Jim O'Neil's photos

Thought and ful Alaska willow charcoal on 11 by 14 inch sketch paper, Rochelle, about a five minute pose. Dry pastel added later.

Thought and ful Alaska willow charcoal on 11 by 14 inch sketch paper, Rochelle, about a five minute pose. Dry pastel added later.

This is a 8 by 10 foot masterpiece I've been working on for 2 years! OK, OK, I'm BSing you, I'm joking. It's really a throwaway Styrofoam food, meal box I used as a palette. Many years ago I switched from a wood to a glass palette, far easier to clean and if paint ends up drying on the glass it scrapes right off. I still often use my glass palette, but if I have something like this box around I figure I may as well get as much use out of it as I can before trashing it.

The previous charcoal sketch, watercolored and "fixed" with linseed oil.

Alaska willow charcoal on 11 by 14 inch sketch paper

Alas I missed the life drawing session last week. I left the house heading there but ran into a cloud of freezing mist which immediately plastered a layer ice on my windshield some 8 or 15 inches thick. As driving the Richardson Highway stone cold, very cold, blind seemed far less than ideal, I turned my rig around lowered the driver's window, sticking a white cane out feeling my way and drove, tapped, drove home. As I was sorry and chagrined missing the creation of high art amidst the wild bohemian company i often sketch with, I dropped a tear in my beer and worked furiously through the evening producing this carefully conceived masterpiece: A Pose By Any Other Name! Ink and watercolor on yellow ochre with well more than a hint of raw sienna colored sketch paper, eight and thirty one sixty fourths by ten and thirty one thirty seconds inches.

This is the 11 by 14 inch charcoal sketch, 'for last'. She's been water colored, 'fixed' with linseed oil and white acrylic, inked, added on the left. My signature and the date is in the inking, good luck if you can find it. ;-)

Alaska willow charcoal on 11 by 14 inch sketch paper.

Getting to know the model I often start with one minute or less poses.

What can I say?

You'll see her later

acrylic on canvas 16 by 20 inches

Alaska willow charcoal and pastels on 11 by 14 inch sketch paper.