Catching up
Still catching up in the studio following last weekend’s show. This one is about halfway there. It will be a hard push to finish it by Tuesday evening, and then on to the current week’s painting.
Paintings in Progress
Framed and Ready for Delivery
This commissioned painting is framed and ready for delivery. I gave the collectors several options for the frame, and was excited that they chose this one. It was my choice as well. It’s a gold leaf frame, about 2.5 inches wide, with some simple Arts and Crafts – inspired detailing at the corners. I think […]
Cultivating the Habit of Beauty
Keeping it Beautiful at Every Step Sometimes a minor shortcoming can illustrate a larger point. The image above is the completed underpainting for this week’s project. One thing you might notice is that the tones get cooler and bluer towards the bottom. As I got to the end of the working day, I ran out […]
A Grisaille omits most – but not all – details
The second step (after the drawing) for this week’s painting is complete. It’s a straightforward grisaille (gray painting) – probably the most common form of underpainting – using only Mars Black and Lead White. These are quick drying paints – an important consideration since I’m on a tight schedule with these weekly paintings. Ideally it […]
Using the Grid Transfer Method to Copy the Image onto the Panel
Most of my recent paintings have been in either a square or horizontal (landscape) format. This week I’m working with a composition that’s strongly vertical, and will be painting on a 14×11 inch panel. The video above shows the model I’m working from and discusses transferring the image to the panel. Once I’ve made a […]
The Ébauche is an underpainting with dulled colors
“Ébauche” is a french word meaning draft or first pass, and it refers to a specific type of underpainting. Rather than using black and white, as is the case with a grisaille underpainting, an ébauche uses color. However, it’s not the full, saturated color of the final painting. Instead, it tends to be desaturated – […]
A Thumbnail Sketch Simplifies the Start
As I get this week’s painting underway, I thought I’d mention the humble thumbnail sketch. After setting up the model, it’s usually the very first piece of active work on the path to the final painting. The thumbnail is just a small, rough drawing that I use to establish the composition. It’s only purpose is […]
My Current Easel Arrangement, and Painting from Memory
My Current Easel Arrangement Up until about 6 months ago, most of my work incorporated photography as at least part of the reference material. The current setup of my easel reflects that practice. Immediately to the right of it, I have a computer monitor where I’d display photographs I was working from. To the […]
Nearly Complete, but with Uneven Drying
At this point the painting is basically complete. A few details need to be tightened up and several colors need to be strengthened. In particular I want to pay more attention to the reflections in the silver creamer. I’ll also restate some of the colors in the lemon – it should have a greater saturation […]
Glazes on top of the underpainting
With a fully worked out underpainting in place, the color layer usually goes quite smoothly. Often it’s simply a matter of glazing (very thin layers of transparent paint) with the local color and then adjusting details. This was the case with the pomegranate, where I glazed the shadows with a dark transparent crimson. I then […]
Underpainting Can Improve The Final Result
Approaching the Underpainting Last night I completed the underpainting for this week’s project. Different artists have different goals for using underpaintings, and use a variety of approaches. It’s usually an opportunity to work out the composition and the values without worrying about color or detail. Basically its’ a very simplified first pass in black and […]
Starting This New Project
Today I’m starting my year-long project to make one new larger painting each week. I have several items still in my studio from the large commission painting I finished a few days ago, and I like the way they look together, so I’m using them for the basis of this week’s painting. I’ve done a […]
Framed and Ready for Delivery
This commission is complete, framed, and ready for delivery. I can’t wait to get this into the collectors’ hands; it’s been an honor and a pleasure to do this painting for them.
Beginning a new commissioned painting
This week I began a new commissioned painting to finish up the year. The family who’s requested it had several specific themes and items they wanted in it. After a few discussions and some sketches passed back and forth, we agreed on a basic composition, as seen in this small thumbnail sketch: I’ll be doing […]
Almost Complete
At this point, the painting is largely complete. All that remains are a few details and touch-ups. These are largely concerned with harmonizing all the parts of the painting together. Once that’s done, the painting will be finished.
Completing the Central Objects
At this point, the central objects in the painting are complete. All that remains is the yellow cloth and the black credenza they rest on.
More Work on the Metal and Glass
Work is progressing on this painting. I’ve completed the cut glass vase, and am well on the way to completing the silver pitcher.
The Flower is Painted
Things are coming along with this commissioned painting. At this point, the flower is completed, and I’ve begun work on some of the metal – the silver pitcher and the bronze Thai silverware.
A Fresh Day Lily for the Painting
The star of this painting is going to be a vibrant red day lily from the collectors’ garden. It will sit in the large silver pitcher for a dramatic centerpiece. Obviously, day lilies don’t last long, so I needed to take some careful photos of it, and I also made a few color studies. Below […]
Beginning a New Commission
I’m excited to be starting on a new commissioned painting. It’s requested by a couple that wanted to feature items that were important to their family life. I recently visited their home so we could discuss the painting. We worked out the items they wanted included, as well as the composition. The image above shows […]
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