Idea stage! Loose sketches to try and figure out a basic composition.

Often, I go for it, but I wanted to take my time with this piece.

I knew I wanted to do something with intertwining circles or spirals. And something with isometric perspective to create a strange feeling juxtaposition.

Lots of erasing and not trying to get too dialed into details yet.

The house on the left is based on mine.

I liked the rushing-to-work figure and the strange head in the foreground, so these became anchors for the foreground and middle ground.

Inked the sketch that resulted.

As I went along, newcomers included little rows of orderly rowhouses and a graveyard based, loosely, on the Hardy Tree in London. Imagery around life and death ermge and little worlds within worlds.

My sketchbooks are generally covered in scraggly writing and unordered thoughts.

I didn’t know this, but the Hardy Tree fell in 2022. Sad. I miss my London cemetery walks and recommend Highgate Cemetery.

Transferring the sketch to the 24″x36″ canvas. I used pastel.
Some things skewed, as they do.

Tempera wash to block in values.

I usually use a handmade mixture from local eggs but used a Sennelier egg binding medium for a thicker constistency.

For the pigment I used the purple pastel and a Mummy Brown from Natural Pigments (not actual mummy like the old days). And a little leftover pigment from the last piece.

Tempera lets you quickly fix things. I am obsessed with the consistency generally, but for this piece wanted something darker and shinier so I chose oil.

First wash of transparent oils over tempera.

Generally, things get ugly here.
I quickly did not like the overbearing sun.

Goodbye, sun. Hello unnatural sky. I like the dark and light contrast between the roofs. This shapes the final piece.

Darkening values and blocking out some colors I’m sure of at this point.

Also letting myself add a few details in the isometric “roof blown off” head section to see a little progress, as a treat. It’s a murder in the temple. I’ve just finished The Name of the Rose and I’ll never be the same.

Starting to come together here and feels like one piece. But this piece is definitely testing my patience at this point.

Again, circles and warped perspectives were the main things I wanted to explore in this piece, but it felt like something was missing before I dialed into the details.

I debated a few things to add to the road while I let the oil layer dry.

Then added a skewed version of my old Volvo 240 (which I miss dearly), some leaves, and other details. In my mind, the light at the far side of the piece just turned on.

I also strengthened the circular compositions. And added a secret lemon.