Some of today’s work:
‘Grandfather’ is large by my recent standards–40″ x 60″. The drawing was transferred using a grid. When the drawing was done, I inked it, that is, I went over it with India ink. Then I covered the surface with an thin tone of raw umber and lead white.
For larger paintings I use cotton; linen is too expensive. I recently saw a show consisting of large canvases at least 6′ on a side, and all were linen–wow! They were painted broadly and loosely (and clumsily), which makes it hard to understand the expensive linen when cotton would have been sufficient.
‘Grandfather’ isn’t near done. Originally the wall was white and there wasn’t a window but the composition seemed static. So I added the window and landscape.
The smaller painting is another boat painting. We start preparing The Betty Jane for launch this week.
Sunday is the day I stretch canvases. Tonight: one 24″ x 30″, and one 30″ x 36″. The latter is on heavy-duty stretcher strips, which any painting over 30″ should use. Both are cotton. This spring I plan to buy 3 yards of linen, from which I will get 7 paintings ( three 24″ x 30″, and four 32″ x 38″).