Roger DeMuth - illustrator

Artist Statement

Roger is a Professor of Illustrations, Syracuse University and Creative Director of DeMuth Design.  His current book is Have Watercolors Will Travel illustrates his desire to always go the direction that looks the most interesting.  Roger creates sketches and line art of a place that catches his eye.  Filling in the colors in his home studio from notes and photos.  Roger has created sketch books of New York City and his travels across Europe, Canada and the United States.  Roger can also be found in Cazenovia capturing street life in the Village and is well known for the sketches he creates as he sits in local meetings and events.

Artistic Process

I first do a very tight pencil sketch with everything in position.  Then in the pencil work with an Esterbrook 757 dip pen.  I use a waterproof Higgins Sepia Ink mixed with a little Black Magic Higgins ink.  The ink contains shellac, so once it is dry, it is waterproof.  I can paint directly over the ink and it doesn’t smear.

It may take several days to da a complex drawing and the same for the inking.  It can be fairly tedious at times, so I divert my attention with other projects.  I jump around the studio and take turns at the computer, painting other paintings or work outside in the gardens for short periods of time.

I always start with the lightest areas first.  I build up layers by spattering alight washes throughout the painting as I move around from one area to the other.
My paintings get heavy quickly, so I spatter white and verditer throughout.  The little flecks of white lighten the otherwise dark surface and put some life back into the painting.  The verditer blue shows up in a subtle manner when the paining is reproduced in print.

©2024 Roger Demuth. All rights reserved. Duplication is not allowed without permission.