This is an oil pastel drawing of an ocean seascape at sunrise. The oil pastel medium lends itself to smudging and smearing techniques, as well as scraping away layers to reveal colors underneath. The drawing also reflects an impressionistic style with a little bit of chaotic line work, noticeable in the clouds and water. The suggestion of dirt, rocks, sand, and a palm tree begin to frame and weight the artwork as well.

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These pen and marker drawings are part of an abstract expressionistic body of artwork entitled Portraits and Faces Series 2. They are a series of three faces drawn with energetic and expressive shapes, blocks of color, and frantic lines to produce abstract portraits that appear to be emerging and constructing themselves from the ink and paint mediums on the surface of the paper. Prominent facial features are emphasized, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, so that amidst the predominantly abstract compositions it is still possible to make out the faces peering back. The chaotic atmosphere builds the structure of the faces by utilizing techniques such as layering and chiaroscuro to produce varying combinations of opaque and transparent color. Each piece of expressive abstract art is roughly 9″x12″, and a unique mix of emotions are portrayed in each portrait drawing.

For more colorful portrait art, view the abstract impressionistic drawings entitled Portraits and Faces Series 1 - Impressionistic Oil Pastel Drawings, or this Colorful Abstract Drawing of a Woman’s Face.

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These oil pastel drawings are part of an abstract impressionistic body of artwork entitled Portraits and Faces Series 1. They are a series of five faces drawn with energetic and expressive lines and colors to produce abstract portraits that appear to be emerging from the oil pastel medium and the surface of the paper. The structure of the faces grow fluidly from the chaotic drawing medium by utilizing techniques such as smudging and scratching to produce varying combinations of gradient colors and stark contrast. Each piece of expressive art is roughly 9″x12″, and each subject conveys emotions unique to each drawing. Emphasis is placed on prominent facial features, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, so that facial recognition is possible amidst the predominantly abstract compositions.

For more colorful portrait art, view the abstract expressionistic drawings entitled Portraits and Faces Series 2 - Abstract Pen and Marker Drawings, or this Abstract Drawing of a Face.

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This is a colorful and slightly abstracted drawing of a woman’s face. The eyes, nose, and mouth were detailed in pen, but larger areas of color were applied over, underneath, and around the facial features. A mix of pens, paint pens, markers, and watercolor were used to create the artwork. The drawing utilizes tension with wild and expressive mark making in contrast to the carefully rendered eyes.

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These two colorful portraits of a woman and a man were drawn with markers in 2002, and are approximately 8″ x 5″. Both portraits were drawn in a very loose and expressive style with unconventional color palettes to create tension. The expressions on their faces also provide insight about the uneasiness of the art. Colorful markers of varying thicknesses and shades of grey were used to layer the shapes and colors of each drawing in stages. In some places the markers started to run out of ink, so the same colors from fresh markers were applied over faded areas. This helps to create more depth in the shadows. Also, the vivid oranges and reds bring a heightened energy and intensity to the portraits and offsets the darker areas.

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