Today I'm preparing the canvases; the main piece is Winsor and Newton 44 x 56 inch (1118 x 1422 mm) cotton medium weight and it's already primed and stretched.
I always wash the back and front of the canvas with clean cold tap water (not soak it) to get any dust and small hairs off (yes there are dogs with me - Border Terriers) and this also slightly tightens the canvas even more on the frames. This stage is important in spotting any minor dimples that can be "ironed" out ready for paint.
Next I apply a base colour wash coat that helps me bring out the depth colours in the background, in this case it's a soft pale blue / green. The background is rolling wild grass hills with Montana's mountains in the distant background.
In my head I see this one very clearly! So clear in fact that I'm not going to sketch in figures and horses until the background and near foreground are completed.
The composition? Well you'll have to wait and see but what I can say is that there are two connected pieces that I see together in the same room. As the colour scheme for the "Fugitive" is the same I'm prepping that canvas today as well; again it's Winsor & Newton as above, but 30 x 20 inches (762 x 508 mm).
It's worth saying that a normal (meaning a fully fit and healthy person) could do this stage in under an hour. For me it takes about four hours and then I'm worn out and unable to do anymore.
I know I always say this; but I think this will be my best work to date.
More news will follow along with some glimpses of my progress.
I always wash the back and front of the canvas with clean cold tap water (not soak it) to get any dust and small hairs off (yes there are dogs with me - Border Terriers) and this also slightly tightens the canvas even more on the frames. This stage is important in spotting any minor dimples that can be "ironed" out ready for paint.
Next I apply a base colour wash coat that helps me bring out the depth colours in the background, in this case it's a soft pale blue / green. The background is rolling wild grass hills with Montana's mountains in the distant background.
In my head I see this one very clearly! So clear in fact that I'm not going to sketch in figures and horses until the background and near foreground are completed.
The composition? Well you'll have to wait and see but what I can say is that there are two connected pieces that I see together in the same room. As the colour scheme for the "Fugitive" is the same I'm prepping that canvas today as well; again it's Winsor & Newton as above, but 30 x 20 inches (762 x 508 mm).
It's worth saying that a normal (meaning a fully fit and healthy person) could do this stage in under an hour. For me it takes about four hours and then I'm worn out and unable to do anymore.
I know I always say this; but I think this will be my best work to date.
More news will follow along with some glimpses of my progress.
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