"Honeybee" Sketch by Amy Crehore- Parts 1 and 2

Step one: "Honeybee" sketch by Amy Crehore copyright 2007
Step two: "Honeybee" sketch transferred and re-drawn onto gessoed board

I thought that you might like to see the process I use to create an oil painting. This is a small 8" square piece that I am working on for Miami Basel. I began with a detailed pencil sketch. I drew this from my head and erased a lot until I became satisfied with the design and composition. I then took my cradled board and rubbed a layer of raw sienna paint onto the surface with a rag. I xeroxed my sketch and rubbed pencil onto the back of the xerox. After the paint dried, I layed the drawing onto the gessoed board and re-drew the lines to make a transfer. With raw umber paint, I re-drew it once again with a paint brush.

This image is a combination of characters from all of my series works. The girl appears different in the pencil sketch than she does in the painted sketch. And she will change yet again as I begin to add color. I never know exactly how it will turn out. With oil paint I can change colors and paint over mistakes easily. I may even add things to the composition. Stay tuned.

The Art of Amy Crehore