Stage Two of 'Bicycle' painting

This is the first overall painting layer done in one sitting.

Probably around 2 hours of work. I am mainly working on

the tones of the ladies at the tables, and getting all of them

right in relation to each other before attention to details or

specific colors.

This painting is 23" x 29". It is a 'custom' size for a

particular frame I have for it.

Beginning a new piece

I don't generally use a ruler. But if there are really long

lines in the painting, or a lot of perspective that needs to

be really right, it saves me a lot of trouble if I find something

needs changing after I get into applying paint!

The thing is, doing this before I start painting gives me the

control I need to get it down right. Then I follow those drawn

lines with careful application of paint (but no ruler), and it

doesn't look mechanical because of the aliveness of my hand

and body movement, however slight. Doing it this way gives

life to those lines.

This is the beginning of a cafe scene at night. I love the bike

which has its own perspective challenges!

In order for this painting to have the composition I wanted

I added pieces of paper to the edges of the photo.

If you go to my teaching blog, you can find out more.

The link is on the right side of this page....Teacher Tips.

Flowering into the New Year

So what are you nuturing so that it flowers for

you this year? This is a collage I made from

bits and pieces of my watercolor paintings

along with some photographs I took. Soon

I will be showing you my latest work in

progress, but I am still in the 'get it together

for the new year' mode!

What will the new year hold?

What lies ahead? Lucy is looking

down the road to see. She tells me

there is expansion of happiness

for all my friends and family.

And for her too, of course!

Happy New Year!