"Reading the Early Post" Original Oil Painting by Mike Callahan

"Reading the Early Post"

12" x 16" Oil on Canvas

See my larger paintings by visiting: http://www.mikecallahanart.com/

Well, this is it, the finished piece. You can see it larger here if you like.

"Reading the Early Post" - painting in progress

"Reading the Early Post" - painting progress

12" x 16" Oil on Canvas

See my larger paintings by visiting: http://www.mikecallahanart.com/

Today I got to paint the most anticipated part of the painting, the figure. Come back tomorrow and see the finished piece!

"Reading the Early Post" - painting in progress

"Reading the Early Post" - painting progress

12" x 16" Oil on Canvas

See my larger paintings by visiting: http://www.mikecallahanart.com/

Here's today's progress on the painting. I spent most of my scant hour and fifteen minutes working on the rocks trying to get them all "rocky"-like.

"Reading the Early Post" - painting in progress

"Reading the Early Post" - painting progress

12" x 16" Oil on Canvas

See my larger paintings by visiting: http://www.mikecallahanart.com/

Here's today's progress on the painting. To the left is a photo reference I'll be using for the place this fellow is standing reading the petroglyphs. I have been graciously supplied with plenty of photo references of local petroglyphs (though not in this specific place shown above) by local artist and Rock Art Foundation member Cherlyn Bennett and I'll be painting them into the scene as well.

Painting in Progress

"Reading the Early Post" - preliminary sketch

pencil on paper

See my larger paintings by visiting: http://www.mikecallahanart.com/

I'm starting a couple of new pieces for a show coming up in July to benefit the Nevada Rock Art Foundation. They are a group dedicated to the preservation of Nevada's petroglyphs. I wanted to do something a little different, so in this first piece I wanted to depict an early indiginous inhabitant looking at some petroglyphs carved by some of his contemporaries since one must imagine that petroglyphs originally were meant as forms of communication. I researched what this person might have looked like and what he may have worn. It seems, almost universally, in warm weather at least, males wore breechcloths made of either leather or plant material and mocassins with a single seam in the center.
I asked my son to pose for me for reference. Since I posed him in a makeshift breechcloth comprised of a bathroom towel and belt, I thought I would spare both you and him the embarrasment of posting that reference shot. Instead, above you will see my initial sketch. The wild hair he does not have either.

"Reading the Early Post" - figure study

6"x8" Oil on Canvas

Having completed the sketch earlier, this morning I did a small study of how I want to paint the figure in the larger painting. This is 6" x 8". Come back tomorrow for my progress on the larger piece.

Mt. Rose Painting Progress Continued

"Mt. Rose Morning"

12" x 36" Oil on Canvas - In Progress

See my larger paintings by visiting: http://www.mikecallahanart.com/

I'm nearly done now, I've finished off the mountain in the back and I've begun the block-in of my foreground. I'm painting the foreground with palette knife to keep it loose...Enjoy!

Painting in Progress in Studio

"Mt. Rose Morning"

12" x 36" Oil on Canvas - In Progress

See my larger paintings by visiting: http://www.mikecallahanart.com/

I'm spending my mornings working on this painting that I'll be placing in a new gallery that's opening soon (watch for more info). I thought I'd post my progress for the next few days. This is what my little corner of the world looks like at about 5:45 am. This is about four hours progress, I'll post close-up tomorrow...Enjoy!