"Copied . . . from . . . photographs."
The flat perspective is a dead giveaway. He found some old copies of National Geographic in the prison library.
He has little if any proficiency. Almost anybody can copy from a photograph, given enough time (and he obviously has plenty of THAT.)
"Copied . . . from . . . photographs."
I bet you are right. I didn't think of it, but as far as that goes, where else would he get such models? What got me was that, while the negro boy's face looks OK, it is the face only - the rest of him is out of control. Now that you mention it, the face itself is distorted too, in the way that a close up photograph distorts. The Hispanic (or whatever) women look like a junior high art class effort.
I photographed some waves once, on the ocean, for a painting reference. Waited for a rough day, too. Got them developed, it didn't look rough at all. I couldn't figure it out until it was explained to me that the camera flattens values.
Thanks for pointing this out.