PIP ( Painting In Progress)

WEEK 1

STILL LIFE WITH A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF

SKETCH

James Aponovich

Pencil on paper

Most paintings begin with a vague idea, usually when you are in

the shower. This particular idea, though, came from my 

wife, Beth, " Why don't you paint..."

The concept is quickly sketched onto any paper available, an

envelope, paper napkin, anything. For some reason it is called a 

'Thumbnail' sketch, but I can't recall ever drawing on my thumb.

It then may be developed on better paper.....If one can't wait...I can't

Painting in Progress

ON CANVAS

Looking around the studio, I found a canvas more or less the size I

want. The painting is a 3:4 ratio ( 36"x 48"), or as they say in the

furniture business, 'a four footer', just right for over the couch.

I'll spare you the agonisingly boring technical stuff, let's just say the

drawing is now on the canvas, in pencil.

HYDRANGEAS

These flowers are painted first because they are such a pain to get just

right. Petal after petal. This is an underpainting, that's why the

guy on the left is grey, the rest turning to pink.

Who knows what color they will be in the end.

Now everything is fluid. This is the fun part.

CLOTH

This shows the cloth. This particular cloth is Busatti, my old reliable

Tuscan workhorse. But, as much as I love it, it's another pain to paint.

Now, just take a deep breath and start......

-James Aponovich