Alexander the Great--from a coin

[Huygens]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/21-Nov-2003/25604-Alexander.jpg

Here's something that I do, which I think it a bit like drawing from casts. I got started doing this years ago in Seattle, which at that time had an outstanding collection of Greco-Roman coins.

This is a Sassenid gold tetradrachma probably issued around 50 years after Alexander died, which would put it at arround 250 BC.

The technique, unfortunately, is not very classical. It is done in felt tip marker.

Huygens

[Classical Vince]

Huygens, who cares what the medium is - this is awesome! I can imagine the coins must look really interesting to have all this detail. I am intrigued by ancient artifacts.

A few Qs: How long did it take you to produce this? Do you have more coin drawings? What do you use to get it to blend?

[Biki]

I am impressed with both this image AND your coin collection.

How big is this.?

[arlene]

what biki said

[artmom]

Fascinating! Well done.

Lyn

[Huygens]

Originally posted by Classical Vince
Huygens, who cares what the medium is - this is awesome! I can imagine the coins must look really interesting to have all this detail. I am intrigued by ancient artifacts.

A few Qs: How long did it take you to produce this? Do you have more coin drawings? What do you use to get it to blend?

Hi Vince, Thanks mucho for the kind words! The detail in ancient coins is amazing. It's like the very best in Greco-Roman statues, but you can actually buy some of these 2000 year old coins for very little.

The drawing is 15 cm x 15 cm (around 8 inches x 8 inches) and uses a technique taught to me by Norm Rosenfelt, a well know commercial artist from Seattle. As a matterr of fact, maybe Norm even invented this technique.

I use vellum (heavy tracing paper) and draw on both sides of the paper. The back of the paper is drawing on with water based felt pens, because they give the best blacks and grays. I spread them entirely with my fingers. The front of the paper is for the oil based felt tip markers. I put them on and spread them either with my fingers or using a Q tip dipped in zippo fuel (bestine) and then wrung out.

It's pretty easy to spread them. Then, when it dries, I spray the back of the paper with water based white enamel spray paint until it is opaque. When it dries, I cut out the coin and paste it on some dark paper.

Although this sounds like lots of work, it's basically finger painting, and this is a commercial art technique which goes real fast. I think this was done in about 10 to 15 hours.

Lately I've heard, however, that some of these felt tip colors are not archival, so I haven't done any work in this medium recently.

I like Greco-Rroman art quite a bit, so I've done drawings of some statues, as well as a number of coins. I'm posting another coin drawing separately today.

Huygens

[Classical Vince]

Hi Huygens. Thanks so much for sharing your technique. You did a great job explaining everything. I never used markers so beautifully before but you seem to have the technique nailed. The gold tones in this are very attractive.

Would love to participate in any thread you put together on the subject of Roman-Greco art...Arlene mentioned starting a weekly discussion thread. This would be an excellent topic to discuss in the classical forum.

[Alan Cross]

Great job looks just like a coin....
Alan :)

[Huygens]

Originally posted by Classical Vince
Hi Huygens. Thanks so much for sharing your technique. You did a great job explaining everything. I never used markers so beautifully before but you seem to have the technique nailed. The gold tones in this are very attractive.

Would love to participate in any thread you put together on the subject of Roman-Greco art...Arlene mentioned starting a weekly discussion thread. This would be an excellent topic to discuss in the classical forum.

Hi Vince,

Since computers have come on the scene, felt tip markers have pretty much gone the way of the dinosaur, but they used to be the way for super quickie work among commercial artists. People used to do awesome work in this media.

Ancient art is great. I love it all, Greco-Roman, Assyrian, Chinese, what ever. I'd be happy to join in any discussions. Just to throw out some ideas--ancient canons of body proportions, and perspective systems in various cultures.

Whew, those two subjects alone might keep us talking for years.

Huygens