'The Thatcher' - process 4

I think a little more work on the thatch and his gloves and I will have finished this painting.

'The Thatcher' - process 3

This coming on nicely but as always with glazing takes time to dry!

'The Thatcher' - process 2

Painting the under drawing went well. I tried to keep the paint on the thatcher smooth but descriptively rough on the roof. It is now on a small easel under a protective umbrella of a J-cloth to keep the dust of while it dries. Drying may take some time!

'The Thatcher' - process 1

This guy has been re-ridging a thatched cottage round the corner from me on Queen's Street. Re-ridging lasts around 15 -20 years so the earliest he will be returning is in the year 2024.

I am flexing my oil painting fingers for this as I want texture showing in the thatch. It's a small canvas (180 x 125) which was previously painted in blue acrylic paint. I drew directly onto the canvas using vine charcoal working from my thumbnail drawing, removing the unwanted marks using putty rubber, but as you can see by the shadows of my first attempted drawing it is not easy getting the composition right. The under-painting (grissaille) will be in oil using the blue as the mid tone.

Oil paints require drying time so I will be developing other paintings in tandem with this painting.