Mixed Media Paintings/Sketches (Homelessness/Urban Life Project)

After researching the work of Tony Bevan, I took inspiration from his portraiture of himself and others, one of the major similarities between his work and mine is the boldness of the pieces, aided by the use of sharp, contrasting line and tone. My current approach consists of incorporating bold, minimalist mark-making and shape to create a dynamic that mirrors the bold, unapologetic and ruthless nature of urban life, particularly homelessness. Using raw, unaltered materials to show a raw, down to earth culture.

I felt that incorporating multiple materials (acrylic, ink and charcoal) in order to create a large, detailed portrait of my subject was an interesting step, and created a piece that was bold and visually interesting, but I also think that the approach was a step in a different direction, and in my opinion, it took me away from the boldness and contrasting approach that worked much better. I will aim to continue with this style of work, because I think it works best for the message I am communicating on urban life/culture.