On another ocean

Image 3 Water series
Stage 2
Acrylic on canvas
Barbara Muir © 2010
(The blue/green of the
ocean goes on as an
underpainting colour on the
shadow areas of the face, and
is the first layer on the ocean part of
the painting.)

My third model is originally from India, and although
she's never been to the ocean she decided she
wanted to be on the Indian Ocean where it meets
the island of Madagascar. So this is the colour of the
water there -- a greenish/turquoise colour. I wasn't
sure how to make the colour until I began, and then
I loved it.

So I painted the shadows on her face with this lovely
greeny blue, and then thought I'd start the ocean too.
The beach will be a tan colour, and the sky a quite
dark blue.

The other day I began obsessing about the fact that
I'm missing the Pacific Ocean in this series. But I
only have enough room in the show I'm entering
these pieces in for three paintings, so the Pacific
will have to wait. I decided to paint the models
against whatever oceans they wanted in the paintings.

I really love the painting at this stage, and have to
force myself over the hurdle of loving the underpainting
into the main work of getting the face right. That's
tomorrow's assignment.
Have a loving-the-work-you-do day.