Blog

I have been painting the Shattered Reality series for 13 years and have had the same questions asked for that entire time:  "Do you tape off the sections?" and "How do you decide what to paint where?

The answer to the first question is easy:  No, I don't tape off the sections.  I tried that with the first painting and was not happy with the time it takes to do that and felt it is easier to paint the edges slowly.  I do have a problem with tremors sometimes due to a medication I take so if my hands are shaky on a day I want to paint, I just don't paint.

The next question requires a more detailed answer.  I first sketch out the subject of the painting and then divide it into sections.  There is no specific formula for this, I just try to make it pleasing to the eye.  The substance of the painting will be dark sections that will contrast with light sections in addition to warm sections contrasting against cool sections.  I map out the sections as to warm, cool, dark, and light.  Next I decide whether the feeling of the painting will be warm or cool and decide on the dark color I want to use.  I then proceed to paint all the dark sections.  In this case I wanted the painting to feel warm, so I selected a green.

Next I paint all the warm sections.  If the painting was to be mainly cool I would paint the cool sections at this point.

Next I paint the lights, which in this painting are the warm colors with lots of water added.    And finally I add the cool sections. 
The painting is complete and all that is left is to frame it.  I always frame these in metal and will probably use a green frame for this painting.

People tell me often that the paintings remind them of quilts and some viewers feel they look like stained glass.  I really enjoy doing these paintings and have done 47 of them so far.  Will I ever get tired of them?  I don't think so, but only time will tell.