The Red Dress Process --Lynette Hensley

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I painted this musician today,
as a warm up to the woman in the red dress. He had already been under painted in purple and blue green. 
I have two more musicians to do,
but I think I will go on to the big painting now.
  Confidence is restored.
  I really like the way he turned out, and I like remembering this guy.
He was very serious as I remember.
 Allan Camhi is his name--he sang a song by Phil Oakes called "I Ain't a-Marching Anymore" at an open mic where I sometimes performed and often went to draw the musicians.
 (It's like having a captive model for very short --8 minute-- studies.)
  I showed him the drawing the night he played at the open mic and he thanked me for the compliment. 

So now I'm warmed up. James Taylor keeps me company.  Singing harmony with him helps keep me in this zone.
I like this 3/4" Royal soft grip SG950 brush. It is not an expensive brush, but it is soft and I like the stroke I get with it--it matches the fluidity of the paint.  I gessoed out the parts of the arm that were bothering me--just like erasing!--her upper arm may still be too short, but I think I will leave it. This is not so much about accuracy, but about this theater idea.  I'm anxious to get going.  I love what acrylic flow release does for me.  It's the paint equivalent of a gel pen--no skipping.  I've got a dress design in mind.  I was looking at an old book about famous actors like Olivier and Gielgud.  I'm going to snag one idea for the shoulders from a dress worn by Peggy Ashcroft in the Duchess of Malfi. Now the under painting.  I've found that skin tones are more translucent when there is a layer of some inhuman color below the flesh layer like this blue-green or a purple.  It also allows me to keep the shadows cool as the layers are built up.

I took a late dinner break and lost all my momentum, but I'm happy with the progress and will stop for tonight. It is an effort that is full of pleasure, and while I am tired, it is also extremely satisfying to have these things in progress.

I wish I could keep at it, but Monday comes like a lion and the work routine begins again.