process pictures

Progress Pictures from Summer 2025 Paintings!

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A number of people have shared with me that they really enjoy when I post progress images of my artwork, so they can see the process! Here are the behind-the-scenes pictures from this past summer.

As always, I remembered to document more with some paintings than others; I appear to have been so focused on the making of it that I never paused to photograph the process of creating Red Spider Lily - sorry!

Please also keep in mind that I take progress photos somewhat haphazardly compared to the care I put into the finished artwork images in terms of lighting, perspective, backgrounds, and color accuracy.

First we have Even the Shadows Are Fresh:

Next, we have Blue Hour:

Here is After the Rain:

And finally, Edge of Motion:

Behind the Scenes of Paper Snow (紙吹雪)

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Here are progress photos of Paper Snow (紙吹雪)! You can click on any of the thumbnails to see them larger in a sidescroll viewer. (Note that for in-process documentation, I rarely ensure a uniform lighting situation nor accurately color adjust the resulting photos like I do for the artwork photo.)

This painting was unusual for me in that I almost always start painting backgrounds before moving on to foregrounds and then going back and forth between the two until I think the piece is finished. With this painting however, I knew I didn’t want to obscure too much of the beautiful Uzurado dyed washi paper, so I started with the subject and then tested out just a cast shadow composition before adding a little ground and horizon.

Arts Itoya Painting Progress Pics!

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I often get asked about my studio practice and processes, so I like to share some photos of how my artwork develops! Here are progress images from my Arts Itoya residency in Japan. Note that I do not take the time to precisely color adjust progress photos, and they are often taken in poor lighting conditions (late at night) and sometimes at angles. I also can forget to pause to take pictures when I’m in a rush!

First, here’s Duality:

Next, Pursuit (Ichi-go Ichi-e):

Then we have Lifelong Renter:

Shingling:

Messenger:

And finally, Fleeting:

Phoenix Athens Residency Artwork Progress Photos Set 1 of 2

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I’m not always good about taking as many in-process photos as I could, but I do try to remember to do so! Here are the ones I took from my first half of Phoenix Athens residency artwork. Keep in mind the overall lighting, angles, flatness of papyrus, color accuracy, and so on are not that important to me when taking progress pictures; there are sometimes big jumps in the overall quality between them and the finished portfolio image, where I take great care with all of those factors. You can click into any of the images to see them larger and page through them.

Potential:

Syncretism:

The Seed:

Marginated:

Symbolism: