Monday, November 5, 2007

black elvis

I just returned from a workshop in Calgary with Mike Svob. One of the techniques he showed us was his "Black Elvis" technique, inspired by the black velvet paintings he saw in Florida in his teens.

He makes his thumbnail sketch, draws onto a black canvas and sets off putting in his light, dark, and midtones. He makes it look so easy, but he's been painting for 25 years.


This is my attempt. Inspired by Bernard Garcia's truck sketches and having met a very colorful character in Cimmarron N.M. who was thrilled when we stopped to survey his old trucks, this may be the start of the Cimmarron series.

2 comments:

Vicki Shuck said...

Paula, these are great! I love the colors and shapes--they're so lively and fun to look at! I'm looking forward to seeing more!

FCP said...

These are exceptional--love the compositions and color. How did you like working on a dark background? I have Svob's book, love his style of painting. Thanks for sharing.
Faye