LAKSHIMI - Starting a new one

A good friend of mine happened to be flying to India in a day and I needed a model for a very important goddess. It just so happened that Lakshimi is her nickname at work. Synchronicity!

Here is the initial sketch I made after selecting the surface on which to paint. I show the model and set up the lights and we get down to work. I had to move off the plan when I discovered a beautiful photo taken in between poses that I wanted to paint instead of the lotus position. There was a gentle grace to this that I wanted to capture for the goddess Lakshimi.

I marked out the center of the canvas and plotted out the position of the figure, drawn in charcoal. I then gave it a quick spray down with the poisonous workable fixative, I do my best not to breath any in before running out of the studio and waiting until it dries.

I then give a coat of clear gesso primer to ensure the loose charcoal particles are locked down so that they don't lift into the paint and alter the pigments.  I like how rough things look as the develop and slowly become refines.

Case in point, I still got to have fun when I work, I scrub Yellow Ochre right out of the tube all over the top half of the canvas. Theh I took out my spritzer and gave it a spray down to make the paint drip and the surface slick.

Then I took a rag and vigorously rubbed the surface and the edges to neutralize the white ground. I gave it a few spritzes and propped it upright to let it drip and dry.

Drawing is such an important aspect to making a good painting. I created a fluid mix of some of my browns thinned with mineral spirits and drew out the finer details over the charcoal.

I spent a little time moving around some features and putting in some darks at this point to help guide the next steps.

continuing on.....