Starting big from small sources

Hi there,

I spent a lot of the day today in my car checking chores off the
interminable list. I wanted to paint at class tonight, but I'm
committed to a big 30" x 30" painting for submission to
a show on Monday. So that pretty much means I have to
paint me -- someone I know well enough to try and go at
a breakneck speed, given that I teach all day tomorrow,
and Friday afternoon.

I apologize for the photos tonight.
This is actually a white canvas
30" x 30"
with beginning of the underpainting
of yellow, pink, orange and a touch of red
to create peach

Steven took some pictures of me, he printed them out
4" x 6 " and I waded in. The photos of the painting's
development have worked out badly because I guess
there was less light than I thought,
and I may not have had the flash on. But this is a kind
of underpainting beginning. The small photo was too
tiny for face reference, and I need better reference
for the hands, because I'm holding brushes.

At our art club, we have to submit the names of
our work almost a month in advance of a show. A month
ago I was having big trouble with large work because
of my broken ankle, so I gave in a name of a yet
to be realized work. The name was "Work in Progress",
and I thought I am one of my works in progress for
sure, so there it is.

I want to try and keep a freshness in it, even though
it will be mostly done from photo reference. But
I will use a mirror too. Right now it doesn't
look like me, but it has the lively happy air I'm
going to try for.

How far I got tonight.

The background is a light peach pink colour.
Something's gone a bit odd with the light
or the camera -- or I hear you -- me.-

I do love painting, and I work on being a happy
person even when times are tough, so the
painting should say that. Big day at school
tomorrow. I'm tired now.

Have a getting-it-all-done day.