Cari Amici (Dear Friends),
Continuing from my previous post about my painting in Tenebrism, here you see that I am adding a layer of black oil paint. In my composition, much of the raw umber will be covered over in black as I build the dark tones and refine shapes. But not all of it. This is why you saw a spool appear last time when the raw umber layer of paint did not show it – the spool was darker than the applied color.
By the way, the line between the black paint and the raw umber paint was simply my stopping point for that day. Black is a very slow drying paint, more than umbers I believe, and I tried to avoid painting over the previous day’s section.
I hope that you can see how I am developing the forms of the sewing machine in the background by adding only the dark shapes around those forms and moving into those forms where needed. I find this way of painting to be similar in approach to stone carving and therefore intellectually satisfying and gorgeous.
I must apologize for the poor visuals. There is a horrible glare in this studio where I work and it makes it difficult to see while I am painting, as well as when I photograph the canvas on the easel. Also, the black is dry in some parts and not others, so you will also see a mixture of shine and non-shine. Generally these kinds of paintings are terribly difficult to photograph well, even when finished. But how beautiful they often are and I hope this one will be!
Allora, do not forget about my art anniversary celebration for taking the plunge to full-time art in January 2001! There is a special offer described in my latest art newsletter: http://www.borsheimarts.com/news/2013_01_GuggenheimSerraBilbao.htm. It is the best “sale” I have ever had, giving you more art with each purchase. Offer expires on February 15, 2013. Valentine’s Day gift, anyone?
