To recap, I started this study not too long ago for the big homey Chuco, the great collector, influence and loving figure of the tattooing community who recently passed. 

I wanted to do basic documentation to show one of the many approaches that I would take to do a basic painting. Two main things I tried to focus on was manipulation of values within his features, and to capture the feeling of Chuco from the images taken before he passed. 18″x24″ oil on canvas stage1.

Paintings, like large scale tattoos for me is always a process. This painting still needs a couple glazes to get things to read a little more dramatically, one thing I enjoyed messing with was the texture on this piece. A mix of gesso, and a shit load of molding paste and alot of oil paint adds alot of weight to the look of the piece…but also made things alot more difficult to paint…

…..

I awlays trip on the old masters like Rembrandt and Sargeant, people who broke all the formal ways of doing doings and mastered light. It was said Rembrandt eventually became dead broke toward the end of his career, all he had for studio light was a fucking candle, and burnt sienna and raw umber to paint with…

So this was the initial charcoal comp, a very rough but important foundation to get me to the painting. Chuco, may you ride in PEACE, and bless the tattoo community you left behind, thank you for the inspiration. Stay posted.