Ultramarine

Deepening Blue 20x16 oil, copyright 2012

Finally this painting is dry enough to photograph, though it's still a bit tacky in places.  I love this color, ultramarine blue, but I'd forgotten how dark it is, and how much oil is in it, slowing the drying process. For some reason the darker and more saturated or "pure" colors tend to have more oil.  

It was inspired by the same photo as the previous painting, and was painted the same day.   While I often start with a photo, which leads my color palette, once I get started the photo is largely ignored and the painting becomes intuitive.  It's a different way of thinking for me, and I'm rather enjoying the freedom it allows.

In other news, the brownstone that was being auctioned went to a friend of mine, one who was with me  in NYC when I took the reference photo.  A check is on its way to Red Cross and the painting is on its way to Cleveland, so it's win-win all around.  I love it when that happens.  Thanks Tracey!