A painting is generated from many layers of ideas. I often photograph the steps I take in composing and constructing a piece so I may later review. Here are a few photos which illustrate the process I employed in

"Hide and Seek".

 

 

 

Using several photographs I developed a compositional idea. Here I
loosely sketched a scene of two black bears playing hide and seek in the woods.
 

 

 

 

 

 

As sometimes occurs, my photographic references were insufficient for use in light and shape information. In this case, I sculpted the
black bear (on the ground) in oil clay so I could direct light at the
sculpture and refer to it for the drawing.

 

 

 

 

 

Using photographs and my clay sculpture, I redrew the sketch. I made this drawing larger and added much more information as value and shape become very important in this stage. Once I was satisfied with my composition, I transfered the drawing to my linen.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I developed the under painting using a mixture of darker Earth
tones... Burnt Sienna and Raw Umber. While referring to my second
sketch, I layed out the values on the linen. I allowed the under
painting to dry for a few days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The painting went through many changes over the next few steps. I
blocked in areas of color...
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I pushed and pulled light and dark back and forth until I felt I'd
achieved my vision of diffused light falling through the pine needles.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I developed detail information in each of the bears ....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...and I created vegetation which helps guide the viewer  through the painting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                             The Finished Piece:

      

                               “ Hide and Seek”

                               30 x 48” oil on linen.

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