The Color of Light: An Artist's Blog

I recently took a class where we really went crazy adding a lot of texture to our paintings. Texture is one of those elements that can take a painting to another level. When a piece has a topographic feel to it, it adds to the sense of depth on what is in reality a two dimensional surface. 

Experimenting with pumice gel, gesso, and marble dust have been great fun, and I've enjoyed seeing the results these materials have been helping me create in my recent works. Here is an example of a piece I recently finished where I used gesso and pumice gel in various stages throughout the piece to help add a sense of texture. 

I've been finding myself drawn to portraiture lately. While I love painting landscapes, still life, and wildlife, I get bored easily and am always looking for a challenge. So recently I decided to jump into portraiture. For this piece, I chose a reference photo of my sister Tia.

I worked on a black sanded paper that I mounted to board. I loosely sketched in the shape of the head and used bright colors to shade the interior of the face - yellow for the forehead, red for the nose and cheeks, and green for the chin area. I then continued to slowly build up the features, looking carefully at my subject and attempting to keep the likeness while also creating a painterly effect. 

Portraiture is definitely a challenge for me, so it's something I'll be exploring a lot more in the future.