Materials
Giclees
To put it simply, a giclee (pronounced "zheeclay") is a high quality ink jet print using pigmented, light-fast inks on acid free fine art paper. This newer technology creates prints that have higher resolution and richer color than that of older print forms such as lithographs.
These giclee art prints are made using the finest materials available to assure long lasting beauty and to protect your investment in art. I choose archival, acid free papers (Hahnemuhle A Duer, Epson Velvet, or Moab Entrada) that are best suited to match the original artwork. These fine art papers are used in conjunction with archival, pigmented inks that are engineered to last 75+ years. Each print is meticulously matched to the original painting to attain a print that faithfully captures the essence of the original. Every giclee print is signed by the artist and comes with an official Certificate of Authenticity.
Pastels Originals
Most of my originals are painted with soft pastel. Pastel is not colored chalk, but rather pure pigment. I love the rich, luminance color and the look of layering colors on top of each other. This layering seems to bring life to the paintings that can only be achieved with soft pastels.
I use a variety of quality soft pastels (Sennelier, Rembrandt, Girault and Grumbacher) cutting the sticks into pieces about an inch long and painting with wide side strokes. I layer colors on top of each other letting the layer underneath show through. This technique is called scumbling. I avoid blending the colors together but let the viewers eyes do the blending instead. This gives my work a bit of an Impressionistic look up close, with more of a Realism look from a little further back.
I work on various surfaces as each will give the finished painting a different look. Sennelier LaCarte is one favorite that has an abrasive texture similar to sandpaper. The pastel actually goes on very smooth giving the surface a rich, velvety look. Another favorite is St. Armand's Sabertooth. This paper can be underpainted with watercolor or acrylic paint and has a tooth that also holds many layers of pastel. However, the weave of the paper shows through giving this surface a unique look. I also work with watercolor papers texturing them with gesso. I like using colored paper and try to let the paper show through in places. (This probably comes from my years with watercolor.) I have spent years experimenting with paper texture and color, and will probably continue to experiment for the rest of my life.
