Preliminary Drawing

I really work preliminary drawings: lots of groping for the line and changing my mind. Years ago, I learned to do that on vellum to save the surface of my final draft paper for the sable tip of watercolor brushes. I end up with a contour drawing with lots of notes to myself about the details of light and shade, color, phone calls I need to return, etc. – an honest working draft. When finished, I transfer the drawing to my watercolor paper the no-tech way, and then I’m ready to begin painting.

Drawing on Mylar

Something interesting happened with the line drawing of the leather carving on the saddle – it flipped the visual weight of the saddle and its embellishments – now the botanical elements are more important than the object they adorn! I think there’s another direction I can go with painting this image, or possibly etching it on to another medium such as glass. I decided to make a second transfer of the image to Mylar. It’s in the flat files for another day.

Begin Painting

It will take me over a thousand hours to paint this piece the way I work – that is a lot of time sitting at the drawing board!

Thirty years ago – desperate with terrible back issues – I took up my yoga practice. It cured my problems with back pain, but beyond having a flexible spine, yoga makes it possible for me to paint 4-6 hours/day. I would be afraid to stop, because I’m now at the intersection of 70 years of age with a 30 year yoga practice – still doing everything I want to do and creating my best work. I love my life!