New Day

New Day

I used a 12x16 virgin white canvas for this one.   The "wipe out" method is always fun and interesting and yet, somewhat unpredictable.   For a cold day in January, shaking it up would be just the thing!   I moistened the canvas with Gamsol.   This is done so that the initial pigment applied is not absorbed so intensely, still allowing wiping out to the pure white base.    So apply the paint just to turn around and wipe it off you may ask?   Yes.

Transparent colors were used to stain the canvas including  Chromatic Black (Gamblin), Asphaltum (transparent brown), Ultramarine blue.   These colors, when smeared together blended to a mid-range neutral tone.  After twenty to thirty minutes, this underpainting was set enough to start "reverse painting."   I took a smooth Viva paper towel and started wiping out the lightest lights of my reference photo.    This simplified painting process yielded a monochromatic - almost print-like result.  The lack of color gave more impact to the powerful pose itself.  Who is she?   What is the message?  Is is finished?   All good questions that you or I could answer with equal accuracy!