My Process

When I first started painting I didn’t really have any sort of direction or method that I would follow. Inspiration would just strike and I would paint. Every painting would have a different style or technique that I wanted to try out. I think in the beginning this is a good thing to do in order to figure out what works for you. Along the way I kept what fit and cut out what did not. I’ve stolen something from so many artists, mixed it in with things I’ve learned on my own, and wrapped it all up to create my own personal style and approach. So here’s how I do things from start to finish.

“Drawing is the honesty of the art. There is no possibility of cheating.”

First, I draw. It took a while for me to accept that this was the best way for me to paint. I felt like if I was somehow cheating and drawing a painting before actually painting was somehow less artistic. There’s a story in the movie, “Along Came Polly” about a hippo eventually accepting who he is. So here’s me, being a hippo.

After my pencil drawing I always outline it with india ink. I do this for a few reasons; first, the ink won’t smudge while I paint and second, I like adding dripping effects to many of my paintings.

“No artist tolerates reality.”

This next step is optional. If I want my painting to have a more grungy and emotional feel, this is a must. I add a coat of polyurethane to the canvas and let it dry. I took this from Jason Shawn Alexander…not from Seinfeld. This somehow makes your paintings more vibrant.

secret weapon

So after all of this, I paint. I usually do about three layers, maybe more if I’ve added polyurethane. My painting medium is more simple than others. I use paint thinner and maybe some Japan Drier. Galkyd and glaze if I feel like being fancy but I really don’t feel like I need anything more than paint thinner.

“All you need to paint is a few tools, a little instruction, and a vision in your mind.”

So try out everything until you find your own process and if you already have one, let me know.