Gouache – RUSSELL NELSON

Images from class

About nine years ago as I was settling in as chair for the art department, I realized I wasn’t getting much done creatively. Other than a few freelance book cover designs, I was not producing at a level I wanted. My gouache technique was too time intensive for the time I had available. Fortunately, muchContinue reading “Images from class”

Traveling Team

I found this great photo in my grandmother’s collection of old family photographs. It was an image of a traveling black baseball team that was in Simpson, Kansas playing the local team. My great grandfather was a catcher for that Simpson team and probably is why this photograph was shot. I loved how the wholeContinue reading “Traveling Team”

Big lives

This illustration was a technique demo for my illustration class. I like doing faces for this technique. It typically yields positive results for the students. I found and chose an image of Del Corning, a distant great uncle. I liked his moustache and the photo had strong lighting which helps in this illustration technique. My paternalContinue reading “Big lives”

Farm Team

Farm Team features a couple great uncles that were very active in sports as young men. I only remember them as old men and not that active by that time. The story is that they were so good that they played football for University of Kansas, but didn’t go to college there. I told thatContinue reading “Farm Team”

Put a dog in it

I’ve used dogs as subject matter in many of my illustrations. It wasn’t a deliberate decision, I just noticed that they were showing up frequently. Growing up in rural Kansas, on a farm, dogs were just natural companions. They kept things under control with all the wildlife that came out at night. We raised sheepContinue reading “Put a dog in it”

Indian Lookout

There is a rock formation about five miles south of Delphos, Kansas that has been a local feature and tourist destination since the settlers arrived in the 1870’s. Of course the Indians of the area knew about it and used it as a lookout over the valley. Hence the name. It is a relative highContinue reading “Indian Lookout”

The demo birds

I am going to use the blog feature on this site as a means to include detail about my illustrations. I have already blogged two short posts about couple of recent pieces. This post is about the little watercolor birds you’ll see on this site. They are the result of in-class watercolor demonstrations in myContinue reading “The demo birds”