Bruton Parish-Final Stage

"Bruton Parish"    

8"x"10 Acrylic on Canvas

With this final layer, I was chiefly concerned with tweaking details.  It's the little extra push that makes a painting resemble reality: a shadow here, a highlight there, a light on a blade of grass, a reflection in a window.  

I will allow it to dry for several days and then I'm going to ship it to my Aunt Mary who lives in Williamsburg.

Bruton Parish-Color Stage 4

I've added more color, brought out highlights, and re-established shadows.  One more layer and that'll be the end...promise.

Bruton Parish-Color Stage 3

I was at the local art store this past weekend and picked up a tube of Prussian Blue and Flake White.  I'm surprised at the strength of the Prussian Blue and I'm also surprised at the transparency of the Flake White.  I made sure I washed my hand really well after this session because the Flake White had a serious cancer warning on the back.  Yikes!

I plan to have one more session on this painting before I finish.  I'm pleased with the results so far.  The next session I will try to darken the shadows, draw out the highlights, interject light green areas into that grassy stuff up close, at the bottom, and put more character and age on those old bricks.

Bruton Parish-Color Stage 2

I've applied second layer of color.  This time, rather than rubbing Liquin onto canvas, I rubbed a medium mixture of Turpentine, Damar Varnish, and Linseed Oil.  I have a tendency to major on the minors in these early stages, i.e. lattice work on windows, wires holding tarp onto canopy, etc..  On the cloud and the bright part of the steeple I glazed a thin layer of Titanium White and Burnt Sienna.  Definitely one more stage, probably two andI'll finish.

Bruton Parish-Color Stage 1

I have applied the first layer of color.  On this application I actually dip my finger, (rather than a brush) and apply Liquin directly to the canvas.  I rub it on very thinly, covering only the areas I will paint.  I dip my brush (I'm used a soft-sable filbert, #2), into turpentine and apply the paint in thin layers rubbing into until it looks smooth.  Keep in mind, I used just a little bit of paint.  This way of painting reminds me of watercolors as you can still see the underpainting beneath.  If I could not see the underpainting, I would know I'm putting it on too thick.  These early stages require a thin smooth surface as there will be other layers to come.  I save the impasto,  or thick stages for the final sessions.

I did not prime my canvas with Gesso and sand on this painting so I'm finding the paint sinks into the grooves and makes the canvas look dirty, until I smooth it out.  This is a little aggravating.  I make my own canvas' out of 1"x2"'s I picked up at Lowes.  When I prime and sand it leaves a smooth mark where the wood ends beneath the canvas and doesn't look good.  I could by stretcher bars at the local craft store, but I'm cheap!  

I will now need to let this dry thoroughly before I start with the second application.  The colors look nice compared with the grisaille, or greyscale, but they still look faint, like an old-timey tinted photo, but with each stage the colors become more vivid and the details emerge.  

Bruton Parish-Grisaille Stage 3

This is my third and final session for the grisaille stage.  I have brought it to a level where I feel comfortable with applying color. The color will go on in extremely thin layers, but first it must dry for a few days.

Bruton Parish-Grisaille Stage 2

More details, especially in the canopy area.  I can almost feel the wind moving over the brace on the left corner!  I haven't put the frames in the windows yet.  I'll save that for the color stage.  I have not decided whether to do one more stage on the grisaille or begin to add color.  We'll see, it's impossible to remain indifferent.  The mind, after all, always chooses what it thinks it best!  

Bruton Parish-Grisaille Stage 1

First stage on Bruton Parish.  As you can see, there is very little detail at this point.  Kind of like when you move into a new home, your first task is to get the furniture inside and rearange later.

This is a relatively easy painting, but the canopy on the right was (is) a pain!   I got the idea from studying Vermeer.  He liked to put big objects, such as tablecloths, curtians, etc. in foreground in order to establish depth.  This is my attempt to do the same.  I also like the contrast of the extremely permament nature of the church building (learn more about Bruton Parish here) and the temporary nature of the market canopy.   I spent one hour on this.

Bruton Parish-Drawing Stage 2

I transfered drawing from tracing paper onto primed canvas (primed with oil, a mixture of burnt sienna, raw sienna and titanium white, and highly diluted with turpentine)  One cardnial rule of painting, always paint fat over lean.  In other words as you progress from stage to stage you should add more and more oil.  The early stage should be highly diluted with turpentine or mineral spirits. 

Next I will attempt to paint this in a black and white (notice the photo taped to the easel), and then I will start to add in color after I have brought the grisaille, or black and white stage to a realistic level.  

Can you tell I have as much fun blogging painting as I do painting?  I don't know why!

Bruton Parish-Drawing Stage

This evening I worked on getting an accurate picture onto tracing paper. *Click on picture to enlarge.  I still need to build my canvas frame, attach canvas, prime,(imprimatura stage) and transfer drawing from tracing paper onto canvas. (Notice cup of coffee, this is a necessity!)

New Painting- Bruton Parish

This will be my next project.  Aunt Mary, this one's got your name on it!  It's a picture of Bruton Parish church in Williamsburg, VA.  I snapped the picture this past August (2008).  I plan to paint the grisaille stage first and then introduce color once I've got the values established.  Stay tuned, it ought to be fun!