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Later Career

Here is the tonal sketch of Christopher Lee in Frankenstein. My Here is cover I did for Filmfax magazine of Christopher Lee in Frankenstein. I never
purpose here was to show that you never, ever know when doing see cut and dry shadow shapes; they’re always different and must be acknowledged.
facial features. This is extreme, which shows the basis. In fact, I did Especially here as we observe curious features with wonderful shadow patterns. I do
this tonal drawing to stick to the odd shapes when doing the finished no guessing or cliché. Real is much more interesting than stereotype.
painting for the magazine cover.

the plumb line when drawing or painting. In The Final Brushstroke It’s a moment I had to relate to you. How
my case, I’d hold a pencil or brush in my hand Know how far you want to patch up a on earth do we retain such things? I saw
so it would show a direct vertical or horizontal painting. There might be areas that appear Rasputin that one time; then years later
to line up features. Let’s say a head profile to unfinished, maybe even a little slapdash. in this murder mystery. She’s older with a
see where the back of the ear is related to the Those are like your signature; they’re you. totally different outfit and makeup. She’s
back of the neck. Or how the chin lines up Time will guide and show you when you’ve a beautiful lady, but I didn’t recognize her
with the eye or nostril. Also that pencil would made the final stroke; when you needn’t do face. Within a split second, it was her lips.
comparatively measure sizes and distances. another dab of “correcting.” How is this possible with literally billions of
images filling our brains?
Colors Power of Observation Think about this: how observations and
I sparingly use pure white and pure black. I A revelation happened while watching a visions can be powerful enough to stay with
can use them in mixing or “special moments.” Midsomer Murders episode. A lady character us for life.
I want to stress complementary colors. appeared on the screen, and I thought,
The Munsell color wheel has five colors: red, “Where have I seen those lips?” They were Observing from Life
yellow, green, blue and purple. For instance, beautiful, unique. Here’s the amazing part. I do understand artists not wanting to be
in that chart, the opposite of red is blue- I immediately remembered her lips from 20 noticed while drawing or painting. In my
green. Sit down, draw a circle with those five years pervious in the movie Rasputin. Her younger years, I wanted to be noticed.
colors evenly spaced and try out the colors name is Sheila Ruskin, and her lips were so I sketched in restaurants, beer parlors and
opposite each other. expressive that they stayed stored in my head fairgrounds. It was a good discipline while
those many years. observing and drawing life. But it can also

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