Heirloom Tomatoes #4, 4 x 6 inches

Heirloom Tomato #3

Hello my friends and happy Friday!

Here is another painting of the bountiful tomato harvest our garden has been producing...

It has been so fun painting this subject matter over and over again, exploring the different shapes and colors found in each individual tomato. I have also been experimenting with a new medium mixture when working on these alla prima paintings, seeing if I can accomplish some of the lushness and translucency that I strive for in my larger and more developed paintings. And so far I have been happy with the results.

When I was working on the Worthington Whittridge copy at the NGA, I used a medium mixture of 2 parts damar varnish with 1 part stand oil in the first layer of the painting that required medium, prior to that I used thinned down oil paint with OMS. This follows the “fat over lean” principle of painting when using oils. What I discovered was that this medium mixture stiffens faster than the typical medium I use (1 part damar varnish to 1 part stand oil) but still has some openness to manipulate if you need to.

So, to me, 2 parts damar varnish to one part stand oil is a highbred medium, where I can build up thick layers of suspended pigment while also keeping some of the interesting brushstrokes. Keeping the textural effects I love in alla prima paintings while also adding an extra translucency that is difficult to achieve when painting with straight-from-the- tube paint.

…………………………… unframed painting: SOLD 4″ x 6″ (10.2 x 15.2 cm) Click here it purchase