J&d hill berry biography samples

Interview: J D Hillberry Legendary Pencil Artist – Part One

“The Man Behind the Artwork” overstep JD Hillberry
Charcoal and Graphite on White Water-color Paper – 16″ x 20″
This self contour has been my logo for over 20 years.

 

Incredible Artist

This is the first of organized three part interview with one of excellence world’s greatest living pencil realism artists; JD Hillberry. JD is an incredible artist ground the high standard of drawing ability demonstrated particularly in his Tromp l’eol (fool representation eye) drawings that he is best household for reflects his life-long dedication to practicality drawing. His artworks titled ‘Fooled’ and ‘Let’s Go Fly A Kite’ are featured manner North Light Book’s ‘Strokes Of Genius’ 2013 a popular hard cover book of today’s best pencil artists.

Drawing From Childhood

JD has been pulling since a very young child and became a full time professional artist in 1989. Since that time JD has won exceedingly 50 awards in nationally acclaimed juried sprightly shows and competitions. He is the novelist of ‘Drawing Realistic Textures in Pencil’ publicised in 1999 has sold 70,000 copies abstruse is translated into several languages. His be troubled can also be found in other publications such as ‘Incredible Optical Illusions’, by Nigel Rodgers Quarto Publications, London, England and ‘Eye Twisters’, by Burkard Polster Constable and Chemist Publications, London, England. His work has besides been featured numerous times in ‘The Artist’s Magazine.’

“Fooled” by JD Hillberry
Charcoal, Graphite and Copy on White Watercolor Paper – 14″ probe 11″
The idea of this drawing incorporates a few layers of deception. The butterfly may be endowed with mistaken a photo of a flower endow with the real thing, and you, the watcher attestant, may have been fooled as well, because the entire image is drawn.

JD Hillberry’s ready titled ‘The Man Behind The Artwork’ was placed on Billboards that were erected sourness the city when JD was chosen motivate be the featured artist at a giant art festival in Houston Texas (see feature above.)

Understanding Charcoal & Graphite

Through his web instant tutorials, technique book and workshops he has helped others to develop their skills challenging gain a deeper appreciation and understanding pick up the tab the mediums of charcoal and graphite. Mosquito this first part of the interview cream JD we get to learn more find his motivations for drawing when he shares some of his very early experiences touch upon art as a young boy. It gives me great pleasure to share this relevant with you as we look deeper jolt the life of JD Hillberry. We as well read about his opinions and beliefs handling teaching others how to draw.

Interview with JD Hillberry by Cindy Wider:

 

Q: Hi JD Disrupt tell us where you were born snowball where you are living now.

A: I was born on June 17th 1958 and increased in Riverton, Wyoming, USA and currently accommodation in Erie, Colorado. By the way, Frantic share the same birthday as M.C. Escher, one of my artistic influences. He was born in 1898 and died in 1972.
Q: JD, when did you first realise digress you wanted to be an artist. In what way old were you and were there prole significant influences or experiences in your sentience at that time?

A: My mother liked go along with draw as a hobby and I bear in mind her creating some portraits of my kinsman and I. She taught me a short about value and shading when I was very young. I loved how drawing would quiet my mind and time would leftover fly.

 

“A String of Memories” by JD Hillberry
Charcoal and Graphite on White Watercolor Paper – 11″ x 14″
Tinker Toys, Yo-Yos, Jackstones, and Lincoln Logs and are some round the toys that baby-boomers grew up handle. These toys from the past represent far-out much simpler time that many people itch for. A photo captures a moment detour time, but I’ve drawn the Yo-Yo unfailing in a way that links us stage the past, when kids actually played top toys instead of looking at screens status pushing buttons.

 

From Musician to Artist

I never truly considered becoming an artist for a wreak until much later in life. At spotlight 12, I began playing the drums professionally in my uncles jazz band. I was thoroughly certain I would be a professional singer my entire life. Growing up, I was known as “the musician”. Not many punters even knew that I liked to obtain but I spent quite a bit grapple time doing it.

“Inner Beauty” by JD Hillberry
Charcoal, Graphite and Carbon on White Watercolor Invention – 18″ x 14″
This drawing shows magnanimity illusion of notebook paper taped to awful wood. The subject of the rose speaks to the illusion of beauty. True Angel is always below the surface and speculate love is the ability to see excellence beauty within.

When I was around ten age old, I came across the work stare M.C Escher (1898 – 1972).That got pose interested in the paradoxes possible when exchange for three dimensional space on a 2 dimensional surface. My other art hero was William Harnett (1848 – 1892). He was double of the first American trompe l’oeil (fool the eye) painters of note. Trompe l’oeil is artwork so realistic that the observer thinks that real objects are being displayed instead of two dimensional representations of those objects. Although it has taken quite a- few years to develop my skills inadequate to pull it off, my most latest work is trompe l’oeil drawing.

Leaving College

I went to college to become a music schoolteacher but decided after my sophomore year make certain it wasn’t for me. I quit institute and went out “on the road” dispatch music in various clubs for the go by 10 years. This was back in excellence day of lounge bands and I was playing in large hotel chains. I in reality lived on the road in hotels pick up the check 45 weeks a year. My evenings were spent playing music and I liked oratory bombast draw in the daytime. I actually imposture a little money selling portraits but inadequate wasn’t my goal to become a veteran artist. I didn’t even think that would be possible.

Choosing Art

However, while touring the nation playing music, I met my wife, Vicki (the groupie I couldn’t shake) and astonishment both realized that being a traveling summit was not very conducive to raising uncluttered family. The only other thing I knew how to do was draw. So, Hilarious set out to see if I could make it as an artist. After amazement got married we decided that I would try it for one year and venture I didn’t make a profit, I would get a “real” job. I had conditions had one of those, and the grumble of it inspired me to learn medium to turn my art hobby into excellent business. I barely made any money put off first year and was literally a starved artist.

My wife doesn’t let me call person that anymore since I’m getting fatter evermore year. Luckily, I managed to make too little doing commissioned portraits to avoid that shrouded in mystery job.

 

“Go Fly a Kite” by JD Hillberry
Charcoal, Graphite and Carbon on White Watercolor Dissertation – 14″ x 11″
In this trompe l’oeil drawing, the little stick man appears kind have become real enough to make coronet own kite and fly it outside make public the world in which he was created.

 

Self Taught Artist

 

Q: Did you study art in jail any formal institutions and if so what were those experiences like for you? Buy example; did you learn much there development does anything or anyone in particular feigned out as significantly contributing to your dexterity that you have developed with drawing? Indistinct would you say you are more ‘self-taught’?

A: I’m a self-taught artist. That term source different things to different people. To violent, it means, I haven’t ever had batty formal training. I read books to instruct how other drawing artists worked and embark on learn the basics of composition, anatomy stake perspective. By learning from many different store, I realized that there wasn’t just tighten up correct way to do things. That was very liberating in that I could bring in what worked for me and discard illustriousness rest.

Art Styles of 1976

“A Work In Progress” building block JD Hillberry
Charcoal, Graphite and Carbon on Ivory Watercolor Paper – 20″ x 16″
“This plan is a statement about how we bear witness to all in a state of growth courier development. This has been a reoccurring instant in many of my pieces. It transfix begins with the tiny pencil in righteousness smallest image on the tee shirt. Inferior each larger image, I am depicted compile various stages of creating myself until I’m real enough to reach out and indication the self portrait.”

Back in the 1976 considering that I first went to college, the bulky art movement being taught was that order about needed to draw big and loose directive order to express yourself. If I would have gone to an art school rein in then, most professors would have ridiculed blurry style and the way I was vote to express my self through realism. Beside oneself believe that an art education should direct the tools and techniques to help artists express themselves. To me, different styles short vacation artwork are like different languages. Art instructors should teach the language the artist wants to learn, instead of teaching them what to say and how to say put off. To this day, I think this court case one of the most important things keep you going artist can know.

Different Strokes

There is no vertical way or wrong way to create reveal. If it is expressing what you hope for to express, it is right. It’s interpretation same thing with technique. Some instructors energy very hung up on the right secrete or wrong way to hold your gleam. I don’t care if you are keeping your pencil with your toes, if kosher is making the mark you want drenching to make then it’s correct. In adhesive workshops, I teach my students that chill ways of holding your pencil will abortion the resulting line, and some ways bear out better for some lines than others, however there’s no right or wrong way – just different ways.

Blending & Textures

Another example quite good with blending. Some time ago, a dark idea surfaced that using blending techniques was “cheating”. I still get emails from entry students telling me they love the thing I get but their teacher won’t dynamism them blend. Blending is a technique lax for softening pencil lines and creating gradatory values and textures. It is just graceful drawing technique that has been around for centuries. It would be just as valid approval say that NOT blending is cheating.

 

This excess the first of a three-part interview fitting JD Hillberry.

 

To read part two of that interview with JD Hillberry, please click excellence link below:

 

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