Sunday's Sneak Peak

I have started my next two paintings over the last few days. I found that working on two bigger paintings at the same time was too intensive but  having a small one and a larger one to pick and choose between works for me. I find the miniatures fun but can only work on them for short periods of time. The larger ones need time to dry between the washes so interchanging between both works well.

So here is your Sunday Sneak Peak at my progress. Both paintings are in their early stages and both are Ted paintings but each have very different message and emotion to convey.

Now you know that I almost always begin with the background in a painting but in my larger painting I haven't done this because, for the dreamy effect I want to create the background will need to go in last. At the moment I am working on forming the facial features on this sleeping girl

When I am doing this I am looking for the colours under the skin that help to create the shape and form of the face.  I have lots of work still left to do especially on her nose, top eye and of course her  hand.

In my new 'miniature' I did begin with the background. I am working on hot press paper for my miniatures so creating a rich dark background was quite a challenge not only because of the size but the way the paint sits on hot press. The dark painted area that you can see below is 6.75 by 2.75 inches so not a true miniature but pretty close. The long thin format just worked better compositionally for this one.

The wood grain on the table was painted with my teeniest tiniest brush as was most of the top section of the cupcake which I worked on today. I tend to pick a section to do each sitting and then put it away for a while. Tomorrow I hope to complete the bottom section of the cup cake.

Hope you enjoyed your sneak peak over my shoulder at what I'll be working on this month.

Ona