House Project part 12

With the deadline for the Gimme Shelter show coming up fast, I had to make some real progress today. I got up to the Studio in the early afternoon, and started with the wood. I used the house block as a guide to measuring the shape for my pine plank base, marking it so that there would be an even margin on all five sides. Luckily I have a miter saw in the Studio, and after a little experimentation, found that 40 degrees was the right angle to match the proportions of the print image. I cut one such shape, taking it right from the end of the plank. Because the wood had a few nicks in it, I decided to make a second piece of wood, using the first to measure it. Did a little touch up with a coping saw, rasp, and sandpaper, and in the end, I had a base and a spare. I set those aside and started my coloring process.

I decided to start with the palette suggested by that old Life Magazine photo from yesterday, building with a deep red, pale green, and golden yellow, along with plenty of dark woods. As a combination, the colors were attractive- it's pretty much how the Studio is painted. I then started adding in browns and neutrals, and began experimenting with possible colors for the stairs (see above). I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.

I had one other idea for colors since yesterday. I thought about another color print with a house interior, St Eustace, done a few years ago at my brother's suggestion. I didn't have it in the Studio yesterday, but I dug up a copy this morning and added it to the pile of stuff I brought with me today. It actually has a lot of the same colors, though with different shades and proportions.

I made some quick notes of which colors I would likely use in each part of the second proof, when Molly came through for a very quick visit. I showed her the still uncolored proof, which she liked a lot. She quickly mentioned the dark bannisters and railings and what it did for the composition, which is a confirmation of the decision I made before printing. She really liked how the figures fit into the composition, saying that she had been concerned that the scene would become too cluttered. In my head I knew it would work, so I had no concerns over their inclusion, just in getting the poses right. She agreed that the colors on the first proof weren't quite right. She also made a few technical suggestions for my mounting strategy, as it's a variation on what she regularly does with her work. And then she was on her way.

For the second proof I started with the brown color that I had made for the wooden stairs, though it also ended up in a few other spots as well. The yellow walls are a little lighter than ochre color I used yesterday. I took the red off the wall in the lower left and moved it to the carpeting, making it more of an earth red and a little darker. The carpet is much darker now, which will change the value balance in the composition. By then it was close to 5 pm, so I called it a day, the proof in the state shown above. So far I like it better than the first. I brought the proofs and my watercolors home with me, so I can add a few more colors whenever I have a little spare time.