billiard balls

1999
korean egg tempera on bristol board
14" x 17"

this was my very first attempt at painting with korean egg tempera, and i actually think it was pretty successful. this is probably one of the pieces i'm most proud of since i had no idea what i was doing at the time and also because i put so much time and effort into it. i actually did the whole thing in colored pencil (very detailed) in my sketchbook before translating it into paint, which was time-consuming in and of itself. i was inspired by a photograph of billiard balls and just had to paint them. i realize that many art teachers tell you not to paint from photographs, however, the style in which you paint with egg tempera requires you to use photographs. that might be why it's my preferred medium now...i'm totally a cheater in that respect. besides, look at chuck close's work...he's brilliant and paints from photographs. we're almost the same. ha!