A different kind of introduction

[Minh Thong]

Hello All!

I wanted to post a bio and list the references and texts I've used since I began drawing and painting, in the hope that someone else without access to competent instruction might benefit from my own trial-and-error experiences. I also wanted to provide a look at my progress since I ventured into art last Fall, hopefully someone can just tell me upfront that I should take up bowling instead of painting. I'm using hotlinks, of course, so as not to hog Cynthia's bandwidth. Also, if this bio is unacceptable please tell me and I'll remove the links immediately.

Rather than post the images in another section, they are so very much a part of my bio and art experience that I felt they should go here. However again, if I am in error please just tell me and I'll remove it immediately.

I'm in my late 30s, and have been - in order - a failed college student, a soldier, a college student again, an engineer, a Buddhist Monk, and am now currently employed in the software industry. Last Fall, during the second round of Internet/IT business shake-outs, my employers laid off half our staff and gave the rest 50% paycuts. Since I could no longer afford to complete my Commercial Pilot License (I was preparing for career move number four) I took up drawing to occupy my free time.

Until I was around fourteen years old I was drawing or playing/sculpting with clay constantly, but had never received formal instruction of any kind and had never read books on art. So, at 38 years old I bought my first drawing text (Drawing On the Left Side Of the Brain-Edwards) last year and was able to do the following work immediately afterward:

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/oct_2001_graphite2.jpg

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/nov_20...e_portrait.jpg

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/nov_2001_graphite.jpg

And in November and December I was working thru pastel books by Hazel Harrison and others and was producing the following work:

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/nov_2001_pastel.jpg

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/dec_2001_pastel2.jpg

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/dec_2001_pastel.jpg

In January and February I picked up a cheap set of Rowney oils from Walmart and oil painting books by Bill Creevy and Van Wyck and was soon painting like so:

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/feb_2002_first_oil.jpg

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/april_...lazed_oil2.jpg

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/march_2002_alla_prima.jpg

In March I was scouring the forums for info on Frank Covino and also ordered his book and Joseph Sheppard's painting text. Soon I was painting everything with Verdaccio underneath and glazing over:

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/feb_20...d_portrait.jpg

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/april_2002_glazed_oil.jpg

Obviously I was in over-blending everything as well as making a hundred other beginner errors. Then some very knowledgable folks on another forum suggested I try ten very quick portraits alla prima using Old Master works as a reference. Here's some of the supremely amateurish result:

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/feb_20...k_portrait.jpg

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/feb_20...rtrait_oil.jpg

After working part way thru the Faragasso figure drawing manual I was able to do the following work in oil and conte:

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/march_2002_conte.jpg

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/april_2002_conte.jpg

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/march_...rtrait_oil.jpg

I didn't paint or draw anything over the Summer but have recently picked up both again and I'm able (on my best days) to knock out the following conte piece and a couple more quick portraits:

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/may_2002_conte.jpg

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/oct_20...rtrait_oil.jpg

http://members.aol.com/~plh34/oct_20...trait_oil2.jpg

So, that's the long and boring version. I'm still working on the Faragasso figure drawing text and have begun working thru The Student's Guide To Painting which came highly recommended and so far appears to be a godsend. I'm still looking for a classical portraiture instructor in the Triad area of North Carolina (as you can see ... I really need a teacher ) so if anyone has contacts please send a private message.

Also, I'd like to thank everyone who takes the time to answer questions here. As a learning resource this forum is invaluable.

With Metta,

Rev. Thich Minh Thong