This is Carlos. One of my very best friends. We've known each other since we were about 12 years old. We were roommates in college and we continue to get together a couple of times of year even though he lives down in North Carolina. Guitars and road bikes have been a common thread in our relationship over the years.
Ever since I experimented with gunpowder a couple of months ago - when I scorched Eileen's eyebrows - I've been wanting to do a pure gunpowder portrait. I had high hopes for this one and spent quite a bit of time on it but the result is somewhat disappointing to me. It's also a fairly risky activity drawing with fire so this one may be my last for awhile.
14"x20" Gunpowder and graphite on 3/4" Birch Plywood. #113
This is Eileen. She lives in Rockport and has been a friend for many years. She is portrait #100 in The Portrait Project. A huge milestone. So yesterday I took a workshop at Waterfall Arts in Belfast with Mark Kelly on drawing with fire. Yes, you read that correctly. We experimented with matches, candles, gunpowder, and finally fireworks. We all had a blast - literally.
Anyway, I had this very loose watercolor portrait I had made of Eileen and so I decided to experiment with her and the gunpowder we were learning to draw with. Here I am in the process of deepening the value of her eyebrow. Crazy, right?
On the way home I stopped in at the Outdoor Sportsman in Northport and bought a couple of pounds of gunpowder for some future portraits I have in mind - can't wait.
8"x10" watercolor and gunpowder in my grand portrait sketchbook.
