In Action

When I was living in California and before I had a family, I knew this man who was a former member of the Hell's Angels. Through church I was able to befriend him and as a result, he allowed me to take photos of him. For years I have wanted to paint his image and recently I found a space of time to complete a painting of him. With the exception of one other time, I have never recorded the process of a painting of this depth. I first started by toning my canvass with a transparent thin layer of Burnt Umber. After it dried I carefully placed the position of the head in relation to the overall format. I used Burnt Umber and Linseed oil for this process. The extended drying time of the Linseed oil allowed me to be free with my paint and allowed me to make immediate corrections in the drawing and composition.

Initial sketch.