No. 3: The Old Masters

"The Old Masters" by Tom Wills, 2010/2017

I occasionally have an opportunity to revisit my earlier works. This one, which I am now calling "The Old Masters," dates from some time in 2010 and is officially No. 3 on the books, although for a while my record-keeping was a little sloppy. (Paper records, I mean.  My vinyl is always immaculate!)

This drawing was in a homemade barn wood frame that I never really liked. Recently I was gifted with a heavy, dark and square frame that I knew right off The Old Masters would fit. While I was at it, I corrected a few things that bugged me about the drawing.

Original, unremastered version.

First, it wasn't dark enough, in its dark spaces.  So I took care of that with some extra-black lead. Second, lettering is not my strong suit so I fixed some of the words, and eliminated a few others that were a distraction.

I had worked over No. 3 so hard back in 2010 that the paper was turning into flannel, it was so rough and thin. I had to be careful with the pencil tip and the eraser.

My estimation of frame size was a little off. The drawing barely fit, having about one-eighth of an inch to spare under the mat! But I stretched it, taped it and sealed it and there are no waves. Looks much better.

There is a lot of tinkering going on these days in the music industry, what with remastering and repackaging.  Some of this really offends the purists, myself included.  But sometimes these artists who revisit their old masters actually clean them up and make them sharper. It's all groovy.

If you look in the corners of the two front album covers, you will see a label -- RWL -- for Recorded Works Limited. It's not a real record company, but a little side business that I have going here for wheeling and dealing in audio tapes, used vinyl and vintage equipment. Your Volume Dealer was just having a little fun. 

No. 371: 'Call me Elizabeth.'

No. 371, Elizabeth Taylor by Tom Wills, May 2017

"People who know me well, call me Elizabeth. I dislike Liz."

I didn’t come of age during the time when Elizabeth Taylor dominated the silver screen. I am of the later and more curious period when she hawked perfume and hung out with Michael Jackson, had small dogs and seemingly many hospital stays.

“I have a woman's body and a child's emotions.”

I watched a few of her movies when they would show up on television, notably “Cleopatra.”  That blue wrap on her was skillfully matched with her blue-violet eyes and dark double eyelashes. Sure made an impression upon young me.

“When the sun comes up, I have morals again.”

You must admit, she was beautiful, then.  I tried to capture that, working from a period publicity shot, trying to capture the curves -- the smoothness.

"You find out who your real friends are when you're involved in a scandal."

This was a difficult drawing. All of those curves, all of those gentle transitions between very dark and really light. The eyes had to be right. The lips too. And that little bit of shadow on the left side of her face.  The hair is several degrees of black, gray and white. Ripples of black, in fact.
Her face became narrower as I shaded the drawing and worked over the hair (see below).

"I don't like my voice. I don't like the way I look. I don't like the way I move. I don't like the way I act. I mean, period. So, you know, I don't like myself."

I thought about putting a background behind her, to blend better into those shadows, but in the end I kept the light. And I decided to post her now, unframed, and unfiltered. (But, oh, is she going to get a big and bold frame!)
Because she remains as bright as a star.

“I feel very adventurous. There are so many doors to be opened, and I'm not afraid to look behind them.”

Special mention must also be made to the Wallace Bonded Special Dispatch USA 251 black pencils used here. These vintage pencils date from the 1950s and 1960s and are the blackest that I have ever seen.  They are almost greasy, filling in so smoothly. I was fortunate to stumble upon a few dozen of these at an estate sale this spring. A retired draftsman had these and dozens of other brands and leads in an old tray that I purchased.

The pencils are the same vintage as Elizabeth. This was meant to happen.

“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they're going to have some pretty annoying virtues.”

Elizabeth is for sale, naked or framed. Contact willstom01@gmail.com or through Facebook.

No. 370: Six Pack

"Six Pack" by Tom Wills, May 2017

It's not all starlets and puppies.
Every now and then I get asked about family portraits.  And I have done several, from babies to weddings to grandmas and grandpas.

This is a new one, of six grandchildren, and I call it "Six Pack."
It's based upon one of those mall photos and, while the JCPenney shooter did a great job, we chose to relocate the smallest tyke on the right.  He was clutching a pillow to hold himself upright on a box of some sort.  Now he's all man, all tall and looking sharp in his nice plaid shirt.

We have selected a nice, long horizontal frame for this one, which we may or may not paint -- that's up to these kids' grandma.
I delivered her a six pack for her Sunday.

Now, not to take away from the extreme cuteness of these six charming children, but I thought this would be a good opportunity to recap a few other family moments that I have captured. If you are interested, contact me at willstom01@gmail.com or on Facebook.  Enjoy!

No. 369: Sadi

Pam and Sadi and smiles.

Sometimes, people who do nice things will receive nice things. I, in particular, have a soft spot for people who make room in their hearts and busy lives for furry friends.

Five versions of Sadi

Meet Sadi, who got lucky.

Happy happy happy happy happy happy happy girl!

This 39-pound mix lived out a lonely life on a farm where her rescuer, Pam, would get round bales for her horses. Poor Sadi lived her life up to this point outside on an eight-foot chain on the back of the straw barn. But now her owner is in a nursing home, and a friend was feeding this little thing once a day. That was the extent of her contact with humans.

All cleaned up in her new home!

No longer.

Now she’s got the run of a house, and a bunch of dog and cat cousins, and some horse pals, and a favorite stump for watching her new world.  Pam is working on keeping Sadi off of the furniture but she’s gonna lose that battle, sorry.

Furniture? Nah.  Dog bed.

I have conspired with a friend of Pam’s many times on art projects for her, mostly collages of horses, cats and dogs but sometimes humans and landscapes.  He’s always coming up with impossible ideas that I somehow make work.  He says we’re “a good team.” 

Everything has a beginning.

This one started with a comical sketch and grew from there.

Ready to surprise!

After about two weeks of work, I lured Pam to the parking lot at her place of business with some ruse about finding an artifact for her to check out. She had no idea of what was up, and there was a little bit of jumping up and down  — and a loud “EEEeeeeeeeeeeeyeah!”

Sadi is a cute dog.  This was a fun project.  These are good humans.  
We say, "Thank you. "