Visual art is to the eye what music is to the ear.
I take a rather different approach to creating a painting. It’s a time consuming process that requires a rather unique skill set that few people possess or are willing to undertake and commit to. A single painting can easily remain on the easel for 6 to 8 weeks as it progresses from a blank canvas to a finished piece. A note about working from photographs. The eye accepts scenes in a photograph as true and realistic because it is a photo. Few people notice that most camera lens distort the image, especially around the edges. This distortion is seen as a flaw in the painting and the painter must correct these distortions.
It starts with a pencil sketch directly onto the canvas using the original photo for reference. Only a simple outline of the visual objects is made. The sketch is merely for reference. From there the oil colors are selected for the under-painting of the background and foreground. This color gives the depth and slightly tints the final colors used. Each figure and object is individually painted in at their correct size and position. What ends up is a recognizable painting ready for the final work.
In the final paint work, I allow the painting itself to dictate what needs to be done. As the painting progresses it takes on a life of its own. Small details, inconsistencies, unexpected results of a brush stroke add character to the work and begin to lead me to where the painting wants to go. A nuance or subtle color variation in the sky caused by a brush stroke must be followed to create that finished sky. This leads to a new tint in the foreground, which causes a rethinking of the tone of color in the object. I let the painting dictate the need, I try never to force a work in any particular direction. Many of my paintings are built up using a dry brush technique, washing thin layers of oil paint over the under-painting color and slowly building the finished color. Other paintings incorporate a wet on wet approach such as blending and working small applications of purple into a wet white under-paint to achieve a unique fresh fallen snow effect.
The tight lines & sharp contrast are created early in the paintings using the sketch lines. Even though I paint rather large works, I use small, number 4 bright brushes to create crisp sharp edges. I usually wear through 2 brushes a painting. All this takes time. While I’m working on a painting, I keep my easel in an alcove next to the main hallway. This way I can view the painting every time I go down the hallway and importantly, I can view the painting from different distances and under different lighting conditions.
Once complete a foundation of clear artist’s gel and alkyd resin is applied to seal the paint. Then a final coat of artist’s gloss varnish with UV protector is applied. Done!
