Initial Inspiration
This personal piece was inspired by photos my spouse took, long before we met.
Brainstorming and Rough Sketches
Using pencil on paper, I explored what I wanted the visual narrative to be as I explored composition, value design, and lighting.
Reference and Research
Plein air oil paint study. I took myself on a field trip to study bronze patina in sunlight. I painted this little oil study. It was helpful to see the color changes in the light vs the shadow, and how the patina looked in flat areas vs the nooks and crannies. I don’t always do this, but I had the time and it was a good opportunity for learning and skill building.
Photo reference. Some of many. These are samples of some photos I took myself.
Studies to understand the form of sculptures and lions
Small Sculpey maquette so I could light it how I want.
The drawing
Pencil on paper
Color
Initial mood and color inspiration
Watercolor and gouache studies
Digital versions. Initially I was thinking warm colors would dominate but that didn’t work with the warm sunlight streaming in. I changed it to the more “colorful” color study and of mostly “cool” colors in the shadow so there could be enough contrast for the warm sunlight to actually look warm.
Painting
First pass, and lay-in. To show bronze with patina, I painted the lion sculpture first in browns and oranges. Then painted the greens, blue-greens, and other colors over.
Final Art
