The Reason for This Blog

A graduate of a highly regarded American college of art and design, I have been working in the commercial arts as a graphic designer for a number of years now. I earned a degree in illustration, but upon entering the workforce, found that the design career was both enjoyable and able to meet my financial needs. Something, however, was lacking. My love of drawing and painting had not gone away and I felt that I should pursue avenues in which I could use it to my advantage, as it is a very fulfilling pastime.

In late 2007 I resolved to begin painting and drawing again with the ultimate goal of selling work as a supplement to my income. Since then I have pored through book after book, visited museums, and sought the advice of other artists, filling in the gaps of my art education. Along the way I’ve realized that there is much more to learn about representational drawing and painting than I had ever imagined…

As a graphic artist with a family and a full-time job, I have found that I have neither the time nor the finances to devote to formal fine art training at a traditional atelier. I do, however, wish to use the free time I do have to further my training and develop my skills.

This blog is a record of my pursuit of serious traditional drawing and oil painting techniques, done outside of an atelier setting. Due to the fact that many of us are leading increasingly busy lives, it is my hope that the things I learn may be of some value to you, my readers, and that we can encourage and inspire each other to carry on and keep pursuing our goals.

- Daniel R. Hanawalt