This experiment on un-stretched canvas, I wanted to try painting on a different textured surface.
Underpainting in thinned burnt umber.
Based on same collection of sketches as previous painting.
What I’m trying with this piece
- Thinning the paint with Liquin. This means I can apply lots of thin layers that dry faster than normal and so I can work quickly.
- Lower perspective on figure so viewer can feel more connected to person?
- More practice interpreting sketches!
- More practice simplifying shapes into block colour, which works well because I am leaving out details I couldn’t capture from sketches.
This experiment is taking me a lot longer than I expected.
The proportions of the body under the duvet were wrong, and it took me about a week of working on the piece to realise how to fix it.
I moved the shape of the knees and adjusted the folds of the fabric.
I also added the same shadow purple shade to the cushions which ties the colours together nicely!
I am applying SO MANY thin layers of paint, it’s a different way of working which is exciting.
I am still not happy with the colours or the structure of the body -neither makes sense yet.
Moving Forward
I am going to keep playing with the fabric and working out how to make it look right. Then I can simplify areas in planes of colour, which suggests shape and shade without relying on unnecessary detail.
Remove the bright orange from the centre of the piece? It’s very bright and perhaps unnecessary.
Replace with reddy brown of shadows.
Cutting a colour out will reduce the shade range and make the contrast more extreme, but I think it will help me get shapes and tone right, and get rid of unnecessary colours.
Georgina Harris 