By now, you probably know our newest book, Juxtapoz Black & White, is out now and available in our shop. In 224-pages, we spotlight 28 contemporary artists who either work primarily in black and white, or ones who use these foundational elements in different parts of their practice. From David Shrigley to Shantell Martin, Cleon Peterson to Katy Ann Gilmore, we run the range of who in contemporary art is making waves in black and white. Today, we look at one of our favorite painters, Geoff McFetridge, who not only has his own design studio but has been showing internationally with his so complex yet simple, elegant, colorblocked works. But many of those start with black and white drawings, which we asked him to talk about in the book. 

"I start all my work in coil-bound sketchbooks, which are 15” x 17”. These drawings are notations—mostly drawings to get ideas out of the way. Once they are noted, I can move on to the next thing without those previous things bothering me. Drawings that I like, I transfer to loose paper. This paper is slightly see-through so I can trace from the big book, or other drawings, etc. Sometimes I scan these loose drawings, and then trace the drawing on the computer. This way I can play with color quickly, and also the way I draw on the computer is different. I can then print these out and trace them again. Once I have a plan, I project the drawing onto canvas and paint. From there, the work is about color, and it becomes much more mechanical and technical. The real thinking happens when I am drawing." —Geoff McFetridge

Get the Juxtapoz Black & White book here!