Critique invited, lady of the lake

[KHart]

ignore this posting

[mona]

This has a beautiful dreamy quality to it K. The traditional cross-hatch method of painting with egg tempera can make open areas like skies very tedious to paint. I know some people help it along by applying a consistent texture, light application with a sponge for example. I have experimented with putting down a watercolor wash first using the wet bead technique (where you get your brush loaded, make a broad stroke across, and then slant your panel to let it 'bead' on one end and then feed the next stroke across into that one). Then I play with adding egg tempera over it to solidify it.

I also learned in icon painting class a modified method, similar to the bead technique where you mix up a pool of color and start spinning it out, keeping the edge wet enough to feed more paint into it, and keep broadening the area until you fill it out. Use a fair amount of egg in your mix so it's almost like applying a glaze.

[KHart]

Thanks. I've done sky and other large areas with a sponge in some other ET paintings ... it works well. This is a large painting so the brushwork was time consuming, but not tedious. Allowing the brushstrokes to show was intentional, however, as I wanted to convey an energy in both the air and water... some magic, if you will. I've only just seen your response and appreciate your suggestions. Thanks again - Kevin

[enpsaphier]

The lady is a mountain with the stars in her hair.... such a magical conception. Sorry -- no critique, my hubby is the e.t. painter. Evelyn Saphier