Hatchling BP Oil Painting

[sho220]

You paint beautifully. Being able to see the progression of it really gives me an appreciation for the amount of work that you have done. It's pretty amazing how the last bit with the scales and the highlights really makes the details pop, especially in the egg fluid. If you don't mind, how many hours would you think you have into the whole thing?

Thanks. I usually paint in very thin layers and kind of build up the painting as I go along. All of those details and highlights that make it pop have to wait until the end. Sometimes I'll rough them in to get an idea of where they'll be, but they don't get refined until the end. Total painting time is probably between 20-30 hours? Just a guess. A lot of time is spent just planning and making tiny adjustments. I spend a ton of time just pacing back and forth between the easel and the far end of the room. You will see things differently depending on how close or far away you are. You also see things completely different when you flip a canvas or panel upside down. That's one of the easiest ways to sort out perspective or proportion problems. Flip the picture upside down and the problem area is usually glaringly obvious. When looking at it right side up, your brain will compensate by sending you a preconceived idea of whatever it is you're looking at. We do it all the time. We fill in and fix things that aren't right all the time with everything we look at. Wow...I'm rambling...