A Hand and a Little Green

A glaze of Sap Green over the loosely painted leaves and jasmine flowers is softening the background and helping to make the figure come forward. Now that the flowers are less bright they compete with the hair and face much less, which draws our attention to the girl. However, I’m neglecting to paint the legs, so the lower half of the painting must get taken care of now.

I’ve added more Yellow Ochre mixed with a little Cadmium Orange into the shadows of the dress, and a little Cobalt Blue to the darker areas on the right below her arm. The lower arm has been given a first layer of flesh, using the same white, orange and green mix as the rest of her skin. I like the quality of the mixture very much, so this might be a permanent change of my painting habits. Because it’s a first layer you’ll see more work correcting errors and finessing detail.

Finally, I did a little work on the jug, defining it’s shape with a little Raw Umber. Presently it’s still en grisaille, and a little colour will dramatically alter its appearance. 

About pearce

Michael Pearce is an artist, writer, and professor of art. He is the author of "Art in the Age of Emergence."
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