The Porcelain Samurai

Oil on canvas panel. 2007

This character was created using a fellow student in visual arts (animation) as a model. She came to school dressed up like this. I can’t remember if it was Thanksgiving or Halloween… Anyway, I liked the graphic nature of the elements of value and limited color. I think her mask gives a creepy element to her character—not being able to see any emotion except the painted tear running down her mask.
After I finished this painting I realized how heavily inspired it was by the cartoon “Samurai Jack.” I seriously love that cartoon. There was this one episode that was so intense and action-packed, and Samurai Jack’s friend gets killed! I can scarcely believe they showed it on Cartoon Network, but it was so amazingly storyboarded and animated.
In case you’re wondering, yes, I know the costume is not 100% accurate, and that the katana is “upside-down.”

Technique:
I worked very quickly on this painting. It’s a direct approach where the desired effect is achieved with the first application of paint, as opposed to layering the canvas with paint and the final painting being achieved at the end. I did the entire painting in two sittings over the course of fourteen hours.
After I hung my show my wife, Christy, commented on how all of my models were Caucasian. So, in the future I'll have more diversity.