A thread with artwork and words (Nov. 25th MASSIVE ART DUMPING)

**Adam Nowak** · June 29th, 2012, 05:08 PM

Thanks you guys, Xelar, Bakker. I try to keep an eye out for any issues, sometimes they just slip by when I'm not up on my game. Let me know if there's anything specific you see! I'm never bold enough! Always striving to get there!
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These skull studies are something I've been wanting to get into more because these two are the first skulls I've painted (or cared to paint) and I want to expand upon these some more. I really favor the first one and might do a larger, more intricate painting of it. Otherwise I've been kind of doing a self portrait study along side all the other work just to keep experimenting and seeing what things I can observe. A portrait of my watercolor instructor from last Summer and one of my great friends, Conrad, which I did a few days back.

Here's his sketchbook for those who haven't seen it yet - http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=229854

**CONtra** · June 29th, 2012, 10:46 PM

loving it ALL. especially that LAST one. three ninjas shiiiiiz!

**Psychobuddy** · June 29th, 2012, 11:33 PM

Oh...oh wow...this is all so beautiful, when I grow up I want to be like you O_o

**cgaddict** · June 29th, 2012, 11:37 PM

Excellent update, you show a great understand of how the face works. Great brushwork as well.

**Nick Podraza** · June 30th, 2012, 12:32 AM

cool stuff. I like your first self portrait in this last post. is that with a palette knife? or a mix of brush and knife. and i like the border in that second selfportrait haha.

**knut-** · July 5th, 2012, 04:26 AM

Very nice use of solid colors man.
They put out a great effect and interesting values on those skulls and portraits.
The one with the beard is hilarious hahahaha.
Keep updating man!

**Bakker** · July 5th, 2012, 06:33 AM

Great studies, keep it up. Really like the skull and first portrait. Don't be afraid to step away from technique once in a while. It really pays off because you alrdy got loads of technique subconsciously, that will shine trough.

Thnx for you update. Keep going strong.

Paint or dye! ;p

**Adam Nowak** · July 8th, 2012, 09:20 PM

Conrad - I love you.

Psychobuddy - Aww man, that's too much.

cgaddict - Thanks cgaddict!

Nick - Thanks man, 50% knife, 50% brush.

knut- - Will do!

Bakker - Thanks!

I painted a study of my friends still life he's set up. It's this insane green light casting a glow on a stack of Stewards coffee cans, albumn records, discs, wallpaper. Threw some gestures in my sketchbook, using less and less line.

**Adam Nowak** · July 14th, 2012, 12:15 PM

Skulls.

**Gpozzo** · July 14th, 2012, 10:17 PM

Great sketchbook, awesome stuff, had a great time looking trough your Sb, great paintings man, the sculptures you posted on the early pages were very nice as well, I'm looking forward for more!

**John Zylstra** · July 15th, 2012, 02:40 AM

I really like the ink drawing of the skull. The texture comes through.

**NickyBeats** · July 15th, 2012, 02:53 AM

wow it is unreal how much life is in this sketchbook. i mean truly, i feel like these sketches and paintings are really a great insight into your own observations. i could stare at your moleskin book forever. very nice work!!

**Adam Nowak** · July 24th, 2012, 10:08 PM

Gpozzo - Thanks Gpozzo! Hopefully there will always be more.

Zylstra - Word!

NickyBeats - That's it! Just pure fun capturing life around me, people are so fascinating when they're doing almost nothing.

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Took a trip with comrade Lucas to Wisconsin over the weekend to go out and paint the farmland. While up there we drove over the Mississipi to McGregor and hiked through Pike's Peak to paint the palette knifed one. Tried to capture the cool distant rolling hills and the various greens as it just rained the day before so colors were really vibrant everywhere. The one with the photo ref is still going to be worked on. Got that far in 3 hours but the light changed after that and I want to get it to a more finished state. Last shot is of my palette outside, way too many colors as of right now, I counted about 20 last time! Just trying new combinations and I'll simplify it soon. Have quite a few Old Holland tubes squeezed out that came from Coro's alla prima video. I've really come to like the Turquoise Blue on the right middle it helps create beautiful greys. The cad red and orange are also incredibly pigmented. I've been trying out one of his palettes over the summer just to change it up a bit.

HEY! Lucas, Zylstra, Conrad, and I are headed out to Cali for the Massive Black workshop in August! Anyone out there who sees this let us know if you're coming along, I should be sporting a red beard and big glasses!

**iceman478** · July 24th, 2012, 10:18 PM

just needed to say how amazing your work is!

**S.F.Batchelor** · July 26th, 2012, 10:24 AM

Man you kill it with the gestural quality of your lines and painting, it's interesting to see that attribute in your work from the start of this SB being still apparent but totally flourishing with time, i adore your kind of brushstrokes.

I am eager to see where you go with your work, 5* SB.
Keep on goin man!

**I-Bomb** · July 26th, 2012, 10:54 AM

Beatuiful paintings and pen renderings

**JoshDArtist** · July 26th, 2012, 11:09 AM

fantastic work with paint/colors/texture... everything rocks!!!

**Marian Rowling** · July 26th, 2012, 04:26 PM

Lovely landscapes Adam, the top one is my favourite but I think the one with the dead tree looks very challenging to do as there wasn't a large range of colours to work with and quite a small tonal range. As always it great to see your progress and very inspiring to me. I hope my own efforts will lead me towards some plein air painting in the future.

Oh and forgot to say how exciting is it that you are going to the Massive Black workshop. Can't wait to see what you get up to.

**jNeumann** · July 26th, 2012, 04:34 PM

Incredible traditional work man, your style is amazing. Keep it up!

**CONtra** · July 31st, 2012, 07:19 PM

ummm.........SKULLS. biddybye.

**Adam Nowak** · August 8th, 2012, 04:00 AM

iceman478 - Thank you iceman!

S.F.Batchelor - Thanks S.F., I've been trying to improve that recently, I feel like my lines get progressively worse or start to turn towards abstract patterning which I haven't accepted fully yet. But down the line I feel that's what will happen. (No pun intended)

udonhead + JoshDArtist + jNeumann- Thank you both!

Marian - You're exactly right, working in those conditions was extremely challenging, landscapes have been really unforgiving, but they're beautifully captivating in their essence, so I can't stop. We'll see what happens, I'm super pumped to travel to Cali with the guys!

CONtra - high 5.

There's some terribly fast and terribly inaccurate gestures. Trying to draw on some real rough handmade paper with charcoal and getting down anything accurate is too much. Few portraits too, some failures thrown in.