New Beginnings, Im always excited by the challenge of a new and beautifully prepared clean lead white primed linen mounted on panel. This technique is to ensure the longevity of my fine art wildlife paintings. I use a tried and true methodology using techniques that have lasted from centuries ago. Especially the pigments involved. I also keep my painting structure as simple as possible. I avoid complex layers of mediums, I only use linseed bound oils for strong paint layers and linseed oil very sparingly as a medium in my process. Here in my process I have started the planning stage using a chalk pastel pencil which will dissolve into the painting. I mostly use charcoal for my under drawing which I prefer.
Having rendered the drawing and keeping in mind that oil paints over time can become a little more transparent I go straight to the block in colour of the subject. With these particularly saturated subjects such as Pohutukawa flowers I don’t tone the canvas in this case as I want the red colour to stand on its own thought the layers of paint.
To balance the red I quickly block in some of the receding greens in the distant parts of the painting as well as the rich translucent colours of the new leaves in the foreground.
I now have the painting fully blocked in which makes judging the space in the painting a little easier. Experience helps here and knowledge gained from observing the real subject on my walks along the beaches at my local reserve. For me personally, nothing beats direct observation of the subject in nature. The vast improvement in colour observation alone makes it worth while for me.
Progressing well, now working on the indirect layered process to build the incredible saturation and depth of this challenging subject. I hope you enjoy.
