Jake
Jake (2019)
8½x11 Pastel on Pastel Paper
Original is Sold
Dressed, a man to be reckoned with. Naked, truly formidable.
That commanding presence is exactly what I wanted to capture with Jake, the newest subject in my Mini Figurative series.
Besides working on such small, finely detailed figures, the other major technical challenge with creating these "mini" originals is keeping the rest of the toned paper completely clean and pristine as I work. For this vignette, I chose a striking monochrome palette of black, white, and gray pastels to render the subject's anatomy with sculptural precision. I focused heavily on the smooth gradient of light across his shaved head, the rugged texture of hisfull beard, and the dramatic side-lighting that defines his muscular chest and core. By placing this crisp, grayscale figure study against a rich, solid ochre background, the composition isolates his powerful, nude form in a moment of quiet, formidable confidence.
