Fàilte,
I'm C.nick a mainly self trained artist. I started seriously drawing at age nine and have never stopped. What got me into art were animated characters, then I started drawing my dogs in an animated style, after that one thing led to another and I started to draw more realistic portraits.
Being an avid reader is what drove me to pursue more complex concepts. The very first "literary book" I read was the "Black Stallion" and it was the book that fuelled the obsession. "Beowulf" was my favourite at ten and was a starting point for me, giving me the idea of portraying my mental pictures in art. Through years I acquired more mediums and a love of history. Different cultures and eras were constantly being researched and experimented with. Now I've integrated my love for reading and research with my artistic expression.
I research my subject extensively and want to see all points of view before beginning the actual art process. Once I begin, composition is my main focus, composition to me is 'the prose of visual art' and my first sketches are done on this concept. My portraits are of both humans and animals and I also do dog agility portraits. I view portraits as a history of the soul and that's why I don't only strive for the likeness of the person, I strive for the spirit. I love working in many mediums but my main ones are oil paint, charcoal, graphite, silverpoint, watercolour and pastels.
Fun Fact: I’m a Synesthete (being one makes a big impact on my colour palette)
"The World is my studio and my subject is Life."
