Welcome back.
This week we’ll be starting an entirely new piece. We’re heading back accross the country from our New York City Gehry skyscraper to Arizona’s Grand Canyon. Our new subject is seen in the photo directly below. (For those new to this series, I will be using my usual acrylics.)
Not satisfied by the mere challenge presented by this magnificent scene, your intrepid diarist will be painting on a 5×7 canvas. Reducing one of the world’s great wonders to a postcard-sized image?!! Well, frankly, I like smaller canvases and the heat has made me feel too lazy to go any larger. (Slacker!!!)
I love this photo, especially those wonderful clouds.
As usual, those first few lines are all important in placing the major elements. I’ve gone a bit further than just a few lines. (I got started and couldn’t stop!)
The result of my efforts and the current state of the painting is seen in the photo directly below.
That’s about it for now. I’ll see you next week.
Paint me a picture of your thoughts.
How do you fit all that into a 5 x7 space? The photo you’re working from is very nice, btw.
It’s a tight squeeze. 😉
How do you decide the color you started with?
Is that the same color that will be the darker color for the base of the clouds, or will that color never be seen when you`re done?
I didn’t really think about it. I usually start with either blue or ochre. Much of this starting color will end up being painted over.
It`s basically like an outline if you were going to write a letter, then? The primary idea.
What if you don`t have a model or picture, is it the same process?
I’d do it the same way.