Commission:

 (Untitled) Final Drawing 6x8"

I was recently commissioned to do a 36x48" southwest desert scene painting for a public space in Oklahoma city... Not exactly mid-western fare landscape-wise, but the client's vision for the space required some "western" atmosphere, and of course this is a subject I can really get into~

I first did about 10 thumbnail sketches based on my plein air paintings and sketchbook doodles from a trip to southern Utah and Maynard Dixon's homestead/studio last year...

  
After reviewing the pencils and using examples from previous paintings on my website and social media, we agreed upon an amalgamation of several of my thumbnail roughs into the final design (at the top of the page)...

 

Here are the final canvas stained and ready to paint (background) and a 16x20 "test" painting (with altered composition) under way to make sure I've got my colour palette working...

 

So far I've done about a dozen drawings and 4 colour studies in various sizes...you never can do too much homework before undertaking an important commission!