The Three Graces week 3. 8 April 2015

Website  www.michewatkins.com

I think this will be finished next week and I am going to rename it ‘Elation’ –  thank you for that title from a friend on Twitter. Thank you to those of you who thought up good titles, but this one word just sounded right to me.  The woman is so elated with her new red shiny shoes…..a feeling I think many women will identify with.

Every time I start a painting, I forget how difficult it is to get skin tones right and the more so as I dislike using any browns on my palette (and never use black).  I far prefer blues, mauves, pinks and purples for tones as I think this makes for a more interesting skin tone, but infinitely more difficult in the long run.  I never make my life easy.

I have had to use brown in the floor obviously, but where possible have used yellow ochre and a touch of cadmium orange and red rather than straight brown.  I have also added touches of the blues and lilacs which I used on the wall to pull the painting together.

Regarding the wall, I tried endless possibilities here, but in the end have come back to using more white in the background.  I had far more shadows and tones before now, which darkened the walls, but that just seemed to detract from the figures who are the main attraction, so had to repaint and repaint.  I think I am nearly there.

Next week the final details which I always like the most, as these seem to bring the painting to life.  I have much enjoyed painting the three figures, although they have brought their own problems, as each photo had its own distinctive shadows and tones, and I had to try and amalgamate them somehow.  As I said, I do not make my life easy.

Next painting will be of just one female!  But I would like to use this model again as she has really inspired me.

The size of the painting by the way is 60 x 50 cm/ 24 x 20″

Please see my January Blog for Skype tutorials on a one to one basis and feel free to email me if interested.  michetoots@yahoo.co.uk