I've scanned my Summer Bee, ready for delivery in the Cubby Hole exhibition which opens in one week's time. Some V.I.P.s will be at the opening so I'm keen to impress (it's open to the public too!) More later.
For the most part this week though I've been painting the second layer of the giant Lyceum picture. Of note!
1. Raphael used a lot of transparent pigments. This struck me while glazing too transparently and leaving the exact same distinctive marking on my painting as he did on St. Catherine. They didn't have half as many opaque pigments as we do.
2. The top "knobbles" on my gesso are being wiped by the glaze. The underpaint at that point is too weak or too thin (or both). It's so hard to get the exact depth right. Several options to fix this...
3. Ultramarine violet is so weak and transparent. It happens to be one of the nicest colours, so shy, so beautiful but too quiet to be up for much fun. I made a stronger semi-opaque purple from pyrrole crimson and ultramarine. The drapery and swan on this painting are so pretty and detailed that they draw every stare.
I've now planned lots of new paintings and completed more. August should be fun!
