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Brad Schmehl is an artist with a love of history and a passion for the
Civil War. Today Brad and his wife Becky live in an 1885 Victorian home
in Pennsylvania. Ideas for paintings come to the artist through reading
history books, the diaries and letters of soldiers, visiting
battlefields and historical sites, and most importantly, talking and
exchanging ideas and information with the many interested and
interesting people who share his sense of history.
Each of the
paintings requires extensive research. Schmehl begins with a rough
pencil sketch, usually done on location of the actual site or
battlefield. Models are engaged to pose as various characters in the
picture, then photographed. Once Schmehl is satisfied that his concept
is historically accurate, he begins the actual painting process. Working
in oil on canvas, the artist creates a rough underpainting. When this
has dried, he overpaints the detail and refines his brushwork. Schmehl
describes his technique as "painterly realism." He says, "I strive to
capture the true nature of the light and color. Even while attempting to
render meticulous detail, I strive to paint boldly and deliberately."
Schmehl's
six-part Gettysburg Series has been well received by Civil War buffs, as
was the five-part Valley Campaign. His latest release,
Cowboy Church,
takes on a more peaceful subject. |
