"Day Two - The Ray Project"

What a difference a wash makes. This is basically step 2 of our painting. I spoke to you initially about what I call color blocking. The color blocking stage came during the initial pencil drawing when I decided what parts of the painting we would leave blank for the highlights. The first large wash on the face is layed down, (don't be too concerned with the shades of the brown that you put down in this stage, it will change almost immediately). The forehead, nose area and chin are left blank to allow for the working of highlights at a later stage. This point of the project is where you really want to back away and study your drawing and layout, making sure that all your shadows are on the same side and that your highlights are in the right place. You should see the first pieces or likenesses come into view as well. I chose a very limited palette of browns and blacks to bring a gritty effect to the final piece. You can just as well use a full palette of colors and go vibrant with the final piece. That's what makes you in control and captain of your own ship. I tend to see the final piece in my mind before any paint is laid on paper, thus I follow a pre-determined path that will lead me to this vision. I am taking this painting slowly for the benefit of my readers. If you are having trouble with the washes drying slowly, don't be afraid to get out that old hair dryer and dry away. We will be back tomorrow to work the next stage, hope you join us. Enjoy!