Here's progress from the second session yesterday. When working on such coarse canvass, I like to layer the paint thickly (impasto) ... well, to be accurate, the first few layers have to be thin to insure the integrity of the of the base for the subsequent impasto work. It's referred to as fat on lean. Depending on what I want the picture to convey, I may want a smooth or textured surface ... painterly work generally has a surface dynamic that is energetic in and of itself, and on coarse canvass the evident brush strokes and exaggerated colors can turn out to be tornado irrespective of the subject matter (ahhh ... the days of abstract expressionism).
Today will be BIG for this little color study. Still a hint of the grisaille underpainting (which I love but will bid farewell very quickly in the session). Usually when I think 'I will certainly finish this sketch today' that means: I will certainly finish tomorrow.
At any rate, it will be ready for review and delivery this week ... in this case the color study really is a study .... it's a prep piece for a formal portrait of the same subject (different pose). The client liked both styles, so commissioned two. Originally I did color studies to prep for most formal pieces, until the sketches seemed to take on a life all their own,
