Illustration
Illustration is the visualization of an idea. It takes something as vague as a feeling, a hunch, and turns it into something you can see, feel and touch. Illustration is an act of
creation.
The Buccaneer was painted in 1984,
the year I first ventured out on my own as a freelance
illustrator. Like many before and since, I wanted to emulate the
careers of the artists whose work I most admired as a child. Since
the age of 12, I have been inspired by the art of Norman Rockwell, as
you will see from the gallery of mages below. N.C. Wyeth was also
one of my great heroes. This Image is somewhat of a hybrid
between their two very different styles. It represents that first bold step away from the security of a
paycheck and sailing off into the uncharted waters of sole proprietorship. I posed myself using a Polaroid camera and a jury-
rigged timer that would set it off remotely while I held the pose.
The painting was done in oil on canvas, and it is one of the few
times I have used an underpainting in the traditional fashion. The
lettering was drawn over the figure and painted by hand.
Below, you see illustrations I have done
for clients and some that I art directed on my own. I
shifted away from traditional methods and became a digital artist in
2002. Hesitant at first, I doubted I would have
as much control over the painting process on the computer. The
opposite has turned out to be true. I believe that my style
has shifted toward a more photo-realistic look, which is in
demand these days. I attribute that to the preponderance of computer
graphics in movies and video games as well as print media.
Whether done in a realistic or a painterly style, an
illustration is a collaboration between artist and client.
I am proud
to say that, after more than 20 years in the profession, I have
always put the needs of my customers first. They say that "two heads
are better than one". Whatever you have in mind for your
project, it is my job to help you turn that idea into
reality. Your creative vision combined with my experience as an
artist are all that is needed to create something truly
spectacular.
