Part 4: Adding color/layers to "Honeybee"

Adding another color to "Honeybee" by Amy Crehore

I decided that I wanted to add more color and elements to the composition, so I took my cadmium red light and made some red accents. I put some pink flowers in and added some dots on the tent, to echo the shape of the banjo ukulele. As I go along, I am also adding more layers of paint to everything. The only way to end up with a really rich effect in the final version is to keep on adding paint.

I use a dozen or so brushes at a time, all different - red sables and bristle brushes- all sizes and shapes. I can load different paint colors on them and not worry about cleaning them until the end of a session. My extra fine Holbein oil paints are really smooth like butter and Winsor & Newton Liquin is my medium of choice.

These paintings don't all go smoothly and I may have difficulty on certain areas. Often, I make up things as I go along. If I want to change a color, I will just paint over it or I may even sand it down and try again, like on a face.

Scanning the different steps is actually helping me out - I've never done this before. It's easy to "lose" what's underneath sometimes and, this way, I can go back and check my initial painted sketch.

The Art of Amy Crehore