Today has been a day of blocking in more of the interior of the building. It will be more interesting once the 'shadow' shapes of pipes and technical equipment has been added. There will be some highlights that will add a dimensional quality and reflect some of the ambient light. These large areas look deceptively simple but careful thought needs to go into the selection of the tone to make it 'work'. I shall change the tones as I progress until I am satisfied that the effect that I am trying to create has been achieved.

I have worked for a little longer today as it was a little cooler only 32 degrees instead of 35+ with 80%+ humidity. So much easier to work when it is cooler.
I have worked further on the electrical 'boxes' on the wall above the two left-hand figures and blocked in the gentleman's hair. You may notice a slight change in colour/tone on the ceiling around the hood. I was not happy with the yellow tone so have made it slightly green.

The first application of paint for the shadows of the man's shirt. There will be many more tones to add and a softening of edges where the folds are more 'rounded'.

The start of the glass. There will be a few more highlights of light and colour yet to be added. The 'bowl' behind the glass is equipped with a clip-on handle which will also need to be added.
When painting a see through object, one paints what can be seen behind it but mindful of distortions and highlights,

 Just a little more contrast to the background wall and the electrical supply box. The effect of this box on the composition, I feel, is to arrest the eye and direct it to the central focus of the painting. I have done the first session on the glass in front of the girl. When painting glass, I focus on the distorted shapes of the background that can be seen through it. Then, after some refinement, I will add the highlights and light reflections which should, I hope, have the effect of making it look like the material that it is made from - glass.

A little work on the hand today. The lady is, in fact, leaning forwards to take a photo on her digital phone. This reference will date this painting in the years to come I suppose!
I have also blocked in a little more to the background. A kitchen of this type will have a fair amount of technical equipment and will need power supplies to match. It also gives an almost 'warehouse' living theme.

Today I worked on some of the detail on the bench top and the pots etc. There is still more to do but it needs to dry before the finer details can be added. When I work on the details, I sometimes finish the session by completing the underpainting to a larger area. I think that it gives a psychological feeling of more progress but is necessary anyway so that the details can be added when it is dry. 

I will need to make some adjustments to the hand that appears in front of the young lady's head, but I am content with the progress on the lady standing behind. There are many different perspectives to this work which, combined with the angle of the painting on the easel, can present some unusual optical effects. In these cases you have to trust your eye and make a few minor adjustments as you complete the work. 

I have added some detail to the girl's hair but will need to add a few more refinements at a later stage. I have adjusted the hand which is in front of the girl. This hand belongs to the lady who is to the left of the girl and will be lit by the light from above. I will then soften the edges and make the girls hair come over the hand which will add dimension. I am considering the tones of the lady's back, behind the girl, so that I can soften the back of the girl also. This will, not only add dimension but stop a feeling that the girl is 'superimposed' or 'stuck' on top of the scene.

Two posts in one day!!! I couldn't resist a few touch-ups and to block in the hair. It has been 33 to 36 degrees C over the last few days with 80%+ humidity. Not the best weather for painting in a non air conditioned studio. Short stints work best for me under these 'sweaty' conditions.

Again only minor additions to the painting on the bowl and reflections (a little warm tone under the highlight on the top rim) plus blocking in of the figure bending behind the female in the foreground at the left. In contrast to the bright colours of my painting of Ellen's Stardust Diner, the colours of this painting are much more subdued. The under painting to the garment of the figure just blocked in, is a mixture of Alizarin Crimson, Chrome yellow and flake white. On their own, they would be too vibrant, so I add a touch of the complementary, blue (Indigo) , in order to tone it down. It is a technique that I use to darken a colour to use in its shadow.

Just a few minor adjustments to the bowl to increase the feeling of reflectiveness. Another under-paint to the cupboard behind the bowl and a little more to the reflections on the bench top. Some progress on the tin cooking tray that contains the bowl  All in all minor adjustments but it is those that make the difference to the feeling of 'correctness' in a completed painting. Having just reviewed this pose i can say that the colour of the bowl shadow will be different in the next post.

I have started to add some of the reflections on the bench surface and begun to add some refinements to the bowl on the bench top. I felt that the small dish on the bench top was a little small to be in proportion so I have enlarged it. More overpainting will be needed to negate the effect of the smaller one under.

I continued with the adjustments to the hand and started to block in the bowl on the bench top. I was unhappy with the perspective of the bowl and wasn't sure how to fix it. The best advice I could give in these situations is to call in a second pair of eyes as, when an artist is struggling with an aspect of a painting they are sometimes too 'close' to the subject to see it objectively. In this case I called in my wife who pointed out the unusual perspective and suggested that I try to adjust the top of the bowl to the perspective as the foreground figure would see it and not the viewer of the painting which I have attempted to do. I think that it is much better, not perfect maybe, but close enough to make me more content. When it is dry, I shall add the highlights and adjust the tones to make it more 'metal-like'.

 

I have added some subtle tones to the arm and under-painted the table top. The underpainting is a little dark and there will be numerous reflected lighter tones to go over this. I have been a little unhappy with the shape and angles in the hand which is resting on the thumb and knuckles so have painted over some of it with a quick drying under paint. I shall attempt to improve the shape in my session tomorrow.

In contrast to my last painting, the flesh colours are affected by incandescent lighting as opposed to neon and fluorescent lighting. In consequence the colours are much cooler with the exception of some small lit warmer tones. There are two short sessions on the ladies arm but much more tone and detail needed yet to give the hand more form and, also, shadow to be added on the table where the knuckles are resting.

A little shading to the apron and a start to the star pattern on the dress. The 'stars' are very loosely painted as I don't want it to be too rigid in style. The stars follow the slight folds of the dress and I have suggested different tones because of the shadows. I shall accentuate the different tones a little once this first application is dry. I like my work to be realistic, but I also like my oil paintings to look like a painting.

I have added some subtle lighter tones on to the dress in the foreground. They are not the final tones or exact shapes yet but give me a feel for the fabric folds. One advantage of life drawing, is that you can get a 'feel' for how fabric falls over a body. This needs to look correct for it to have authority in this type of work. It is many years since I did life drawing and, my wife and I have discussed the intention to repeat the training. The apron has been blocked in but is not readily obvious as more shades and tones are to be added, along with a suggestion of seams and creases. I will need to adjust the bust line of the lady in the foreground, which is a little high at the top and also the exposed part of her arm at the top is not yet quite right so as to please me. A little work also on the table has been added.

More blocking in, this time on the clothes of the figures. There is some satisfaction in seeing the block-in shapes, but they will appear more dimensional with the addition of subtle colour changes according to the light source. This painting contrasts with my previous oil work which had a great vibrance of colour. The tones in this work are much more subtle and 'Earthy'. The subject, whilst fortuitously inspired when in New York in 2013, reflects the apparent popularity with cooking and cooking TV shows over the world.

I find that the least enjoyable part of painting, for me, is the underpainting. After all, it is just a background on top of which is applied all the different tones that give a painting 'life'. It is necessary, but the rewards at the end make it worth the effort and consideration.