Here's a closer look at the tiki mug, the red umbrella
and pineapple slice on the left.
This photo shows the tiki mug on the right, topped with the
blue umbrella and pineapple slice.
I loosely laid in the colors for the Bahamas "Swimming Pigs" logo.
I painted as much of the sky as I could, not knowing exactly
where the girls' arms and umbrella would be.
Here is an oveall look at the entire 40" x 50" canvas.
I've put the preliminary washes on the palm tree. Lots of
varying shades of green, mixed with thalo green, cadmium
yellow, burnt sienna and burnt umber. A little black and
French ultramarine blue in the dark areas.
I've also begun the underpainting of the background mountains.
There are many hues scattered on the hillsides and mountains of
Kauai. I'll try to give a glimpse of their amazing colors without
distracting from the main focal points in the foreground.
There are only a few areas that I can still put the first layer
of paint, as I need the six figures sketched in their places for me
to finish the areas around them. This "Hotel del Coronado"
postcard is one of those remaining objects. I've only roughed
it in, leaving out details like the windows on the building.
I'll render those details when I apply the final layer of oil paint.
I've painted in a part of the Hanelei pier and...
Here is a shot of the whole canvas.
I'm applying the final layer of paint on this vintage decal. It
needs to get considerably darker so as to appear that it is in
the shaded part of the painting. Red arrow 'A' shows the first
layer of paint and red arrow 'B' shows the final thick layer
that I am now applying.
As I continue to add darker values to the decal, other areas
that only have one thin layer of paint start becoming very light
in comparison. I'll continue to mix darker values of each hue
until they are all covered.
Here is the decal with everything darkened. When this dries,
I'll add the fine black details.
A nice surpise today. My clients, Butch and Helen Glispie, were
vacationing here in Laguna this weekend and they had time to
drop by the studio, see their painting in progress, and have
their photos taken for the painting.
Here is Helen wearing a ball cap. Her 'beach hat' is in Phoenix,
but because she had sent me a photo of her in her 'beach hat,' I
was able to...
Photoshop it into the photograph I took. Technology working
wonders!
After a few days of close study, I've put Helen and Butch on
the canvas with their first layer of paint. As I've stated many
times, the second and final layer will define them, adjust all
their hues and values and add a little more detail.
The Glispie 'ladies' went on a vacation to the Del Coronado in
San Diego, so we set up a photo shoot while they were here. I
had just photographed Butch and Helen, so I had four family
members left to go. Butch and Helen's daughter, Amber, and her
two daughters were nice enough to give up a bit of their
vacation time to pose for the painting.
Sawyer, the oldest of the two girls posed with the umbrella and...
...Austen, posed in great form, leaving just Amber's husband,
Troy, to complete the six.
I'm starting with Sawyer. Their poses are so delicate, with
their tiny fingers helping to balance.
Here's a snapshot of the left side of the canvas, showing the
addition of Sawyer to the painting.
Here's a close-up of Austen, balancing on the wall.
Both sisters are now 'roughed in' with their first layer of oil.
Here is Amber. I'm basically going from top to bottom in
roughing in her and all her beach gear.
I finished roughing Amber on the canvas, but I've left the beach
ball under her arm and the ice chest unpainted. I need to wait
for her husband, troy's photo, helping me determine what colors
I need to balance out the image.
Here is another look at the left side of the canvas. I've put in
part of the cast shadows, having to wait until I have Troy's
photo to finish them.
With Amber in place, I can paint the "Parrot Key" room key and
also the wall to the left.
Having the girls in place, I am able to paint the mountains
across the bay.