My next painting takes us from the Sonoran Desert in Arizona to a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean. Thought you’d like to see my painting setup. The overhead light is a standard 4 bulb unit from Home Depot. We use daylight fluorescent bulbs to provide consistent painting light. A large garbage bag is placed over an aluminum walker for my paint tissue. The palette is glass laid on top of a white board placed on a culinary cart, the shelves are perfect for keeping my paint and extra supplies close at hand. The taboret is a smaller kitchen cart. Jack’s painting over the mantle is called Peace in the Valley. It is one of my favorites. If you’d like to enlarge the image in order to see my painting setup more clearly just CLICK on the picture.
My collectors saw this painting by Julian Askins and requested that I do something similar. They especially like the filtered shadows on the building, floor and table.
The sketching process begins by establishing the perspective of the double doors and columns supporting the pergola. Then I draw some of the plants with a brush dipped in a thin oil wash made of MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin. This piece is framed in my White Senkarik Signature Frame. The frame is made of a heavy body acrylic from England that we apply to a gallery wrap canvas. It is then wrapped for protection and the painting area taped off.
The Bougainvillea is drawn, then work begins on spacing the balusters in the railing.
We decided the terrace should overlook the Amalfi Coast. I don’t mind that at all, Jack and I LOVE the Amalfi Coast and have wonderful memories of traveling there. I’ve changed the chairs from white wicker to wrought iron with heart-shaped backs to bring an extra touch of romance to the painting.
A basket of fruit and vase of Roses are placed on the table. The flowers are all labeled, I have a tendency to get into painting and forget my original plan 🙂 If you would like to receive an email every time I publish a new post you can subscribe to my blog. CLICK THIS LINK and scroll to the upper right side of the page. You will see a heading EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS. Just enter your email address and click the button “Sign me up!” It’s easy. And if you enjoy my blog please CLICK the FaceBook LIKE Button. As we say in Texas, “Much Obliged!
Mikki Senkarik 
April 17, 2016 at 9:55 PM |
Labeling the flowers is a smart thing to do. I can relate, and you can never tell how a painting will finally end because of the transitions an artist has to deal with. I don’t know what I’d do without my artistic license!
April 25, 2016 at 8:03 AM |
I might like it. I have a friend who has a painting of a patio with filtered light; hers has shadow on the floor, too. We have always liked it. We were with her in Napa when she bought it.
Best.
Cathy Battles