The Warded Man in Oil

Sorry about the glare in this photo. It's late and I want to track my progress on this portrait of Arlen, a character from The Warded Man by Peter Brett. I had been working on this digitally but decided to print out the sketch, secure it on to a masonite board with acrylic matte medium and proceed in oils. I've just applied the second coat and will start in tomorrow, working the background first.

It's been awhile since I've posted. I've had company of the best kind...our daughter and her son from Michigan. I've also been teaching an after school fantasy art class with another daughter to about 15 5th and 6th graders. It's taken much preparation. I've also had the children's book I've been working on, plus I started taking lessons from a wonderful artist via the internet. Between this and that, January is suddenly done and gone and the big, beautiful sun has smiled down on our world two days in a row. I know it's still too early, but winter is perhaps on the wing....

And now the sun is climbin' high,
Rising fast on fire,
Glaring down through the gloom,
Gone the gray, I say.
The sun it spells the doom
Of the winter's reign,
Ice and chill must retire
Comes the May say I,

And you'll be here to see it.
Stand and breathe it all the day.
Stoop, and feel it. Stop and hear it.
Spring, I say

(Secret Garden Musical)

...at least, one can hope.