"The Spire" (9x12 oil on linen panel) painting process

Greetings Steemians and Artists,

This painting remains a personal favorite. There is no greater thrill to me (in painting) than transcending (or attempting to transcend) the limitations of "reality". In my painting career, I soon realized that this aspect of painting was the thing that would sustain my enthusiasm for learning and creating.

detail

The setup:
Look at this setup. It looks terrible. It would be terribly boring if I was painting literally. But I set it up because I had an image in my mind of how to bring something interesting out of that drill. The physical setup is just a tool to get there.
I keep saying this because I really believe it: It's not what you paint, but how you paint it.

First stage:
Shape of shadow. My block-ins seem to be getting sloppier with time. Not a good thing or a bad thing-- It's okay as long as you know you'll be able to save yourself later. But if you struggle with proportion and perspective, I would recommend a tighter block-in.

Next stage:
Just the knife from here on out. Placing vague grapey blobs to round out the composition.

Next stage:

Next stage:

Next stage:

Next stage:
This strategy has become a valuable tool for me ever since I attended a David Leffel workshop way back in the day: warmer and darker in front, cooler and lighter behind the subject. Kind of a landscape in miniature...aerial perspective.

Next stage:

Next stage:

And the finished painting, "The Spire" (9x12 oil on linen panel, 2013):

Thanks for reading! -David

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