Oscar
Oscar (2022)
8½x11 Pastel on Pastel Paper
Original is Sold
If life turns [its] back on you, grab [its] ass. — Nelson Rodrigues
Meet Oscar, bringing a sharp, modern energy to my Mini Figurative series. Caught mid-turn with a steady look over his shoulder, he has an intense, almost challenging gaze that immediately commands attention. It is a pose that feels both slightly guarded and completely unapologetic. Standing entirely naked, he projects a cool confidence—from the crisp fade of his haircut to the grounded way he carries his frame. He isn't asking for you to look; he just naturally holds the room.
Working on this piece was mostly an exercise in capturing the mechanics of a subtle torso twist. When a subject turns in a three-quarter profile like this, it shifts the focus directly to the structure of the shoulder and back. I spent a lot of time working the medium to map out the curve of his triceps and the ridge of his shoulder blade right where the light hits them. The goal was to contrast the sharper, textured edges of his hair with the softer, sweeping shadows running down his spine.
