Building a Painting

I like to describe my process as "building a painting." As evident in the above images, my paintings evolve through layers and details, working broad to specifics. I have always worked a composition in its entirety from start to finish, so that I can compare values and shapes throughout the process rather than completing one little area at a time. At present, I'm interested in incorporating temperature and value into the early stages of my future paintings like I did in this one in a more systematic way. I've been striving to invoke more artistic intention into my renderings while giving my body of work more unity. I'm hoping to have stumbled upon something good. We'll see. You know what they say about the best of intentions . . . ha!