The following is the basic process I use in making many of my painitngs. Not all follow this path, but it is fairly typical.
Monhegan Light, acrylic on panel, 30" x 40", step 1
Step 1:
After toning the panel with a thin wash of Burnt Sienna, I drew in the basic elements with conte crayon and then began blocking in the major tonal areas with Zinc White, Ultramarine Blue,Cerulean Blue, and more Burnt Sienna. Working time approximately 2 hrs.
Monhegan Light, acrylic on panel, 30" x 40", step 2
Step 2:
Here I am beginning to add more color. At this stage I don't worry too much about whether these will be the final colors, I am more working out ideas about what colors I'm after. I have warmed up the highlights with a bit of Yellow Ochre in Titanium White, and that green is Cerulean Blue mixed with Cadmium Yellow. The dark passages are more thin glazes of Burnt Sienna with a little Prussian Blue to cool it down. I have also defined the major compositional elements by adding dark outlines. These will be minimized in later stages, but I find it adds a kind of solidity to the overall image and also highlights the geometry of the painting. Approximate working time on this stage 1.5 hrs.
Monhegan Light, acrylic on panel, 30" x 40", step 3
Step 3:
I spent two studio sessions on this stage, mostly because I totally went in a wrong direction and had to work my way back to what you see here. What you are not seeing is a bright orange sky over an Alizarin Crimson glaze. Remnants of it can be seen in the glowing contrails streaking across the sky. Despite getting covered over, it was a learning opportunity and I always say - layers build texture!
In this stage, I'm beginning to refine the colors and adjust the contrast among the various elements. The foreground and sky will likely be moderated somewhat, and the dark areas are not quite as dark as what you are seeing here. I've added texture to these areas by applying a thick layer of paint and scraping through it with the end of a brush to give a sense of the grasses in the foreground. I'm beginning to sort out the details of the lighthouse structure though trying not to be too finicky about it, then I will begin sorting out the foreground. Working time this session, 3 hrs.
Monhegan Light, acrylic on panel, 30" x 40", step 4
Step 4:
Now I'm getting down to the fiddly bits. The foreground is not as dark as it appears here. This session was spent refining minor details - I corrected some of the drawing in the top of the lighthouse and adjusted some perspective things which were bugging me like the chimneys. I put some more detail in the grasses and simplified the path in front of the building. I darkened the sky, but will likely make it lighter once again as I feel it makes the painting too dark and doesn't capture the time of day in the way I'm wanting it to. Working time this session, 3 hrs.
Monhegan Light, acrylic on panel, 30" x 40", step 5
Step 5:
Ta-Da! This is the finished painting. I re-painted the sky and am much happier with the results. I worked on the foreground as well, adding multiple layers of green and blue to indicate a shadow and to give it depth and texture. I'm wondering a little about the saccharine feel of the palette, but it does capture the intensity of the moment, pushing the overall feeling almost to the degree of fantasy.
