Gentleman Cat was modelled on a victorian oil painting with a special family cat as the star of the show! Part of a pair for a special Christmas present.
Sometimes the quickest drawings hold the deepest truths. During an after-sermon discussion about understanding the love of God, I found myself listening with one ear and drawing with the other. Frank, seated across the room, made a natural model—relaxed posture, thoughtful presence, and a face full of character.
With a pen in hand, I traced his form in a quick contour line, following the folds of his shirt, the tilt of his jaw, the stillness of his hands resting in his lap. Contour drawing asks us to see more than just the surface—it demands patience and presence, a slowing down until the line itself feels like prayer.
Frank became more than a subject; he was a reminder that the love of God is often revealed in ordinary moments and everyday people.
I used soft charcoal and a large sheet of newprint to depict this model in a life drawing class. He exuded a deep sadness and his poses seemed natural to his countenance. He was also very thin.
“The bright side of the planet moves toward darkness
And the cities are falling asleep, each in its hour,
And for me, now as then, it is too much.
There is too much world.”
― Czesław Miłosz, The Separate Notebooks
Bic4 Ballpoint Pen, Sanrio Novelty 10 Colour Ballpoint Pen on Archival 8.5" x 11" paper.
A breakdown of the Bic4 pen and No-name 10 colour pen layering that I’ve used.
Drawing in a single direction instead of using back-and-forth movement alleviates some of the blotching that happens when using ballpoint pens. The back-and-forth method usually deposits the gunk that builds up on the tip of the ballpoint, smearing them in unexpected and unfortunate places on the drawing. When using the back-and-forth method, I usually have a napkin handy in order to clean the tip of the pen. Model: Meadhbh (Maeve)
Overwhelmed...started as a little tiny sketchbook sketch and turned into my statement about recent events. It complements my previous post "Fevered Dreams." Bic ballpoint pen on archival 9” x 12” paper, scanned into Photoshop where the text overlay was added. Model: Jose
A little bit of an issue with the foreshortening of the figure. Model: Meadhbh (Maeve)
2B Pencil, Soft Charcoal Pencil on 5.5” x 8.25” Moleskine sketchbook.
Bic4 Ballpoint Pen, Sanrio Novelty 10 Colour Ballpoint Pen on Archival 8.5" x 11" paper.
Inspired by Charles Dana Gibson’s “Woman: The Eternal Question” (supposedly a drawing of his muse Evelyn Nesbit). I’ve always loved Gibson’s loose, graphical penwork. Working hard to be more ‘loose’ with my pen drawings.
Model: Meadhbh (Maeve)
The source reference image was from an impromptu photo shoot I did several years ago. The available light in the room was magical and the model was just sitting there meditating.
Pencil, Charcoal Pencil, Pastel Pencils on 9” x 12” Strathmore Archival Sketchbook Paper.
I have many odd objects in my house, but I think the oddest is the 3D printed model of my teeth (with my braces on them). Long story short, these had to be made when I got my retainers, but I was lucky enough to be able to take them and my braces home. (Don't worry, I thoroughly disinfected and cleaned the braces before gluing them on.) I genuinely forgot I had this, so finding them kind of startled me at first.
Meadhbh standing in front of a green wall. Simplified her hair and the leaves in the background a bit. Charcoal and pastel pencils on 9” x 12” Strathmore archival sketchbook paper, scanned into Photoshop. Model: Meadhbh
This acrylic painting was developed from a spectacular photo that was gifted to me. As usually, I had to make some changes. The head was looking away. I created a model for what I needed and filled in details from research.
Recent commission: How do women move forward when doors are continually closing in front of them? Doors that were open in the past are now being closed by those who think that you should live your life the way they do even though your life situation is vastly different from theirs. 2022, 13” x 19” Ballpoint Pen on Paper, Digital. Model: AmyM
Here's the second pumpkin I carved (I did find the sketch, so I posted that in there too). Both carvings were really fun and very time consuming. I'm usually not good with 3D models or sculptures, but carving pumpkins seems to work out.
Classical lighting setup. Finished piece derived from an initial sketch. Model: Meadhbh (Maeve).
H, 4B pencils and white Prismacolor pencil on 9” x 12” Strathmore Toned Grey sketchbook paper.
Model with Headphones Portrait Art by Oz Galeano
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/arte_ozgaleano/
Comissions:
https://www.fiverr.com/s/6WzyVL
Donations:
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/ozgaleano
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@OzGaleano?sub_confirmation=1
Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/Ozgaleano
Shop:
https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/ozgaleano/
TIK TOK:
https://www.tiktok.com/@oz_galeano
Behance:
https://www.behance.net/ozgaleano
KO-FI:
https://ko-fi.com/ozgaleano/commissions
