Just starting

I'm working on a painting for a show in October called "Skin." It's about bodies and body art. It is not an erotic show nor do the paintings have to depict nudes. They do have to have body art as one of the subjects. All the paintings will be 24 by 18 inches.

Yesterday I chose one of Don Anderson's photographs of a beautiful young woman named Cecelia. She goes by CC. I met her and have become a Facebook friend. There is something very unique and wonderful about her. She's beautiful and tough and fragile at the same time. That is what I hope to communicate with this painting.

Yesterday I made thumb nail sketches to come up with the composition. Then I under painted the canvas with Venetian Red and gold gesso with the composition in mind. Then I began to map out the dark and light areas in the painting. This is what I have so far. I'll post this as I make changes so you can get an idea of the process and transformation of a piece of white canvas to a painting. I hope it comes out as I envision it.