3. Tonal values. The painting then starts to take shape being lightly painted in a layer of sepia tones.
4. Colour blocking. The painting is given its first layer of base colours.
5. Layering. The whole process starts to slow down now with the layers of paint needed to great realism. My eye takes me through the image to what lies beneath each layer in order to get depth.
6. Detail. The final stage of the painting involves a stronger layering system of every detail I want to bring forward. The translucent layers now really give body to the work, at times adding an almost three dimensional view.
Each stage is completed in a month, allowing the oil drying time between layers. The completed painting is then hung for at least three months to harden before varnishing. So as you can gather from this, it may be around twelve months or more before a painting is ready for sale.