This is the first time I’ve shown this painting, titled Three Girls. Today’s painting session was the fourth. The underpainting is finished and this morning I started the over-painting.
The unfinished ‘Three Girls’ on the easel
The stretcher is 40″ x 50″ and old; it’s not heavy duty, it’s like the thinner ones you see on smaller paintings. But waste not, want not. I was careful to ensure it was square when I stretched it and it has remained flat and unwarped.
I used a lead-oil, gesso ground. The ground is a little porous and I like that. One unusual thing (unusual for me) about this painting is that I didn’t put a neutral tone over the ground, but instead started straightaway on the white gesso. The first layer was neutral, local colors. I liked the porous ground so much, I wanted to start with that. It reminded me of a big, fat, litho stone. I love drawing on litho stones–they’re the best surface. So far, so good.