He's Blocked In?

I began the "Block in" phase of the painting using only a 1/2 inch filbert brush. The only focus is to get as close as possible to the desired tones and hues. The goal is to get the overall feel of the painting established. Attention to the details are kept at a minimum. With this painting, during this stage, it's all about capturing the dramatic lighting.

The Block-in painting phase can take more than 1 layer of paint since, most times, the artist is not quite sure how light, dark or chromatic the colors of the different areas should be. But, since I am copying an old master painting my artistic thought process is different. I am just trying to mix the color and draw, in paint, what I see in my printout of the old master painting.

Oil on Linen - 10.5 hrs

I confess that this is my favorite stage of painting. I can sit (or stand) in front of the painting for several hours with minimal tension or frustration over the painting process. The painting quickly evolves and will begin to "look like a painting," giving me a sense of enthusiasm that the painting is progressing well.