Ready, fire, aim! or Watch Where You're Pointing That Paintbrush, Kid

My friend Kate asked me to paint a picture for her high school play. She needed one of Graumann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. After painting for the first time in 12 years, and completing 4 very small paintings over the holidays, I said "Sure, I can probably do that!" out loud. In my head I said "what did I just say?"

Well, I found a good photo to copy. A cool night shot with a nice color palette of tans, yellows, and reds. I looked at more pictures later and realized the theater is really grey-blue. I guess the way it was lit that night changed the color.

I ended up taking pictures as I worked to keep Kate updated on my progress. At the end I was actually surprised with the results. I was happy with it and so was she. As I worked I noted something about doing this kind of painting. It's like sculpting in reverse. Instead of carving away the parts you don't need, you layer them up. Sometimes not in the order that seems logical. Sometimes you have to step away for a bit to let your brain adjust to the way the layers are building.

I took the photos with my cellphone and fixed them up a little in photoshop, but they are what they are. Enjoy!