"Behold the Lamb (2)"

($125.00.....6" x 12"....Water Soluble Oils on 300 lb. HP.....mounted on a 1.50" depth clayboard)

"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." This is a second experimental piece with the same words. It is a possibility for an upcoming exhibit.

Back to oils today after two days of mixed media. This sky scape was inspired by a photo I took just two days ago in the late afternoon. I kept pulling off of the side of the road to take pictures and didn't think I was ever going to get home. That's why it is very important to have a pocket camera in your purse with a small zoom.  You never know when the sky will be exquisite.

The strategy for this painting was to paint the first layer over the entire sheet. It was white, lemon yellow, and a small bit of purple mixed from ult. blue and alizarin crimson, but mostly white. The grays and oranges were then mixed with several variations....some lighter and some darker. For most of this layer I blended it slightly with the previous layer. I then added some heavier and less blended layers in key places which gives the piece its texture. 

What I can now tell you after having done (5) of these sky scapes, is that they look deceptively simple to do. To capture the atmosphere with several layers of paint with a wet into wet technique is quite challenging, but I think the best preparation is to simply do bands of color in different sizes first. It's a great way to create an abstract piece and it provides a way to practice laying horizontal bands of color down without thinking about clouds and where the darks and lights are placed in a true sky scape.

Tomorrow, I plan to paint one that is totally abstract and doesn't really look like a sky at all. And if you like color and simply want to loosen up and have a great time, it's a fun thing to try. You can then call yourself a "colorist". In this case, the color becomes the focal point. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.