All art copyright (c) Mike Kloepfer
"The level of achievement that we have at anything is a reflection of how well we were able to focus on it."
-Steve Vai

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

RED ROCKS!

06/22/09

A hot day. Late afternoon, the sun low over the montains... how could it possibly be more beautiful?

Acrylic, 12x16"



06/23/09
Back up to Red Rocks with my friend, this time in the early morning. Same place, different time of day, different mood.

Acrylic, 12x16"



05/27/09
This morning I went to Red Rocks Amphitheater with a friend. While she ran the stairs, I got out my kit and did some sketches. It was a beautiful day, and the colors of the red rock formations were awesome.
Here is a small study sketch:

Watercolor, 9x12"

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Goldfish

05/28/09:
Day 2:

I am really enjoying this one, having fun with the colors, enjoying the process, layering... :D

05/26/09:
A study for a potential large piece.
I enjoy working in watercolor.

Day 1:

Watercolor, 9x12"

Friday, May 22, 2009

Lady In White

12/27/09
I have resumed work on this piece, and I am fairly happy with the way it is progressing.
I'm proceeding with the figure, and beginning development of the background/environment and atmosphere/light.

Lady In White
Graphite, 18 x 24"
(The photo is fairly dark.)
05/36/09:
I found the Staedtler Mars Lumograph leads - that are less 'shiny' in the blacks - in the softer leads (B/2B) at Art Hardware in Boulder. I like using my drafting pencils. It probably goes back to my days as a technical illustrator - I just like the weight and 'feel' of the metal lead holder, and the ability to grind it to a precise point.
So now, I can work into the darks a bit more-
Day 2:
Graphite, F/B, 18x24"
05/22/09:
The other night, I found a reference photo that struck a chord. That 'little inner voice' always brings about interesting things, good things. So I skteched the photo, and as I did, I was thinking about an old song from an old bandmate of mine, about the apparition of a woman who wanders the hills at night.
The next day I was visiting with one of my best friends, and I had brought my sketchbook to share with her.
As we were talking, she mentioned - quite unsolicited - a figure that she sees in her apartment from time to time. As she described her, I listened, without commenting. The figure she described just happened to be uncannily identical to the sketch I had brought to show her.
I got up, grabbed the sketchbook and said "Does she look like this?"

Her jaw dropped.
That was when I knew I was on to something. So I started a large-scale drawing.
Here is the first day's effort:
Graphite - Staedtler Mars Lumograph/F, 18x24"

The photographer is faestock on deviantART, and the model is Ana.
http://faestock.deviantart.com/