I started with a board coated in gesso and covered it with a thin layer of rose madder - much of the base layer can still be seen in the finished painting. I then began to work up the shapes I needed for the beach and the horizon. For the last several months I have been working on a much smaller scale and I had forgotten how much hard work it is to cover a 4 foot wide board!
As you can see, first go around I painted the shape I know so well - the field at home. It just proves how necessary it is to keep drawing and drawing and drawing, the body learns the rhythms of shapes and produces them automatically.
I decided to work with the shapes I had and continued adding colour to catch the light and serenity.
To finish I altered the shapes slightly and added the breakers. I'm quite pleased with end result, I may even paint a few more seascapes.
"Goodbye Old Friend" oil on gesso board 48" x 24"
It's a lovely painting and a great reminder of a special friend.
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