Without the use of a paintbrush or ink, Evan Sklar creates one of his paintings through a new technological primitive art form.
“If I had paint around, they would dry up. If I had pencils, I couldn’t find them, so it always a little bit frustrating of finding the materials, digging it back out again,” Evan Sklar, a New York-based photographer and digital artist, said.
Evan Sklar and his wife at his exhibition.
For Sklar, drawing images on his Apple iPad is no ordinary skill. He would draw using an Apple pencil and an application called Procreate to convert his photographs into digital drawings. Sklar has his graduate degree from Yale University and makes a living working as photo editor for Conde Nast Traveler and New York Times Magazine, but on the side drawing pictures of buildings around his neighborhood in Park Slope, Brooklyn is what he enjoys the most. In this profound tech era, Sklar makes the process being an artist accessible for anyone.
“When I discovered the iPad, it was just a revelation. Everything was just contained in this one beautiful small unit that worked so well,” Sklar said. His digital technique brought the attention to many Brooklyn residents and even those across Manhattan who came to see Sklar’s work in his first exhibition last year at the bookstore Powerhouse on 8th.
Susanne Konig, co-owner of Powerhouse on 8th believed it was such a success. She invited him for the second time to host his art exhibition on October 21. “Drawings like Evan’s about the trees, the street scenes, so everything that we are showing is something that is very relatable to people,” Konig, said.
Left, Susanne Konig owner of Powerhouse and Right, Sarah Parsons.
His inspirations come from surrealism photography expressed with the natural colors of the sky from dusk to dawn using contemporary tools to create a more modern form of art. Sklar paintings of buildings from his neighborhood make the people of Brooklyn back to feeling at home.
A neighbor of Sklar, Sarah Parsons, came to his exhibition to share Sklar’s passion for art. Parsons is a writer, and realtor who is from Germany but been living in Brooklyn for 15 years. She said she enjoys Sklar’s artwork because the dark colors are what makes it appealing to the eye from a different perspective. “I think it’s a very mysterious atmosphere of Brooklyn, but painted with a different eye with a personal look,” Parsons said.
He paints Brooklyn architecture and the street scenes with the simplicity of using electronic devices. Sklar traditionally begins the process through observation but also using his email to send himself pictures before he starts drawing sketches on his iPad.
“You wonder what’s it going to be like in reality; then reality is the actual process of making it that sort of where you experience the thing coming to life, you know whether it’s going to succeed or not,” Sklar said.
Other artists who inspire Sklar to draw every day are Eugene Atget’s style is similar to his photography, and Charles Burchfield’s style is similar to his painting techniques. “Another thing that often will happen is as I’m looking at art because I’m looking at work from other artists. I think, oh, they are doing something there with color, with light that I’m sort of excited about. So that will motivate me usually it’s finding a picture that will make a very good drawing,” Sklar said.
Sklar had been doing this type of artwork for a few years and about a year ago presented his artwork at Powerhouse on 8th. As an artist, his digital technique makes art easily accessible for others to become artists at any given time. Art has transformed from a traditional to a more contemporary style.
“It’s interesting because it’s different, it’s very unique way of using an application that’s affordable and makes something in kind of a creative. I feel like everybody could do this on their own and get inspired,” Konig said, “You don’t need to be an artist or need to know to draw that much because you have this application.”
As Sklar’s artwork continues to evolve from different themes, “Brooklyn at Night” to “Trees I Never Walk Under,” where his new drawings will be on display at Powerhouse on 8th through January 31.
It is very challenging for Sklar to choose from a variety of photographs and it takes a lot of time and patience to figure out what angle he will do next. But once he starts, there is no stopping him. “As soon as you sort of hand someone the iPad and the application, apple pencil and you sort of take them for a little bit,” Sklar said, “It’s always surprising and really fun for people to see how it works. And the truth is it works very much like actual painting or drawing; it really just similar but its digital.”
His next step is pursuing work that is non-urban and less of the Brooklyn scene. Sklar has been drawing more of landscapes and beaches, “I’m trying to work a little looser, a little less realistic, a little less detailed, a little more broad, and playful,” Sklar said.
Read more about Evan Sklar!
“Evan Sklar, a Photographer, Paints Brooklyn Without a Brush”