Category: Uncategorized
Painting flesh
Artists find painting people and portraits difficult. Even artists who can paint complicated landscapes without too much difficulty stumble when they attempt people. Why? Part of the answer is the uncanny valley. The uncanny valley…
New painting prep
My newest painting, White Ballon, is the standard size for me, 40" x 54." The drawing is simple--really the plan for the painting. I define the shapes and clarify the relationships between objects: light on…
Matt Irwin photography
I'm on my third Nikon camera. I bought my first one because the Nikon-produced photos that I saw excited me in ways that the photos from other brands did not. I have never regretted going…
Grumpy book review: 1177 B.C.
The book's complete title is 1177 B.C. The Year Civilization Collapsed. The book addresses the mysterious collapse of the Iron Age civilization. The author, Eric Cline, claims that recent findings prompted him to update his…
J. L. David’s Cupid and Psyche
Jacques-Louis David is one of my favorite artists. David's reputation was cemented for me the first time I visited the Louvre. David made a career revitalizing well-known stories and allegories. From the beginning of his career, David…