Sketch Books

All of my paintings begin with sketch book drawings made on the spot using various media: graphite, ink, watercolours, acrylics, crayons, charcoal, etc.). The drawings record my responses to the landscape, the weather, the atmosphere and the mood. These aspects of the landscape are my real subjects. I experiment with various constraints in making these drawings in order to take risks and to discover something new and exciting. Most of the drawings are done in less than 20 minutes and some in as little as 60 seconds or so. Later, I select some of the drawings and make full scale tonal drawings in charcoal before I begin to paint. The sketch books are my main resource for future paintings. I do not paint from photographs.