Paint Sculpting Example

One of the techniques I use in my art is under-painting, paint layering and sculpting. As I worked on my Farm Table Posies painting I took some photos to show the process. In this painting I wanted the sculpted flowers to be in different colors, so I did my under-painting in different colors, then, after adding the thick upper layer of paint, I had to remember where each color was placed on the underlying canvas. (This is really why I took the photos...to guide me in my sculpting step.)

It took me several tries on some flowers to get to the right place when sculpting. The vase and table were also under-painted and sculpted.

Here is the final product:

The steps in layering are shown here:

Close-ups of some of the end-result detail are here:

As with most of my paintings, I've included reflective elements in some places; the vase has some metallic highlights and the flowers have iridescent highlights and centers. The "background" cream-colored layer is rough and dull, which provides a powerful contrast.

Click here for more information about this painting.