Red River Pros: Bobby Goldsmith

Bobby Goldsmith, is a self-taught, photorealistic artist who was born in Oklahoma and now lives on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Using the medium of graphite and pencil, his subjects are usually derived from his own photographs. He exhibits his work at art shows and fairs throughout the South where they have received many accolades. While most of his subjects deal with nature, he also does an occasional portrait for a change of pace. The completed artwork is photographed and then output as limited-edition, high-quality, inkjet prints.

The Client

“All my work is done with the object of eventual sales. This particular work stems from my interest in Viking history.”

The Assignment

“I decided to go for a dramatic feel to this work– a warrior with a dominant presence, cold and almost somewhat scary. I used three different photos to build my composite sketch.”

The Execution

“I start by drawing on a primed board instead of paper. A combination of graphite powder and pencils along with a long list of tools, including assorted erasers, brushes and even razor blades are used to add, move and remove the medium until the piece is complete. Archival varnish is then applied to protect the drawing. This eliminates the need for glass and allows the warmth of the pieces to show through directly to the viewer.”

Post Production

“I take several photos of different parts of the artwork using a Nikon D3200 with a 50mm lens. These are then stitched together in Photoshop to achieve ultra high resolution in the final print. Next I use a simple conversion to black and white to remove any color artifacts that might have been picked up in copying. I have a passion for black and white. I am blown away by how you can create an image by just changing values. To me, black and white is calming and in this in-your-face world I think we can all appreciate a little calmness.”

The Output

“My limited edition prints range in size from 11x14 to 17x22 and are output on an Epson SureColor P800 printer at 1440dpi using the Advanced Black and White setting. The prints are then mounted to panels and finished with a permanent varnish. I have experimented with many papers but none have been as good as Red River’s Aurora Art Natural due to its texture and color being the best match for my reproductions. I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.”

Contact

Visit Bobby’s website at pencilartistbobbygoldsmith.com to see more of his artwork.

Favorite Papers

UltraPro Satin

UltraPro Satin looks and feels just like traditional photo lab paper and features a medium depth luster finish.

Favorite Of: Jim DiVitale & Peter Randall

River Linen

River Linen adds a special dimension to your printed image with its premium quality linen surface paper.

Favorite Of: JVS & Helene Glassman

Aurora Art

Made using fine 100% cotton rag content, Aurora Art White and Aurora Art Natural offers the look and feel of fine art paper.

Favorite of: Marilyn Sholin, Matt Hoyle, Susan McCartney, & Kaitlin Walsh

Arctic Polar Satin

With its crisp blue white shade, Arctic Polar Satin ensures your images will project more brilliance. Its state of the art microporous coating will enhance details and color saturation.

Favorite of: Al Francekevich & Susan McCartney

Polar Gloss Metallic 255

Your images will take on a brilliant, almost luminescent quality with Polar Gloss Metallic 255. Everything from airplanes to flowers will look bolder, more saturated, and more real.