Creating a Portrait: Coleman Hawkins

Legends | Coleman Hawkins, 16x20" Acrylic on Canvas

I'm still chugging along on my Jazz Legends Series... I have a few paintings on the go which I hope to finish up sometime in the next couple weeks. I feel that maybe I might be losing a bit of focus with this series, so I'm going to buckle down and finish it, or I might not get all twelve done as planned.

This is really the first time I've worked on a series where I've figured out how many pieces I want to do right up front... usually I figure that out as I go along, and when I get a bit distracted with something else, it's done. While I like the idea of doing a set number, I did learn that I need to focus my attention a bit more to avoid those distractions. I do think, in some way, working on the abstract pieces simultaneously has probably improved these last couple paintings. It's a bit of a different thinking process for me, and I apply what I learn from one painting to the next. Each one I will discover a new way to manipulate the paint, maybe try a new tool, take a different approach to dividing the space. The abstracts are all experimentation. Then with my next portrait, I push it just that little bit more. It seems to work... but if I want to keep the series unified, I should probably try to keep my technique more consistent.

I created a video of my working photos, like I did with Duke Ellington. I like seeing the painting come together this way... I may go back and do the same thing with some of my other Legends paintings. As always, my working photos (with commentary) are on Global Vernissage.