I’ve always been a visual learner. Expressing myself through painting and drawing is a talent that led me to a career in the film and television animation industry. As a conceptual storyboard artist I was granted freedom to imagine beyond the paper. Through the advent of computers and a team of highly skilled animators, my storyboard stills would transition into moving works of art! Today, due largely to an awe-inspiring vacation to Italy and a desire to return to the old school style of visual art, I have stepped aside from my role in  the world of tightly controlled computer animation cubicles and now paint in front of a well stained easel. It’s refreshing!

Most of my current work is centered around landscapes and still-life. My reference comes from life experiences and personal photos.  I like simple objects and often try to see them from a different perspective and composition. Although I don’t paint on location, I’m not beyond exploring the opportunity. Perhaps it would add a new dimension to my art  that I’ve yet to discover. 

I like to paint on large stretched canvas with acrylic and only a small set of palette knives. I do not add a medium to the paint for thickness, as some may think. I do, however, invest in good paint, which has the consistency of  room temperature butter. I optically mix warm colors with cools ones and always strive to maintain a fresh and never muddy look and feel. One trick – never use black. For me, color is everywhere so why not celebrate it!  I add a final layer of clear gloss medium to my finished work with a wide brush to enhance color and to unify the painting.

I may leap into the world of oil paint sometime in the future but right now I’m not bored with large tubes of acrylic!

Enjoy!

Alan Newsome