Paintings begin long before the paper is first touched by chalk. They begin with a desire to express light and a promise of a new palette. By the time I choose a subject I have to establish who I’m doing it for and why.

Surfaces vary. If it’s figurative I may want to work with mixed medias, a watercolor underwash on cold press Stathmore. Large landscapes require a large sturdy sheet, usually Kitty Wallis. Moody midtones attract me so I’ll paint an under painting with red floral spray or use a salmon La Carte paper. When wanting to achieve a higher keyed scene I’ll work on light grey Kitty Wallis.

Thumbnail sketching is invaluable for planning my values which I refer to during my painting. Sometimes I make an enlarged b/w xerox of my reference photo and draw a grid over it. I transfer and block in the darks then fix. I will adjust my layout and design elements at this stage. I like to create a path for the viewer through repetition of shapes or color.

The large shapes of complementary colors and cool/warm temperatures are blocked in first. Next, I glaze over areas to create different values. I indicate my darkest darks and lightest highlights. I refine my drawing and determine whether I have created a harmonious painting. This is a slow process of balancing value, intensitiy and establishing the color of the light.