Tanner, OIl, 30" x 24"
 

Forum demo, Portrait of Tanner; Oil on Claessen

Step 2. Placing the figure on the canvas
 

I have decided to paint Tanner

b]Step 3-5. Place marks of strong, saturated color in the face.[/b]
 

A method taught me by Bill Whitaker, the placement of strong, unblended saturated color in spots really helps set a vibrant layer of color, which readily allows you to desaturate chroma in later layers. In these images, you can see the strong unblended patchwork. Looks like a dermatologist's dream case!

The palette is an adaptation of the Whitaker/ Greene palettes:

Flake white
Titanium white
Permanent Rose
Cadmium Scarlet+Raw Sienna
Yellow Ochre
Transparent Earth Red
Caput Mortuum ( thanks Peggy Baumgaertner)
Asphaltum
Raw Umber
Ivory Black+Raw Sienna
Cadmium Yellow+Ivory Black (a mixed green)
Alizarin Permanent+Thalo Green (a mixed black)
Ultramarine Blue

Step 6. Place solid color notes to indicate the value and hue of the background.
 

It

Step 7: Continue refining image
 

In this unusual case, I was able to get a in a couple of hours working from life. Tanner and I attended a black-tie auction as part of the large auto auction held each January in Scottsdale.

When I arranged this, I couldn

Step 8. Drive over the portrait.
 

Here you can see the track marks from my SUV. And it's a big car.Thank heavens the painting was face-down at the time.

As my dear teacher Bill Whitaker would say, [b]

Step 8. Finalize the painting.
 

I experimented with www.studioproducts.com underpainting medium, mixed right into the mixture of background color, as well as the suit color. I was really delighted with this medium: the paint layer dries very, very quickly, and it has a uniform matte finish. It leaves a bit of tooth, which is great as additional layer are added, but works well if the final varnish is applied right on top of it. It works fine for me a final layer of paint, as I am not a glaze painter.

One if the paintings problems that has always been a problem for me is the painting of large dark passages, which tend to sink in, and make it difficult for me to deal with them. To paint the tuxedo, I painted the underlying black first - using a mixture of ivory black+ a mixed black made from thalo green and alizarin. To indicate the lighter areas of the fabric I used Grumbacher's raw umber straight from the tube, mixed with the underpainting medium.

I let the dark first layer dry completely before the raw umber layer. In some areas I painted the raw umber on the dry black, and in some areas I used Maroger to wet down the black areas first. I have now been using the underpainitng medium in every background or other other area where there is a large expanse of similar color.

When I felt I could no longer do anything to improve the portrait, I showed it to Tanner, who was completely thrilled. Only after client approval do I apply the final varnish.

Tanner will be hosting an unveiling party later this spring, and I