Planning the painting...over and over

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I'm finally starting to get values and value patterns....now I truly understand the importance and all the theories about passage, linkage, focal point, using the reference material as a starting point and no more....is all beginning to make sense. The pieces of the jigsaw puzzle are coming together, with fewer missing parts. The aspect ratio of the final painting matching that of the value study - so important. I knew that but disregarded it every time, and stumbled along, making the same mistake over and over and not understanding why the painting wasn't working. I am getting it now.....a strong value pattern is really a jigsaw puzzle in black and white. The initial work is in the silhouette, not in the details. Jigsaw puzzles have popped up at different points in my life - and had several metaphorical meanings. Now, in hindsight, I can connect the dots and understand the importance of the various pieces. Isn't life a jigsaw puzzle? So many parts - seemingly unrelated, but they really come together as a whole, whether we understand them or not.

Here is a reference picture, many value studies, and a few small paintings based on the value studies, but with different color palettes. Really enjoying all the pre-painting studies and letting the subject sink in and affect me in different ways before attempting a larger painting. I still haven't done THE painting - that is so daunting.... but I am so enjoying the studies and smaller vignettes because there's nothing to lose, and so much to gain. Happy Thanksgiving....








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