As you can tell I've been on a roll painting portraits, making good use of these quiet island winter months. Right now I have six or seven paintings I am working on in rotation!
This one is also at the initial stages and is of a boat builder who some of you may recognize. I had done the oil sketch a number of weeks ago and today I tightened up some details and started working on his face.
One of the reasons I keep so many paintings going at once is that I like the work to dry a little before I work on it again, also it gives me some time to contemplate my next move. Painting involves a constant stream of little problems to solve. (If the problems are big, it is often worth starting over!)
Another reason I like to work on paintings in rotation is that I mix a number of my colors in advance of painting, much in the way that Daniel Greene does. I attended his workshop a couple of years ago and those weeks I spent learning from him have been of immeasurable help. Having the paint all ready to go saves me quite a bit of time as I work.
At the same time, I hate to waste paint! So when I have a lot of paint out on the palette, I like to use as much of it as possible by working on a number of paintings that may need those colors in some form or another. I also save paint by putting the entire palette in the deep freeze overnight. I can reuse the paint the next day, and sometimes for a few days depending on the color (different colors have different properties in that regard).
This one is also at the initial stages and is of a boat builder who some of you may recognize. I had done the oil sketch a number of weeks ago and today I tightened up some details and started working on his face.
One of the reasons I keep so many paintings going at once is that I like the work to dry a little before I work on it again, also it gives me some time to contemplate my next move. Painting involves a constant stream of little problems to solve. (If the problems are big, it is often worth starting over!)
(Click on pictures for a larger view)
Another reason I like to work on paintings in rotation is that I mix a number of my colors in advance of painting, much in the way that Daniel Greene does. I attended his workshop a couple of years ago and those weeks I spent learning from him have been of immeasurable help. Having the paint all ready to go saves me quite a bit of time as I work.
At the same time, I hate to waste paint! So when I have a lot of paint out on the palette, I like to use as much of it as possible by working on a number of paintings that may need those colors in some form or another. I also save paint by putting the entire palette in the deep freeze overnight. I can reuse the paint the next day, and sometimes for a few days depending on the color (different colors have different properties in that regard).
They all look great but I'm partial to the "Boat Builder". A fine man made of strong character.
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