Starting with the background

Before I started working on canvas at my Tuesday night classes,
I used to drive to class wondering what colour of ground to
use. I must have tried every colour in my palette, and ultimately
concluded that for me, in most cases, a warm ground was better
than a cold one -- so I favour rust, orange, peach, yellow and red
as backgrounds, over blue, purple, or green.

Painting sketch
acrylic on watercolour paper
20" x 26"

The painting sketch I'm showing you tonight is done on watercolour
paper in acrylic, and at the time I was trying out a purple ground.
I prefer our portrait night when the model is dressed, to the
figure study night when the model is naked, not because I'm a prude,
but because I like to paint clothing. I like how clothes make a
statement about the model -- and that's just me. I can appreciate
all kinds of work, but I guess I like painting people in their clothing,
because I'm interested in their personalities. Clothing may not make
the man, or woman, but it definitely expresses who they are. As a
portrait painter, I know that clients are very particular about both
what they wear, and the accessories that go with their dresses or
suits. Women clients often bring favorite meaningful jewelry, and
men who think they never think about clothes insist on wearing
special shirts, and ties. Mark Twain said, "clothes make the man.
Naked people have little or no influence on society." I think
that idea could easily be challenged.

That said I like the figure drawing in this image, and I especially like
the colours I was working with.

Have a painting-everything-in-sight day.