Contemplation, 6.5" x 6.5", Gouache, 2009

This is another transformation purely from memory. I sketched this guy, he must have had a hard day at work. He looked like a builder to me. I loved his face and was quite pleased to get this opportunity to sketch him.

1. Get my museum mountboard and give it an acrylic wash base of cadmium yellow and yellow ocher.

2. I start by placing the main large shapes with my flat sable, no initial drawing in this one.

3. After the main shapes are in place I begin to use a glazing technique to keep laying colours until I get both transparency and opacity in various places as I want.

4.The remaining touches are done to add detail to the main features.

5. I soften the edges around the background by spraying water over the area.

6. I have to stop before this piece gets overworked by the glazing technique.