In this photo I have shown some of the lines toned down, which I think is better than the previous stage.
There would be some distortion in the reflections because of the imperfections in the glass and also because of the different planes of the scene inside the school.
Because of the strong inside light in the lower half of the painting, reflections would be less evident or not visible so I decided not to put any in on that area.

Although I worked on the shelf area today, my primary focus was on the reflections of windows on the ceiling area and the glow of the ceiling down lights. I am happy with the choice to include them, as i feel that it make the space more interesting. Some of the frame lines may be a bit strong, so my intention is to tone some areas down a little and may be evident in my next post.
I have deliberately not made all the windows uniform, as I want to suggest differences in the building opposite the scene.
In the first photo, I felt that the windows reflected over the suspended ceiling were a little too dark , so I lightened them for the second photo.

The last remaining section has been started. It is an industrial-like shelf of kitchen utensils and appliances. This particular cooking school has a kitchen appliance outlet attached and is not far from Times Square, New York. I can't remember the establishments name, so if any of my readers from USA know of it, I would be grateful for a hint!
There are still decisions to be made about the tone of the ceiling above the waving man and a few other small details to be added is other areas of the composition.











Detail.

I have given form to the cupboards at the back and started the class of red wine in front of the waving man. There will be some refinements needed when dry but progress is being made.

I have worked further on the waving man and his hand along with his apron and the bench below him. Some of the other 'in-between' areas of the bench are having the details added also.
I am still unsure if I will add the reflections of the buildings opposite this establishment but I am leaning towards the positive with this question. There is also the possibility that there could be reflections of vehicles but these would cut across some of the figures to be true to life and I feel that, if I did them, it would detract from the figures themselves.

As can be seen, the waving figure is taking shape. The face is quite crude and basic at present. After removing the previous drawing by painting over it with a quick drying white under-paint, I found that the surface didn't accept a smooth layer of oils on top as well as a gesso surface. The paint coverage is a little crudely applied. I hope to refine the tones and make slight adjustments once it is dry. One of the things I find more difficult with this, is the fact that he is showing his teeth in the wide grin. Not an easy thing to paint and make it feel natural plus the scale of the face makes it difficult also.
 The hand is also needing more tone before it can be considered as completed. I think that, once the background is added, the figure will be less dominant even though it is a very dominant feature because of the reasons I said in my last entry. He draws the viewers attention by acknowledging them and invites them into the scene. If this is to become a successful composition/painting or not is yet to be seen but I have learned a lot whilst doing it!

 Today, I darkened the ceiling in readiness for the reflections of buildings opposite the cooking school. I decided to put them in to add interest to the composition, especially on the ceiling, which is quite an expanse. The darkening also has the effect of making the down-lights 'pop'. As the lights are on, I left more of the actual ceiling colour around them, as the reflections would become fainter as they appear closer to the lights.
The suspended ceiling has also had details added, suggesting its 'skirting board like' form.
The waving man has been resized and the first underpainting added. I wasn't sure if I was going to put him in, as all the other figures appear     unaware of the viewer but, this man, is in direct eye contact with the viewer. Then I felt that his presence in the composition would 'invite' the viewer into the scene. I am happy with his proportion now so Am looking forward to adding his details. As he is a dominant personality in the work, I am toying with the idea of titling the painting 'The Wave" without a reference to the environment.

 
I have begun to add detail to the ceiling adding glow from the lights and the stays and chain that hold up the false ceiling housing the extractors. When I plan to do a painting, I try to understand the structure  and its purpose so that it 'rings true' in the painting. I do this because of an incident many years ago with one of my watercolours. I like my work to be accurate according to nature and technical detail, during a small exhibition of my work one of the clients remarked that the way that I had positioned the leaves on the plant that was the subject was not possible for that species.m It turns out that she was a university botany professor. It did not reduce the value of the work as an art piece, but it made me more aware of accuracy when accuracy is intended. Not that I never still make the occasional error!

 
The hanging utensils are almost complete. I have painted the faces peeping from behind. They may need some highlight/refining detail once dry Then I am intending to work on the ceiling above them before I move across to the left incomplete section of the work. The end is in sight!

I made the kitchen tools smaller but they are a little lower than I had said but I am much happier with the scale. Tomorrow will see some more hanging tools and a little more refinements to the wall which is in fact tiled. I do not want to paint each tile as, to do that, would draw too much attention from the viewer. The will be understated just as a 'suggestion'.
Sometimes, less is more so to speak.

I have worked on the detail of the hanging kitchen tools and the wall, adding shadows.
I have also started the inside of the third extractor housing above the tools.
Having said that, I am unhappy with the scale of some of the tools. I am of the opinion that they are too large and detract from the figure in front of them so have decided to paint over the lower ones and make them a bit smaller. It is my intention to have them come only as low as the bottom of the man's ear. I wiped todays paint off them and overpainted them with a rapid drying white paint in readiness for tomorrow's session. We shall see if i was right to do it.

 
I have been adding to the blue shirt and refining some edges. The hanging kitchen tools have also been blocked in. I am happy with the progress so far. As a painting gets nearer to completion, I start to plan my next one based on an idea that I have been considering. As a change from groups of people, I shall attempt a portrait of my grandson. In the planning stage, I am thinking a close up that does not show the entire head and one where the subject is not looking at the viewer. I am also intending to start another watercolour soon. So much in the mind and not enough time in a day to paint and do chores. 'C'est La Vie'!

 
Detail.

The back figure is taking shape with the face in deep shadow and full light which gives a drama to the figure. Whilst I consider myself a realist, in oils I am quite impressionistic, which can be seen if the photo of this painting can be enlarged. For me to be a realist in the classical sense, I would need to work larger and have more time between each successive 'glaze' layer of paint. I work part 'wet in wet' and having a drying time for highlights and corrections.

Mapping the darker tones to the background figure and adjusting some tones on his apron was today's short session. It is difficult to see on this photograph, but the lighter tones to his shirt and the backgroun tones have been blocked it also.

I am beginning to add the 'props' that you would find in a kitchen including the wine glasses on the back bench and the container for kitchen tools which is similar to the others placed in the composition. I shall continue to work this area before moving to the subject of the painting, namely the ' waving man'.

Just a little on the painting today which I shall post tomorrow. Most of the time was spent placing paintings on one of the walls in our studio/gallery 'Rigmarole Gallery'. It is a working studio as well as little gallery built at our home as a separate building to the house. It is always a pleasure to work in it and, my wife and I will have a public exhibition there at the end of July which will be under the title of 'Christmas in July' our coldest month of the year in the southern hemisphere. It is amazing the difference a frame makes. The two oils are the same size but with different sized frames. When selecting a frame, I try to choose a mixture of traditional and modern but sometimes the cost is also a consideration. The frame on 'Ellen's Stardust Diner was half the cost of the frame on 'Reflections, W51st New York'. The smaller watercolours are framed for economy so that a purchaser can change it to one more to their own taste. The one propped up, on the floor, 'Le Scarpe delle Donne' is framed with a very narrow matt because it will be my entry to a small works competition with a size restriction.

I have worked on the concrete floor to make it more uniform, the trolly base is almost complete, with a little more definition to the top. The cupboards in the background are taking shape and the lower part of the refrigerator is more defined in tone.
No kitchen would be complete without hanging tools so these have been added behind the figure.
This serves, also to make the figure less isolated and more part of the composition.

Little to show today as we had a 'grandchild' outing which, in itself, was very enjoyable.
Just a little work around the feet, the base colour of the background cupboards behind the feet and the edge of the large refrigerator on the right of the composition, which serves to arrest the eye of the viewer. I am enjoying painting!

 
Working on the back mobile bench and the man's legs today, and It is mostly in shadow with not much contrast, but I am happy with the progress. On good thing about taking a photograph of the work for this forum is that it gives me a view where I can look more objectively at what I am doing and what needs to be done. For example, I noticed in the photograph, an un-natural light area behind the man's shoe, as seen under the bench. This will need to be blended more into the background during my next session.

 A hand at the back, a fire alarm on the wall and the cupboards at the back were all part of this sessions aim. Again some minor but important details and contrast are yet to be added. The hand belongs to a diminutive lady behind the gentleman in the maroon coloured jumper who's head can just be seen over the gentleman's shoulder.  He will need some tonal changes on his neck and a strap for his apron in the next session.

More work on the stout man in the shadows and stove to his left. I am not happy with this yet, but hope to make it more acceptable with refinements and highlights at a later stage.
I have begun to map out the bench at the back of the composition, changing the perspective a little as I go.
Some minor details have been added to the items on the front bench and I have drawn in two more obscure figures right at the back. There will be an arm added, to be tending the pan on the back stove. I had it painted in this session, but was not happy with the angle and position, so  wiped it out ready to start again later.

 
Detail.
I have started to add definition to the elements of the oven, and added tone to the drawers behind the man in the pink shirt. His apron now has a more acceptable tie chord. I have also started the feet of the man furthest away with his arms folded.
Even though the stout man in shadow is dark in tone I shall add highlights to his jumper ofter this second rendition is dry. His apron chord looks strangely prominent, as it is not painted, but this will blend more into the background with tone added. I am a little uneasy about the perspective of the drawers, especially with the vertical but I can adjust this later. It may be that, because the canvas is at an angle it has been distorted.

More work has been done on the floor but I shall wait a for it to dry before adding another layer of subtleties. It is not a focus of the work and, so , should not be glaring enough to attract too much attention from the viewer, either by being too interesting or too simplistic in treatment.
I have added the first layer of paint on the jumper, with much more work to be done. This man is in shadow as is the man in the far left background who will have a dramatic light effect on the right side of his face to 'tie' this section to the rest of the composition (left side for the viewer). The oven has also had some adjustments and additions.

It is not easy to see on this photo, but I added a little refinement to the wall behind the man's head and defined the far extractor hood ready for more detail.
The floor to the right has had the first block in of the shadows created by the lighting in the room.
The colours of this photo are also not true to reality, which is a little stronger as the light washes it out a little but it is, at least, an indication of the composition and how it is progressing.