All will be new again.

2014 is starting out as a year for the new.  I moved into a new house and a new studio space.   This studio space is too cold so I drew a self portrait in my stocking cap.  The work space is cold as it is in the basement next to the boiler and the makeup air enters from outside above my head.  It's been minus degrees Fahrenheit every night almost all winter.

John Terwilliger, "Self Portrait with stocking hat", Charcoal on Plywood, 19"x15", 2014-01-10

This new drawing is created directly on the plywood and spray fixed.  For anyone planning to work on plywood as a drawing substrate be aware that spray fix significantly alters the drawing, especially with light colored or white pastel.  Testing and planning will give you predictable results.

I plan on creating a number of portraits on plywood of family etc. so there is a body of portrait work on plywood to show.  I always tell younger artists to make sure they create enough in a given style or subject matter so they can put together a solo show.  I think it is good advice and plan to follow it which means at the size of this self portrait I need about fifty.  It's always good to have a plan and with a simple frame portraits make great holiday or birthday gifts.

The plywood I use in my art is leftover and scraps from various home renovation and cabinet construction jobs and as such is considered "green" or as recycled material.  This drawing is on a leftover piece of 1/4" b/c pine plywood which was used for the bottoms of drawers on a custom kitchen cabinet base unit I constructed for the new home.  The kitchen cabinet also used 3/4" a/b poplar plywood for the counter top, sides, and drawer and door faces.  I have started to draw on the left over poplar plywood and very much liking the results.

More on the cabinet a poplar plywood later.

A True Believer

Another series of drawings I have been working on is for a graphic novel called the Man in the Basement. It is a ghost story. I have about 25 of the drawings done so I will be posting them here. Here is one from the book

"A True Believer", Charcoal on paper, 9"x6", 2009-10-11

Portrait of a Young Woman

I drew a portrait of my nephews girlfriend yesterday. I met her at his graduation last spring but didn't catch her name.

"Young Woman", Graphite Pencil on paper, 7"x5", 2009-10-04

Portrait of a Young man in graphite

"Young Man", Graphite Pencil on paper, 7"x5", 2009-06-24

Protrait of Bob

Last week I started making small portrait drawings in the 5x7 size with color pencil. Here is the third one I did.

"Bob", Color Pencil on paper, 7"x5", 2009-06-21

A Bad Heart

In this drawing I use the biohazard symbol in the center of the chest region of the figure.
“A Bad Heart”, Pastel and charcoal on paper, 22” x 30”, 2009-04-04

"A Bad Heart" a new drawing

This drawing started out as an idea about a shadow figure with a biohazard symbol in the chest area. As I was working I decided to add the text in a scumbled blue lettering with just a tinting of green inside the figure.

“A Bad Heart”, Pastel and charcoal on paper, 22” x 30”, 2009-04-04



The original and prints are available at:
http://www.yessy.com/braindead/drawings.html?i=8310

Skinned naked Under the Lights

The figure in this drawing is red with dark blue undertones and a hint of a spine contorted in an impossible manner. The background is a swirling spiky mass of ochre and brown.

"Skinned naked Under the Lights", Pastel and Charcoal on Paper, 22"x30", 1991, John Terwilliger

Newly photographed old work

I finally started rephotographing old work which has hung in my studio or been stored in a flat file since 1989. They were originally all documented on slides which did not scan very well so I have not been posting these. I also never showed any but one from this series of shadow drawings outside my studio.

"Consideration of a Dream", Pastel and Charcoal on Paper, 22"x30", 1989, John Terwilliger



Purchase the original or fine art prints on line at:
http://www.yessy.com/braindead/drawings.html?i=27637

Fire Dance

"Fire Dance", colored pencil, 3.5"x2.5", 2009-01-04
This is another ACEO (art card editions originals) I have made this year. I have been doing quite a number of these as they sell well and I get my name in front of active collectors. This one is based on a photo of a guy limbo dancing around a fire at a beach party.

That-A-Way

"That-a-Way", colored pencil, 3.5"x2.5", 2008-12-27

Plaid Dancer

"Plaid Dancer", colored pencil, 3.5"x2.5", 2008-12-18

Miniprint, Bright dead

Another in my "Miniprint" series. If timing is everything I already died and no one told me. "Bright Dead", 2.5"Tx1.5"W Wood Cut Print, Three color, 2008/10/20 Edition of 20

New ACEO "Wickedly Happy"

"Wickedly Happy", 3.5"Tx2.5"W Wood Cut Print, Three color, 2008 Edition of 10

Happy Skull and Green Skull

"Happy Skull", 3.5"Tx2.5"W Wood Cut Print, Single block, 2008 Edition of 10
"Green Skull", 3.5"Tx2.5"W Wood Cut Print, Three color, 2008 Edition of 10

Psychedelic Muerte

Bringing a little joy to the dead, here is a light colored woodcut print.
"Psychedelic Muerte", 3.5"Tx2.5"W Wood Cut Print, four color, 2008 Edition of 10 by John Terwilliger

New drawing I did while at the Fallout art Festival

The day started out with a short sprinkle and ended with a down pour. I did the finishing touches to the drawing Sunday morning.

"Shadow figure study #13", Color Pencil on acid free matt board. 9.5"Tx7.5"W. 2008/07/20