What's on the Easel

This is my most recent studio painting.  It is a 40”X30” Oil painting titled “Old Timer” and took about two weeks to paint.   Originally I had intended for this piece to go to the Portrait Society of America Show but decided last minute to send it as my second piece for this year’s Prix de West Show in Oklahoma.  I originally shot the reference photo for this painting at the Del Mar Race Track.  I received permission from a friend to go behind the scenes early one morning where the jockeys and trainers were preparing the horses for the day’s races.  I happened upon this old gent sitting and having his morning coffee.  He looked at me rather puzzled and slightly annoyed when I asked if I could take a photo of him.  The nice thing is he simply sat there without posing at all.  Usually the person will sport a huge smile but not this guy.  I guess it’s not his first rodeo.  I am sure this old cowboy has seen a lot.  I have included some preliminary sketches, the gouache study and the tighter drawing.  This is indicative of how I often work. Generally you cannot stage these spontaneous shoots perfectly.  It does require many years of training to convincingly superimpose numerous reference shots into one painting and still make it look natural and realistic.  That is why we train so hard at the Atelier.  Hope you enjoy.