New Painting - Shoreline Motel - With Progress Photos

"Shoreline Motel"
18x24
Oil on Canvas
SOLD

On our cross country road trip where we circled the states, we stumbled across this little stretch of street next to the Pacific.  The run down shabbiness of the businesses along the highway, with the the salty air and the rolling fog was so surreal to me.  A scene unfamiliar living just outside of Philly....but oh so familiar to all that live in Port Orford, OR.

I've been getting some questions about my technique, so I took some stills of the progress of the painting.

Before I begin, I cover my canvas in paper.  Sometimes I use newspaper, but in this case, I used vintage dictionary pages torn.  I apply it with clear acrylic gesso.  (Liquitex).  I do this for a few reasons...I like the bounce and surface texture of the papered canvas.  I also love the life and energy that the peek-a-boo text adds to the finished piece.

Next, I sketch in the large shapes using vine charcoal.



Once my sketch is complete, I start blocking in with paint thinned with Gamsol.  This is my underpainting.  I use it to work out my shapes and values early on.



I then start adding in my paint layers...still working with slightly thinned down paint.

I changed my horizon line and started adding in more and more detail switching over to oils with Walnut Oil (Gamblin)





Finished Piece.

Close Up - looking closely you can see some of the peek-a-boo text - look under the awning and in the street signs.



Another Close Up


This piece will be part of my solo show at the Phoenix Village Art Center next year.  If you are interested in a print, you can purchase one from my Etsy shop.