I thought a process blog might be of some interest, so here we go. It’s the first one of it’s kind! I’ll avoid much written word in this first post, maybe in the future I’ll up the windbag factor.

After a light pencil transfer, I tape the sketch to the wall behind the desk. I actually find cheap Bic mechanical pencils to be the best for the transfer. The sketch is always done freehand, using a photo reference of the president. I don’t go for 100% accurate replication in the sketch or the final piece, rather I attempt to portray an emotion I feel is relevant to his legacy. For Cleveland, that feeling was “regal.”

I always begin by laying down the face details first, starting with broad areas before moving to details. This particular piece was started using Ivory Black. Neutral saturation in the initial color helps me make the piece cohesive, though sometimes I like to spice it up with a Paynes Grey.

I usually take details to about 50% completion here before moving to a different area of focus, typically the background.

I use a wide variety of round brushes, somewhere between 10-12 brushes, to keep colors clean as possible. I also swear by Kleenex Viva! paper towels. They’re so smooth! I go through so many paper towels throughout the painting process, I’m sure I’ve made Al Gore shed real tears.

I use a limited color palette, which I’ll blog on in the future. It allows me to mix consistent colors, in this case a bright orange red.

Then it’s back to face details, working out contrast and adding texture, especially to the hair. I have two approaches I take to hair, which has always been my favorite feature to draw and paint for some reason. I also chose to use only 2 colors in the Grover Cleveland painting.

I typically try to spend 3 times the amount of time I spent on the sketch on the final piece.

Photos of me at work yo! I work in low light. There’s no direct theory behind it, I’ve just chosen two bulbs, one that leans towards cool and one towards warm and I cross their paths.

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