I put the final few brush strokes on the new painting yesterday afternoon.  That always makes for a good day.  I hauled the thing out into what passes for daylight on an overcast day like today in Salt Lake, and snapped the best photo I could.  And here it is:

Click above for a larger version, as always.  Keep in mind, the paint is in all possible varieties of dryness, and there is no varnish to bring out all the original luster and deepness of the colors.  Also the photo was taken in the gray light of a threatening snow-shower.

This painting went through several stages of evolution as it progressed, from a simple but serious figure study, to a compositional idea based on superimposing an anatomical arch formed by the figure’s legs on some sort of architectural arch to…this.  I mentioned in the last post that I was seeing a new aesthetic emerge with the completion of the concrete wall and the floor.  I decided to go with that, and to play off of the colors in the drapery with the sky outside.  Once the sky was finished, I realized that the wall was way too busy, and was making the figure feel a little cramped.  I eventually decided to smooth out the texture of the concrete, and re-shape the wall into a column which would force some space between the floor and the concrete giving the figure a lot more breathing room.  Also, the lighting on the column allowed for lighter values behing the dark hair and darker values behind the left arm and legs which set the figure off much more dramatically. Compositionally, I really like the simplicity of the lines and the color scheme.  Thematically, it makes me really excited to move on to a well thought out, planned, thematic composition with a little more of a story.  This one is definitely beautiful, and the positioning of the figure, combined with her expression give it a certain sense of mystery which I really like.  It is intriguing.  But the figure is so well painted, at least compared to what I have been able to pull off before, that I find myself thinking it wants a little more contextual grounding.  All of that aside, I really am extremely pleased with the final painting.  And it will definitely make the entry deadline for Springville. I have even ordered a lovely frame with an amazing sort of dark, concrete-like finish and a nice, clean profile.  Now I just have to think of a title that properly articulates the theme and feel of the piece.  By the time I am able to post a final, professionally photographed image of the painting, I will have a title ready to accompany it.  Until then, enjoy.

The figure is finished, and if is definitely my best figure work to date. I am loving this new technique. It takes a little longer, and I have to allow adequate dry time between the under-painting and the subsequent color layers which requires a little extra planning when painting on a tight schedule, but it is well worth it. Here is an image of the full, completed figure:

A larger version is available by clicking above, and a couple of large detail shots are available here and here.

Now for the background. It is looking very likely that I will actually make the deadline for the Springville Spring Salon.

I’ve had a number of good work days on the new painting, but only just today have managed to get a decent photo. I actually had to drag the canvas outside to get enough light, but I think it was worth it. Since the last post, I have finished the floor, the concrete wall behind the figure, and the under-painting for the left arm. By tomorrow evening, the arm, and therefore the entire figure, should be complete. So I have roughly a week to paint the background…once I finally decide exactly what that will be. I had intended all along to include some form of architectural archway, a bridge or something, to complete the line formed by the figure’s lest leg. But as the wall and the reflections in the floor have solidified, I am beginning to see a new aesthetic emerge in the linear cross formed by the wall and the floor. So the background is, once again, up in the air. Anyway, here is an image of the painting’s progress so far. As always, you can click on the image below for a larger version.

I just finished the legs on the new painting. This is a small image, taken with my phone, but you get the idea. I will post a better one tomorrow.

The skirt is finally finished. It took a bit longer than I had anticipated, but it was worth the work. Here is a close-up:

And here is a shot of the whole figure as of this afternoon (the right leg and instep are finished here, but not the toes or ball of the foot).

I hope to have both legs finished this weekend…and maybe even the under-painting for the arm.

Two things…

First, I have realized one flaw in my approach to these updates. By the time I finish work for the day, the light is too poor to get a good photograph. I could wait until the next day, however, by the time the light is optimal for a photograph, I am halfway through a new day’s work. So it happens that you will all have to deal with these grainy, color deprived images. When and if I can get better ones, I certainly will.

Second, I don’t know why I do these things to myself, but it seems I have, once again, set out to paint a model that is wearing a semi-sheer, seer-sucker type skirt. Don’t get me wrong, the skirt is lovely, but I almost couldn’t imagine a more tedious fabric to try and paint in any detail. Two full days of work have already been devoted to the thing, with at least one more to go. Not that I’m not completely happy with how it looks so far…but I really would like to have this piece finished by April.

When we last saw this painting, the shirt was newly finished, and the right arm was just a burnt-umber under-painting of itself. Well, I had a few days to spend working on it, and have made a little more progress. I finished the arm using a sort-of hybrid transparent glaze/opaque color painting technique which, though still somewhat of an experiment for me, is really yielding some nice things. I am able to get much richer, more translucent, luminescent flesh-tones, and the colors are a little easier to control as they vary slightly from one area to another. I could still use another few decades of practice, but I am pretty happy with the way this painting is shaping up. I am also getting a little better at controlling the under-painting process, and was able to get that step finished for both legs.

A larger version is available by clicking above. Below is a detail shot of the hand.

Tomorrow, I will be working on the skirt while I wait for the under-painting to dry.

And now, a little something extra for those of you who made it this far into the post…an actual unveiling. As promised, here, finally, is the painting recently commissioned by BB&T for the cover of their 2007 Annual Report.

The title is ‘A Solid Foundation’, and it measures 24X32 inches. You can click above for a better view, and here for a peek at the compositional sketch for the piece. Enjoy.