A day of painting, an old neglected picture that has spent many months in ugly isolation. And lo! That suits the picture, which is about isolation spawning feelings of suicide, fear and ultimately fascist hatred. This is quite an old idea and I painted the underpainting months ago, and I'm certainly paying in pain for the three rushed days I spent on the grisaille. The detail level is very poor, and here is a note for any student; a detailed painting needs a detailed underpainting, and how much detail? As much as possible, for the best paintings are painted in one layer and that one layer should be an underpainting, if you desire to improve your "perfection".
Anyway, I've ignored and bemoaned this picture too often so I had made up my mind to finish it. The workload is immense though. Much of today was spent finely painting Caravaggian skulls in the sad green sky. This picture will be no masterpiece but I'll toy with it when I have the time.
Which is rare! Yesterday I was making soap which was an interesting experience. On Saturday I was in London delivering a painting for consideration by a jury for the Royal Society of British Artists.
