"Put up your Dukes, Pilgrim!" John Wayne Caricature

I found something that I thought would be fun to share. I was digging through some old sketches, found this guy. I did this caricature of Rooster a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, he seems to be a bit snockered. I can picture him drunkenly driving his horse, with the reins in his teeth, while firing off his Winchester and Colt Navy. Wow, that was a great movie!

By the way. Check out my new website kylewigginsart.com!

Thanks for looking!

-Kyle

Norris Dalton, is finally complete!

© 2013 Kyle Wiggins, All rights reserved.

About a year ago, I was talking to my neighbor Norris Dalton, while he was shoveling snow. I suddenly had an overwhelming desire to paint his worn, grizzled features. I ran inside the house, and came back with my camera. I shot some pictures and cranked out a couple of preliminary sketches. But with school and work, my cowboy portrait ended up on the back burner.


A year later, I have finally finished my cowboy portrait, and I'm actually quite happy with it. This is the first non abstracted portrait I've painted in a long time. My goal was pure realism. I wanted to portray the rugged, rustic quality of my model. A caricature wouldn't do him justice. Maybe I'll do a caricature of him for fun later.


Have a Fantastic New Year!


- Kyle

Norris Dalton - Part 1

A few months ago I posted an early sketch of the cowboy painting I am working on. In homage to one of the great illustrators of the 20th Century - James Bama. His realistic cowboy paintings depict the old west combined with elements of the modern world. The model is my old cowboy neighbor Norris Dalton.

I've never posted anything about my process. So this is the first stage: The value under-painting. I still have several more hours work to go before I start adding color. I start with a large brush, working from general to specific shapes, light to dark, and getting my lighting situated.