SONGS VII
IN PROGRESS
 
This page shows; from blank canvas to eventual completion, the story of "Songs VII".
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The stark white canvas - this is where a plan - at least a starting point - comes in handy.
Laying a base on this scale takes a suprising amount of paint - this method of setting it out ensures an even distribution, and is alot of fun!
The colour chosen in this case is a chrome orange deep (hue) which has a unique and sophisticated feel. I have wanted to start with this marvellous colour for some time.
Unusually, from the start, I had a definite set of colours planned for the entire painting. I was inspired by the most beautiful and striking new dress my daughter has for Christmas. Predictably though, as it progressed the painting demanded some change.
The painting's main colour will be rose madder. This fleshy pink has been laid to provide a base for that. It must be allowed to dry to ensure the madder does not kick up and blend with it.
To capitalise on the success of the fleshy pink beside the chrome orange - I have laid it in the top corner also where, appearing dulled and brown, it will remain visible.
Rose madder provisionally spread. 
Ragged out and brushed in - thick and thin, scrubbed and laid for visual undulation.
Other colour choices can now be established - a tea brown top lays beautifully on the pink and orange. Bottom the neutral of a broken olive green.
Grey of a broken raw umber very purposefully lined over the broken olive, flicking and splashing agreeably into the red - I like this intrusion and may develop it in future works.
Reinforcing the red band, and working with the cool red of the rose is carmine - another cool red but darker and opaque - this contrasts with the warmth above and draws on the cools below. I like the way it's lines seemed to have put an interior edge to the red band - I did consider actually blocking this in with a large brushed area of carmine.