy the struggle! I know some want it to happen overnight and be accomplished as soon as possible, but the early journey are the times I reflect on with great warmth. Remember, success is the road traveled, not the destination. Also, look at your disappointments and understand they are some of the best things that happened to you because they are excellent learning experiences. More often than not, I find I’m a better painter because of my mistakes much more than any accomplishments. Make that “happy accident” your best friend!