Pastel portrait

Pastel Still-life series

New Silverpoint work

New Silver Point

Completed two silverpoint drawings with my new stylus. I will have them both in class on Monday to show Professor Nichols. I will post photos soon. I used foamcore I gessoed with flat white interior paint. I tried to start another drawing on paper, but the paper would not accept the silver. I will coat the paper with the special ground I received with my stylus on Monday and give it a try soon.

Update: Pictures below are 2 tests of my silverpoint stylus.

Recent watercolors and biography

My name is Paul Johnson. I am an art teacher at South Warren Middle School. This is my ninth year teaching art. Before I became a teacher, I worked as a graphic designer, illustrator and art director for 20 years. I have always loved to draw. As a child, I was influenced by comic books. After high school, I decided to try to be a professional artist. I attended the Florida School of the Arts and graduated with an associates degree in graphic design. As computers became more and more important in graphic design, I became pretty accomplished in Adobe  Photoshop and Illustrator. After quite a few years working for various firms, I started a freelance graphic design studio. I worked freelance for 8 years. After 8 years I started looking for other ways to work in art, and an opportunity came about for me to go to WKU and get my teaching certification. I continued at WKU and received undergraduate and graduate degrees in art education. I am currently enrolled at WKU for rank I certification. Being a student again exposed me to many different forms of art. I enjoyed painting, ceramics and drawing classes and working closely with WKU art professors. I never thought of myself as a fine artist or someone who made art to be enjoyed by others. Most of my art was made as gifts, or examples to show students or simply for my own enjoyment. My recent work is influenced by the work of Edward Hopper. I took a watercolor class with Prof. Northeisen at WKU that heavy inspired and influenced my recent paintings. What I am looking to get out of Art 540 is a continuation of my development as an artist. I want to be challenged. I want to learn things I've never thought about and to do things I've never done before. I would like to be seen as more than an art teacher who is pretty good at art. I would like to be seen as an artist who is a pretty good art teacher.