#10

Arcana, oil, 5x7  sold

I'm observing how the creative process varies for me depending upon the medium.

With colored pencil, it was careful step by step tedious rendering. Mistakes were made so slowly that I usually caught them in time to correct them.

With pastel, I painted with abandon and if things weren't going well, I just washed or brushed the painting off and began again to keep a fresh look.

OIL: a whole new ballgame. Toning the board is carefree. The value step is easy. Local color comes next and I have to force myself to spend time to get the exact local color that will be compatible with shadows and highlights when I get to the modeling of the form. In the reconciliation step, I always like to add a surprise of color but it must work with the local color of all objects. As always, the painting is about light and the way it affects color, texture and shape. It would be a good idea for me to be working on several oil paintings at the same time, each in different stages of completion. Today's painting, #10, "Arcana" was fun to paint, but difficult to photograph.

"Blessed" is the painting currently on auction at Daily Paintworks.