Getting Back On The Horse

Work in Progress. Charcoal reduction, 18"x24"

Haven't made any serious art attempts since summer started, just some doodling around. Thought I'd get back into the groove of things with a charcoal reduction portrait of a friend. As you can see from the first image, I was really, really out of practice.

Chronological order left to right.
1 was pretty much just looking at a photo and going at it. Didn't even finish that left eye before throwing in the towel.
2 is some basic light and shadow blocking, and
3 is where it is now-alright, but still seriously lacking in proportion and formal believability.

This all adds up to a total of 7-8 hours of work. I'm getting pretty close to my regular standard, which I'd like to be at before I begin on my summer work for school. I'd say this piece has only 5-6 hours left under the knife and it'll be ready for whatever I end up doing with it.

It's so hard to do portraits of people you know. Even if the proportions are all good and the whole thing is very photorealistic, it's hard to be satisfied unless you feel like you capture the subject's soul and character. It can't just look like them, it's got to feel like them, and that is some tough shit.

Took these pictures with my phone. Something a with a little more swank and resolution is coming your way just as soon as I get this baby stitched up and bandaged.


I don't encourage brutal critique on this one, I beg for it. Anything you can toss in there.



If you know me and/or the subject in real life, try to keep this under wraps. It's sort of a surprise before I move back to school.