Emma in Purple

[Linda Brandon]

Originally Posted by Cindy Procious

How do you like Max's gesso board? I've only used the linen panels, but he's told me I really should try the gesso.

Mary, Kim, Allan, Mike and Jane, thanks so much for making my day!

Cindy, thanks also, and I was hoping somebody would ask me about this panel. It was just incredible to work on. I'm not obsessive/compulsive generally but I really got obsessive with this surface. The gesso is the most touchable surface I've ever worked on and the effects you can get with it are so interesting. One of the reasons I posted this yesterday was to get myself to stop painting on it and move on to other paintings.

I had a lot of trouble initially but I think if I had used softer brushes I would have solved some of my problems.

I don't usually say this after I post something here, but "this painting looks so much better in reality". The surface quality is a big part of its interest.

I would love to see somebody who starts with a grisalle paint on this. I think it would be perfect for them.

[Mike McCarty]

Linda,

I know that you experiment with these surfaces all the time. Assume you received an important commission tomorrow, say Bill Murray in that wet suit from "The life Aquatic with Steve Zissou," what surface would you choose?

[Heidi Maiers]

What an unusual and lovely portrait Linda. I am a big fan of purple myself, so this is some good eye candy. Super!

[Linda Brandon]

Originally Posted by Mike McCarty

Linda,

I know that you experiment with these surfaces all the time. Assume you received an important commission tomorrow, say Bill Murray in that wet suit from "The life Aquatic with Steve Zissou," what surface would you choose?

Bill Murray.

[Mike McCarty]

No, no ...

Not body painting, not which surface of my hero Bill. Which traditional surface for painting would you choose?

[Linda Brandon]

Originally Posted by Mike McCarty

No, no ...

Not body painting, not which surface of my hero Bill. Which traditional surface for painting would you choose?

Oh, I was just messing with your head. I watch Groundhog Day every year on Groundhog Day, by the way, and it's coming up again.

Back to your question. Untraditional surfaces are a harder sell for clients and I always talk about what I'm going to paint on as a support with them. Sometimes they say they don't care and sometimes they do. Linen and gessoed boards are traditional surfaces but I'm not sure I would paint on a big gessoed panel for, say, a full portrait size or larger. Linen is a lot lighter in weight and the paint is for me anyway easier to move around.

I wouldn't use a gessoed or ABS panel for a plein air or alla prima painting, either, for the same reason. Those panels need a couple of coats of paint on them.

If I had a client with, say, skin that I really wanted to work on - a child or a beautiful woman - I would get a gessoed panel and really noodle around with layers and scumbling.

Heidi, thank you. And Sharon, thank you - you are so funny... !

[Denise Hall]

Linda,

This is very very nice. I personally am thrilled each time I see another "traditional pose" presented in a very creative and untraditional way. That is my personal interpretation of a way to describe your painting. The tide in portraiture just may be changing.

Congratulations on a beautiful work,

Denise

[Elizabeth Schott]

Marvelous, simply marvelous!