Project 1, Work in Progress

When I started this course I was keen to continue from where I left off in learning to paint.  So although it's been a while ( 7 months), I was excited about painting again.  This is my work in progress.  It's about 14 x 18 inches, in acrylics and I'm using various photographic reference pictures, mostly ones that I have taken but other bits either made up or referenced off the net.  I think the biggest difficulty I am having in working in this pieced together way is getting tone and colour looking right.

 For example as I have put the figure in a different setting I decided to change the colour of his trousers which took me a while until I felt they were acceptable…… for now anyway.  I have been trying to create some sense of depth whilst also concentrating on the main figure by means of keeping the figure's colours more saturated than the background and using hints of complementaries in the background around the figure.  Something I recall Seurat did.  The guy going up the stairs I have tried to keep as nondescript as possible.  But looking at it on and off today in between the sunday chores and delivering Avon, (yes I confess I have another secret life as an Avon lady), I feel the background tones are not right and maybe I have kept some of it too grey and muted.  I wonder what Monet would have advised.  You know when you get asked those questions like: " if you had to get stuck in a lift with someone who is alive or dead?"  I think Monet would be a good choice,…….. along with Einstein.  Anyway, it's all part of the challenge and learning isn't it.