Esplin Fine Prints

Works in Progress

2011-11-28T22:51:00.000-05:00

Here is some Fine Art I've been working on in my spare time.

Brains and Cadavar Sketches

2011-11-16T20:21:00.000-05:00

Here are a few sketches from the cadavar. It's been a great experience and priviledge to explore the human body. I've gained a great deal from my observations.

This is my colored version of the skull. It was colorized in Photoshop

This was a pen and ink. Not finished at this stage.

Medical Illustration

2011-10-12T20:36:00.000-04:00

I thought I would post some assignments from my Medical Illustration Program.

This was our first assignment-pen and ink; a lot harder than it looks. I spent a great deal of time doing this, I think I did about 9 versions before I felt like I got it right

This was our skull-done in carbon dust; once you establish your drawing you grind up carbon pencils and apply that "sauce" with a brush. Kind of like painting. It creates a nice even gradation of value.

This is my first computer generated assignment-a medical instrument in Adobe Illustrator. I am working on a more complex instrument in Photoshop right now.

Works in Progress

2011-07-20T19:16:00.000-04:00

I thought I would post a few pictures of what I have been working on.

This is a study of my daughter... I am thinking of doing a piece about the words of King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon. Talking about our reliance on the Savior he encouraged his people to help those around them. To paraphrase, In the eyes of the Lord are we not all beggars in need of help. This is going to be my little beggar.

I am trying to put together a piece for the Art contest hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The theme is "Make known His wonderful works" This was a study of one of my daughters. My orignal idea was to have several children surrounding their mother and father while they taught them out of the scriptures, but I don't have the time for such a large and complicated piece.

This is the wipe out/in for the still life I am working on.

I have found if I try and figure out my colors before actually starting the picture I have better results. Here are two ways I have going about doing that. The picture above is a copy of the drawing and I have written down the pigments I used to approximate the local color. The bottom actually shows the work of trying to figure out those colors.

I just got this painting framed and really liked the frame. I think it really pulls out and supports the painting effectively.

New Painting

2011-07-05T21:44:00.000-04:00

I recently started a new painting and thought I would share the value study and drawing. I've been doing a lot of studies lately as well, trying different things. I've been learning a lot.

Welcome to Georgia

2011-06-12T20:34:00.000-04:00

Life has changed drastically for myself and my family. We moved to Georgia and I will start a masters degree in Medical Illustration at the Georgia Health Sciences University in the Fall. This is a bit of change for me, but combines two things I enjoy greatly, science and art. I have included several paintings as well as studies I have been working on lately. I miss the GCA and feel very fortunate to have studied there. I am a little surprised but I miss New York City too, but the next two years will be a unique opportunity as well and I look forward to the adventure.

The tomatoes were a quick setup I completed in a couple of hours. I blocked it in with paint and got to work. It was a good opportunity to get back into painting again.

The American Flag and World War II helmet is something I've been working on for a while. I completed the underpainting in New Jersey and started painting it here in Georgia yesterday. Since the setup changed I've had to rely heavily on photographs, my value study and a new setup that is not exactly the same but close.

The bottles are something I started and havn't finished up yet. I put a first layer down, but the details need to be ironed out.In art school we only used graphite and I have had a desire learn how to use charcoal. I have included several skull studies I completed to help me become more familiar with the medium.

My own little Studio Space

2010-12-13T17:04:00.000-05:00

I have been working hard to get a small little area of my bedroom turned into a studio space. I'm very happy with the results. I mounted a spot light I bought from a friend on top of the tube that my canvas was shipped in. It works great. I then stacked some boxes in the corner with a 1/4 piece of birch on top with surrounding cardboard with fabric draped for a still life platform. Right now I am painting several blue bottles I got at a garage sale with a metal cup. I really like the colors. Still a little unsure about the composition. I also am working on the flag and WWII help I posted about a while ago. I have included the value study I did for it. I'm excited to get working on the actual painting. I am suppose to start a part time job tomorrow so I won't have as much time to paint, but I'll at least get a little cash flowing.

Bitter Sweet

2010-12-06T12:20:00.001-05:00

This past week was a bitter sweet. Sweet because I've been producing some nice work and I'm happy with everything I've learned, but bitter because Tuesday was my last day at the Grand Central Academy of Art. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to learn from such painters as Jacob Collins, Ted Minoff, Scott Waddell, Josh LaRock, Mason Sullivan, Che, Chris Waddell, Camie Davis, and Sam Wisneski. All extremely talented and wonderful teachers. We'll see what the future brings for the time being I am working on some still lifes at home and looking for a part time job to get a little cash flow going.

Apples and Still Lifes

2010-11-27T14:07:00.001-05:00

I finally got a picture of the still life I finished up a while ago. Enjoy!

2010-11-08T22:32:00.001-05:00

I have really enjoyed painting Still Lifes lately. I just finished one but have not been able to get a good picture of it. It contained a Corning Ware Bowl with a green apple and bright red cloth background. I learned a great deal about reflective light. I'll get it up soon. I've started a new still life combinng a few old books my mother-in-law gave me, a candle stick I got at a garage sale and a bell my wife got some where. You can see the thumbnail scketches I did to explorer different compositions and the progress of the final idea. I should start painting soon. I have some figures I've done recently too. I'll get them up on the next post. Life continues to be hectic.

First Still Life

2010-09-18T19:07:00.001-04:00

Here is my first Still Life Painting!!

Tony, my still life professor gave us almost a week to have this painted. It was my first still life. I'm happy how things turned out. Although I didn't finish it it was a great exercise and helped me get warmed up for the semester. We intend to paint, glass, metal and other objects through out the year. I'm pretty excited.

Here is a portrait drawing I did in my night class Portrait Painting class. Our regular model didn't show up so this was a single day pose.

Here is another portrait drawing. Not the original model. She's been sick. Single day pose.

Back to School Fall 2010

2010-09-12T21:00:00.000-04:00

School kicked off this past Tuesday. It's exciting to be back although I don't look forward to the commute. Life requires sacrifices though to get what you want. Here are some things I did this summer.

This is a still life I am working on. I'm going to crop it differently once I transfer it to my canvas. Composition wise it is really simple. Old American flag with a WWII helmet in front.

This is the portrait from the color figure painting workshop I took this summer with Douglas Flynt. He was an incredible teacher. I learned a ton.

I tried to sketch a lot this summer, especially out doors. My girls wanted to be outside all the time. I enjoyed these plant studies.

I was working on a lot of studies this summer. All of these hands were done from life, mine or my wife's. I wanted to paint them and started to, but life got too busy.

These were also all taken from life. I enjoyed these quick sketches.

Ecorche

2010-07-14T22:14:00.008-04:00

I'm taking a workshop on figure painting in color. I'll be done Friday and should post some pictures of my work. I'm happy with what I've been learning. For now I thought I would post some pictures of my ecorche work.

Crazy Summer!!

2010-07-02T09:38:00.006-04:00

This summer is not turning out like I had anticipated. I had planned on working all summer and that has not happened, which might put school in jeopardy this coming school year. I have had the time to put together what I learned at school this past year. I have been doing a lot of sketching in my sketchbook and working on some paintings. A large part of my efforts have gone into trying to understand color theory and the actual application. I will be taking a color figure painting class for two weeks starting tomorrow. I hope that will help answer a lot of questions that I've encountered in my explorations. I have included some pictures of what I've been doing.

End of Year

2010-05-29T12:17:00.006-04:00

The school year is officially over!! That's good, but sad too. We had an end of year show and it is really inspiring to see what everyone has accomplished. This summer will be interesting. I'm hoping to get as much drawing and painting in as possible, but I also need a job or I won't be going back to school next year. I have included a picture of the cast painting I'm working on. I didn't get as far as I would have liked, but I am happy with what I accomplished. There are a few areas I need to go back over, but I feel that it is big step in the right direction. Some of the things that I believe helped were slowing down, using a smaller brush, really trying to get on the form of the cast, and using linen which is really nice to paint on, but very expensive. I also included the final figure drawing for this year.

Drawing and Anatomy

2010-05-15T21:12:00.010-04:00

This is going to be my final Cast Painting. I really learned a lot about drawing during the block-in stage of this drawing. The copy I used for the transfer to canvas is almost double the size of the actual drawing (the painted figure will be 25" high).

Below is from from a anatomy drawing workshop at school. Andy Amerol came from California to teach it. We posed a male in the morning and a female in the afternoon with the same pose and then proceeded to draw them, followed by a layer of vellum with the skeletal structure, and then finally a layer of vellum with the muscular structure. It was a great workshop and I learned a lot about anatomy and comparative anatomy in gender.

Drawing, drawing, drawing, and more drawing

2010-04-24T12:30:00.007-04:00

Here are the results of this months work. I have only included a few of the best. Near the end of the month I started doing 2 and 3 day block-ins. The portrait, however, was done in about an hour or two. The female was a 3 day block-in and the older gentleman was a 2 day block-in. Overall I have mixed feelings about how successful this month was. I was getting very frustrated for several weeks. I didn't see any progress and felt like I was wasting my time. Thankfully this week I felt like things were coming together. My block-ins have gotten a lot more accurate and are taking less time to complete. In that regard I feel like this month has been a success. I still see that things can develop though. There is certainly room to push the process and continue to become more comfortable with the natural progression of a drawing. Next month is the last month of the year. I plan on doing one more drawing in graphite and then hopefully I'll start painting the figure in the fall. I have also included the beginnings of the sketch of what should be my final cast painting.

Anatomy and Block-Ins

2010-04-10T14:44:00.009-04:00

This month I have been really working hard at slowing down and tightening up on my drawing process. My hope and goal is that I'll become faster while at the same time more accurate. Instead of drawing just one drawing for the month I have been drawing a new one every day. The most important part of the drawing happens in the beginning and that is where I am trying to become more systematic. Drawing is actually a lot harder than most people think. It takes a great deal of mental work. I have been emotionally and physically drained at the end of the day because of this specific focus. The idea is to do the same thing (within reason) every time. First you establish a quick gesture of the drawing, then you find the half way point, make sure the heights are proportional to the widths and then start working from the middle of the drawing, focusing on shapes. You push your way outward and then switch over to thinking spatially. I have had to slow down and force myself to focus on not jumping ahead in that process and finding the best solution to discrepancies in my drawing. You don't just change something because it doesn't look right. There could be several changes you could make to solve that one problem, but only one of them will improve the drawing while others will fix parts while creating new ones. It is a huge puzzle that requires a very rational approach. And then you still have to balance being too rational while maintaining a very emotional and creative aesthetic. I had hoped to include some of those one day drawings, but my camera died on me yesterday before I could take a picture.

I have included pictures of my ecorche sculpture. I have really been enjoying my time studying anatomy. Some of the things that I have found helpful are, first studying the anatomy from a book. There is a need to become familiar with the names and an understanding of where the muscles attach and insert. I feel like with that information I can attempt to do a memory drawing. These usually don't turn out very accurate, but it forces me to realize what I know and what I don't. I'll usually correct these with help from my anatomy books. Hopefully I get all this accomplished before I start to sculpt. Sculpting I feel has really helped me take that understanding to the next level. I gain a greater understanding of the mass of the muscles and how they relate to the muscles around them.

I have also included my finished cast painting. I still have not been able to take a decent picture.

March Madness

2010-04-02T20:25:00.008-04:00

March has been a crazy month. I had hoped to get some pictures up sooner, but life got in the way. I am approaching the last part of my second year in art school and I feel happy at what I've been able to accomplish. Yet, at the same time I feel unsatisfied. One of the more difficult parts of school has been learning to be patient. Although working hard and putting extra time helps ultimately it takes time and consistent practice before it all comes together. Slow and steady wins the race. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to keep going to school. Times are tough and school isn't cheap. I've committed myself to getting through at least one more year, but the fourth year is still a question. This year I have drawn the figure, painted the casts, and am still working on the ecorche or anatomy study. Next year I will paint the figure in a single color. Hopefully I'll get to do some figure sculpture and portrait and start painting in color. If I am able to stay a fourth year I would push the color painting and do some still life painting. I have included pictures of my ecorche sculpture. I am still sculpting the muscles on the right side of the body and the left side will remain the bare to show the skeleton. I've thought about maybe sculpting the deep muscles on the left side... we'll see. I have also included a picture of the bust I have painting over the last month. It isn't the best picture, but it gives you a good idea how things are going. Last of all I included a picture of the figure drawing I completed in March. Each month my figure drawings have gotten better. Slowly each one has felt more solid. I'm really happy with the portrait.

March

2010-03-07T21:04:00.007-05:00

We made it to March. That in and of itself is a huge accomplishment with all the little things that have been going on here...snow, sickness, snow, church responsibilities, snow, parenting duties, snow, and everything else...and oh yeah...did I mention the snow?

Even with all the trials we've been facing, I feel like I am making a lot of progress in my art work. I am very happy with how this particular cast painting is coming out. At the end of last year I felt like I didn't know quite enough. As we are coming to the end of this year, I am happy to feel like I now know how to paint (even though I haven't learned how to incorporate color).

Winter Storms

2010-02-10T07:28:00.009-05:00

Due to a winter storm I stayed home from school today. I'm a little relieved. I've been so tired lately. Life has been overly busy lately and I needed a break. I should still be able to get some drawing and painting done today. I have included a few pictures of my human ecorche project. I have completed the skull, spine, ribs, and arms. This Thursday we will complete the skeleton and should start on the muscles soon. I have also included a picture of my cast painting. I painted an underpainting for the first time and am very happy with the results. I'll finish up the underpainting tomorrow and start the final pass. You can see it is already starting to look 3-dimensional. I also put in a picture of the portrait of my figure drawing. I finished the block-in stage last week and started to turn form.

January 2010

2010-01-29T21:25:00.011-05:00

"Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to great places. You’re off and away." (Oh the places you'll go, Dr. Seuss, 1990, Random House, pg. 1) This has been a key focus of our night-time reading lately. It has held our girls attention, at least, as well as can be expected for their ages.

2010 is off to a good start and I feel like I'm off to great places. My studies at the Grand Central Academy of Art are progressing well. Sometimes it is discouraging to recognize how far I still have to go, but every once in awhile you get a glimpse of where you are and can see how far you've come. January has done that for me. Painting presents a lot of new and frustrating problems, but as I began my new cast painting this month (the bust) I realized, to some relief, I have learned something. I shared the drawing with you last post. Since then I painted a value study to understand the organization of the values on the cast (essentially how much light each area is receiving). The director of the school mentioned last week he wants to see us get through cast painting much quicker than we are doing currently. The whole idea behind cast painting is to learn the process of painting and how to turn form in paint (make it look 3-dimensional). After I complete this cast I will paint a sculpture (full figure) and then move on to painting the figure and probably doing a little work in figure sculpting. I have also included my wipe-out of this cast. You apply a some what even layer of paint and wipe away the lighter areas. This creates a feeling of 3-dimension that is the base or platform you paint over.

I was also excited that I finished my figure drawing for the first time. I say finished, which really is a relative term... really it seems like it is never finished, but I mean that I made an attempt at every part of the body. Some of the things that came out of my critiques this month follow: Overall the block-in is good and seems to be getting better and better every month. I need to maintain that progression. The turning of form is better, but can still be better. The half of the form that receives the majority of the light is getting too dark. Light as it falls across the form from direct light to the terminator or shadow is not a linear relationship. In other words the amount of light that falls off of the form as you move from light to shadow or absence of light is not the same. The light falls off exponentially. The areas closest to the shadows can probably drop slightly in value and the areas closes to the direct light need to lighten up. I also need to put some work into drawing hands. I'm looking forward to getting started next month.

Sorry I forgot to take pictures of the ecorche in progress. I'll get something up soon. Right now I have the skull, rib cage and pelvis sculpted. I'm happy with the results.

Still Moving Forward

2010-01-18T18:06:00.004-05:00

It seems like it has been forever since I've posted. I feel like things are moving forward well. I'm still drawing the figure in the morning and painting casts in the afternoon. We did start ecorche at the beginning of January (Thursday afternoons). I'm really excited about it. Each week we have anatomical drawings that are due. We then sculpt those same anatomical portions of the figures during class. Last Thursday we started sculpting the skull. I need to put more time into it because I didn't finish, but it's coming along well. I'll take some snap shots and post them soon. Also, on my own, I have started studying color. I've been reading some books and doing a few exercises. I will try and post some of what I'm learning as well. I would love to start getting some ideas from other artists about what they found helpful in understanding color.

Today I've posted the figure drawing I'm doing and the bust I'll start painting this week.

Happy Holidays

2009-12-19T18:07:00.013-05:00

I have not finished my figure drawing for this month, but here is a look at what I've completed. I have also included my cast drawing-I had a hard time getting a sharp picture of it, but you can get an idea. Last of all I included my portrait drawing from this week and some studies I've been doing on the train. I have been studying a lot of human anatomy, color theory and drawing but I've decided if I really want to get better I need to actually draw. So I have been drawing from Vanderpoel's book, "Human Anatomy".

Giving Thanks

2009-11-26T13:46:00.008-05:00

I wrote this post Thanksgiving Day

We just let out for the Thanksgiving break and that ends our November pose. I was really happy how it turned out. The portrait turned out really well. I felt like I have a much better understanding of what needs to happen and am excited to get to work in December. In the afternoons I am still painting casts. I don't have a picture right now though.

Since it is the day we celebrate our blessings and focus on giving thanks I thought I would briefly reflect on some of the things for which I am thankful. First and foremost I am thankful for God. In our politically correct world we don't hear it enough, but I am thankful for His love and guidance. I am thankful for my family-my wife, my daughters as well as my siblings and extended family. I am grateful to be able to attend art school in New York City. That is the culmination of a lot of blessings. First off, for the encouragement my friends and family have given me and the support and sacrifice of my wonderful wife. She has been positive and always encouraged me, even though it hasn't been easy. I'm also very thankful to my in-laws. They have let us stay with them while I am attending art school. I am so thankful for everyone's sacrifices. I feel very humbled and thankful. I try and keep those sacrifices in the forefront of my mind. Those sacrifices help me to work harder.

Here is the November figure drawing

Portraits and Poster Studies

2009-11-15T17:00:00.014-05:00

I came to the realization that if I was to fully take advantage of my time here while studying at the Grand Central Academy of Art I needed to seek help from God and allow Him to influence my efforts. In my prayers I have tried to be more specific, asking not just for help, but how can I improve my portraits?, turn better form?, and what can I do to better understand my teachers critiques? I have noticed that as I pray more specifically and put more effort into my prayers I find the help I am asking for. As I ponder on my questions thoughts come into my mind that hone my efforts and increase my understanding. The last several weeks have been some of the most growing and rewarding weeks in my art education. I have noticed my work getting better and better.

(above) portrait of class mate

Here are a few things I've been doing lately.

This is a poster study of Jacques-Louis David's The Death of Marat

The idea is to do a quick painting with emphasis on capturing the same values(light and dark). I would like to start doing a poster master copy once a week.

Here is a close up

(left) This is a sketch I did on the train on my way to school. The guy slept the whole way up. It was a good exercise since I couldn't really use comparative measuring... it would have been too obvious. I'm happy how it turned out.

(right) These are copies I did out of Vanderpoel's "The Human Figure. He was an incredible drafts-man.

(left) This is one of my anatomy sketches I did on the train out of Goldfinger's Anatomy Book. I have been studying a lot of anatomy lately. Not the easiest subject... it has taken a lot of work. In the spring I will be taking a ecorche/anatomy class. We will be sculpting a skelton first and then sculpting the muscles on top of that. I'm really excited.

October

2009-11-03T20:53:00.009-05:00

I wanted to get some stuff up and show you what I did in October. The mornings are spent doing figure drawings and the afternoons, cast painting and one day a week portrait drawing.

Here's a peek.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to take a good picture of this drawing, but this was the upper portion of my figure drawing in October.

This is actually my second cast painting. The first was the mouth. Below you will see the process I went through to get to this point.

First I drew the ear. Initially I just had the basic outline and then my teacher recommended I do a wire frame type structure over my drawing. This was a great opportunity to become more familiar with the spatial structure of the form in preparation to paint.

Second I painted a quick value study. This gives me the opportunity to understand how the values relate to each other. This is another opportunity to study the cast in prepartion to paint. I'm happy with how this worked out

I wish I had taken pictures of the painting in stages of development, but it didn't happen. In any case next I transfered my drawing onto canvas and painted the cast.

Last of all here is the portrait drawing I did today. I'm not completely happy with it, but it's a step in the right direction. Right now Jacob is having us draw the portrait of the model along with skull studies from skull we have posed next to the model.

Back in School

2009-10-11T18:05:00.007-04:00

I started back to school the first part of September but had to take several weeks off for military exercises. The only thing I have to show thus far is a figure drawing I did the month of September. It is done in graphite and took about 50 hours. All work was done from a live model at school. I will try and get the blog caught up soon.

Germany

2009-07-26T02:07:00.002-04:00

I am in Germany right now!!! It has been a great trip. I havn't had a lot of time to draw because of work, but I have done a few sketches. Hopefully I can get them up as soon as I get home next week. I will have a month before school starts once I get back to Jersey. I want to get some serious drawing and painting in. Oh... take a look at the Mormon Times bulletin board (Mormon Times is the new newspaper that accompanies the Church News) if you have a chance. Sometime this week there should be an ad for Esplin Fine Prints. Any way, I'll try and get some drawings up soon.

Best wishes,

Neal

Update on Las Vegas Temple Drawing

2009-06-20T22:59:00.005-04:00

I've been working really hard to get these done. I really like the feel of this drawing. I'm not sure if I should keep pushing it a little further or leave it how it is. (Sorry it's not the best photo of it). I've also been working on some portraits. I should have something to show soon.

I've also been working really hard to get my web site up and going.

Check it out

www.esplinfineprints.com

Temple Drawings

2009-06-12T12:40:00.006-04:00

I just finished my drawing of the Salt Lake City Temple. I currently am working on Las Vegas. Check out the other ones I have done at

http://www.ldstempledrawings.blogspot.com/

Finally... a Moment to Reflect

2009-06-11T07:24:00.009-04:00

We made it! After selling a majority of what we had, moving 2000 miles eastward, countless hours on the train up to New York, minimal sleep and moments of frustration we made it through our first year of art school. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. So what is it that I have learned-what is it that makes me better prepared to go forth in life as a professional artist. This morning as my wife and I walked through the neighborhood I found myself studying the trees and how light hits them. I think that is the biggest thing I have gained from school-an understanding of what needs to be represented in order to accurately draw an object. You have to get the values right! I like to think of it like cooking. I don't have to cook the same amount, but I do need to get the right proportions to one another. I don't have to copy values exactly-infact normally it's impossible to do so. But you have to get them to work together in the same relationship. I wouldn't say I can do that perfectly, but I've gotten a lot better. My eye is a lot more sensitive to seeing what I want to draw. There are other tools that I feel are more developed, more consistently getting my proportions accurate, and understanding how edge quality effects the spatial relationship. You could say I feel more confident now too. There is lot I don't know but I feel like I understand the basics and with a little time can learn to paint and draw like I want. Unfortunately, this summer we financially can't afford to take classes up at school, which is OK because I am wore out from the commute. I'm trying to get a job and finish some projects I have been working on for a while. I want to create some good habits that will further my artistic abilities such as drawing something every night before I go to bed. I am reading several books and trying to build on the knowledge I learned this past school year. I'll continue to post what's going on and what I'm learning.

End of Year

2009-06-03T16:48:00.003-04:00

I wish I had more time. School is out for the summer and I am trying to find a summer job. I will get some of my thoughsts down, but I need another week. I wanted to post the picture of my final cast drawing though.

One Week Left

2009-05-23T11:23:00.003-04:00

Last week of school is coming up. We're done on the 29th. Then I need to get a job so I can go back in the fall. 85% of my time at school has been trying to finish my final cast drawing. I've attached a photo so you can see my progress. I find out that the bust comes from the greek statue called The Boxer of Quirinal in the museum in Rome. I've also included a picture of that taken from the files on cuidaswiata.com. I'm really tired with the commute so it'll be nice to take a break. I hope to do a blog soon on the progress I feel I've made in the last 9 months.

Progress on Final Cast Drawing

2009-05-10T21:00:00.001-04:00

Like usual I am strapped for time. There just doesn't seem to be enough time to get everything done. Here is the progress on my final cast-three weeks to go (Hopefully I can get it done before school ends for the year). There are a couple of projects at home I get to tinker with every once in a while. Hopefully I can get some pictures taken and throw them up on the blog too.

Workshops

2009-04-28T05:01:00.005-04:00

This week we are doing workshops. I will be studying value all week long. I'll try and post a little about what I'm learning. For now I just have time to attach a few drawings.

Home Stretch

2009-04-18T22:08:00.011-04:00

The energy at school has steadily increased. As school comes to a close on our first year everyone is picking up the pace to finish final projects. I really want to finish up this final cast drawing. I've finally started modeling. It took me forever to get the block-in right. I've also included my latest figure block-in and my portrait painting from my night class.

Still Drawing

2009-04-10T11:07:00.008-04:00

Not a lot of time-here are some pictures of what I'm working on. I have included a painting by Dagnan.

Drawing and Painting, Painting and Drawing

2009-04-02T18:37:00.008-04:00

This is the portrait painting I started in the night class. You can see the entire painting to the left and below is a close-up of my work. (I can't claim complete credit for the nose-my teacher touched it up for me after I had worked at it for a while).

I decided to do the bust of Bruno for my final cast drawing, but I havn't been able to get it right. I think I have blocked-in 10 drawings now of it, but this is it. I finally got all the tilts right and am looking forward to moving forward. You can my sketch and then I included the actual bust as well.

Diligence

2009-03-21T11:36:00.014-04:00

WOW.... life has been crazy lately. I don't have a great deal to say, but I would like to share what I have been doing lately. Also, I am going to start highlighting the work of artists, which I have come in contact with that I consider great. Here is one my friend found and shared with me, George de Forest Brush (1854-1941). He painted mostly Indians. I really like the colors he uses in depicting skin tones. A lot times skin tone can become almost plastic looking. This is very nicely done.

Included in this post is the painting I completed in the portrait painting night class. It isn't exactly finished, but I ran out of time. All the same I am happy with my first attempt at painting.

I have also included a portrait drawing I did of a young lady. It was a four hour pose.

The figure drawings our three day poses and the man with long hair is the new portrait I am painting in my night class. Also, I have included what I hope to model for my final cast drawing. It is a bust of a Greek man. We call him Bruno, not really sure who he is.

Let me mention quickly the importance of vision and persistance. It seems like the learning curve at school is actually not a simple curve but a combination of multiple curves-more like a jump rope. There seems to be the ups and the downs. Right now I feel like I am in a low period. I have mastered a certain level and am struggling to jump to the next skill level. It gets frustrating. I have to continue to maintain the vision I came with, develop the necessary skills and be persistant. Sometimes it seems things would be better if I tried something different, when in reality we're on the right path we just need to stay the course, be diligent, and wait for the natural consequences of work fall into place.

What Matters Most

2009-02-22T16:43:00.017-05:00

Things are crazy and there isn't a whole lot of time. Family demands, church and school keep me and my family busy. As I think about this past school year, however, I feel like I have really been given the opportunity to recognize those things that are most important in life. Not to say I didn't realize it before, but I have internalized and come to understand that family and friends are everything. Going to Art School in NYC has been a huge sacrafice. We have had to give up a lot of monetary items. We are currently living with my wife's parents. Thanks to them this has all been possible, but it is difficult humbling ourselves to accept their help. I feel so greatful for an understanding of those things that matter most. I see a lot of people that are mis-directed. Before I came to art school I was pursuing Dentistry. There were courses that I absolutely loved, anatomy, biology, but then there were others, like chemistry that I hated with a passion. I found myself trying to make something work that I didn't believe in 100%. One of the things that helped push me towards art was the believe that I would be most successful doing what I love to do. Monetarily it may not be as rewarding as dentistry, but as I have come to accept that I have set my sites on greater goals. You can be happy, truly happy when you focus on what matters most.

Moving Forward

2009-02-18T20:42:00.005-05:00

I really don't have a whole lot to report. School is going well. I am trying to get the Salt Lake Temple Sketch digitized and printed-I'm not sure how long that is going to take me. I finished the hand cast drawing I was doing (I'll get a picture of it this weekend) and will probably begin my final cast drawing in March. Right now I am working on my block-in's before starting the final. The night class is going well. I only have two more days to finish. I'll take a picture Friday to show the progress.

Here is the progress on the lab I started at my brother's house during Christmas break. To the right is a cast I was blocking in the other day at school.

Finally I get to Paint!

2009-02-01T14:26:00.006-05:00

Last month I started taking two night classes, which I plan to continue this month, portrait painting and portrait sculpture. I am really enjoying both, but especially the painting. The first three weeks were spent drawing the head and finally this week I transfered it to canvas and started to paint. The transfer process is not entirely accurate. It lacks the human touch, so this week I painted the contours and added a light wash. I have included the canvas up to this point. Next week I will start modeling or makeing the head look 3-d. I am really excited. Because of the added problems with color this first painting will be monochromatic. Essentially, everything I have been doing up to this point is in preparation for painting. It is the same process, just paint instead of graphite. I have included both the painting and the drawing I transfered it from. The model is the younger sister of one of my fellow classmates. It is a two month pose-one night a week for three hours. So I will have four more weeks to paint.

In class I am finishing up the hand. After that I will spend several weeks working on block-ins before starting my final piece. The final piece should take 2-3 months and will be a lot more complex than I have attempted thus far. After that I will start the whole process over, but painting casts instead of drawing. I hope I can start painting before school ends in May.

Handy

2009-01-24T10:18:00.016-05:00

Need a hand? I'm still not done, but I should finish it up this coming week. When all is said and done I think it will have taken just over 2 months. On this particular cast I feel like I really have grown a lot more than on the previous ones. I feel a lot more capable of identifying the relationship of values and placing those down on paper to get an object to look 3-D. I still have to do a final project. I'm looking around to find a cast I want to do. I'm thinking about doing a full figure ecorche cast (ecorche removes the skin and shows the underlining muscle structure). After coming back from Christmas break we started working from live models. I have included a few drawings of these.

This was the first figure drawing I did.

Each is a 4 hour pose.

This was my first portrait drawing. I have really enjoyed portraiture and have actually started a portrait of my wife.

This was our second week model and first female model.

This picture was taken about 2 hours in to my drawing.

2009

2008-12-31T18:47:00.003-05:00

Alright, the new year is almost here... so now what. If you think about, it there really isn't anything particularly special that happens as we pass from Dec 31st to January 1st. Except that it gives us the opportunity to close out a small chapter of our lives and open a new one. A new beginning creates the opportunity for change. At this unique period of my life and that of my family I look forward with great anticipation for the new skills I will acquire. Now is a time of preparation. We are preparing for the time when our income will rely completely on the skills I am gaining and developing now. This Christmas we went down to my brother's house and spent a week there. They have a beautiful house with a lot of land. We look forward to the day we will hopefully have a little land and a house of our own. A place where our girls can run and play. As we look forward to and plan for the future, I think it is important to recognize what we have accomplished in the past and understand the many blessings God has granted us. The opportunity to attend school in New York I believe is a blessing from God. It has been interesting seeing everything come together in order to allow my family and I to move out here and pursue art. One of the reasons I wanted to pursue art was to find out how far can I take my artistic abilities-how good can I get? Not only do we need to recognize what we have accomplished and how, but we need to set goals or specific opportunities to evaluate our progress and determine how to alter our behavior to accomplish what we want. I plan on spending this new years eve pondering how I can take full advantage of what God has given me to develop my art work this coming year. I also plan on thinking about what are the needs of my family and how I can better meet those needs and assist them as they grow and develop this coming year. How exciting. This year will bring great promise. As long as I can see where I am headed, take time to evaluate and reevaluate, and execute. We are indeed living the dream.

Christmas is Coming

2008-12-13T11:22:00.013-05:00

I can't believe Christmas is around the corner. It seems like it was yesterday we made the move out here to start school. As I look back it is amazing to see how much I have developed, not just artistically. The last four months have been an incredible period of growth that has stretched both me and my family. Through those periods of tugs

and pulls we have learned to be

(above: Salt Lake City Temple)

content with less monetary possessions and I believe learn to see the brighter side of human nature. God has certainly blessed us through the tender actions of others. My wife has become a consultant for a home based company and it has been interesting to see her rise to the challenge of selling. Me, I am excited about the progress in art work and as a student. When I say student it is a little different than what comes to mind for most people. I received my undergraduate in Spanish with a minor in pre-dental. I developed the necessary study skills to perform well, but in this classical program it is a lot different. It is more than just simple regurgitation.

An art education won't give you all the answers. It gives you the basic tools, but then you have to use those tools to discover universal truths. For example when you draw a hand there are specific characteristics that make a hand look like a hand. You don't necessarily have to draw every little detail, but those overall universal relationships have to be in place for your drawing to look like a hand. One of those truths is the spacing between the fingers. If you naturally spread your fingers apart you'll notice that the space between your thumb and index finger is the largest. Then jump across to the farthest side, your pinky and ring finger create the second largest space. Again jump back to the other side and between your index and middle finger and finally the narrowest space is between your middle and ring finger. Now there are occasional exceptions, but this holds true for most people and maintaining this relationship helps the hand feel natural. Any way I feel like I have become a true student always looking for these truths in my everyday observations. Seeking a greater understanding of the world around me. As I look back on this first half of the academic year one other lesson that I feel has been necessary for my growth is learning the fine balancing act at comparing myself with my fellow peers. At the beginning of the year I didn't want any one looking at my work. I felt like my work was a reflection of who I am and frankly... it's not. Now there is a benefit to looking at others work and letting them look at yours. If you look closely, you'll notice the most famous artists have always been a part of a community of peers. The friendly competition is fundamental in pushing each other to greater success. I think as I have let go of my fears, including rejection and inadequacies I have allowed myself to grow and develop gaining great insight from my instructors and my peers. We have a great group and I think the next four years will prove to be amazing as we push ourselves to greater heights.

Thanksgiving Break

2008-11-26T17:47:00.020-05:00

Thanksgiving break is finally here. This has been a crazy week. Sunday, my wife and mother-in-law left across country for a combined Thanksgiving/Family Reunion and my father-in-law and I have become bachelors for the week. He works so much and I'm at school almost always that we haven’t seen each other for the past three days. Since there is no school Thursday we moved the evening sculpture night class to Monday, which meant I didn't get home until after Midnight on Monday and Tuesday. That wouldn't be too bad except that I have to be out the door at 5:30 to catch the train back up to NYC. Needless to say I am going to sleep well tonight. Thanks for letting me vent-without my wife I don't have anyone to tell all my problems.

This is the current cast drawing I am working on. I really had a hard time slowing down and being patient with the last one I completed (the eye), but this one I find a lot more interesting and easier to push farther. I feel like things are progressing really well, which is funny because in the past I've really struggled with modeling. Lately, my Block-ins, which I have been very proud of in the past, have not been developing like I wish.

Here is the sculpture I completed in the night class this month (November). As you can see we had a female model. Each month we switch back and forth. You can see, I hope, I was able to capture the gesture of the pose a lot better than last month. I was also able to take the sulpture a lot further. Unfortunately, however, there just isn't enough time to completely finish everything. Before starting I thought 24 hours would be plenty of time. Not even close. The school started a day class too-4 hours a day 5 days a week, 4 weeks. 80 hours and most of then didn't finish either. They were really close, but still needed more time. This pose I was able to acquire the dimentions a lot quicker. I am getting better at seeing the figure, but still made some mistakes. Amanda's left shoulder be placed farther forward. Also the top of the leg and the bottom of the leg twist a lit

tle too much and don't align as well as they should. Overall I am very happy with the experience and excited to do another one.

Check out my legs!!

2008-11-15T20:50:00.003-05:00

I just finished this and thought I would throw it up on the blog. School is going well. I am still taking the sculpture figure class at night and very happy with the way things are advancing. I am excited to start drawing the figure in December.

Bargue Figure Drawings

2008-11-09T19:20:00.017-05:00

My evening figure sculpture class is going really well. We finished up our last pose and started with a new model. This time we are working with a female. I am really happy how things are progressing. This time I was able to get the height ratio down a lot faster than with last months pose. The basic gesture is coming along well and I am starting to add some detail. Initially you want to get the basic masses up and the overall gesture without getting your widths 100%. You want to be a little small so you can accurately finish off the width at the end. I am approaching the width in the legs and will be moving up into the torso this week.

I finished my modeling of the eye and have included a picture. I want to talk more about modeling or turning the form, but will wait to touch on that. This week I want to talk about block-in. I spoke briefly about the overall process a few blogs back. Ultimately, you work from the outside in to the center of the drawing. This establishes the dimensions and placement of the drawing. Then you refine it working from the middle to the outside. Ultimately, we are working towards or preparing to work with the live model. Initially, we started blocking-in using the small casts (nose, eye, mouth, etc.), then we moved on to the larger casts (legs, torso), and then the biggest casts we have (full figures). As we approach to work with a live model we focus more on the torso of the body. Some of the challenges of working with a live model is they move, no matter how good a model they are they move and change positions. We work it so the model is up for 20 minutes and then gets a 5 minute break. Initially, the model may get out of the pose, but you'll find they get into a rhythm. They will settle in and you have to know which part of the body to focus on when. Any way we finished working with the larger casts and are now working from Bargue Figure Drawings. Charles Bargue was a famous artists that created a drawing course back in the 1800's. You'll see you did an amazing job simplifying and blocking-in the figure. We'll be copying these drawings the rest of the month and then we'll start working with the live model in December with the start of the new semester.

This was done the first few weeks of school. Jacob wanted us to see the abstract shapes that compose an object instead of the object itself. That is why it is on its side. This was the start of our introduction to blocking-in.

This is a larger cast we did. You can see the basic shapes I used to help me draw the legs. On an object like this it helps to use the shadow line to give you shapes to see.

We sketched this beauty for a solid week. Not this particular drawing, but this cast. Each day we would choose a different angle. This posed a great deal of challenges including the curve in her back as well as her feet. The proportions at first glance were very misleading as well. I found if I spend a greater emphasis and effort on getting the placement and proportions in the beginning things would fall into place a lot smoother.

This was an awesome cast. Full figure, it is a discus thrower. I didn't get to finish his right arm, but he has a discus. This really posed a great deal of challenges. The gesture is incredible and difficult to capture. It really helped me discover the importance of using plumb lines to make sure things at the top of the drawing were lining up with the bottom.

This is one of my first Bargue drawings. You can see another one at the start of the post. All of the students seem to be enjoying copying these drawings.

Sculpture

2008-11-02T13:10:00.009-05:00

Last Thursday night I finished my night class. The Grand Central Academy of Art (GCA) offers night classes for anyone interested. Thankfully core students have priority and a discount on tuition. The first month I took portrait sculpture and last month figurative sculpture. The professor for the portrait is Jiwong Che, from South Korea. He gained classical training in Korea. Mason Sullivan teaches the figurative class. He recently graduated from the Florence Academy of Art in Florence Italy. I really struggled with the figurative sculpture at first. The instructor explained how we should go about it, but I wasn't getting it. However, once he started sculpting with us on the second week it really helped me see what he meant. You place small pieces of clay on top of each other from close observation of the model until you have a replica of what your looking at. I think I'm going to take figurative sculpture again this month. I want to see what I can do using this process from the beginning.

Currently, the GCA does not have a specific sculpture program, only painting. Mason, however, is suppose to be developing that program and building it up. I'm not sure if I would prefer to pursue sculpture or painting. That's a tough choice.

Here is the sculpture from the front. You'll notice I didn't have enough time to finish his face, arms or pertinent male anatomy. The pose is very popular in academic studies. One hip is thrown out to one side, with all the weight placed on one leg while the other leg comes forward. The model was also holding a staff in his left hand for support. Had I finished the arms I would have included it.

You can see the gesture really well from his left side where his hip is pushed out in order to place all his weight on the leg on that same side. I should also mention the sculpture is built on an armature. An armature is a wire frame that supports the weight of the structure and attaches to that metal elbow for support.

Cast Drawings

2008-10-18T07:51:00.013-04:00

I wanted to give you an idea what I mean by cast drawing. I took some pictures at school yesterday to give you a better idea what it is I'm doing. A couple of days ago I really felt like I was starting to get the feel of "modeling the form" or "turning the form". If you get it right the form of the object should really pop out out you and read correctly. Part of the problem is the world has taught us to copy value or the values of light and dark. Interesting as it is copying value doesn't develop the object three dimensionally. Initially, it is important to ignore the three dimensional properties of the object until you have the basic spatial properties. However, as soon as you get those spatial relationships correct you switch your mind to model the form. At this point you have to be intensely aware of the form of the object. At times I have to stop, put my pencil down and walk up to the cast and touch it to understand how a specific part juts out or dips in. Light can sometimes play tricks and that piece that juts out is actually dipping in. You have to understand what is happening on the cast before you can draw it on the paper. You would be amazed how much you have to slow down to ensure you are being faithful to the form.

This is what I am currently working on.

You can see the setup of cast drawing here. The cast is hanging from the wall on the left. My pad of paper is on the easel on the right. There will be a triangle from my eye to the cast and to the drawing. To simplify things you want a setup that reduces the triangle as much as possible. You want to be able to move your head from the cast to your drawing with just a small turn.

You can see one of my fellow students and friend working on a cast drawing. Unfortunately, you can't see the cast he is drawing. You can see all the pencils on the stand at his right. He has probably close to 15 pencils that he sharpens in the morning and lasts him all morning. You have to have a sharp tip to get a really smooth transition on your drawing.

As an update, I got an email from the Florence Academy of Art in Italy. They are putting together their winter class and unfortunately, don't have a position in their drawing and painting program, but do have a spot in their sculpture program. My wife and I talked about it and we will be staying here attending the GCA. I have thought about pursuing sculpture, but I don't believe we could financially make it in Italy right now. The GCA currently does not have a full time sculpture program, but are in the process of developing one. They actually just added a new teacher who came from the Florence Academy, Mason Sullivan. I am taking a figure sculpture class from him on tuesday and thursday nights. I'll take photos of my work and include them soon. As the sculpture program develops Mason will be the one heading up the program.

This is something I've been working on at home. It is taken out of Charles Bargue's drawing Course. You can see the Bargue drawing on the left and mine on the right. I tried to apply what I've learned about modeling the form. Obviously, it is a lot more difficult since I don't have an actual object to look at and touch. I still have to finish the thigh and the toes.

Surviving in The Big Apple

2008-10-06T21:30:00.007-04:00

I've been in school now for just about a month and things are busy. I am enjoying myself and taking full advantage of this great opportunity. We are living in New Jersey with my wife's parents. The commute everyday to New York City is 2 1/2 hrs. one way but very much worth it. I wanted to post a few pictures highlighting what I've been doing.

This is my first cast drawing. The cast I believe is taken from Michaelangelo's "David". The exercise is to teach us how to model the form or make it look three dimentional.

This is one of my block-ins ( I belive it is a bust of Cesar). The block-in is a way of quickly getting down on paper the spatial relationships of an object. Essentially, you create a quick "envelope" of the object and using reference lines build into the center of the object. At that point you focus on the shapes that make up the drawing, refining the drawing from the middle to the outside.

This is another block-in. The exercise is designed to get you to focus on the shapes that make up the piece and forget about the overall object. For that reason this cast was placed on its side to help forget that it is actually a human head (it makes me think of Zues). It is interesting, if you can focus on the shapes, the head, or what ever it is your drawing will develop miraculously.

This is the start of my second cast drawing (an eye-not sure if it is from "The David". You can see I've finished the block in and have just started modeling or turning the form (making it look 3-D).

A few tidbits

2008-07-28T10:53:00.005-04:00

Here are a few sketches I've done recently....

Does this foot look familiar? It really shouldn't-it's one I drew from Charles Bargues drawing course. I've been trying to draw my wife's foot, but life if too hectic right now for her to stay still long enough to get a good sketch.

This is one of the animals in BYU's Bean Museum.

It's easy to draw animals when they are killed

stuffed and thrown on the wall.

New York, Here we come!

2008-07-18T17:15:00.002-04:00

I decided to open up a little this post. In a lot of ways I feel guided and nudged toward developing as an artist and pursuing a career as an artist, and yet I feel almost terrified of what I am about to do and what I have asked my family to do. We are selling almost everything we have, moving 2,200 miles across the country and going to school to learn how to draw, paint and sculpt-believing we can come out in the end with the skills and connections to make a living as an artist. Crazy... No, not me, well not entirely. I don't think so, at least.
Ok, I'll admit it-I am nervous about this transition. It's not my ability to develop as an artist that makes me nervous. I have a great work ethic and some artistic talent. I guess my nerves stem from the fact that there are a lot of unanswered questions. What am I going to do when we graduate? How are we going to pay for everything? What is it going to be like commuting everyday to New York? Does that make sense?

Crazy Summer!!

2008-07-04T17:45:00.006-04:00

This has been a hectic and busy summer. I was in Morocco for the National Guard in June-we provided humanitarian assistance for several small villages. It was a great experience. Just after getting back our second daughter was born. Life doesn't stand still that's for sure.

Both mom and baby are doing great... and now we are gearing up to move to New Jersey in August. I am extremely excited to go to school in New York and for the chance to study art. My undergraduate studies were less than fulfilling and I tried hard to be successful at something that was not my passion. I never would have entertained the idea that I could pursue art as a career and yet here I am. I find it amazing the small events and circumstances that have lead me to realize I can be successful as an artist.

In the first picture you can see me assisting the dentist. In the second I am riding a camel...they smell awful and are very uncomfortable. In the third picture I am standing in front of the Atlantic Ocean.

It's Official!

2008-05-09T14:21:00.002-04:00

I heard back from Italy last night and found out I got put on the waiting list. We have been praying and thinking a lot about school options and have decided to go to New York. I am going to call the Grand Central Academy today and officially accept the invitation to attend. We are both excited and nervous to start this next chapter of our lives. Eventually I hope to go to Italy to study, but we feel that for right now we are being lead to the east coast...a place I was sure I would never live. Just goes to show you, never say never.

Prints

2008-04-22T13:16:00.002-04:00

Some of you have expressed interest in purchasing prints, and just so you know I haven't forgotten you. Things have been very busy lately, as I have been working very hard on getting the Salt Lake Temple done and making an inventory of what temples I have available. On a bright note, Salt Lake is almost done. It is an extremely detailed temple!

I am also preparing to get started on the Las Vegas Temple. Stefanie is very excited about that because Las Vegas is the temple where we were married.

The prints I have are giclees. Basically that means they are the best quality print available. Exact replicas. Oddly enough, graphite, the median I draw in, is the hardest to replicate. The prints are available to friends and family for $45. I have some prints that are professionally framed that I will sell for $70. Considering the cost of professional framing, that's a great deal!

Sorry its taken me a bit to get on this! You can always email me at:

esplinfineprints@gmail.com

Thanks for Your Votes

2008-04-15T09:28:00.005-04:00

I wanted to thank everyone for your votes and input. It was very insightful to see everyone's opionions. The application to Italy was a little more involved since they required actual slides or photographs of my drawings. As it turns out, some of the photographs printed funny. They were fine when I submitted them to the photo place, but somehow a few of them ended up being cropped funny when I got back the final product. Because of that there were a couple pictures I wanted to include that I couldn't. I ended up sending in Drawings 1, 2, 3, 5, and a different arm print which I did't put up on the blog. I wanted to submit drawing 4, but the bottom of the hand was cut off.

The application deadline for Italy is May 1st, and I should know within 2 weeks of that date if I get in. We are so excited about my acceptance to New York, but still want to see if I get into Italy. We are currently looking at how to finance our studies, either in Italy or New York and with just that in mind New York looks a lot more practical.

I got in!!!

2008-04-10T12:37:00.002-04:00

I was accepted into the core program in New York.

Still don't know

2008-04-06T14:55:00.003-04:00

I received an email from the GCA in New York. The evaluation process is taking a little longer than they expected. I guess that is good and bad. I still don't know if I got in, but at least it wasn't a rejection letter. They say I should hear back from them before next Friday. Keep your fingers crossed. I will be sending out my portfolio for Italy tomorrow.

Portfolio for Italy

2008-03-31T13:07:00.009-04:00

The following is what I submitted in my application to New York. I can only include 5 drawings to Italy so I would appreciate any input. I will be including a poll which will allow you to choose your favorite five.

Thanks

Neal

Drawing 1. comes from a Barge Drawing; Baby Head graphite.

Drawing 2. is one of the few drawings from life. This was my final project for the Figure Drawing Class I took at BYU; Final, graphite.

Drawing 3. is another Bargue Drawing; Young Man's Head, graphite.

Drawing 4. is the only drawing in charcoal I have. It is also another Bargue drawing; Arm, charcoal.

Drawing 5. is another Bargue Drawing; Homer's Head, graphite.

Drawing 6. is one of the sketches out of my sketch book that captures the human emotion and one of my favorites; Precious Joy, graphite.

Drawing 7. is one of my LDS Temple drawings; Timpanogas, graphite.

Update on New York

2008-03-27T15:55:00.000-04:00

I got an update on New York this week. They tell me I should know the status of my application the end of the first week in April. Although I would prefer to attend the Florence Academy of Art (FAA) in Italy I still hope to get into the Grand Central Academy of Art (GCA) in New York as well. The application deadline for Italy is the 1st of May. It has to be sent snail mail so I probably need to get it out the door soon. Right now I am narrowing down which drawings to include. Since I had a hard time narrowing down which drawings to use in the application to New York, which required 7 drawings and Italy only requires 5, I would love input on which drawings work best. I should have those drawings uploaded in the next couple of days. I have included in this post a couple of quick sketches out of my sketch book.

This sketch was taken from a picture of my niece who jumped on my back while we where rough-housing. She has a very unique and beautiful smile. I was very excited to capture it on paper.

I drew this from a plate taken from a famous drawing course by Charles Bargue in the 1840's. I drew this while attending dental assisting school for the Air National Guard at Shepphard Air Force Base TX.

This was a sketch from a photo taken of me riding a friend's horse. I am really happy with the proportions but need help with adding more value.

This is another drawing I copied from the Bargue Plates. It helped me further develop the ability to capture proportions and was one of the first drawings I added value to.

Value; n. what most people call shading

You're an... Artist?

2008-03-19T10:51:00.000-04:00

Many of you know the story of when my wife first heard I was an artist. After hearing of my artistic talents my wife didn't expect much from my enthusiasm. I think from her past experiences with "artists" she thought my excitement was greater than my abilities.

Art holds a lot of intrinsic value regardless of whether what you produce is considered "good" or not. There is an enriching experience at being surrounded by things that have been made by hand. Several yellow aprons my mom made for my wife and daughter hang in our kitchen-they remind me of my mother and the experiences I had growing up. A quilt made by my wife's aunt hangs in our daughter's room. It is beautifully made with pink vibrant flamingos on the front. It reminds us of this particular aunt and the pink flamingo parties my wife's mother has thrown for the past 4 years every summer. In any case, these things remind us of human interactions and enrich our lives.

As my life takes a new direction, I find myself pursuing a course that will hopefully allow me to work as an artist, with my emphasis in fine art. I have enjoyed producing the temple drawings that I have completed, but more than anything I love drawing people. There is so much satisfaction in being able to effectively catch an emotion on paper. There are specific things I hold dear, values that I consider to be universal truths, such as the importance of kindness, hard work, compassion, patience, etc... These are things I hope to be able to express in my work. The schools I am applying to, I believe, do the best job in providing their students with the tools to capture the subtleness of the human figure in order to express that emotional side that tells a story. The following are a couple of sketches of mine that I think start to capture that human side.

"A Silent Prayer"

No name-Any Suggestion?

Application in New York

2008-03-14T23:50:00.000-04:00

Thursday I finally completed my application to the Grand Central Academy of Art in New York City. The application asked for a personal essay and a letter of recommendation, both of which I feel accurately illustrated my love for art and enthusiasm to enter art school. I struggled to limit my portfolio to only seven sketches. As I will need to put together another portfolio for the school in Italy I will soon be posting the drawings I have. I have included in this post the temple sketches I have completed. Each sketch takes around 50 hours of work.

"Timpanogas LDS Temple"

My wife and I had a blast taking pictures of the Timpanogas temple. I felt this angle with the sky offered the greatest composition and beauty of this magnificent building. My youngest sister was married here.

"Jordan River LDS Temple"

My second oldest sister was married here. This was actually one of the more difficult sketches I have completed. The sky offered a new challenge that required a lot of work, but turned out well.

"Washington D.C. LDS Temple"

This was actually my second attempt. My oldest sister was married at this temple and although happy with the sketch I did in high school, was excited to see this newest version.

"The Hawaii temple"

This is where my brother was married. My sister-in-law asked me to do this and waited two years for me to finish it. Between school, work, and family it took a while.

The Salt Lake City temple is almost done and the Las Vegas temple is in the works. I am getting lots of pressure to complete the Las Vegas Temple because that is where my wife and I where married.