James Brown, "Renoir's Garden", 2026

James Brown

“Renoir’s Garden”, 2026

Graphite and compressed charcoal on BFK Rives cream wove paper, 76 x 56 cm.

Price & Shipping:

AU$1760 (Approximately US$1238.04 / €1074.25 / £920.26 — subject to daily currency fluctuations), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you’re interested in acquiring this drawing, please contact me directly at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I will gladly provide a secure PayPal invoice for a smooth, fully protected transaction.

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Lately, I’ve been working on large graphite and charcoal drawings. This one is inspired by a photo I took from a window, looking down at what I’ll call Renoir’s Garden, as it’s adjacent to his house.

Regarding my working methods, I use different gauge clutch pencils to hold sticks of graphite and compressed charcoal. The clutch pencils help keep my fingers reasonably clean, which in turn helps prevent smudging and preserves the sharpness of strong tonal contrasts. I also periodically apply a casein-based fixative, inspired by the one Degas reportedly used, to further help minimise smudging. I’m cautious about fixatives, fearing they might darken a drawing over time, but this one seems to be holding up well so far.

At the end of this post, I’ve included some photos of my studio. I love seeing how others set up their workspaces, so I thought I’d share mine. As you’ll see, my space is a bit cramped—packed with books, supplies, and gear—but it’s my little haven where I can work and walk away when finished.