I was locked away in a gorgeous manor in Woodstock, NY for 5 days. Before I left, I grabbed a ream of typing paper and a handful of buttery pencils. No TV, no internet, no distractions, just practicing anatomy. Here’s a a few of them. It’s taken me about 4 years to even begin understanding any of this stuff. Looking forward to the next few steps of this journey. -Z

Oil on Board, 18″ x 24″

After 3 years of Atelier training, the fundamentals are slowly beginning to make sense.
This is a 6 hour study. I’m interested in the effortless look of a big brush painting. -Z

Charcoal study at the atelier. Focus is on the effect of light.
Thumb for a big brush painting. -Z

Discovered new colour pencils called “Derwent Coloursoft”. Please bring these
to me in bushels. They come in all kinds of delicious colours. -Z

We’ve been busy making stuff we can’t show you. Take a peek at our studies and doodles instead.

Col-Erase Indigo Blue in Moleskine

Page from Moleskine. -Z
Click to zoom.

My very first real drafting table, an epic Craig’s List find. Ah, the knobs! I’m in love.
And, a watercolour study I made on top of it. -Z

This is mostly for me, but if you read it, it’s okay too.

• You learn to draw by drawing.
• People that are better than you are just better than you because they’ve had more practice.
• Draw VERBS, not nouns. – Walt Stanchfield
• Turn everything you paint to greyscale (digitally). If it looks like a grey soup, you f*cked up.
• If you’re not sure what good values look like, look at screen stills from B/W movies, like Citizen Kane.
• You learn to draw by drawing.
• 50 bad illustrations might yield one good one. You learn to draw by drawing.
• Sometimes you gotta draw it 6 or 7 times.
• Use sharp edges for only important things, practice hierarchy and contrast. Have a focal point.
• If you’re going to give someone a jewel, don’t surround it with shiny things. – Paul Hudson
• Saturate your eyes and brain with work that is better than what you can do. Then put it all away
and start working.
• Progress, not Perfection.
• Schedule time to utterly fail. – Iain McCaig
• Take reference, it’s easier that way. Don’t make stuff up if you don’t have to. If it doesn’t exist,
figure out how to take a picture of it anyway. Use cardboard, clay, macaroni… doesn’t matter.
• Doubt can only be removed by ACTION. – Goethe
• Use the best materials you can possibly afford. You’re already fighting a battle. Don’t fight the materials.
Find pencils/brushes/paper that feel good.
• Does it work in greyscale? Does it work at postage-stamp size? Does it work reversed? Upside down?
• Do what you love, other people will love it too. – Z

More thoughts are found here.

Inktense pencil, watercolour on sketchbook paper. 11″ x 14″

Click to zoom. -Z

Charcoal on paper. Original size, 11″ x 17″.

Hour and a half long portrait from life.
If you’re interested in a similar black and white portrait, contact me.
I’d love to draw you. -Z