"Il Gatto": Italian Cat Painting Today

Finally. A new post. "Il Gatto" was meant to be something simple to paint. It wasn't for some reason. Randy and I passed this fellow on one of our long walks in Florence. He seemed to have plenty of attitude. (Most cats do.) While I was painting this, I was thinking about what he might have been saying. I figure that it was "What are you looking at?"

The reason I think it was difficult to paint was the surface. I used a Raymar panel for this one ... in preparation for a workshop I'm taking next week. The slick, non-absorbent support gets me every time. Hopefully, dealing with those issues will be one of my "takeaway" pieces of knowledge from the workshop. That would be great!

Because the panel wasn't absorbing the paint, I ended up with a soupy mess. I did find a solution though, and that was to wipe away the lights ... a way I started paintings in workshops at Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia. That was one of those "aha" moments today. Painting requires pulling on all of the knowledge you've accumulated. Lots of problem solving opportunities.

I started this as a grisaille. Using just burnt sienna, French ultramarine and white. Eventually the other colors on my palette crept in.

One of my projects that kept me quiet this past week was constructing a mini website for the Artists' Atelier -- the studio I share with 14 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G in Great Falls. Check it out at www.theartistsatelier.blogspot.com.

"Il Gatto", oil on Raymar panel, 14"h x 11"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010

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