It is not many days that you have the pleasure of running into a Sea Man, but on this unlikely day in August, at the Milford Ohio Paint Out I had such a day. I was told of a home that had a nautical flavor that was receptive to us visiting to make a painting for the Wet Paint sale that would follow later in the afternoon.
To my surprise I found not only the nautical vision, but also the captain himself, Sea Captain Bruce Bishop, with a long white beard and all. When I asked him if I could paint him he obliged, put on his attire and off to paint him on this very hot day.
Captain Bruce Bishop, 11 x 17 oil on panel
Working first with a small color study I realized quickly it was a vertical design, not a horizontal as I first intended. Laying in overall color and tone to work my painting into was my next step, based on my original color study with a painting knife and then gently smearing with my rag and walnut oil.
Then my drawing and color built up as one being careful to establish good tonal separation. More painting, till final detailing of smaller and smaller areas progressed, many water breaks and I was pleased to stop catching a remarkable resemblance even in this loose sculpted paint approach I had taken.
I had taken many pictures for reference at his home. One I thoroughly enjoyed was the woman’s figure head. It needed a sea atmosphere which I added back in the studio.
© 2011 Daryl Urig
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Woman Figurehead, 9 x 12 oil on panel
