A graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art, I have been fortunate enough to build a career in user experience design and management, mostly for consumer software companies. Something, however, was lacking. My love of drawing and painting has always been strong and I felt that I should pursue avenues in which I could build on my skills, as I get a great amount of personal satisfaction creating physical works of art.

In late 2007 I resolved to begin painting and drawing again with the ultimate goal of selling work as a supplement to my income. Since then I have pored through book after book, visited museums, and sought the advice of other artists, filling in the gaps of my art education. Along the way I’ve realized that there is much more to learn about representational drawing and painting than I had imagined.

As a family man with a full-time day job, I don’t have the time to pursue formal fine art training at a traditional atelier. I do, however, wish to use the free time I do have to further my training and develop my skills.

If you’re like me and are also pursuing a self-education in realism, my blog is a record of my personal study of traditional drawing and oil painting techniques. Many of us are leading increasingly busy lives, so it is my hope that the things I learn may be of some value to you, the reader, and that we can encourage and inspire each other to carry on and keep pursuing our goals.

– Daniel R. Hanawalt