Can I just talk about Erik Jones for a minute? Check him out!
I mean… JUST LOOK AT THAT! It’s a perfect combination of abstraction and realism; the best balance of the organic and geometric!
Erik Jones is a fine artist whose pieces (usually) consist of lovely lady figures with an explosion of shapes and colors overlapping parts of their bodies or faces. Though his works are simply focused on one subject and with no backdrop or setting, the paintings themselves are by no means cut and dry. He manages to make the same subject different and unique each time he executes a new work.
What really interests me, however, is Jones’ process. I knew he used a combination of colored pencils and acrylic paints but I had no idea what else went into these paintings. When I found out the amount of preliminary work, materials, and processes he puts into each piece, I was flabbergasted. You can read the full interview with him here but I’ll post an abbreviated list of all his steps as well:
- Acquire photo reference.
- Collage reference photos for the perfect pose.
- Do a digital drawing that shows how the shapes will overlap the figure.
- Add color to preliminary drawing – this will make the painting process go more smoothly.
- Project line-work onto paper and trace it (tracing your own work is not cheating – it’s a method).
- Apply transparent base coat of watercolor or ink.
- Let the paper dry completely.
- Render drawing with Prismacolor Pencils.
- Go over pencils with water-soluble wax pastels.
- Apply water-soluble oil paint for tinting and shading.
- Refine oils with more pencils and pastels.
- Add acrylic shapes.
As an artist it is important to determine how you work best. Determine your process and refine it. What great lengths do you go through for your art? Which artists have influenced how you work?
All photo credit goes to Erik Jones. All photos were taken from erikjonesart.com.
