Rick

I have been painting and engraving on stone for about 5 years now, beginning with a series of architectural studies of the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park. In January of ’09 I started a new series of figure studies. I begin each piece by studying the stones unique colors and surface contours to find just the right fit with the subject. Often the stone will strongly influence the choice of subject and composition of the piece. Next I transfer my drawing onto the stone and use an etching stylus to engrave the outlines into the surface. The final step is using acrylic paint to fill in details, light and shadow, giving the subject a sculpted, 3d look. I sometimes use the stylus and sandpaper to remove paint and highlight the stone surface.