Changing tracks
Today was a good studio day. I finished the fire escape piece and completed the drawing pictured here. My board is prepared with wax medium and I’m ready to start. I have two griddles packed with containers of beautiful colors, some full and others just have a smidgen of pigmented wax — they’re all from the last two pieces I’ve completed. As I look at them on the palettes, I feel like each color eases into the next one and they need to stay together.
So, I’m going to do this piece with these colors as my starting point. Sometimes nice things happen when I use what I have… especially in the underpainting. I’m going to think about warm and cool, not local color. As I progress through the piece, I’ll mix more specifically but for now, this approach feels right.
The window at the top is the most recessed element in the composition, so I began there. As I add layers of wax, it will be the furthest from the viewer’s eye. The lower area will be the undercarriage of the railroad car. I’ll build detail on top of this so much of it will be lost and these rough transitions won’t matter.
To my right, Amy happily chomped away on a tiny rawhide. What you can’t see is the space heater that is three feet from her. She is BASKING in the warmth of the heater! The bare spot near her shoulder blade is where she had a significant laceration when I got her. I have a theory that a bird of prey picked her up and dropped her, breaking her leg. We’ll never know but she was terrified of the outdoors for the first few days. She’s healing in spirit and body. I work with Jelly under my chair, Amy to my left, Carmela on the encaustic table, and Misty keeping guard in the next room. I love them all :)
