Book It

A hardbound book is given to the client at the end of a commission. This is one of those things I have been doing for many years. I never show the client photos of their painting while it is in its creation, (I recommend never doing that) but I know they are always...

To Make an Omelette

You know the saying “To make an omelette, you have to break a few eggs?” Well, to make a pastel painting you have to break a few sticks. The commission that I finished required being able to precisely add marks to the faces in tiny strokes. The temptation...

The Reveal

So I always get annoyed with taking photos of my finished work… It seems as though no matter how I take the photos they never show the nuances and depth of the original. And all those hours spent refining tiny color variations just get blown out or distorted...

Step by Step

Portraits are a treasure hunt… searching… searching… I am always amazed at when I look back at the developmental photos of a portrait that I can see so many changes. Not only in the painting itself but also in my apparent mental state at different...

Blank Canvas

Once the client is satisfied with the overall design and I know what their goals are in the commission, it is time to get to work. Typically with my commissions there are lots of photos being incorporated into one image. I normally call them my “bakers...